Tony Cox (actor)

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Tony Cox
Tony Cox 2013.jpg
Cox at the premiere of Oz the Great and Powerful, Los Angeles, February 13, 2013
Born Joseph Anthony Cox
(1958-03-31) March 31, 1958 (age 55)
Manhattan, New York, U.S.
Occupation Actor
Years active 1980–present

Joseph Anthony "Tony" Cox (born March 31, 1958) is an American actor known for his comedic performances in Bad Santa, Me, Myself and Irene, Date Movie, Epic Movie and Disaster Movie. He is also known for his work in George Lucas's Willow and as an Ewok in Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi. In the two spin-off films that followed, he played Widdle Warrick. Cox also appeared in the music videos "Just Lose It" by Eminem and "From tha Chuuuch to da Palace" by Snoop Dogg.

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Early life [edit]

Cox is a dwarf. He was born in Manhattan, New York, to Joe and Henrietta Jones Cox. He spent his childhood in Uniontown, Alabama, with his grandmother and grandfather, Lottie and Henry Jones.[citation needed] His mother, Mrs. Henretta Cox-Penn, and stepfather, Rudolph (Rudy) Penn, live in College Park, Georgia. By the age of 10 he became an avid drummer. He met his future wife, Otelia, during high school. They were eventually married in 1981 when Cox was 23 years old.[citation needed]

After graduation from high school, Cox attended the University of Alabama and originally planned to study music. Cox said in a 2003 interview with Jet magazine, "I played by ear. It was exactly like in Drumline. I played against some of the drummers from the school, and they didn't have anything on me. I just couldn't read music."[citation needed]

Career [edit]

Shortly thereafter, Cox decided to pursue acting after watching Billy Barty, a little person who was an actor and also founder of the organization Little People of America. Encouraged by relatives and friends, he moved to Los Angeles at age 18. He began taking classes at the Merrick Studio School of Acting with Actress De De Tillman and soon began working in commercials, film, and television roles. He is perhaps better known for his roles in Bad Santa where he played Marcus, the brains of a safe cracking team, and in Date Movie where he played a parody of Dr. Hitch from Hitch. As second lead to Billy Bob Thornton, Cox's role in Bad Santa was his first and only role as a starring/main character (as of 2010).

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 stealing his ex girlfriend.

Filmography [edit]

External links [edit]

Authority control
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