Bill Cobbs has died. The character actor known for his work across television and in films such as Demolition Man, The Bodyguard, and many more was 90 years old.
Cobbs died Tuesday, June 25 at his home in Riverside, California, according to his publicist Chuck I. Jones. The cause of Cobbs’ death has not been revealed at this time. Born in Cleveland, Ohio, Cobbs served in the Air Force and worked for IBM before he moved to New York in 1970 to pursue acting at the age of 36.
Cobbs with Kevin Costner in The Bodyguard (Warner Brothers/courtesy Everett Collection)
Ultimately, he found success on stage and onscreen in film and television, despite being a latecomer in his acting career. Joining the Negro Ensemble Company in New York, Cobbs made his Broadway debut in productions such as The First Breeze of Summer, Master Harold… and the Boys, and Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom.
Over the decades, Cobbs racked up several TV credits with guest appearances and recurring roles on shows including Good Times, The Equalizer, One Life to Live, Sesame Street, L.A. Law, The Slap Maxwell Story, Homeroom, Designing Women, True Colors, I’ll Fly Away, Coach, Empty Nest, Northern Exposure, ER, Walker, Texas Ranger, The Gregory Hines Show, The Outer Limits, The Sopranos, Touched by an Angel, Six Feet Under, My Wife and Kids, NYPD Blue, JAG, The Drew Carey Show, Star Trek: Enterprise, Army Wives, One Tree Hill, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Go On, Greenleaf, The Carmichael Show, and Superior Donuts to name a few.
In 2020, Cobbs won a Daytime Emmy for his role in the series Dino Dana. His last TV role was for ABC‘s former Marvel series, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
Cobbs was also featured in films like Air Bud, That Thing You Do!, Night at the Museum, The Muppets, Enough, Hope Floats, Paulie, The Taking of Pelham One Two Three, Trading Places, A Mighty Wind, and many more.