Apr 6, 2021
Today on the Rarified Heir Podcast we talk to Tony Cobb, son of Lee J. Cobb. Yes, the twice Oscar nominated for Best Supporting Actor Lee J. Cobb aka Johnny Friendly from On The Waterfront and the originator of the role of Willy Loman on Broadway in Death of a Salesman among a huge cannon of acting work. We talk about Tony’s memories of his dad as just being a dad – a car enthusiast, a man who loved fixing anything around the house, a man who loved cigars. But we also talk about The Blacklist and his role as a “friendly witness” which almost killed him and institutionalized his then-wife. (Fun Fact: who nursed him back to health? None other than Frank Sinatra.) While an imposing figure on screen and off, we get a rare glimpse into the man who learned how to be a dad, a man who vaporized ping pong balls with a lighter, fashioned his own switch to turn off commercials from television set and loved music so much It brought him to tears. It’s what pushed Tony to become a world class pianist who played luxury cruises for a decade and standards at The Polo Lounge, The Beverly Wilshire and the Bel Air Hotel for his entire career. So sit back, relax and listen to the LEE J. COBB (do impression) on Rarified Heir