Bill Cosby

William Henry Cosby Jr. is an American former comedian, actor, and media personality born on July 12, 1937. Recognized as a trailblazer for African Americans in the entertainment industry, Cosby gained widespread fame in the United States for his stand-up comedy routines and television career. He achieved global recognition for his portrayal of Cliff Huxtable on the sitcom The Cosby Show (1984–1992). Beyond acting, he was a prolific advertising figure for decades and received numerous awards and honorary degrees throughout his career.

Cosby was born in Philadelphia to Anna Pearl, a maid, and William Henry Cosby Sr., a U.S. Navy mess steward. Attending Mary Channing Wister Public School, Central High School, and Germantown High School, he actively played baseball, track and field, football, and basketball. In 1956, Cosby enlisted in the U.S. Navy, serving as a hospital corpsman until 1960. After earning his high school equivalency diploma, he attended Temple University on a track-and-field scholarship to study physical education. He later earned a bachelor's degree from Temple in 1971 based on life experience, followed by a Master of Arts in 1972 and a Doctor of Education in 1976 from UMass Amherst.

Cosby began his comedy career bartending in Philadelphia before performing stand-up in 1961 at the Hungry i in San Francisco and The Gaslight Cafe in New York City. His observational comedy style led to a 1964 appearance on NBC's The Tonight Show and a recording contract with Warner Bros. Records, where he released his debut comedy LP, Bill Cosby Is a Very Funny Fellow...Right! (1964). Cosby holds the record for winning seven Grammy Awards for Best Comedy Album. He later released the stand-up concert film Bill Cosby: Himself (1983) and the TV special Bill Cosby: Far from Finished (2013).

Cosby's television breakthrough occurred when he starred alongside Robert Culp in the NBC espionage series I Spy (1965–1968). His role earned him three consecutive Primetime Emmy Awards for Best Actor in a Drama Series, making him the first Black actor to win the award. Cosby subsequently starred in The Bill Cosby Show (1969–1971), created and hosted the animated series Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids (1972–1985), and appeared on children's programs such as The Electric Company and Picture Pages. In film, he debuted in Man and Boy (1971) and starred in projects including Uptown Saturday Night (1974), Let's Do It Again (1975), and A Piece of the Action (1977).

In September 1984, Cosby debuted The Cosby Show, which became his greatest television success. He also produced its spin-off A Different World (1987–1993), starred in The Cosby Mysteries (1994–1995) and Cosby (1996–2000), and hosted Kids Say the Darndest Things (1998–2000). His later film credits included Leonard Part 6 (1987) and Ghost Dad (1990). In advertising, Cosby promoted numerous products, including Jell-O Pudding Pops. He also ventured into music with his 1967 singing album Silver Throat: Bill Cosby Sings and co-founded Tetragrammaton Records.

Starting in 2014, long-standing allegations from over 60 women accusing Cosby of sexual assault and other offenses gained major public traction. Cosby maintained his innocence, but numerous honors were revoked, and his shows were pulled from syndication. In 2018, he was convicted of aggravated indecent assault against Andrea Constand and imprisoned. The Supreme Court of Pennsylvania vacated his conviction in June 2021 due to due process violations. In civil trials, Cosby was found liable for sexual assault in 2022 and again in 2026.