Bill Cobbs, a well-known face of American television, has died at the age of 90

He has played in more than 200 projects including Bodyguard, Demolition Man, Night at the Museum…

He has starred with Meryl Streep, Whitney Houston, Sylvester Stallone and directed by Clint Eastwood, Martin Scorsese and Francis Ford Coppola. His name may not ring a bell, but his face is instantly recognizable. With over two hundred projects to his credit, Bill Cobbs was one of the West Coast's most prolific actors. He died at the age of 90 on June 25, his family announced on social networks:

“A beloved partner, big brother, uncle, surrogate parent, godfather and friend, Bill recently celebrated his 90th birthday in joy and surrounded by loved ones.”

On X (formerly Twitter), the actor Wesley Spines with whom he shared the poster in Demolition Man, where he played Officer Zachary Lamb, shared one of the scenes from the film, commenting: “Rest in peace, king.”

Bill Cobbs had fallen into dramatic art somewhat by chance. Taking odd jobs to make a living, he began acting in theater productions in Cleveland, then New York, before making his way to film sets. In 1974, he played “the man on the platform”a small role in the thriller The Subway Pirates. Subsequently, the actor found himself playing the role of the bartender in An armchair for two by John Landis and the Dining Room Man in The Mystery of Silkwooz. The spectators also find him in Cotton Club by Francis Ford Coppola, The Color of Money by Martin Scorsese and Bird by Clint Eastwood where he plays small and medium roles.

But it is especially for Bodyguard where he plays Bill Devaney, the man who hires Kevin Costner as a bodyguard for Whitney Houston, and Night at the Museum where he plays Reginald, one of the guards alongside Ben Stiller, whom the audience recognizes him.

On the small screen, Bill Cobbs finds himself playing more or less important roles in The Sopranos, Six Feet Under, Walker Texas Rangers And The Scott brothers. In 2020, he became an agent of SHIELD for the Marvel series, and won a Daytime Emmy Award for his exclusive performance in the series Dino Dana. This was his last appearance on television.

In an interview reported by the British media The GuardianBill Cobbs said:

“To be an artist, you have to have a sense of sacrifice. Art is like a prayer, isn't it? We respond to what we see around us, what we feel, and how things affect us mentally and spiritually.”