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Bill Cosby filmography

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Publicity photo of Bill Cosby from the 1965 television series I Spy.

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).

Filmography[edit]

Film[edit]

Year Title Role Notes
1968 Black History: Lost, Stolen, or Strayed Himself Documentary
1969 Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice Patron at Nightclub Uncredited[citation needed]
1971 Man and Boy Caleb Revers
1971 Aesop's Fables Aesop
1972 Hickey & Boggs Al Hickey
1974 Uptown Saturday Night Wardell Franklin
1975 Let's Do It Again Billy Foster
1976 Mother, Jugs & Speed Mother
1977 A Piece of the Action Dave Anderson
1978 California Suite Dr. Willis Panama
1981 The Devil and Max Devlin Barney Satin
1983 Bill Cosby: Himself Himself
1987 Bill Cosby: 49
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[2][3]

Television[edit]

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
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
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

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Emmys history: Few black nominees, even fewer black winners". Los Angeles Times. July 16, 2015. Retrieved July 1, 2021.
  2. ^ "Bill Cosby". Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved June 30, 2021.
  3. ^ "Bill Cosby". Internet Movie Database. Retrieved June 30, 2021.

External links[edit]