Cosby Show actor Lee Weaver dies aged 95 as tributes paid to 'icon'
Lee Weaver, the veteran Hollywood actor who starred in films including Donnie Darko, The 40-Year-Old Virgin and O Brother, Where Art Thou?, has died at the age of 95
Hollywood actor Lee Weaver, known for his roles in films like Donnie Darko and O Brother, Where Art Thou, has sadly died at the age of 95.
The news was confirmed by his family in a statement, which read, "Lee wove joy, depth and representation into every role he played and everything he did." In addition to his film work, Lee was recognized for his appearances in TV shows such as My Name is Earl and It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, and for sharing the screen with Steve Carell in the 2005 hit The 40-Year-Old Virgin. One of his final roles was as Mel in the Netflix series Grace and Frankie.
Tributes have been pouring in from fans and friends alike. Louis Hayes posted on Facebook, "Louis Hayes extends his condolences to the family of Lee Weaver, a dear friend who made his transition recently, at age 95. It comes as Cosby Show co-stars pay tribute to Malcolm-Jamal Warner as tragic details continue to emerge about his drowning in July.
"For those of you that are unfamiliar with him, Lee Weaver enjoyed a long, successful career as a veteran character actor of some very well known TV shows and films, going back as far as the 1950s. He was also a vocalist, a childhood friend of Cannonball Adderley and a longtime supporter of Jazz music."
Another fan expressed their sorrow, saying, "I'm sorry to learn of Mr Lee Weaver's passing. Every now and then, this actor would come across my mind. I truly enjoyed the characters he played over the many years. My condolences are with his family at this time."
Another tribute read, "RIP Lee Weaver, he worked from 1955-2020 and had almost 150 credits." The son of a chef, Lee Wellington Weaver was born in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on April 10, 1930. He was raised by his aunt Mattie and uncle Lee until he was 14, when he left home to attend high school in Tallahassee and then Florida A&M.
He enlisted in the US Army at 22 and served for four years before moving to New York where he worked as a linotype engineer for The New York Times and moonlighted as a promoter at the legendary Birdland jazz club. One of his acting gigs was playing assorted natives on the 1955-56 syndicated series Sheena: Queen of the Jungle and a reporter in Al Capone.
Beyond his screen work, Lee was admired for mentoring younger performers and for his longstanding advocacy for better representation of Black actors in Hollywood.
Lee is survived by his wife of 54 years, fellow actress Ta-Tanisha, and their daughter Leis La-Te. A public memorial service for the actor will be held in Los Angeles later this year, but he will have a private funeral.
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