Lee Weaver, a character actor whose steady presence enriched American film and television for more than five decades, died Monday, September 22, 2025, at his Los Angeles home. He was 95. His family shared that he brought joy, depth and representation to every role he played.
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 until age 14, he later attended Florida A&M before enlisting in the U.S. Army at 22, where he served for four years. After his military service, Weaver moved to New York and worked as a linotype engineer for The New York Times while moonlighting as a promoter at the legendary Birdland jazz club.
During his time at Birdland, Weaver booked some of jazz’s most iconic performers, including Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Dizzy Gillespie, Thelonious Monk and Sarah Vaughan. His close friendship with saxophonist Cannonball Adderley, who served as best man at his wedding, inspired a Yusef Lateef composition titled “The Weaver” that appeared on Adderley’s 1964 album, Nippon Soul.
Weaver’s acting career began in the 1950s with appearances as various natives on the syndicated series “Sheena: Queen of the Jungle” and a role as a reporter in “Al Capone” in 1959. He gained broader recognition in 1967 and 1968 with appearances on “I Spy,” the NBC series starring Bill Cosby. In a recurring bit on “The Tonight Show” when Cosby guest-hosted, Weaver would be announced as a guest but would never make it on air because Cosby would run out of time, with cameras catching Weaver’s comedic frustration backstage.
His most prominent television role came in 1969 when he joined “The Bill Cosby Show” as Brian Kincaid, brother of Cosby’s gym teacher character, Chet Kincaid. The role showcased Weaver’s natural comedic timing and relatable screen presence throughout the show’s two-season run from 1969 to 1971. He would later appear on “The Cosby Show” and the Cosby-created series “A Different World.”
Weaver created one of television’s most memorable recurring characters as Buck Naked, an exhibitionist who appeared on Steven Bochco’s “Hill Street Blues” from 1982 to 1984 and later on “NYPD Blue” in 1994. The unusual character demonstrated Weaver’s ability to ground even outlandish roles in authentic personality rather than caricature.
From 1986 to 1987, Weaver starred alongside Jack Elam in the NBC comedy “Easy Street,” playing down-on-their-luck roommates who move into a mansion inherited by a former Las Vegas showgirl portrayed by Loni Anderson. Created by Hugh Wilson of “WKRP in Cincinnati” fame, the show was canceled after one season despite its talented cast.
Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, Weaver maintained a steady presence on television, appearing in major series including “Adam-12,” “Kojak,” “Sanford and Son,” “Good Times,” “The Jeffersons,” “Soap,” “Starsky & Hutch,” “227,” “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” and “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.” He also voiced the character Alpine in the animated series “G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero” from 1985 to 1986 and in two related films.
Weaver’s film work spanned several decades and included notable productions such as “Vanishing Point” in 1971, “Heaven Can Wait” in 1978, “The Onion Field” in 1979, “Cleopatra Jones” in 1973, “Bulworth” in 1998, “How Stella Got Her Groove Back” in 1998, “Donnie Darko” in 2001 and “The 40-Year-Old Virgin” in 2005.
His most memorable film appearance came in the Coen brothers’ 2000 film “O Brother, Where Art Thou?” Weaver portrayed a blind man who encounters three escaped convicts played by George Clooney, John Turturro and Tim Blake Nelson. While traveling on a railroad handcar, his character offers cryptic guidance about their future. The brief scene demonstrated Weaver’s ability to make limited screen time resonate with audiences.
His family noted in their announcement that he “wove joy, depth and representation into every role he played and everything he did.” The statement reflected how Weaver approached his craft with intention and dignity throughout his lengthy career.
Weaver’s most recent work included portraying Mel Cordray in two episodes of the Netflix series “Grace and Frankie,” demonstrating his ability to work consistently even in his later years.
Weaver is survived by his wife of 54 years, actress Ta-Tanisha, known for her work on “Room 222,” their daughter Leis and granddaughter Asha. No cause of death was disclosed by the family.
