Bill Cobbs
ActingAbout Bill Cobbs
William Francisco Cobbs (June 16, 1934 – June 25, 2024) was an American actor. He was known for such film roles as Louisiana Slim in The Hitter (1979), Walter in The Brother from Another Planet (1984), Reginald in Night at the Museum (2006) and Master Tinker on Oz the Great and Powerful (2013). He played Lewis Coleman on I'll Fly Away (1991–1993), Jack on The Michael Richards Show (2000), and had guest appearances on Walker, Texas Ranger and The Sopranos. In 2020, he won a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Limited Performance in a Daytime Program for the series Dino Dana. Description above from the Wikipedia article Bill Cobbs, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.
Career Statistics & Market Influence
Analyzing the cinematic journey of Bill Cobbs reveals a career defined by exceptional commercial consistency. With a total of 50 major appearances, the actor has established a significant footprint in global cinema.
Genre Dominance: Drama
The majority of Bill Cobbs's filmography leans towards the Drama genre. Audience data suggests that viewers respond most favorably to this persona, though their versatility has allowed for successful crossovers into other categories.
The "Box Office" Signature
With a 76% Success Ratio (movies rated above 6.5), Bill Cobbs remains a reliable draw for studios. Their peak performance was recorded in Divas, which continues to be the benchmark for their career rating-wise.
Best Bill Cobbs Movies Ranked
Must-watch hits from Bill Cobbs's career based on audience ratings.
Complete Filmography & Success Status
Tracking the career evolution and box office verdicts of Bill Cobbs.
| Year | Movie | Character | Success | More |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Broken Church | Pastor Evans | Hit | Similar → |
| 2022 | Block Party | Uncle Jim | Average | Similar → |
| 2020 | Dino Dana: The Movie | Mr. Hendersen (Uncredited) | Hit | Similar → |
| 2016 | New Life | Mr. Charles | Hit | Similar → |
| 2015 | The Great Gilly Hopkins | Mr Randolph | Hit | Similar → |
| 2014 | Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb | Reginald | Average | Similar → |
| 2013 | The Ultimate Life | Ted Hamilton | Hit | Similar → |
| 2011 | The Muppets | Grandfather | Hit | Similar → |
| 2010 | The Search for Santa Paws | Mr. Stewart | Average | Similar → |
| 2010 | Get Low | Rev. Charlie Jackson | Hit | Similar → |
| 2007 | The Ultimate Gift | Ted Hamilton | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 2006 | Night at the Museum | Reginald | Hit | Similar → |
| 2006 | Special Ed | Lou | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 2005 | The Final Patient | Dr. Daniel Green | Hit | Similar → |
| 2005 | Duck | Norman | Hit | Similar → |
| 2003 | A Mighty Wind | Blues Musician | Hit | Similar → |
| 2002 | Sunshine State | Dr. Elton Lloyd | Average | Similar → |
| 2002 | Enough | Jim Toller | Hit | Similar → |
| 2001 | A Rugrats Kwanzaa | Uncle Charles (voice) | Hit | Similar → |
| 2000 | For All Time | Proprietor / Conductor | Average | Similar → |
| 1998 | Hope Floats | Nurse | Average | Similar → |
| 1998 | Paulie | Virgil the Janitor | Hit | Similar → |
| 1998 | Always Outnumbered | Right Burke | Average | Similar → |
| 1996 | Ghosts of Mississippi | Charlie Evers | Hit | Similar → |
| 1996 | That Thing You Do! | Del Paxton | Hit | Similar → |
| 1995 | Things to Do in Denver When You're Dead | Malt | Hit | Similar → |
| 1995 | Divas | Sippy | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 1995 | Fluke | Bert | Hit | Similar → |
| 1995 | Kingfish: A Story of Huey P. Long | Pullman Porter | Average | Similar → |
| 1995 | Tuesday Morning Ride | Jeff | Average | Similar → |
| 1994 | The Hudsucker Proxy | Moses | Hit | Similar → |
| 1993 | I'll Fly Away: Then and Now | Lewis Coleman | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 1993 | Demolition Man | Zachary Lamb - Aged | Hit | Similar → |
| 1992 | The Bodyguard | Bill Devaney | Hit | Similar → |
| 1991 | The People Under the Stairs | Grandpa Booker | Hit | Similar → |
| 1991 | Carolina Skeletons | Elijah Crooks | Hit | Similar → |
| 1991 | New Jack City | Old Man | Hit | Similar → |
| 1991 | The Hard Way | Raggedy Man | Average | Similar → |
| 1990 | Decoration Day | Gee Pennywell | Hit | Similar → |
| 1988 | Bird | Dr. Caulfield | Hit | Similar → |
| 1988 | Dominick and Eugene | Jesse Johnson | Hit | Similar → |
| 1987 | Suspect | Judge Franklin | Hit | Similar → |
| 1986 | The Color of Money | Orvis | Hit | Similar → |
| 1984 | The Cotton Club | Big Joe Ison | Hit | Similar → |
| 1984 | The Brother from Another Planet | Walter | Hit | Similar → |
| 1983 | Silkwood | Man in Lunchroom | Hit | Similar → |
| 1983 | Trading Places | Bartender | Hit | Similar → |
| 1977 | Greased Lightning | Mr Jones | Average | Similar → |
| 1977 | Greased Lightning | Mr. Jones | Average | Similar → |
| 1974 | The Taking of Pelham One Two Three | Man on Platform | Super Hit | Similar → |
Bill Cobbs - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best movie of Bill Cobbs?
According to audience ratings, the best movie starring Bill Cobbs is "Divas" with a rating of 10.0/10.
How many movies has Bill Cobbs acted in?
Bill Cobbs has been featured in at least 50 major films throughout their career.
What are some other popular movies by Bill Cobbs?
Other notable films include "Special Ed", "I'll Fly Away: Then and Now", and "The Ultimate Gift".