Actor. Born Leo Jacoby in New York City, the son of a compositor with the Jewish Daily Forward, he had ambitions of becoming a violinist before suffering a wrist injury. Lee J. Cobb would then focus his attention toward theatre and following high school graduation, he went to California where he began an association with the Pasadena Playhouse.  Not long after, he returned to New York where he studied accounting at City College Night School. In 1931, he would go back to the Pasadena Playhouse where he was an actor-director and once again return to New York where he marked his debut on Broadway in the production “Crime and Punishment” (1935). During World War II, he served with the US Army Air Forces, and would appear in the stage production of “Winged Victory” (1943) and the film adaptation one year later. Towards the conclusion of the 1940s, Cobb’s career took off with memorable film roles in pictures “Anna and the King of Siam” (1946), “Boomerang” (1947) and “Call Northside 777” (1947). His origination of the part of Willy Loman in Arthur Miller’s stage production of “Death of a Salesman” (1949) met with rave reviews.  During the 1950s “Red Scare”, Cobb testified before the Un-American Activities Committee and admitted he briefly was a member of the Communist Party during the 1930s. His career remained unaltered, however stress from the ordeal caused him to suffer a near-fatal heart attack. Throughout the rest of his career Cobb succeeded as one of the top supporting players in the film and television industry, enhancing each presentation with skill and presence. Among his other memorable films include “On the Waterfront” (1954, as Johnny Friendly), which earned him an Academy Award nomination, “The Left Hand of God” (1955), “The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit” (1956), “Twelve Angry Men” (1957, as Juror # 3), “The Garment Jungle” (1957), “The Three Faces of Eve” (1957), “The Brothers Karamazov” (1958, which earned him his second Oscar nomination), “Exodus” (1960), “Our Man Flint” (1966), “In Like Flint” (1967), “Coogan’s Bluff” (1968) and “The Exorcist” (1973). He was known to TV audiences for his roles of Judge Henry Garth in “The Virginian” (1962 to 1970) and David Barrett in “The Young Lawyers” (1970 to 1971). Cobb received three Emmy Award nominations including one for his reprising of the role of Willy Loman for the 1966 TV-movie “Death of a Salesman”. He died from a heart attack at age 64. (bio by: C.S.)