A large, bearish character actor with a halo of dark hair and an engaging grin, Cobb shifted from boxing to the film world by playing a fighter in "The Champ." He didn't start playing characters until the 1983 drama "Uncommon Valor", but since then has appeared in medium-to-small supporting roles in a dozen films.

Cobb's big-budget films have included "The Golden Child" (1985), "Ace Ventura: Pet Detective" (1994, billed as Gruff Man) and "Naked Gun 33 1/3: The Final Insult" (1994, billed as Big Hairy Con). He has had larger roles in smaller films such as "Critical Condition" (1987), "Raising