Bill Cosby

Played as Running Back for Temple University (Philadelphia, PA, USA) football team during the 1962-1964 seasons.

First black performer to win an Emmy, for "I Spy" (1965).

Won the Grammy Award for Best Comedy Album six years in a row, 1965 to 1970.

He and wife Camille O. Cosby have five children: Erika (b. 8 April 1965), Erinn (b. 23 July 1966), Ennis (15 April 1969 - 16 January 1997), Ensa (b. 8 April 1973) and Evin (b. 27 August 1976).

In addition to numerous best-selling comedy albums over the years, for which he won several Grammy awards, Cosby had a top-40 hit as a singer in 1969 with "Little Old Man."

Sang on a number of albums in the 1970s.

In 1976, he earned a doctorate in education from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. His dissertation was titled "An Integration of the Visual Media Via "Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids" (1972) into the Elementary School Curriculum as a Teaching Aid and Vehicle to Achieve Increased Learning."

Played in two movies where his characters were mistook for Satan: The Devil and Max Devlin (1981) and Ghost Dad (1990).

Insisted that "The Cosby Show" (1984) be filmed in New York; he disliked working in Hollywood.

Many elements of "The Cosby Show" (1984) were references to his own family. Phylicia Rashad's (Clair Huxtable's) maiden name was Hanks, like his wife Camille's maiden name. Also, like he has in real life, the Huxtables had four daughters and one son.

Cliff Huxtable, Cosby's character on "The Cosby Show" (1984), was ranked #1 by TV Guide in its list of the 50 Greatest TV Dads of All Time [20 June 2004 issue].

When "The Cosby Show" (1984) was ruling the NBC line-up in the mid-'80s, he insisted that his newly produced show, "A Different World" (1987), a spin-off of "The Cosby Show", follow after his show instead of the hit "Family Ties" (1982). He wanted this because he felt there was a lack of shows on TV that featured African-Americans in a positive light. NBC made the move, which led to two things happening: "The Cosby Show" audience was cut by 20% and never fully recovered, and "Family Ties" struggled to get the high numbers it once received. It was canceled in 1989.

When "The Cosby Show" (1984) was ruling the NBC line-up in the mid-'80s, he insisted that NBC purchase and use Ikegami studio cameras for the production of his show. At the time NBC was owned by RCA, whose studio cameras NBC used exclusively. But Cosby felt that Ikegami's product produced a better picture. NBC agreed and used the cameras.

Best known by the public for his starring role as Dr. Cliff Huxtable on "The Cosby Show" (1984).

Did not submit himself for Emmy consideration during the eight-year run of "The Cosby Show" (1984).

Broke Radio City's 53-year-old attendance record for his concert appearance. (1986)

The character Dr. Hibbert from "The Simpsons" (1989) is based on him.

When "The Simpsons" (1989)) started competing with "The Cosby Show" (1984) in 1989, the already declining audience of the show decreased even more. Because of this, both shows had a playful attitude toward each other. "The Cosby Show" made small references to the "The Simpsons", including one episode where Bill wore a Bart Simpson mask, and "The Simpsons" made small references to "The Cosby Show", including the character of Dr. Hibbert, a direct reference to Cosby.

Biography in "Who's Who in Comedy" by Ronald L. Smith, pp. 120-122. New York: Facts on File, 1992. ISBN 0816023387

Inducted into the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Hall of Fame in 1994.

Bill's son, Ennis Cosby (27), was shot dead while fixing a flat tire off the San Diego Freeway. [16 January 1997]

National Enquirer offers $100,000 reward for the capture of the killer of Bill's son, Ennis. [January 1997]

Grand marshal, Tournament of Roses parade [2003]

Upon receiving his Bob Hope Humanitarian Award at the 2003 Emmys, Cosby paid tribute to two people: children's show host Fred Rogers (who had died earlier that year) and, poignantly, his late son, Ennis.

Was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Music from Berklee College of Music (Boston, MA) for his commitment to advancing higher education and for his longtime love and promotion of jazz. [May 2004]

Within 15 seconds after watching Kenan Thompson's Fat Albert (2004) audition tape, he said to director Joel Zwick, "Hire him!"

Received the 12th annual Mark Twain Prize for American Humor [October 2009].