His first wife, Ruth Mense, a pianist for the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, died from multiple sclerosis in 1988.

[4] In 1964, Cohen made his debut film appearance in Sallah Shabati starring Chaim Topol.

[5] After 1966, Cohen performed with the Cameri Theatre, acting in adaptations of The Comedy of Errors, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Pied Piper of Hamelin, The Government Inspector, Les Misérables.

Cohen also made appearances at the HaNephesh Theatre and he directed several plays by Anton Chekhov.

Other roles include Mr. Smee in Peter Pan, Merlin in The Sword in the Stone, King Harold in the Shrek franchise, Toby in Thomas and the Magic Railroad, Dumbledore in the Harry Potter franchise, Anger in Inside Out, Vitruvius in The Lego Movie, Professor Derek Knight in Monsters University, Bulldog in Planes and many more.