Acting

Abstract

Willy Loman Lee J. Cobb, the first Willy Loman, is a large man, a ‘walrus’ as the published play describes him. Extremely realistic in conception and execution, his acting is also suggestive of immensity. His height, girth and full-bodied low baritone voice suggest epic dimensions. He has a stage presence that compels notice, and when Linda demands that attention be paid to him audiences agree, for they have already complied with her admonition. Recall Cobb’s portrayal of the crooked union leader in Kazan’s film On the Waterfront. How many other actors could convey such strength when pitted against an antagonist played by the young Marlon Brando? Despite the variety of his different portraits, Cobb — even as a salesman at the end of his rope — presents a titanic image. For a long while, this image dominated the casting of Willy in America: large or seemingly large men performed the role.