Bill Cobbs
Known for
A beloved American character actor with a warm, dignified presence, Bill Cobbs worked steadily in film and television for over four decades. The Cleveland native appeared in dozens of films including 'The Bodyguard' (1992), 'The Hudsucker Proxy' (1994), 'Night at the Museum' (2006) and 'Oz the Great and Powerful' (2013), often cast as wise elders and gentle authority figures. He died in 2024 at age ninety. A familiar, reassuring face across generations of screen work, he remains fondly remembered for his soulful, understated character performances.
Bill Cobbs
74 Movies
43 Series
A beloved American character actor with a warm, dignified presence, Bill Cobbs worked steadily in film and television for over four decades. The Cleveland native appeared in dozens of films including 'The Bodyguard' (1992), 'The Hudsucker Proxy' (1994), 'Night at the Museum' (2006) and 'Oz the Great and Powerful' (2013), often cast as wise elders and gentle authority figures. He died in 2024 at age ninety. A familiar, reassuring face across generations of screen work, he remains fondly remembered for his soulful, understated character performances.
Movies
Plays Reginald
Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb
2014
Plays Reginald
Night at the Museum
2006
Plays Bartender
Trading Places
1983
Plays Del Paxton
That Thing You Do!
1996
Plays Zachary Lamb - Aged
Demolition Man
1993
Plays Master Tinker
Oz the Great and Powerful
2013
Plays Grandfather
The Muppets
2011
Plays Bill Devaney
The Bodyguard
1992
Plays Nurse
Hope Floats
1998
Plays Arthur Chaney
Air Bud
1997
Plays Jim Toller
Enough
2002
Plays Estes
I Still Know What You Did Last Summer
1998
Plays Orvis
The Color of Money
1986
Plays Raggedy Man
The Hard Way
1991
Plays Ted Hamilton
The Ultimate Gift
2007
Plays Moses
The Hudsucker Proxy
1994
Plays Malt
Things to Do in Denver When You're Dead
1995
Plays Grandpa Booker
The People Under the Stairs
1991
Plays Mr. Stewart
The Search for Santa Paws
2010
Plays Virgil the Janitor
Paulie
1998
Plays Old Man
New Jack City
1991
Plays Man on Platform
The Taking of Pelham One Two Three
1974
Plays Big Joe Ison
The Cotton Club
1984
Plays Man in Lunchroom
Silkwood
1983
Plays Marvin
Random Hearts
1999
Plays Ted Hamilton
The Ultimate Life
2013
Plays Mr Randolph
The Great Gilly Hopkins
2015
Plays Speet
First Kid
1996
Plays Bert
Fluke
1995
Plays Man in Park
Fatal Instinct
1993
Plays Norman
Duck
2005
Plays Swilley
Beyond the Law
2019
Plays Detective Reilly
The January Man
1989
Plays Rev. Charlie Jackson
Get Low
2010
Plays Charlie Evers
Ghosts of Mississippi
1996
Plays Dr. Ezekiel Cannon
The Undershepherd
2012
Plays Blues Musician
A Mighty Wind
2003
Plays Walter
The Brother from Another Planet
1984
Plays Mr. Charles
New Life
2016
Plays Louisiana Slim
The Hitter
1979
Plays Dr. Caulfield
Bird
1988
Plays Tipton
Ed
1996
Plays Cobb
Hard Luck
2006
Plays Stompleg
Of Mind and Music
2014
Plays Henry Griggs
Man with a Gun
1995
Plays Elderly Man in Bar
Five Corners
1987
Plays Malachi
Call Me King
2016
Plays George
The Morgue
2008
Plays Uncle Jim
Block Party
2022
Plays Dr. Mason
Caroltyn
2022
TV Shows
Plays Lewis Coleman
I'll Fly Away
1991
Plays Elmer Greentree
The Others
2000
Plays George
Go On
2012
Plays Jack
The Michael Richards Show
2000
Plays Tony
The Drew Carey Show
1995
Plays Federal Judge
Rake
2014
Plays John McCready
Greenleaf
2016
Plays Matthew Turner
JAG
1995
Plays Abraham Wilson
Rage of Angels
1983
Plays Bernie Carpenter
NYPD Blue
1993
Plays Webb Johnson
L.A. Law
1986
Plays Second Elder - Prisoner No. 91777
The Outer Limits
1995
Plays Fish Fry Baby
The Trials of Rosie O'Neill
1990
Plays Vernon
The Carmichael Show
2015
Plays Papa Gene
Hand of God
2014
Plays Eddie Morgan
Side Order of Life
2007
Plays Henry / Charlie
Designing Women
1986
Plays Earl Edmonds
10-8: Officers on Duty
2003
Plays Bishop Sanford
Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior
2011
Plays Fred Watson
The Wayans Bros.
1995
Plays Gregory Richmond
The Glades
2010
Plays Counterman
Yes, Dear
2000
Plays Mr. Jones
Six Feet Under
2001
Plays Dr. Emory Erickson
Star Trek: Enterprise
2001
Plays Harry Bastille
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
2000
Plays Mr. Greene
The Division
2001
Plays Henry Baldwin
Touched by an Angel
1994
Plays George
Coach
1989
Plays Gino Costa
Walker, Texas Ranger
1993
Plays Mr. Bradford
Soul Food
2000
Latest Trailers
Watch Trailer
Broken Church
Full Filmography
Broken Church
Pastor Evans
2025
Film
Caroltyn
Dr. Mason
2022
Film
Block Party
Uncle Jim
2022
Film
Saving Paradise
John Thompson
2021
Film
Dino Dana: The Movie
Mr. Hendersen (Uncredited)
2020
Film
Beyond the Law
Swilley
2019
Film
My Christmas Grandpa
Fred
2017
Film
New Life
Mr. Charles
2016
Film
Call Me King
Malachi
2016
Film
Photos
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Bill Cobbs still alive?
Bill Cobbs passed away on June 25, 2024 at age 90.
What are the most famous roles of Bill Cobbs?
Bill Cobbs is best known for roles in Night at the Museum, Oz the Great and Powerful, Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb.
How many movies has Bill Cobbs been in?
Over a 50-year career (since 1974), Bill Cobbs has appeared in 74 movies and 42 TV shows.
What was Bill Cobbs's first movie?
The career of Bill Cobbs began with The Taking of Pelham One Two Three (1974).
What is Bill Cobbs's most recent movie or series?
Bill Cobbs's most recent release is Broken Church, which premiered on July 21, 2025.
What TV shows has Bill Cobbs appeared in?
On television, Bill Cobbs has appeared in Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., The Sopranos, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Six Feet Under.
Bill Cobbs
1934-06-16 · Cleveland, Ohio, USA
William Francisco Cobbs (June 16, 1934 – June 25, 2024) was an American actor. He was known for such film roles as Louisiana Slim in The Hitter (1979), Walter in The Brother from Another Planet (1984), Reginald in Night at the Museum (2006) and Master Tinker on Oz the Great and Powerful (2013). He played Lewis Coleman on I'll Fly Away (1991–1993), Jack on The Michael Richards Show (2000), and had guest appearances on Walker, Texas Ranger and The Sopranos. In 2020, he won a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Limited Performance in a Daytime Program for the series Dino Dana.Bill Cobbs, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.