Tony Cox (actor)

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Joseph Anthony Cox (born March 31, 1958) is an American actor known for his roles in Bad Santa, Friday, Me, Myself & Irene, Date Movie, Epic Movie, Disaster Movie, and Leprechaun 2. He is also known for his role in George Lucas's Willow, as an Ewok in Return of the Jedi, and as the Preacher in Tim Burton's Beetlejuice.^[1]

Cox was born in New York City, the son of Henrietta Cox-Penn and Joe Cox. He spent his childhood in Uniontown, Alabama, with his grandmother and grandfather, Lottie and Henry Jones.^[2] His mother and stepfather, Rudolph (Rudy) Penn, live in College Park, Georgia. By the age of 10 he became an avid drummer. Cox attended Robert C. Hatch High School and graduated in 1976.^[3] He met his future wife, Otelia Cox, during high school. They were eventually married in 1981 when Cox was 23 years old.^[4][5]

After high school, Cox attended Alabama State University and originally planned to study music.

Cox decided to pursue acting after watching Billy Barty, a little person who was an actor and founder of the organization Little People of America. Encouraged by relatives and friends, he moved to Los Angeles at age 18.^[2] He began taking classes at the Merrick Studio School of Acting with Scriptwriter De De Tillman and soon began working in commercials, film, and television roles. He is better known for his roles in Bad Santa where he played Marcus, the brains of a safe cracking duo, and in Date Movie where he played a parody of Dr. Hitch from Hitch. Cox reprised his role as Marcus in Bad Santa 2, released in 2016.^[3]

Cox also appeared on the TV show Martin in the first season, playing the character Bennie, in which he helps his friend Trey, played by Bushwick Bill, beat up Tommy played by Thomas Mikal Ford, over Tommy allegedly "stealing" his ex-girlfriend.

Cox also appeared in a pivotal role in the Farrelly Brothers' movie Me, Myself & Irene, playing a Mensa International-member limousine driver who steals Jim Carrey's character's wife.

Cox retired from acting in 2016, confirming in a 2023 interview that he decided to take time off following hip surgery and ultimately stepping away from the spotlight altogether.^[6]

• Tony Cox at IMDb