‘O Brother, Where Art Thou?’ Actor Lee Weaver Dies at 95

Lee Weaver, a veteran actor who had his most high-profile success in the Coen Brothers’ 2000 film “O Brother, Where Art Thou?,” has died.

His family confirmed to THR that Weaver died September 22 at 95.

Weaver’s TV career began in 1955, on the cult-classic series “Sheena: Queen of the Jungle.”

Across nearly 150 credits, he appeared on Bill Cosby’s “I Spy” (1967 & 1968), his early sitcom “The Bill Cosby Show” (1969-1971), and his iconic series “The Cosby Show” (1987-1991).

The two were so close that when Cosby guest-hosted “The Tonight Show,” he would repeatedly announce Weaver as a guest, only to say they’d run out of time. The camera would cut to a mock-frustrated Weaver backstage.

Weaver was a voice regular on the animated “G.I. Joe” (1985-1986) and a regular on the Loni Anderson sitcom “Easy Street” (1986-1987).

Some of the other hit shows on which he guested include “The Wild Wild West” (1968), “Mannix” (1969), “Julia” (1969), “Nanny and the Professor” (1971), “Kojak” (1975), “Sanford and Son” (1976), “Good Times” (1976), “The Jeffersons” (1977), “Soap” (1978), “Starsky & Hutch” (1979), “Mork & Mindy” (1981), “Hill Street Blues” (1982-1984), “Diff’rent Strokes” (1985), “227” (1986-1987), “Webster” (1987), “Amen” (1988), “A Different World” (1990), “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” (1991), “Night Court” (1992), “Living Single” (1993), “Roc” 1994), “Sister, Sister” (1994), “Beverly Hills, 90210” (1995), “Suddenly Susan” (1999), “Diagnosis Murder” (2000), “The Parkers” (2003), “That’s So Raven” (2006), and “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” (2007).

His last TV work was two episodes of “Grace & Frankie” (2017 & 2020) with Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin.

Though better known for TV, he made an impression in quite a few noteworthy features, among them “Vanishing Point” (1971), “Heaven Can Wait” (1978), “The Onion Field” (1979), “Wildcats” (1986), “The Two Jakes” (1990), “Bulworth” (1998), “How Stella Got Her Groove Back” (1998), “Donnie Darko” (2001), and “The 40-Year Old Virgin” (2005).

He is survived by his wife of 54 years, “Room 222” actress Ta-Tanisha, and by their daughter Leis La-Te.