---
name: "Lee J. Cobb"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/lee-j-cobb"
fi1m_id: "lee-j-cobb"
imdb_id: "nm0002011"
tmdb_id: 5248
wikidata_id: "Q348351"
roles: ["Actor"]
born: "8 December 1911"
died: "11 February 1976"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 6
average_fi1m_score: 79
average_as: "actor"
average_over: 6
updated: "2026-09-25T08:14:03.730816+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Lee J. Cobb

## Identity

Lee J. Cobb

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/lee-j-cobb
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** lee-j-cobb
- **IMDb ID:** nm0002011
- **TMDB ID:** 5248
- **Wikidata ID:** Q348351
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lee_J._Cobb, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q348351, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0002011/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/5248

Actor. Born 8 December 1911 in New York City, New York, USA. Died 11 February 1976.

## Details

- **Work:** Actor
- **Born:** 8 December 1911, New York City, New York, USA
- **Died:** 11 February 1976
- **Active:** 1943–1973
- **Also known as:** Lee Colt, Leo Jacoby, Cpl. Lee Cobb, Lee Cobb, Ли Дж. Кобб, لی جی. کاب
- **Frequently works with:** [Henry Fonda](https://film.one/person/henry-fonda.md), [Karl Malden](https://film.one/person/karl-malden.md), [Reginald Rose](https://film.one/person/reginald-rose.md)
- **Academy Awards:** 2 Oscar nominations
- **Average Fi1m score:** 79, as actor, over 6 titles
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1940s 63 (1), 1950s 86 (3), 1960s 62 (1), 1970s 89 (1)
- **Fi1m against the critics:** 82 to 78 across 5 titles
- **Score spread:** 3 at 80+, 3 at 60–79, 0 under 60
- **Lead roles:** 1 of 6 acting credits billed first or second
- **Genres:** Drama 3, Western 2, Crime 1, Horror 1, Romance 1
- **Screen time:** 12 hours of reviewed films
- **Box office:** $445m across 4 films with figures
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lee_J._Cobb, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q348351, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0002011/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/5248

## Streaming the US now

- **Disney+:** [*12 Angry Men*](https://film.one/film/12-angry-men.md) (91)
- **Amazon Prime Video:** [*On the Waterfront*](https://film.one/film/on-the-waterfront.md) (89)
- **Tubi:** [*Man of the West*](https://film.one/film/man-of-the-west.md) (79)

For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country.

## Fi1m on Lee J. Cobb

> Lee J. Cobb makes bullying authority feel like something other people have had to live with for years. He can be broad, but we believe the effort it takes to stand up to him.

In *12 Angry Men* (1957), Lee J. Cobb makes Henry Fonda’s patience look exhausting. His Juror 3 argues with enough force to make listening seem an unreasonable request, which is why the performance matters so much. We felt worn down by him, because Cobb makes each disagreement cost the other men another effort to remain civil. Sidney Lumet gives the jurors distinct ways of holding their ground rather than letting the loudest actor settle the scene.

That force had already found a useful setting in Elia Kazan’s *On the Waterfront* (1954). As Johnny Friendly, the union boss, Cobb is broader than Marlon Brando, whose Terry struggles to get his words out. The difference works: Cobb makes the power Terry has grown accustomed to painfully credible. We have reservations about the film’s moral lecturing, but the acting needs little explanation; the difficulty of challenging this man is clear.

Before those films, Cobb had originated Willy Loman in *Death of a Salesman* (1949), directed by Kazan. The tormented man belongs in an account of his work alongside the bully. His physically imposing presence and reedy baritone made authority figures a natural fit, though later supporting parts risked repeating the abrasive manner. Johnny Friendly works because we can see what his bullying does to Terry.

Cobb benefits from partners who do not try to match his force. Fonda’s patience and E.G. Marshall’s certainty give *12 Angry Men* several kinds of resistance, and Lumet lets each remain recognisable. Cobb can press hard without making the ensemble seem to exist solely for him to argue with. The writing sometimes arranges its disagreements too neatly; the actors are more individual than that.

The later work did not consist entirely of such confrontations. Cobb had a regular television role in *The Virginian* (1962–66), while *The Exorcist* (1973) gave him the sympathetic detective Lieutenant Kinderman. His more restrained authority there makes a useful next stop for anyone who knows only the belligerence. Start with *12 Angry Men*, though, and notice how hard he makes everyone else work.

## Biography

Lee J. Cobb was an American actor. Born Leo Jacoby on 8 December 1911 in New York City, he studied at New York University and made his film debut in *The Vanishing Shadow* (1934). He performed with the Group Theatre in New York and originated the role of Willy Loman in the original 1949 Broadway production of Arthur Miller's *Death of a Salesman*, directed by Elia Kazan. He served in the First Motion Picture Unit of the US Army Air Force during World War II.

Cobb played Johnny Friendly in *On the Waterfront* (1954), for which he received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor, and Juror 3 in *12 Angry Men* (1957). He was accused of being a Communist in 1951 testimony before the House Un-American Activities Committee and testified in 1953, naming former members of the Communist Party USA. His other film roles include those in *The Exorcist* (1973) and *How the West Was Won* (1962). On television he co-starred in the first four seasons of the series *The Virginian*. He died on 11 February 1976 in Woodland Hills, California.

*Sources: en.wikipedia.org, imdb.com, nytimes.com, themoviedb.org.*

## On Fi1m (6)

- *The Exorcist* (1973), Fi1m 89, as Lt. Bill Kinderman — [page](https://film.one/film/the-exorcist.md)
- *How the West Was Won* (1962), Fi1m 62, as Marshal Lou Ramsey — [page](https://film.one/film/how-the-west-was-won.md)
- *Man of the West* (1958), Fi1m 79, as Dock Tobin — [page](https://film.one/film/man-of-the-west.md)
- *12 Angry Men* (1957), Fi1m 91, as Juror 3 — [page](https://film.one/film/12-angry-men.md)
- *On the Waterfront* (1954), Fi1m 89, as Johnny Friendly — [page](https://film.one/film/on-the-waterfront.md)
- *The Song of Bernadette* (1943), Fi1m 63, as Dr. Dozous — [page](https://film.one/film/the-song-of-bernadette.md)

## Complete filmography (100)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *Arthur Miller on Home Ground* (1979), Actor
- *The Meanest Men in the West* (1978), as Judge Henry Garth
- *Cross Shot* (1976), as Dante Ragusa
- *Origins of the Mafia* (1976), series, as Bartolomeo Gramignano
- *Nick the Sting* (1976), as Robert Clark
- *Mark Shoots First* (1975), as Il commedator Benzi
- *That Lucky Touch* (1975), as Henry Steedman
- *Blood, Sweat and Fear* (1975), as Benzi
- *The Balloon Vendor* (1974), as Twenty Years
- *The Great Ice Rip-Off* (1974), as Willy Calso
- *Trapped Beneath the Sea* (1974), as Victor Bateman
- *Dr. Max* (1974), as Maxwell Gordon
- *The Exorcist* (1973), as Lt. Bill Kinderman — Fi1m 89, [page](https://film.one/film/the-exorcist.md)
- *The Great Kidnapping* (1973), as Jovine
- *Double Indemnity* (1973), as Barton Keyes
- *The Man Who Loved Cat Dancing* (1973), as Lapchance
- *The Bull of the West* (1972), as Judge Garth
- *Heat of Anger* (1972), as Frank Galvin
- *Lawman* (1971), as Vincent Bronson
- *Macho Callahan* (1971), as Duffy
- *The Young Lawyers* (1970), series, Actor
- *The Liberation of L.B. Jones* (1970), as Oman Hedgepath
- *McCloud* (1970), series, as Alexander Montello
- *Mackenna's Gold* (1969), as The Editor
- *Coogan's Bluff* (1968), as Lt. McElroy
- *The Day of the Owl* (1968), as Don Mariano Arena
- *They Came to Rob Las Vegas* (1968), as Steve Skorsky
- *In Like Flint* (1967), as Lloyd C. Cramden
- *Death of a Salesman* (1966), as Willy Loman
- *Our Man Flint* (1966), as Cramden
- *The Final Hour* (1965), as Judge Henry Garth
- *The Brazen Bell* (1964), as Judge Henry Garth
- *Come Blow Your Horn* (1963), as Harry R. Baker
- *The Devil's Children* (1962), as Judge Henry Garth
- *How the West Was Won* (1962), as Marshal Lou Ramsey — Fi1m 62, [page](https://film.one/film/how-the-west-was-won.md)
- *The Virginian* (1962), series, as Richter Henry Garth, Ritcher Henry Garth
- *The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse* (1962), as Julio Madariaga
- *Exodus* (1960), as Barak Ben Canaan
- *I, Don Quixote* (1959), as Miguel de Cervantes / Don Quixote de la Mancha / Alonso Quijana
- *Startime* (1959), series, Director
- *The DuPont Show with June Allyson* (1959), series, as Captain Maximillian Gault
- *But Not for Me* (1959), as Jeremiah MacDonald
- *Green Mansions* (1959), as Nuflo
- *The Trap* (1959), as Victor Massonetti
- *Party Girl* (1958), as Rico Angelo
- *Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse* (1958), series, Actor
- *Man of the West* (1958), as Dock Tobin — Fi1m 79, [page](https://film.one/film/man-of-the-west.md)
- *Naked City* (1958), series, as Paul Delito
- *The Brothers Karamazov* (1958), as Fyodor Karamazov
- *The Three Faces of Eve* (1957), as Doctor Curtis Luther
- *Panic Button* (1957), as Al Bengsten
- *The Garment Jungle* (1957), as Walter Mitchell
- *12 Angry Men* (1957), as Juror 3 — Fi1m 91, [page](https://film.one/film/12-angry-men.md)
- *Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre* (1956), series, as Captain Andrew Watling, Drifter - Frank MacKinnon
- *Miami Exposé* (1956), as Lt. Barton 'Bart' Scott
- *The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit* (1956), as Judge Bernstein
- *Gunsmoke* (1955), series, as Col. Josiah Johnson
- *The Left Hand of God* (1955), as Mieh Yang
- *The Road to Denver* (1955), as Jim Donovan
- *The Racers* (1955), as Maglio
- *Day of Triumph* (1954), as Zadok
- *Medic* (1954), series, as Henry Fisher
- *On the Waterfront* (1954), as Johnny Friendly — Fi1m 89, [page](https://film.one/film/on-the-waterfront.md)
- *Gorilla at Large* (1954), as Detective Sgt. Garrison
- *Yankee Pasha* (1954), as Sultan
- *The Tall Texan* (1953), as Capt. Theodore Bess
- *General Electric Theater* (1953), series, as Dominic Roma, Grayson Foxhall
- *The Ford Television Theatre* (1952), series, as Matt Erwin
- *The Fighter* (1952), as Durango
- *The Family Secret* (1951), as Howard Clark
- *Tales of Tomorrow* (1951), series, Actor
- *Sirocco* (1951), as Col. Feroud
- *The Man Who Cheated Himself* (1950), as Lt. Ed Cullen
- *Lux Video Theatre* (1950), series, as Emile Zola
- *Thieves' Highway* (1949), as Mike Figlia
- *The Phantom Creeps* (1949), as Road Crew Foreman (uncredited)
- *The Dark Past* (1948), as Dr. Andrew Collins
- *Studio One* (1948), series, as Dr. Joseph Pearson
- *The Luck of the Irish* (1948), as David C. Augur
- *The Miracle of the Bells* (1948), as Marcus Harris
- *Call Northside 777* (1948), as Brian Kelly
- *Captain from Castile* (1947), as Juan Garcia
- *Boomerang!* (1947), as Chief Harold F. 'Robbie' Robinson
- *Johnny O'Clock* (1947), as Inspector Koch
- *Anna and the King of Siam* (1946), as Kralahome
- *Winged Victory* (1944), as Doctor
- *Flight Characteristics of the P-51 Airplane* (1944), as Arthur Deeds
- *The Song of Bernadette* (1943), as Dr. Dozous — Fi1m 63, [page](https://film.one/film/the-song-of-bernadette.md)
- *Buckskin Frontier* (1943), as Jeptha Marr
- *Tonight We Raid Calais* (1943), as Bonnard
- *The Moon Is Down* (1943), as Dr. Albert Winter
- *Paris Calling* (1941), as Captain Schwabe
- *Men of Boys Town* (1941), as Dave Morris
- *This Thing Called Love* (1940), as Julio Diestro
- *Golden Boy* (1939), as Mr. Bonaparte
- *The Phantom Creeps* (1939), as Road Crew Foreman (archive footage)
- *Danger on the Air* (1938), as Tony Lisotti
- *Rustlers' Valley* (1937), as Cal Howard
- *North of the Rio Grande* (1937), as President Wooden
- *The Vanishing Shadow* (1934), as Roadwork Foreman

## Gallery

- ![Movie scene from the trailer of Twelve Angry Men : Lee J. Cobb & E. G. Marshall. (1957)](https://film.one/media/person/59299/gallery-e7a7dcd635a3.jpg) Movie scene from the trailer of Twelve Angry Men : Lee J. Cobb & E. G. Marshall. (1957) — Movie directed by Sidney Lumet, adapted from a teleplay of the same name by Reginald Rose., Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7e/12_Angry_Men_scene_-_Lee_J._Cobb_%26_E._G._Marshall.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![Lee J. Cobb in a scene from the trailer of the film 12 Angry Men (1957).](https://film.one/media/person/59299/gallery-56e473c7e5e8.jpg) Lee J. Cobb in a scene from the trailer of the film 12 Angry Men (1957). — United Artists, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b5/12_Angry_Men_trailer_screenshot_%284%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![Co-Ed Drive-In theater advertisement for the American mystery drama film The Three Faces of Eve (1957). From the 2 February 1958 Denton Record-Chronicle.](https://film.one/media/person/59299/gallery-b8c59d4a0c36.jpg) Co-Ed Drive-In theater advertisement for the American mystery drama film The Three Faces of Eve (1957). From the 2 February 1958 Denton Record-Chronicle. — 20th Century Fox, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cc/Co-Ed_Drive-In_Ad_-_2_February_1958%2C_Denton%2C_TX.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![Photo of Lee J. Cobb and Mildred Dunnock from the 1966 television presentation of Death of a Salesman. The program was rebroadcast in March 1967.](https://film.one/media/person/59299/gallery-3d20296102d8.jpg) Photo of Lee J. Cobb and Mildred Dunnock from the 1966 television presentation of Death of a Salesman. The program was rebroadcast in March 1967. — CBSTelevision, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/74/Death_of_a_Salesman_Lee_J._Cobb_1966.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![Lee J. Cobb](https://film.one/media/person/59299/gallery-399d31382a31.jpg) Lee J. Cobb — Image via TMDB
- ![Lee J. Cobb](https://film.one/media/person/59299/gallery-cf4828a9fbba.jpg) Lee J. Cobb — Image via TMDB
- ![Lee J. Cobb](https://film.one/media/person/59299/gallery-52133cdd9ee3.jpg) Lee J. Cobb — Image via TMDB
- ![Lee J. Cobb](https://film.one/media/person/59299/gallery-cb08b1305308.jpg) Lee J. Cobb — NBC Television, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/ba/Lee_J._Cobb_1960s.JPG?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)

## Awards

### Academy Awards — 0 won, 2 nominated

- 1959: Best Supporting Actor (nominated), for *The Brothers Karamazov*
- 1955: Best Supporting Actor (nominated), for *On the Waterfront*

### Golden Globes — 0 won, 2 nominated

- 1963: Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture (nominated), for *Come Blow Your Horn*
- 1957: Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture (nominated), for *12 Angry Men*

### Other awards — 1 won

- Golden Plate Award 1960: Golden Plate Award (won)

*From Wikidata, which records wins more completely than nominations.*

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/lee-j-cobb