American former comedian, actor, author, director, and producer Bill Cosby performed over a period of decades in film, television, and stand-up comedy. His longest-running live-action role was that of Cliff Huxtable in the sitcom The Cosby Show (1984-1992).
Cosby began his career as a stand-up comic at the hungry i nightclub in San Francisco in 1961. Throughout the 1960s, Cosby released several standup comedy albums which consecutively earned him the Grammy Award for Best Comedy Album from 1965 to 1970. He also had a starring role in the television secret-agent show I Spy (1965–1968) opposite Robert Culp, and made history when Cosby won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series in 1966, making him the first African American to earn an Emmy Award for acting.[1] Cosby's acting career continued as he starred in the sitcom The Bill Cosby Show, which ran for two seasons from 1969 to 1971.
In 1972, using the Fat Albert character developed during his stand-up routines, Cosby created, produced, and hosted the animated comedy television series Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids which ran until 1985, centering on a group of young friends growing up in an urban area. Throughout the 1970s Cosby starred in various films including Sidney Poitier's Uptown Saturday Night (1974), and Let's Do It Again (1975), and Neil Simon's California Suite (1978) alongside Richard Pryor. He also starred in the original cast of The Electric Company alongside Rita Moreno and Morgan Freeman from 1971 to 1973. From the 1970s to the 2000s, Cosby was a popular spokesperson in advertising, for various products including the Jell-O ice pop treats Pudding Pop.
Beginning in the 1980s, Cosby produced and starred in The Cosby Show, which was rated as the number one show in America from 1985 through 1989. The sitcom highlighted the experiences and growth of an affluent African American family, and Cosby gained a reputation as "America's Dad" for his portrayal of Cliff Huxtable on the sitcom. Cosby produced the spin-off sitcom A Different World, which aired from 1987 to 1993. His 1983 comedy film Bill Cosby: Himself was well regarded by comedians and critics, with some calling it the greatest stand up concert movie ever. Cosby also starred in The Cosby Mysteries (1994–1995), the sitcom Cosby (1996–2000) and hosted Kids Say the Darndest Things (1998–2000). He then created and produced the animated children's program Little Bill (1999–2004).
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1968 | Black History: Lost, Stolen, or Strayed | Himself | Documentary |
| 1969 | Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice | Patron at Nightclub | Uncredited wordless cameo as an extra, which lasts under two seconds [2] |
| 1971 | Man and Boy | Caleb Revers | |
| 1972 | Hickey & Boggs | Al Hickey | |
| 1974 | Uptown Saturday Night | Wardell Franklin | |
| 1975 | Let's Do It Again | Billy Foster | |
| 1976 | Mother, Jugs & Speed | 'Mother' Tucker | |
| 1977 | A Piece of the Action | Dave Anderson | |
| 1978 | California Suite | Dr. Willis Panama | |
| 1981 | The Devil and Max Devlin | Barney Satin | |
| 1983 | Himself | Concert film of Cosby's stand-up act; written and directed by Cosby | |
| 1987 | Leonard Part 6 | Leonard Parker | Also producer and story writer |
| 1990 | Ghost Dad | Elliot Hopper | |
| 1993 | The Meteor Man | Marvin | |
| 1996 | Jack | Lawrence Woodruff | |
| 2002 | Comedian | Himself | Documentary |
| 2003 | Baadasssss! | ||
| 2004 | Fat Albert | Also executive producer and writer |
Sources: Turner Classic Movies and Internet Movie Database[3] [4]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1965–1968 | I Spy | Alexander Scott | Main role (82 episodes) |
| 1969 | Hey, Hey, Hey, It's Fat Albert | Bill/Fat Albert/Dumb Donald/Mushmouth | Voice; Movie; also writer |
| 1969–1971 | The Bill Cosby Show | Chet Kincaid | Lead role (52 episodes); also executive producer |
| 1970–1972 | Sesame Street | Himself | 11 episodes |
| 1971–1973 | The Electric Company | Hank | 260 episodes |
| 1971 | Aesop's Fables | Aesop | 30-minute animated special |
| 1972 | The New Bill Cosby Show | Himself/host | |
| 1972–1985 | Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids | Bill/"Fat" Albert Jackson/Mushmouth/Brown Hornet Himself/host | Voice; Main role (34 episodes); also the creator |
| 1972 | To All My Friends on Shore | Blue | Movie |
| 1974 | Journey Back to Oz | The Wizard of Oz | TV version |
| 1975 | Cher | Doctor | Accompanied by sweetums |
| 1976 | Cos | Himself/host | Series |
| 1977–1990 | Pinwheel | Himself | Host of the Picture Pages segment |
| 1978 | Top Secret | Aaron Strickland | Movie |
| 1984–1992 | The Cosby Show | Dr. Heathcliff "Cliff" Huxtable | Main role (197 episodes); also creator and theme music composer |
| 1987 | A Different World | 3 episodes; also creator and theme music composer | |
| 1987 | Bill Cosby: 49 | Himself | Concert film of his then current stand-up act; also writer |
| 1989 | Sesame Street... 20 Years & Still Counting | Himself/host | TV special |
| 1992–1993 | You Bet Your Life | Game show; also theme music composer | |
| 1994–1995 | The Cosby Mysteries | Guy Hanks | Lead role (18 episodes) |
| 1994 | I Spy Returns | Alexander Scott | Movie |
| 1996–2000 | Cosby | Hilton Lucas | Main role (95 episodes); also exec. producer and theme music composer |
| 1998–2000 | Kids Say the Darndest Things | Himself/host | |
| 1999–2004 | Little Bill | Himself/Captain Brainstorm (voice) | Also exec. producer, writer and theme music composer |
| 2004 | Sesame Street | Himself | Episode: 4071 |
| 2010–2012 | OBKB | 33 episodes; also executive producer | |
| 2013 | Far From Finished | ||
| 2014 | Bill Cosby: 77 | Release cancelled |
Sources: Internet Movie Database