Bill Cosby
Personal Info
Known for
Acting
Gender
Male
Birthday
1937-07-12 (87 years old)
Place of Birth
Philadelphia, PA, USA
Bill Cosby
Biography
William Henry "Bill" Cosby Jr. (born July 12, 1937) is an American comedian, actor, author, television producer and convicted sex offender. He got his start as a nightclub stand-up comic before landing a starring role in the action show I Spy (1965-1968). After various film and television roles, Cosby's greatest success came when he produced and starred in The Cosby Show (1984-1992), a popular sitcom that highlighted the experiences and growth of an upper-middle-class African-American family. Due to this role, he was widely dubbed "America's Dad." After the show ended, he produced and starred in multiple other shows and films. He was a sought-after spokesman from the 1960s until the early 2000s, endorsing a number of products including Jell-O, Kodak film, Ford, Texas Instruments, and Coca-Cola.
Cosby has received several awards including 5 Primetime Emmy Awards, 2 Daytime Emmy Awards, 9 Grammy Awards, 2 Golden Globe Awards, the Presidential Medal of Freedom for his contribution to television (2002), and several honorary degrees from colleges and universities. Many of his awards have been rescinded due to numerous sexual assault allegations, including the 1998 Kennedy Center Honor, the 2009 Mark Twain Prize for American Humor, and all but 10 of 72 honorary degrees. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences expelled him as a member of the Actors Branch in May 2018.
Approximately 60 women have accused Cosby of various forms of sexual assault in alleged incidents spanning from 1965 to 2008. These allegations became highly publicized in 2014, leading to several civil suits and criminal investigations for cases that had not yet reached the statute of limitations. Many networks, including NBC, removed reruns of The Cosby Show from their schedules. In April of 2018, Cosby was sentenced to three to ten years in prison for multiple counts of aggravated indecent assault. The Pennsylvania Supreme Court overturned the conviction in June 2021 due to violation of a prior prosecutorial agreement that Cosby's previous civil suit testimony—in which he admitted to giving drugs to women he wanted to have sex with—would not be used in the criminal trial. He was released from prison later that month after serving almost three years of the sentence and maintains his innocence in all accusations. As of August 2021, there is still one known active civil suit against Cosby.
Known For
Acting
(2022)
Bill Cosby: Walking Free
as Self (archive footage)
(2019)
Cola Wars
as Self [Archival Footage]
(2019)
I Am Richard Pryor
as Self - Actor and Comedian (archive footage)
(2017)
Bill Cosby: Fall of an American Icon
as Self (archive footage)
(2017)
Bill Cosby: An American Scandal
as Self (archive footage)
(2014)
Nelson Mandela Redrawn
as Self
(2014)
Keep On Keepin’ On
as Self
(2013)
Moms Mabley
as Self
(2013)
(2013)
Bill Cosby: Far From Finished
as Himself
(2012)
B.B. King: The Life of Riley
as Self
(2012)
(2012)
(2009)
(2008)
(2008)
Miles Davis: Kind of Blue
as Himself
(2007)
Cutting Edge Comedians of the '60s & '70s
as Self (archive footage)
(2007)
Le Cirque: A Table in Heaven
as Self
(2006)
(2006)
The Shame of a City
as Self
(2006)
(2006)
The Pact
as Himself
(2005)
Lipstick & Dynamite
as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
(2005)
Class Dismissed: How TV Frames the Working Class
as Self (archive footage)
(2005)
(2004)
Fat Albert
as Self
(2004)
TV in Black: The First Fifty Years
as Self (archive footage)
(2004)
The 50 Worst Movies Ever Made
as Leonard Parker (archive footage)
(2004)
Los Angeles Plays Itself
as Al Hickey in Hickey & Boggs (archive footage)
(2004)
Baadasssss!
as himself
(2004)
Lightning in a Bottle
as Self
(2003)
Jack Paar: Smart Television
as Self
(2002)
Comedian
as Self
(2002)
NBC 75th Anniversary Special
as Self
(2002)
The Cosby Show: A Look Back
as Self / Dr. Cliff Huxtable (archive footage)
(2000)
(1997)
4 Little Girls
as Self - Educator
(1997)
(1996)
Jack
as Lawrence Woodruff
(1994)
I Spy Returns
as Alexander Scott
(1994)
The Incredible Voyage of Bill Pinkney
as Narrator
(1993)
The Meteor Man
as Marvin
(1991)
The One, the Only... Groucho
as Self
(1990)
The Earth Day Special
as Dr. Cliff Huxtable
(1990)
Ghost Dad
as Elliot Hopper
(1990)
(1990)
(1989)
Sesame Street: 20 Years ... and Still Counting!
as Himself - Host
(1987)
Leonard Part 6
as Leonard
(1987)
Bill Cosby: 49
as Himself
(1987)
Superstars and their Moms
as Self
(1986)
(1986)
(1986)
In Remembrance of Martin
as Self
(1986)
(1983)
Bill Cosby: Himself
as Himself
(1982)
The Fat Albert Easter Special
as Fat Albert Robertson / Bill / Mushmouth / Mudfoot Brown (voice)
(1981)
The Devil and Max Devlin
as Barney Satin
(1979)
Playboy's Roller Disco & Pajama Party
as Self (uncredited)
(1979)
A Walking Tour of Sesame Street
as Self (Twins) (archive footage) (uncredited)
(1978)
California Suite
as Dr. Willis Panama
(1978)
Top Secret
as Aaron Strickland
(1977)
A Piece of the Action
as Dave Anderson
(1977)
The Fat Albert Christmas Special
as Fat Albert / Bill / Mushmouth / Mudfoot Brown (voice)
(1977)
The Fat Albert Halloween Special
as Fat Albert Robertson / Bill / Mushmouth / Mudfoot Brown (voice)
(1976)
Mother, Jugs & Speed
as Mother
(1975)
Let's Do It Again
as Billy Foster
(1974)
Uptown Saturday Night
as Wardell Franklin
(1974)
The Chocolate Princess
as Narrator
(1973)
(1972)
Hickey & Boggs
as Al Hickey
(1972)
To All My Friends on Shore
as Blue
(1971)
Diana!
as Self
(1971)
Man and Boy
as Caleb Revers
(1971)
Aesop's Fables
as Aesop
(1971)
Goin' Back to Indiana
as Scoop Newsworthy
(1971)
(1970)
King: A Filmed Record... Montgomery to Memphis
as Self (archive footage)
(1969)
Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice
as Nightclub Patron (uncredited)
(1968)
Black History: Lost, Stolen or Strayed
as Self - Host / Narrator
(1966)
Crew
(2013)
Bill Cosby: Far From Finished
Executive Producer, Writer
(2004)
Fat Albert
Writer, Executive Producer
(2002)
(2001)
(2000)
Men of Honor
Executive Producer
(1994)
I Spy Returns
Executive Producer
(1992)
Malcolm X
Thanks
(1987)
Leonard Part 6
Story, Producer
(1987)
Bill Cosby: 49
Writer
(1983)
Bill Cosby: Himself
Director, Writer
(1982)
The Fat Albert Easter Special
Executive Producer, Characters
(1977)
The Fat Albert Christmas Special
Characters, Executive Producer
(1972)
To All My Friends on Shore
Idea, Music, Executive Producer
(1971)
Bill Cosby on Prejudice
Director
(1969)
(1969)
The Picasso Summer
Executive Producer