Lee Weaver, beloved Character Actor of ‘Bill Cosby Show’ adn ‘O Brother, where Art Thou?’, Dies at 95
Los Angeles, CA – September 23, 2023 – Lee Weaver, a prolific and instantly recognizable character actor whose career spanned decades and included memorable roles in iconic television shows and films like The Bill Cosby Show and O Brother, Where Art Thou?, has died at the age of 95. His family announced his passing on Friday, September 22nd, at his home in los Angeles.
Weaver brought a unique blend of warmth, depth, and often, comedic timing to every role he inhabited. His family stated he “wove joy, depth and portrayal into every role he played and everything he did.”
Born Lee Wellington Weaver on April 10,1930,in Fort Lauderdale,florida,Weaver’s path to acting was anything but conventional. Raised by his aunt and uncle after the age of 14, he served four years in the U.S. Army before embarking on a diverse career in New York City. He worked as a linotype engineer for The New York Times while simultaneously establishing himself as a prominent jazz promoter at the legendary Birdland club, booking luminaries like Miles Davis, John Coltrane, and Sarah Vaughan.
His acting career began to blossom in the late 1960s,with a recurring role as Brian Kincaid on the Bill Cosby Show (1969-1971). He continued to build a strong presence on television, notably as the delightfully eccentric exhibitionist Buck Naked on Steven Bochco’s critically acclaimed Hill Street Blues (1982-1984) and NYPD Blue (1994).
While often appearing in supporting roles, Weaver consistently stole scenes. He showcased his comedic talents alongside Loni Anderson and Jack Elam in the 1986-87 NBC comedy Easy Street, created by WKRP in cincinnati‘s Hugh Wilson.
His filmography is equally impressive, featuring appearances in a wide range of notable productions including Vanishing Point (1971), Heaven can Wait (1978), The Onion Field (1979), Bulworth (1998), How Stella Got Her Groove Back (1998), Donnie Darko (2001), and The 40-Year-Old Virgin (2005).
perhaps one of his most memorable film moments came in the Coen brothers’ 2000 masterpiece, O Brother, Where Art Thou?, where he delivered a captivating performance as the blind man who offers cryptic guidance to George Clooney, John Turturro, and Tim Blake Nelson’s
