My Take
Bill Cobbs was one of those actors you'd recognize the second he appeared on screen even if you couldn't name him, and that quiet authority was the whole point. Born in Cleveland in 1934, he didn't break into film until his forties — which somehow only added to his gravitas. I love that he was the kind of performer directors kept calling back because he could anchor a scene with practically nothing: a look, a pause, a dry line reading. His turn as the kindly night guard Reginald in Night at the Museum brought him to a whole new generation, but serious film fans know his earlier work in The Brother from Another Planet is just as worth seeking out. He passed away in June 2024 at 90, and honestly the character-actor world is a little emptier for it.
Overview
Wilbert Francisco Cobbs (June 16, 1934 – June 25, 2024) was an American actor, 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).
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Bill Cobbs
- Name (Japanese)
- ビル・コッブス
- Reading
- びる・こっぶす
- Born
- June 16, 1934 – June 25, 2024
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Gemini / Dog
- Origin
- Cleveland, Ohio, United States
- Blood type
- Private
- Height
- Private
- Agency
- Private
- Occupation
- voice actor / television actor / film actor / actor
2. Background
- Elementary school
- Private
- Junior high
- Private
- High school
- Private
- University
- Private
3. Relationships
- Spouse
- Private
- Children
- Private
- Parents
- Private
- Siblings
- Private
4. Personality
Motto
Private
6. Links
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-02
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public items are marked "Private / Unknown". English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.