Bill Cosby
Photo: NBC Television / Public domain / Wikimedia Commons
Birth Date
July 12, 1937
Age
84 years old
Nationality
United States
Sun Sign
Cancer
Natural hair color
Grey
Eye color
Dark Brown
Height
6 ft 1 in | 185 cm tall
Net Worth
$400 Million
Weight
84 kg | 185 lbs
Shoe size
11 US | 44 EU
Early acting career First movie Breakthrough
Bill Cosby was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, on July 12, 1937, is an American actor.
Young Bill Cosby first started performing during his years at the FitzSimons Junior High School in Philadelphia, in school theater productions.
He began his professional career as a stand-up comic at a nightclub "hungry i" in San Francisco in 1960s.
He got his television debut in variety programs, he landed his first break on NBC's The Tonight Show (1963).
He made his big screen debut in comedy drama movie Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice (1969) in uncredited role as Patron at Nightclub.
Bill's breakthrough performance came as Alexander Scott in NBC adventure television series I Spy (1965–1968).
He released his debut LP "Bill Cosby Is a Very Funny Fellow...Right!" in 1964.
Best Movies
California Suite (1978) comedy opposite Jane Fonda, Maggie Smith and Michael Caine
Mother, Jugs & Speed (1976) black comedy with Raquel Welch, Harvey Keitel and Allen Garfield
Jack (1996) coming-of-age comedy drama opposite Robin Williams, Diane Lane and Jennifer Lopez
Uptown Saturday Night (1974) action comedy crime with Sidney Poitier and Harry Belafonte
The Devil and Max Devlin (1981) fantasy comedy opposite Elliott Gould and Susan Anspach
Hickey & Boggs (1972) neo-noir crime with Robert Culp and James Woods
Let's Do It Again (1975) action crime comedy opposite Sidney Poitier, Calvin Lockhart and John Amos
Ghost Dad (1990) fantasy comedy with Kimberly Russell and Denise Nicholas
Leonard Part 6 (1987) spy parody opposite Gloria Foster, Jane Fonda and Joe Don Baker
Best TV Shows
He won three Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Continued Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Dramatic Series for his role as Alexander Scott in NBC adventure television series I Spy (1965–1968).
He won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Variety or Musical Program for The Bill Cosby Special (1968).
He won two Golden Globe Awards for Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series - Comedy or Musical for his role as Chet Kincaid in NBC sitcom The Bill Cosby Show (1969–1971).
He was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best TV Actor - Comedy or Musical for his performance as Himself/host in CBS variety television series The New Bill Cosby Show (1972).
He was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Variety or Musical Program - Variety and Popular Music for The Second Bill Cosby Special (1969).
The Cosby Show (1984-1992) NBC sitcom in role as Dr. Heathcliff "Cliff" Huxtable
A Different World (1987) NBC spin-off of The Cosby Show in role as Dr. Heathcliff "Cliff" Huxtable
The Cosby Mysteries (1994-1995) NBC mystery drama television series in role as Guy Hanks
Cosby (1996-2000) CBS sitcom in role as Hilton Lucas
OBKB (2010-2012) candid web series in role as Himself
He voiced Captain Brainstorm in animated children's television series Little Bill (1999-2004).
Comedy albums
Bill Cosby Is a Very Funny Fellow...Right! (1963)
I Started Out as a Child (1964)
Why Is There Air? (1965)
Wonderfulness (1966)
Revenge (1967)
To Russell, My Brother, Whom I Slept With (1968)
200 M.P.H. (1968)
8:15 12:15 (1969)
It's True! It's True! (1969)
Sports (1969)
Live: Madison Square Garden Center (1970)
When I Was a Kid (1971)
For Adults Only (1971)
Bill Cosby Talks to Kids About Drugs (1971)
Inside the Mind of Bill Cosby (1972)
Fat Albert (1973)
My Father Confused Me... What Must I Do? What Must I Do? (1977)
Bill's Best Friend (1978)
Bill Cosby: Himself (1982)
Those of You with or Without Children, You'll Understand (1986)
Oh, Baby! (1991)
Music albums
Silver Throat: Bill Cosby Sings (1967)
Bill Cosby Sings Hooray for the Salvation Army Band! (1968)
Badfoot Brown & the Bunions Bradford Funeral & Marching Band (1971)
Charles Mingus and Friends in Concert—as master of ceremonies (Columbia, 1972)
Bill Cosby Presents Badfoot Brown & the Bunions Bradford Funeral Marching Band (1972)
At Last Bill Cosby Really Sings (1974)
Bill Cosby Is Not Himself These Days (1976)
Disco Bill (1977)
Where You Lay Your Head (1990)
My Appreciation (1991)
Hello Friend: To Ennis, With Love (1997)
Quincy Jones & Bill Cosby—The Original Jam Sessions 1969 (2004)
Quincy Jones & Bill Cosby—The New Mixes Vol. 1 (2004)
State of Emergency (2009)
Keep Standing (2010)
Facts
Attended the Mary Channing Wister Public School and FitzSimons Junior High School in Philadelphia.
Attended Central High School and Germantown High School in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Has three younger brothers: Russell, Robert and James.
He served as a hospital corpsman at the Marine Corps Base Quantico in Virginia, at Naval Station Argentia in Newfoundland, Canada and at the National Naval Medical Center in Maryland.
He hosted the Los Angeles Playboy Jazz Festival (1979-2012).
Supporter of his alma mater, Temple University.
Has become an active member of The Jazz Foundation of America in 2004.
Member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity.
Won the Grammy Award for Best Comedy Album six years in a row (1965-1970).
Received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from George W. Bush in 2002..
He was found guilty of three counts of aggravated indecent assault and sentenced to three to ten years in prison in 2018.
Lives in the Manhattan townhouse at 18 East 71st Street, on New York's Upper East Side.
Spouse
He married Camille Hanksin 1964, they have five children: Erika, Erinn, Ennis, Ensa and Evin, their only son, Ennis was murdered in 1997.