A Lot of Character

Lee J. Cobb - I mean, how frigging good was that guy, huh? Yeah. Talk about a scowl. Talk about a sneer. Talk about a guy who could get so frigging pissed that he'd scare you in your living room. Cobb, folks, was an actor who could do each of these things and more. I mean, just his performances in "12 Angry Men" (as juror #3) and "On the Waterfront" (as the despicable Johnny Friendly) - those stellar performances alone would have been enough to place him in the pantheon...................................................................................................But, no, folks, it isn't just those two films. Add also his performances in "The Song of Bernadette" (as the kindly doctor), "The Exorcist" (as the probing detective), "The Brothers Karamazov" (as Fyodor Karamazov), "Exodus" (as the peaceful Zionist), "The Three Faces of Eve" (as the patient Dr. Luther), Elia Kazan's hugely underrated "Boomerang" (as the real life police chief), etc., and, yeah, it really does get to be impressive - this incredible canon of his.....................................................................................................And, no, I haven't even mentioned perhaps his greatest role ever. Yeah, that's right, as Willy Loman in Arthur Miller's original (1949) Broadway production of "Death of a Salesman" (a role that he later reprised in a 1966 television version - a performance that, yes, ultimately secured him an Emmy). Or his long running role on the very successful television drama, "The Virginian". These, along with his movie roles, clearly make Lee J. Cobb one of the greatest character actors EVER!