Cobby Here's to the drink habit. It's the only one I got that don't get me into trouble.
Played by Marc Lawrence 
The Asphalt Jungle (1950) · 30 quotes
The Asphalt Jungle (1950) · 30 quotes
2nd most-quoted character in The Asphalt Jungle (1950): in 4 of its 30 quotes
Scenes with Cobby
4 scenes Cobby Cobby How can things go so wrong? How is it possible? One man killed, two others plugged. I'm out thirty grand. We got a load of rocks we can't even peddle...I must be awful stupid. Here I am with a good business, money rolling in, I-I gotta get mixed up in a thing like this. I ought to have my head examined.
I got a proposition. A big one.
Cobby How big is big?
Too big for you, Cobby.
Cobby Now wait, Doc. I don't like to brag, but I'm doin' all right. I'm makin' book, I'm in the chips. What kind of proposition is it?
A plan for the caper, and it's a good one. I could sell it for a hundred thousand dollars in the open market, but that would be throwing money away. I prefer to execute it myself and make...half a million dollars. [He pauses for dramatic effect.] Maybe even more. Of course, I will have to do a little checking as the plan is some years old. But not much checking, not much. I need roughly $50,000 to operate...
Ditrich We'll make ourselves a little deal with the commissioner. You won't get more than a year or two.
Cobby I'm clean! I don't know where Doc went. That's the truth.
Ditrich They won't believe you at headquarters, Cobby. Every time you'd tell 'em that, they'd work you over. And you ain't the type that can take it, believe me. You'd spill your guts in half an hour.
Cobby Give me a break. You came to make a pinch, sure, but I'm not here...
Ditrich You're right here, Cobby.
Cobby I've always treated you right, Lieutenant. Let me duck out. You can get away with it.
Ditrich No, I couldn't. The commissioner's mad. He's out for blood. And it's not going to be mine.
Cobby You're not gonna stop me. You're gonna let me go. You're gonna do that. If you don't...
Ditrich Yeah, I know. You'll be a grade-A pigeon.
Cobby That's right. I'll tell 'em you saw Riedenschneider here and didn't roust him. Why? Because you had to explain what you were doin' here. I'll tell 'em about all the juice you've been gettin' out of me.
Ditrich Cobby, the only thing you're doing is making me sore.
Cobby Once I start singing, I won't stop. They'll jug you right alongside of me.
Ditrich That's where you're wrong, Cobby. Even if they believe you, it won't go too hard with me. Because I'll be the guy that cracked the biggest case ever pulled in the country... [Cobby is repeatedly slapped until he whimpers and cracks under the pressure.]
Cobby They'll call me a fink.
Ditrich That's my boy.
