Actor
Lee J. Cobb
Born 8 December 1911 · New York City, New York, USA — died 11 February 1976
Lee J. Cobb (1911–1976) was a New York-born American actor known for playing forceful, domineering characters. He originated Willy Loman on Broadway in Death of a Salesman (1949) and gave standout screen performances in On the Waterfront and 12 Angry Men. He later appeared in The Exorcist.
Key films
12 Angry Men (1957)On Cinespective
As the hostile Juror 3, he gave a famously intense performance opposite Henry Fonda in a landmark courtroom drama.
On the Waterfront (1954)
His portrayal of corrupt union boss Johnny Friendly earned him an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor.
The Brothers Karamazov (1958)
His performance as Fyodor Karamazov brought a second Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor.
The Exorcist (1973)
He played Lieutenant Kinderman, the detective, in one of the most influential horror films ever made.
Call Northside 777 (1948)
An early prominent film role, in a notable semi-documentary-style crime drama alongside James Stewart.
Key awards
No major competition wins are documented here; he received Academy Award nominations for Best Supporting Actor for On the Waterfront (1954) and The Brothers Karamazov (1958).
On Cinespective
Full filmography · 85
- 1934The Vanishing Shadow · as Roadwork ForemanActor
- 1937North of the Rio Grande · as President WoodenActor
- 1937Rustlers' Valley · as Cal HowardActor
- 1938Danger on the Air · as Tony LisottiActor
- 1939Golden Boy · as Mr. BonaparteActor
- 1939The Phantom Creeps · as Road Crew Foreman (archive footage)Actor
- 1940This Thing Called Love · as Julio DiestroActor
- 1941Men of Boys Town · as Dave MorrisActor
- 1941Paris Calling · as SchwabeActor
- 1943The Song of Bernadette · as Dr. DozousActor
- 1943The Moon Is Down · as Dr. Albert WinterActor
- 1943Tonight We Raid Calais · as BonnardActor
- 1943Buckskin Frontier · as Jeptha MarrActor
- 1944Winged Victory · as DoctorActor
- 1944Flight Characteristics of the P-51 Airplane · as Arthur DeedsActor
- 1946Anna and the King of Siam · as KralahomeActor
- 1947Boomerang! · as Chief Harold F. 'Robbie' RobinsonActor
- 1947Johnny O'Clock · as Inspector KochActor
- 1947Captain from Castile · as Juan GarciaActor
- 1948Call Northside 777 · as Brian KellyActor
- 1948The Dark Past · as Dr. Andrew CollinsActor
- 1948The Luck of the Irish · as David C. AugurActor
- 1948The Miracle of the Bells · as Marcus HarrisActor
- 1949Thieves' Highway · as Mike FigliaActor
- 1949The Phantom Creeps · as Road Crew Foreman (uncredited)Actor
- 1950The Man Who Cheated Himself · as Lt. Ed CullenActor
- 1951Sirocco · as Col. FeroudActor
- 1951The Family Secret · as Howard ClarkActor
- 1952The Fighter · as DurangoActor
- 1953The Tall Texan · as Capt. Theodore BessActor
- 1954On the Waterfront · as Johnny FriendlyActor
- 1954Gorilla at Large · as Detective Sgt. GarrisonActor
- 1954Yankee Pasha · as SultanActor
- 1954Day of Triumph · as ZadokActor
- 1955The Left Hand of God · as Mieh YangActor
- 1955The Road to Denver · as Jim DonovanActor
- 1955The Racers · as MaglioActor
- 1956The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit · as Judge BernsteinActor
- 1956Miami Exposé · as Lt. Barton 'Bart' ScottActor
- 195712 Angry Men · as Juror 3Actor
- 1957The Three Faces of Eve · as Doctor Curtis LutherActor
- 1957The Garment Jungle · as Walter MitchellActor
- 1957Panic Button · as Al BengstenActor
- 1958Man of the West · as Dock TobinActor
- 1958Party Girl · as Rico AngeloActor
- 1958The Brothers Karamazov · as Fyodor KaramazovActor
- 1959Green Mansions · as NufloActor
- 1959The Trap · as Victor MassonettiActor
- 1959But Not for Me · as Jeremiah MacDonaldActor
- 1959I, Don Quixote · as Miguel de Cervantes / Don Quixote de la Mancha / Alonso QuijanaActor
- 1960Exodus · as Barak Ben CanaanActor
- 1962How the West Was Won · as Marshal Lou RamseyActor
- 1962The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse · as Julio MadariagaActor
- 1962The Devil's Children · as Judge Henry GarthActor
- 1963Come Blow Your Horn · as Harry R. BakerActor
- 1964The Brazen Bell · as Judge Henry GarthActor
- 1965The Final Hour · as Judge Henry GarthActor
- 1966Our Man Flint · as CramdenActor
- 1966Death of a Salesman · as Willy LomanActor
- 1967In Like Flint · as Lloyd C. CramdenActor
- 1968Coogan's Bluff · as Lt. McElroyActor
- 1968The Day of the Owl · as Don Mariano ArenaActor
- 1968They Came to Rob Las Vegas · as Steve SkorskyActor
- 1969Mackenna's Gold · as The EditorActor
- 1970The Liberation of L.B. Jones · as Oman HedgepathActor
- 1970Annie: The Women in the Life of a Man · as HimselfActor
- 1971Lawman · as Vincent BronsonActor
- 1971Macho Callahan · as DuffyActor
- 1972The Bull of the West · as Judge GarthActor
- 1972Heat of Anger · as Frank GalvinActor
- 1973The Exorcist · as Lt. Bill KindermanActor
- 1973The Man Who Loved Cat Dancing · as LapchanceActor
- 1973Double Indemnity · as Barton KeyesActor
- 1973The Great Kidnapping · as JovineActor
- 1974Trapped Beneath the Sea · as Victor BatemanActor
- 1974The Balloon Vendor · as Twenty YearsActor
- 1974The Great Ice Rip-Off · as Willy CalsoActor
- 1974Dr. Max · as Maxwell GordonActor
- 1975Blood, Sweat and Fear · as BenziActor
- 1975Mark Shoots First · as Il commedator BenziActor
- 1975That Lucky Touch · as Henry SteedmanActor
- 1976Nick the Sting · as Robert ClarkActor
- 1976Cross Shot · as Dante RagusaActor
- 1978The Meanest Men in the West · as Judge Henry GarthActor
- 1979Arthur Miller on Home Ground · as Self - Willy Loman (archive footage)Actor
Filmography data from TMDB. The profile text is a draft written for Cinespective.