Happy Birthday: Lee J. Cobb (1911–1976)

Lee J. Cobb (1911–1976)

Born: December 8, 1911 in New York City, New York, USA
Died: February 11, 1976 (age 64) in Woodland Hills, Los Angeles, California, USA

Married to:
Mary Brako Hirsch (27 June 1957 – 11 February 1976) (his death) (2 children)
Helen Beverly (February 1940 – 28 July 1952) (divorced) (2 children)

[interview with Victor Navasky for the book “Naming Names”, about the McCarthy “Red Scare” witch-hunts of the 1950s] When the facilities of the government of the United States are drawn on an individual it can be terrifying. The blacklist is just the opening gambit – being deprived of work. Your passport is confiscated. That’s minor. But not being able to move without being tailed is something else. After a certain point it grows to implied as well as articulated threats, and people succumb. My wife did, and she was institutionalized. In 1953 the HUCA did a deal with me. I was pretty much worn down. I had no money. I couldn’t borrow. I had the expenses of taking care of the children. Why am I subjecting my loved ones to this? If it’s worth dying for, and I am just as idealistic as the next fellow. But I decided it wasn’t worth dying for, and if this gesture was the way of getting out of the penitentiary I’d do it. I had to be employable again.

Boomerang 1947 dir. Elia Kazan starring Dana Andrews Cobb

THE LEFT HAND OF GOD 1955 dir. Edward Dmytryk Starring: Humphrey Bogart Gene Tierney

12 Angry Men 1957 dir. Sidney Lumet starring Henry Fonda Cobb

The Exorcist 1973 dir. William Friedkin Cast Ellen Burstyn Max von Sydow

The Man Who Cheated Himself 1950 dir. by Felix E. Feist starring Cobb Jane Wyatt

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