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| Bill Cosby | |
|---|---|
 Cosby in 1969 | |
| Birth name | William Henry Cosby Jr. |
| Born | July 12, 1937 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Medium | Stand-up comedy, film, television |
| Education | Temple University (BS) University of Massachusetts Amherst (MA, EdD) |
| Years active | 1961–2018 |
| Genres | Observational comedy, Surreal humor, satire, deadpan |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 5, including Erika and Ennis |
| Notable works and roles | Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids The Cosby Show Bill Cosby: Himself |
William Henry Cosby Jr. (/ˈkɒzbi/ KOZ-bee; born July 12, 1937) is an American retired comedian, actor, and media personality. Often cited as a trailblazer for African Americans in the entertainment industry,[1][2][3] Cosby was a film, television, and stand-up comedy star, with his longest-running live-action role being that of Cliff Huxtable in the sitcom The Cosby Show (1984–1992). He also released several stand-up comedy albums and was a popular spokesperson in advertising for decades. Cosby was well known in the United States for his fatherly image and gained a reputation as "America's Dad". Since 2014, dozens of allegations of sexual assault have been made against him.
Cosby began his career as a stand-up comic at the Hungry I nightclub in San Francisco in 1961, and primarily performed observational comedy in a conversational style. He released numerous standup specials starting with Bill Cosby Is a Very Funny Fellow...Right! (1963) and starred in the comedy film Bill Cosby: Himself (1983). Cosby still holds the record for winning the most Grammy Awards for Best Comedy Album, with seven wins. His acting career began with a starring role in the NBC secret-agent show I Spy (1965–1968), which broke new ground for African Americans when he made history by winning three Primetime Emmy Awards for Best Actor in a Drama Series, becoming the first black actor to do so.[4]
Cosby made his film debut starring in Man and Boy (1971) followed by Hickey & Boggs (1972), Uptown Saturday Night (1974), Let's Do It Again (1975), A Piece of the Action (1977), Leonard Part 6 (1987), and Ghost Dad (1990). He produced and starred in a series of television sitcoms such as The Bill Cosby Show (1969–1971), Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids (1972–1985) and The Cosby Show (1984–1992) as well as its the spin-off A Different World (1987–1993), The Cosby Mysteries (1994–1995), and Cosby (1996–2000). He hosted Kids Say the Darndest Things (1998–2000). During his prolific career he advertised numerous products including the Jell-O ice pop treats Pudding Pop.
Over 60 women have accused Cosby of rape, drug-facilitated sexual assault, sexual battery, child sexual abuse and sexual harassment. Those allegations gained traction 2014 after a set which made mention of them by fellow comedian Hannibal Buress went viral. Numerous allegations followed with Cosby maintaining his innocence and repeatedly denying the allegations made against him. Despite receiving numerous awards and honorary degrees, several of them were revoked following the allegations. Reruns of The Cosby Show and other programs featuring Cosby were pulled from syndication. In 2018, Cosby was convicted of aggravated sexual assault against Andrea Constand. He was imprisoned until the conviction was vacated in June 2021 by the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania on the basis of Cosby's 5th Amendment and 14th Amendment due process rights having been violated.[5][6][7] In 2022, Cosby was found civilly liable for having sexually assaulted Judy Huth when she was 16.[8]
- ^ "Bill Cosby mistrial: From trailblazer to alleged assaulter". BBC News. Retrieved January 26, 2025.
- ^ "Breaking Barriers". PBS. Retrieved January 26, 2025.
- ^ "Bill Cosby: America's granddad gets ornery". Slate. Retrieved January 26, 2025.
- ^ "Bill Cosby of 'I Spy' Series Wins TV Emmy; First Negro Cast in a Lead Role Also Co-Host at Awards Sinatra Show Voted the Best Musical Bob Hope Cited". The New York Times. Retrieved January 26, 2025.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
nyt-overturnedwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Sherman, Jolie (July 1, 2021). "Vermont legal experts weigh in after Cosby freed from prison". WTEN. Archived from the original on October 18, 2021. Retrieved July 11, 2021.
- ^ Dale, Maryclaire (June 30, 2021). "Bill Cosby released from prison after court finds due process violation". PBS NewsHour. Retrieved July 11, 2021.
- ^ Patten, Dominic (June 22, 2022). "Bill Cosby Sexually Abused Judy Huth In 1970s, Civil Jury Decides – Update". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved June 23, 2022.