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Bill Cosby

Bill Cosby

Acting

Born: July 12, 1937Philadelphia, PA, USA

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 Many of his awards have been rescinded due to numerous sexual assault allegations, including the 1998 Kennedy Center Honor, the 2009 Mark Twain Prize for American Humor, and all but 10 of 72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
Filmography
Bill Cosby: Walking Free

Bill Cosby: Walking Free

Self (archive footage)

2022
Cola Wars

Cola Wars

Self (archive footage)

2019
I Am Richard Pryor

I Am Richard Pryor

Self - Actor and Comedian (archive footage)

2019
Bill Cosby: Fall of an American Icon

Bill Cosby: Fall of an American Icon

Self (archive footage)

2017
Bill Cosby: An American Scandal

Bill Cosby: An American Scandal

Self (archive footage)

2017
Nelson Mandela Redrawn

Nelson Mandela Redrawn

Self

2014
Keep On Keepin' On

Keep On Keepin' On

Self

2014
Bill Cosby: Far From Finished

Bill Cosby: Far From Finished

Self

2013
Whoopi Goldberg Presents Moms Mabley

Whoopi Goldberg Presents Moms Mabley

Self

2013
After Newtown: Guns in America

After Newtown: Guns in America

Self

2013
B.B. King: The Life of Riley

B.B. King: The Life of Riley

Self

2012
Yo! The Story of ‘Yo! MTV Raps’

Yo! The Story of ‘Yo! MTV Raps’

Self

2012
Goose

Goose

2012
Why We Laugh: Black Comedians on Black Comedy

Why We Laugh: Black Comedians on Black Comedy

Self

2009
Miles Davis: Kind of Blue

Miles Davis: Kind of Blue

Self

2008
Joe Louis: America's Hero Betrayed

Joe Louis: America's Hero Betrayed

Self

2008
Le Cirque: A Table in Heaven

Le Cirque: A Table in Heaven

Self

2007

Cutting Edge Comedians of the '60s & '70s

Self (archive footage)

2007
The Electric Company's Greatest Hits & Bits

The Electric Company's Greatest Hits & Bits

Self

2006
Buffy Sainte-Marie: A Multimedia Life

Buffy Sainte-Marie: A Multimedia Life

Self

2006
The Shame of a City

The Shame of a City

Self

2006
The Pact

The Pact

Self

2006
Class Dismissed: How TV Frames the Working Class

Class Dismissed: How TV Frames the Working Class

Self (archive footage)

2005
Lipstick & Dynamite

Lipstick & Dynamite

Self (archive footage) (uncredited)

2005
The Harlem Globetrotters: The Team That Changed the World

The Harlem Globetrotters: The Team That Changed the World

Self

2005
Fat Albert

Fat Albert

Self

2004
Los Angeles Plays Itself

Los Angeles Plays Itself

Al Hickey in Hickey & Boggs (archive footage)

2004
Baadasssss!

Baadasssss!

Bill Cosby

2004
Lightning in a Bottle

Lightning in a Bottle

Self

2004
TV in Black: The First Fifty Years

TV in Black: The First Fifty Years

Self (archive footage)

2004
Jack Paar: Smart Television

Jack Paar: Smart Television

Self

2003
Comedian

Comedian

Self

2002
The Cosby Show: A Look Back

The Cosby Show: A Look Back

Self / Dr. Cliff Huxtable (archive footage)

2002
NBC 75th Anniversary Special

NBC 75th Anniversary Special

Self

2002
The Tulsa Lynching of 1921: A Hidden Story

The Tulsa Lynching of 1921: A Hidden Story

2000
Playboy: Playmate Pajama Party

Playboy: Playmate Pajama Party

1999
4 Little Girls

4 Little Girls

Self - Educator

1997

Jack Paar: 'As I Was Saying...'

Self

1997
Jack

Jack

Lawrence Woodruff

1996
I Spy Returns

I Spy Returns

Alexander Scott

1994
The Incredible Voyage of Bill Pinkney

The Incredible Voyage of Bill Pinkney

Narrator

1994
The Meteor Man

The Meteor Man

Marvin

1993
The One, the Only... Groucho

The One, the Only... Groucho

Self

1991
Ghost Dad

Ghost Dad

Elliot Hopper

1990
Nickelodeon Studios Opening Day Celebration!

Nickelodeon Studios Opening Day Celebration!

1990
The Earth Day Special

The Earth Day Special

Dr. Cliff Huxtable

1990

Sammy Davis, Jr. 60th Anniversary Celebration

Self

1990
Sesame Street: 20 Years ... and Still Counting!

Sesame Street: 20 Years ... and Still Counting!

Self - Host

1989
Creole Giselle

Creole Giselle

Self - Host

1987
Leonard Part 6

Leonard Part 6

Leonard

1987
Superstars and their Moms

Superstars and their Moms

Self

1987
Bill Cosby: 49

Bill Cosby: 49

Self

1987

Miles Ahead: The Music of Miles Davis

Self

1986
TV's Funniest Comedians - 14 Stars Do Classic Routines

TV's Funniest Comedians - 14 Stars Do Classic Routines

Self

1986
In Remembrance of Martin

In Remembrance of Martin

Self

1986
Kraft Salutes the George Burns 90th Birthday Special

Kraft Salutes the George Burns 90th Birthday Special

Self

1986
The NBC All Star Hour: Let's All Be There

The NBC All Star Hour: Let's All Be There

1985
Bill Cosby: Himself

Bill Cosby: Himself

Self

1983
The Fat Albert Easter Special

The Fat Albert Easter Special

Fat Albert Robertson / Bill / Mushmouth / Mudfoot Brown (voice)

1982
The Devil and Max Devlin

The Devil and Max Devlin

Barney Satin

1981
Playboy's Roller Disco & Pajama Party

Playboy's Roller Disco & Pajama Party

Self (uncredited)

1979
A Walking Tour of Sesame Street

A Walking Tour of Sesame Street

Self (Twins) (archive footage) (uncredited)

1979
Top Secret

Top Secret

Aaron Strickland

1978
California Suite

California Suite

Dr. Willis Panama

1978
The Fat Albert Christmas Special

The Fat Albert Christmas Special

Fat Albert / Bill / Mushmouth / Mudfoot Brown (voice)

1977
The Fat Albert Halloween Special

The Fat Albert Halloween Special

Fat Albert Robertson / Bill / Mushmouth / Mudfoot Brown (voice)

1977
A Piece of the Action

A Piece of the Action

Dave Anderson

1977
Playboy's Playmate Party

Playboy's Playmate Party

1977
Mother, Jugs & Speed

Mother, Jugs & Speed

Mother

1976
Let's Do It Again

Let's Do It Again

Billy Foster

1975
Uptown Saturday Night

Uptown Saturday Night

Wardell Franklin

1974

Bicycles are Beautiful

Self - Host

1974
The Chocolate Princess

The Chocolate Princess

Narrator

1974

The Weird Harold Special

1973
Hickey & Boggs

Hickey & Boggs

Al Hickey

1972
To All My Friends on Shore

To All My Friends on Shore

Blue

1972

Aesop's Fables

Aesop

1971
Goin' Back to Indiana

Goin' Back to Indiana

Scoop Newsworthy

1971
Man and Boy

Man and Boy

Caleb Revers

1971
Diana!

Diana!

Self

1971
Bill Cosby on Prejudice

Bill Cosby on Prejudice

1971
King: A Filmed Record... Montgomery to Memphis

King: A Filmed Record... Montgomery to Memphis

Self (archive footage)

1970
Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice

Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice

Nightclub Patron (uncredited)

1969
Black History: Lost, Stolen or Strayed

Black History: Lost, Stolen or Strayed

Self - Host / Narrator

1968

Murder at N.B.C.

1966