The Virginian With Greats Lee J. Cobb And Robert Duvall

Switching channels earlier today, I came across two of the great actors, Lee J. Cobb and Robert Duvall, each from a different era, in a scene together on the television show, “The Virginian.”

I could hardly concentrate in awe of their greatness, at this point Cobb well established as an all-time great, Duvall at the beginning of an ongoing great career.

Two other greats come to mind when thinking about both men, each rarely a leading man type but with the “acting chops” few could match, leading men or not.

Those others are Marlon Brando and Gregory Peck.

Just one year before the referenced episode of “The Virginian,” called “The Golden Door,” aired in 1963, Mr. Duvall made his film debut in “To Kill A Mockingbird,” in which Mr. Peck turned in an iconic performance.

Both Cobb and Duvall had great film roles opposite Marlon Brando, the former in “On The Waterfront,” the latter in “The Godfather.”

One sentence from today’s brief viewing resonates as Duvall’s character says “the old man” the same three words as he said in “The Godfather” prefaced by “if” and followed by “dies we take the deal.” Again these guys were/are among the true acting greats.

Robert Duvall, pictured above.