# Coby Bell
**Coby Bell** (full name Coby Scott Bell, born 1975 in [Orange County, California](https://www.edgepedia.org/orange-county-california)) is an American actor and producer best known for television roles as Officer Tyrone "Ty" Davis Jr. on NBC's *Third Watch* (1999–2005), Jason Pitts on *The Game* (2006–2015), Jesse Porter on [USA Network](https://www.edgepedia.org/usa-network)'s *Burn Notice* (2010–2013), Jace Turner on Fox's *The Gifted* (2017–2019), and Captain Larry James on [The CW](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-cw)'s *Walker* (2021–2024).[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0068117/) • [2](https://www.cwtvpr.com/the-cw/talent/?view=coby-bell)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1975, Orange County, California, USA[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0068117/) |
| Breakout role | Officer Tyrone "Ty" Davis Jr. on *Third Watch* (NBC, 1999–2005), 131 episodes[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0068117/) |
| Longest-running role | Jason Pitts on *The Game* (2006–2015), 147 episodes[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0068117/) |
| *Burn Notice* | Jesse Porter, joined in season 4, 67 episodes (2010–2013)[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0068117/) |
| Recent starring role | Captain Larry James on *Walker* (The CW, 2021–2024), opposite Jared Padalecki[2](https://www.cwtvpr.com/the-cw/talent/?view=coby-bell) |
| Family | Son of Broadway veteran and Tony-nominated actor Michel Bell; married to Aviss Pinkney-Bell since June 9, 2001, with four children[2](https://www.cwtvpr.com/the-cw/talent/?view=coby-bell) • [1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0068117/) |
| Education | Graduated with honors from San Jose State University[2](https://www.cwtvpr.com/the-cw/talent/?view=coby-bell) |
## Early life and background
Bell was born in Orange County, California, and raised in [Southern California](https://www.edgepedia.org/southern-california).[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0068117/) • [3](https://lasvegasblackimage.com/2012/03/coby-bell-on-how-he-plays-the-game/) His father, Michel Bell, is a Broadway veteran and Tony-nominated actor who had earlier sung with the 5th [Dimension](https://www.edgepedia.org/dimension) in the 1970s before returning to opera and then Broadway.[2](https://www.cwtvpr.com/the-cw/talent/?view=coby-bell) • [4](https://smashinginterviews.com/interviews/actors/coby-bell-interview-busy-actor-juggles-time-between-burn-notice-and-the-game) Bell has said he got the music bug from his father and grew up dividing his interests between acting and making music; after college, acting took off first and music became a hobby.[4](https://smashinginterviews.com/interviews/actors/coby-bell-interview-busy-actor-juggles-time-between-burn-notice-and-the-game)
He attended [San Jose State University](https://www.edgepedia.org/san-jose-state-university) and graduated with honors.[2](https://www.cwtvpr.com/the-cw/talent/?view=coby-bell) His first television appearance was an episode of *The Parent 'Hood* (The WB, 1995–99), a comedy series created by Robert Townsend, followed by guest spots on *Buffy the Vampire Slayer*, *ER*, and *Smart Guy* before a recurring role as Patrick Owen on the short-lived CBS drama *L.A. Doctors* (1998–99).[5](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/coby-bell/)
## Third Watch
In 1999, the 6-foot-3 actor landed his breakout role as Officer Tyrone "Ty" Davis Jr. on NBC's *Third Watch*, an ensemble drama about New York City police officers, firefighters, and paramedics working the 3 p.m. to 11 p.m. shift known as the "third watch."[5](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/coby-bell/) He appeared in 131 episodes from 1999 to 2005, and TV Insider describes him as the only original cast member to star on the series for all six seasons.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0068117/) • [5](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/coby-bell/) Bell has said the show was a formative experience: fresh out of college, he learned the camera side of the craft there and made lifelong friends.[4](https://smashinginterviews.com/interviews/actors/coby-bell-interview-busy-actor-juggles-time-between-burn-notice-and-the-game)
## The Game and Burn Notice
**A comedy pivot.** After *Third Watch*, Bell wanted to do comedy, and *The Game* creator [Mara Brock Akil](https://www.edgepedia.org/mara-brock-akil) cast him as Jason Pitts, an NFL player described by Bell himself as an extremely rich but extremely cheap "hardhead" who divorces his wife Kelly ([Brittany Daniel](https://www.edgepedia.org/brittany-daniel)) and later becomes involved with [Chardonnay](https://www.edgepedia.org/chardonnay), played by Brandy.[3](https://lasvegasblackimage.com/2012/03/coby-bell-on-how-he-plays-the-game/) The half-hour comedy drama ran on The CW from 2006 to 2009 and, after a fan campaign and a syndication run, was renewed by BET, which began airing new episodes in January 2011; Bell appeared in 147 episodes through 2015 and returned as a special guest star in the 2021 revival.[5](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/coby-bell/) • [1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0068117/) • [6](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/39135/coby-bell)
**Double duty.** In 2010 Bell joined USA Network's top-rated crime drama *Burn Notice* in its fourth season as Jesse Porter, a counterintelligence expert who goes head-to-head with the series' burned spy Michael Westen ([Jeffrey Donovan](https://www.edgepedia.org/jeffrey-donovan)), the man responsible for his own termination; Porter later joins Michael's team.[5](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/coby-bell/) He appeared in 67 episodes through the series' end in 2013, filming *Burn Notice* while *The Game* aired on BET.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0068117/) • [4](https://smashinginterviews.com/interviews/actors/coby-bell-interview-busy-actor-juggles-time-between-burn-notice-and-the-game)
## Later television work
Through the 2010s Bell took recurring and guest roles across drama and comedy: Conway Stern on the animated series *[Archer](https://www.edgepedia.org/archer-2009-tv-series)* (2010, 2015, and 2020), Aaron on Amazon's *Mad Dogs* (2016), C.O.A. Remiel on *Hand of God*, Baz on *Hot in Cleveland*, and Warrant Officer Glen Mack on CBS's *SEAL Team* (2019–2020).[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0068117/) • [6](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/39135/coby-bell) He was a series regular as Jace Turner on Fox's X-Men-adjacent drama *The Gifted* for its two-season run (2017–2019, 29 episodes).[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0068117/)
From 2021 to 2024 he starred as Texas Ranger Captain Larry James, a former colleague of Cordell Walker ([Jared Padalecki](https://www.edgepedia.org/jared-padalecki)), on The CW's *[Walker](https://www.edgepedia.org/walker-tv-series)*, a reimagining of the 1990s series *Walker, Texas Ranger*; he appeared in all four seasons.[2](https://www.cwtvpr.com/the-cw/talent/?view=coby-bell) • [7](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0068117/news/) More recently he guest-starred as David on CBS's *[Poppa's House](https://www.edgepedia.org/poppas-house)* (2024–2025) and took a recurring role as Special Agent Nick Turner on *9-1-1: Nashville*, which premiered in October 2025; in 2025 he also signed with Defining Artists for representation.[6](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/39135/coby-bell) • [7](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0068117/news/)
## Producing and other work
Bell starred in and co-produced the independent film *Drifting Elegant* (2006), in which he played Renny Lyles, and he is credited as an executive producer on the post-production TV movie *Space Cadets: The Next Generation*.[5](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/coby-bell/) • [1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0068117/) Outside acting, he is a singer-songwriter in a reggae band, plays basketball and tennis, and has been involved with Big Brothers of America, mentoring an underprivileged youth he has remained close to for years.[8](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/coby-bell/bio/3000185572/) • [9](https://www.blackenterprise.com/bets-the-game-star-coby-bell/)
## Personal life
Bell married Aviss Pinkney-Bell on June 9, 2001; they have four children, two sets of twins, identical girls born in 2003 and a fraternal boy-and-girl pair born in 2008.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0068117/) • [10](https://www.filmnoir.app/links/tmdb/person/102775) He has described long-running television work as a practical benefit for raising a family, calling it as close to a 9-to-5 as the acting business offers.[4](https://smashinginterviews.com/interviews/actors/coby-bell-interview-busy-actor-juggles-time-between-burn-notice-and-the-game)
## References
1. [Coby Bell, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0068117/)
2. [Coby Bell bio, The CW Press](https://www.cwtvpr.com/the-cw/talent/?view=coby-bell)
3. [Coby Bell on how he plays "The Game," Las Vegas Black Image Magazine](https://lasvegasblackimage.com/2012/03/coby-bell-on-how-he-plays-the-game/)
4. [Coby Bell Interview: Busy Actor Juggles Time Between 'Burn Notice' and 'The Game,' Smashing Interviews Magazine](https://smashinginterviews.com/interviews/actors/coby-bell-interview-busy-actor-juggles-time-between-burn-notice-and-the-game)
5. [Coby Bell, TV Insider](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/coby-bell/)
6. [Coby Bell, TVmaze](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/39135/coby-bell)
7. [Coby Bell Signs With Defining Artists, IMDb News (Deadline)](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0068117/news/)
8. [Coby Bell Biography, TV Guide](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/coby-bell/bio/3000185572/)
9. [BET's The Game Star Coby Bell on Fatherhood & Acting, Black Enterprise](https://www.blackenterprise.com/bets-the-game-star-coby-bell/)
10. [Coby Bell, FilmNoir App (TMDB data)](https://www.filmnoir.app/links/tmdb/person/102775)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Screen actors of the Anglosphere and Europe › American actors: 2000s onward › Surnames Be to Bl*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Sep 30, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 12, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license