The Cosby Show (TV Series 1984–1992) - IMDb IMDb There was an error trying to load your rating for this title. Some parts of this page won't work property. Please reload or try later. X Beta I'm Watching This! Keep track of everything you watch; tell your friends. Error The goings-on in the life of a successful African American family. Stars: It's Russell and Anna Huxtable's 49th anniversary, and the Huxtables observe the occasion with a classic impression of Ray Charles' "Night Time is the Right Time." 8.4 Theo's Holiday Theo's confident when he's 18 and moves out on his own, he'll be able to get a job as a model and make a lot of money; the family puts him to a test to see how well he'd make it in the real world. 8.4 Theo gets a shirt that cost too much, so Denise makes him an "Exact" replica.

8.2 a list of 30 titles created 26 Feb 2011 a list of 36 titles created 06 Nov 2011 a list of 37 titles created 02 Jun 2013 a list of 31 titles created 30 Jun 2013 a list of 26 titles created 14 Dec 2014 Title: The Cosby Show (1984–1992) 7.4/10 Want to share IMDb's rating on your own site? Use the HTML below. You must be a registered user to use the IMDb rating plugin. Won 3 Golden Globes. Another 51 wins & 56 nominations. See more awards » Videos Long-running Perfect Strangers (1986) spin-off series centering on the Winslow family and their pesky next-door neighbor, ultra-nerd Steve Urkel. Stars: Reginald VelJohnson, Jaleel White, Kellie Shanygne Williams The daily trials and tribulations of Tim Taylor, a TV show host raising three mischeivous boys with help from his loyal co-host, loving wife, and eccentric neighbor.

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See full summary » Stars: Scott Baio, Willie Aames, Nicole Eggert Edit Storyline Long-running popular comedy television series about the Huxtable family. Doctor Heathcliff Huxtable and Clair Huxtable, a happily married couple, are raising their children (Sondra, Denise, Theodore, Vanessa, and Rudy). The two oldest daughters eventually live successful adult lives and get married (Sondra to Elvin and Denise to Martin). As the children get older, the family gets larger and, to the chagrin of Cliff, keep on coming back home when he wants them to move out and live on their own for good. Written by Anonymous In a house filled with love . . . there's always room for more. Genres: 20 September 1984 (USA) See more » Also Known As: Die Bill Cosby Show See more » Filming Locations: Did You Know? Trivia The façade of the Huxtables' home is located at 10 St. Luke's Place in Manhattan, even though the family is supposed to live in Brooklyn. See more » Goofs When Cliff and Clair leave Theo alone in the house while they go on a ski trip, Cliff is carrying some skis out.

He drops a ski and it knocks everything off Clair's desk. In the next scene, the objects are on the desk again. See more » Quotes [after the saxophone opening theme ends] Cliff : This is the best elevator music I've ever heard! See more » Crazy Credits The credit sequences that varied from season to season all have one thing in common-the last shot in each one is a closeup of Bill Cosby's face, and in all but the first, he is smiling. See more » Connections Referenced in Blitz (2011) See more » Soundtracks (Virginia Beach) – See all my reviews I rarely go to DVDs of old TeeVee shows. The edge that could have made many of then work when new has long dulled. Nostalgia is a bad way to motivate a life. But this was a reminder of a day, shortly after the US almost lost itself forever. The great national tragedy was slavery  not that it happened, because nations do many dishonorable things. But because we clung to it so tightly, reinventing it in subtle ways. In my memory, three things changed that. There was the civil rights movement of course and its nobility in peaceful stands for justice.

There was the profound decision by Coca-Cola to fashion ads that portrayed a nation of many colors. Many people overlook the significance of this and its powerful effect, cinematic equality. And then there was Cosby. Here was a man with practices affability. No joke was demeaning. All jokes had to do with family, kinship, a world with no disharmony and only small everyday events. He did not invent domestic humor. TeeVee had it cooking long before he arrived. But he did it better than anyone then and since. His warmth made it. And he had a black face. That face is the device on which all episodes of the show rely. A setup, a comment and then Bill's face reacting. A simple formula. Simple jokes; powerful face. I wouldn't want to overemphasize his intent or impact. He happened to be a good man at the right time, but no less obsessed and commercial than Opra, who inherited and demeaned the role. Revisiting these shows is revisiting history, a noble history of a noble time before the US found another way to marginalize: let kids do it by themselves. Ted's Evaluation -- 2 of 3: Has some interesting elements.

5 of 7 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes The Cosby Show - Classic TV Database The Cosby Show Added to the database on February 25, 1997 Rate Cast & Characters | Broadcast History | Theme Song | DVDs | Watch Episodes | Photos | Trivia | Comments The Cosby Show is a sitcom starring Bill Cosby that aired for eight seasons on NBC from 1984 until 1992. The show focuses on the Huxtable family, an affluent African-American family living in Brooklyn, New York. Looking back at season 1 of The Cosby Show, it's easy to forget that momentous history was being made. Not only did this immensely popular sitcom hold the #1 spot among all network TV shows for five consecutive seasons (a record that still stands), but it promoted an evolutionary progression that influenced the entire TV industry from that point forward.

African Americans had enjoyed sitcom success in the past (on Julia, The Jeffersons, and Good Times), but the idealized family of Cliff and Clair Huxtable (Bill Cosby and Phylicia Rashad) represented a new and quietly revolutionary perspective; married for 21 years with five children, the Huxtables were happy and successful, and issues of race were almost entirely irrelevant to the show's universal appeal. Making their Thursday-night debut on September 20, 1984, they were conceived by Cosby (as "executive consultant Dr. William H. Cosby Jr., Ed.D."), cocreators Ed. Weinberger and Michael Leeson, and executive producers Tom Werner and Marcy Carsey, with a matter-of-fact approach to upgrading the African American image, built upon Cosby's rubber-faced popularity as a stand-up comedian and rooted in the complete and unbiased integration of the black experience into the American mainstream. More to the point, The Cosby Show was eminently respectable family entertainment, perhaps too squeaky-clean for some tastes, but immediately popular at a time when Eddie Murphy (in Beverly Hills Cop) was honing a more profane image that Cosby disapproved of.

The show was also perfectly cast for mass appeal, from the irresistible precociousness of Keshia Knight Pulliam (as the youngest and most charming Huxtable daughter, Rudy) to the stylish adolescence of Lisa Bonet (years before her controversial role in Angel Heart) as 16-year-old Denise; Malcolm-Jamal Warner as outspoken teenager Theo; Tempestt Bledsoe as sensible younger daughter Vanessa; and Sabrina LaBeauf as college student and eventual mother of twins, Sondra. Combined with the effortless chemistry of Cosby and Rashad, the entire cast forged an easygoing, loosely-rehearsed dynamic that was genuinely familial. Cast & Characters Bill Cosby as Dr.

Heathcliff Huxtable Phylicia Rashad as Clair Huxtable Sabrina Le Beauf as Sondra Huxtable Tibideaux Lisa Bonet as Denise Huxtable Kendall Malcolm-Jamal Warner as Theodore Huxtable Tempestt Blesoe as Vanessa Huxtable Keshia Knight Pulliam as Rudy Huxtable Clarica Taylor as Anna Huxtable Peter Costa as Peter Chiara (1985-1989) Geoffery Owens as Elvin Tibideaux (1986-1992) Earle Hyman as Russell Huxtable Deon Richmond as Kenny (1986-1992) Troy Winbush as Denny (1987-1991) Carl Anthony Payne II as Cockroach (1986-1987) Broadcast History First Telecast: September 20, 1984 Last Telecast: September 17, 1992 Network: September 1984- June 1992, Thursday 8:00-8:30pm July 1992- September 1992, Saturday 8:3

0-9:00pm Theme Song & Opening Intro The Cosby Show Trivia ABC had a chance to own The Cosby Show but they rejected it.

NBC was smarter and landed the hit comedy series that raked in the money for eight full seasons! Then when NBC put The Cosby Show in the same time slot that CBS was airing the hit series, "Magnum P.I.", nearly everyone in the business agreed that The Cosby Show would be lucky to survive a full season. Wrong again! During the summer hiatus in 1988, Lisa Bonet and her husband Lenny Kravitz announced that they were pregnant. The producers of The Cosby Show were concerned that viewers might not accept Denise as a single mother after four years of her "nice girl" image so they had her drop out of college and spend the fifth season in Africa. Bill Cosby didn't care much for working in Hollywood so he demanded that The Cosby Show be produced in New York. Even though the Huxtables lived in Brooklyn, the exterior shots of their home on The Cosby Show is actually a house located at 10 Saint Luke's Place in Manhattan. The Cosby Show was based on Bill Cosby's family in real-life. He also has a wife (who he's still with after 44 years as of 2008) and four daughters and one son who is the middle-aged child!

Sitcoms were beginning to fade in the ratings in the mid 1980s. TV Guide stated that The Cosby Show was TV's "biggest hit in the 1980s and almost single-handedly revived the sitcom genre and NBC's ratings fortunes". "All in the Family" and "The Cosby Show" are the only two U.S. programs that managed to remain at the number one position in the ratings for five seasons in a row! Next Air Dates for The Cosby Show The Cosby Show - Show News, Reviews, Recaps and Photos - TV.com EDIT Dr. Heathcliff "Cliff" Huxtable was an OBGYN (obstetrician/gynecologist), and his wife Clair was a successful attorney. They had five children: Sondra, Denise, Theo, Vanessa and Rudy. Sondra was rarely seen during the first season because she was away at Princeton. She became a regular character in the second season, and was usually seen with her on-again off-again beau, Elvin.

They eventually married and had twins; but not before stunning their families by announcing the fact that Elvin was dropping out of medical school to open a camping store, and Sondra was dropping out of law school to help her husband in his endeavor. Denise was the "unique" child, the black sheep of the family. She had her own way of doing things, right down to the style of clothing she wore. After graduating high school, she left for Hillman College in 1986 (a year later, this would become the setting for the spin-off A Different World), but returned two years later with news that she was dropping out. She eventually decided to become a photographer's assistant, and left for Africa for a year. When she returned, she had yet another bombshell: she had become a wife and mother while over in Africa. She married a navy man, Martin; who had a child, Olivia, from a previous marriage. During the final season, Denise travelled with Martin as he was stationed in Asia. Olivia stayed behind with Cliff and Clair. Theo, Vanessa and Rudy were probably the most popular of the five kids, due to the fact that they were seen more often then Sondra and Denise.

Most of the stories revolved around the three youngest children. Stories dealt mainly with dating and school life, as well as Cliff's never-ending fear that his children would never leave home. In the final episode, Theo graduated from college. The Cosby Show was for the late '80s what Dallas was for the early eighties. Dallas was the number one show during most of the early eighties; but then situation comedies bumped all prime-time soaps down. The Cosby Show proved to be fierce competition, becoming the number one show from 1985-1990. In fact, in 8 years it never dropped below the top 20. NBC Broadcast History September 1984-June 1992----Thursdays----8:00 p.m. July 1992-September 1992----Thursdays----8:30 p.m.

Nielsen Ratings: (Top 30 or Better) #3 in the 1984-1985 Season #1 in the 1985-1986 Season #1 in the 1986-1987 Season #1 in the 1987-1988 Season #1 in the 1988-1989 Season #1 in the 1989-1990 Season #5 in the 1990-1991 Season #18 in the 1991-1992 Season The most watched Cosby Show episode ever was "Say Hello to a Good Buy" which aired on January 22, 1987. The episode received a 41.3 rating, 56 share, and was seen by 64,980,000 viewers. Watch The Cosby Show on TBS.

Weekdays at 1pm & 1:30pm The Cosby Show is also being shown in syndication, check local listings.moreless Cosby Show, The | Archive of American Television from the Museum of Broadcast Communications Encyclopedia of Television The Cosby Show, one of the biggest surprise hits in American television history, dominated Thursday evenings from 1984 to 1992. Focusing on the everyday adventures of an upper-middle-class black family, the series revived a television genre (situation comedy), saved a beleaguered network (NBC), and sparked controversy about race and class in America. The Cosby Show premiered on 20 September 1984 and shot to the top of the ratings almost immediately. Indeed, the series finished third in the ratings its first season (1984-85), and first for the next four seasons. The Cosby Show fell from the very top of the ratings only after its sixth season (1989-90), when it finished second behind another family-oriented situation comedy, Roseanne. But The Cosby Show was almost not to be.

NBC recruited Marcy Carsey and Tom Werner to develop the sitcom after a Bill Cosby monologue about child rearing on NBC's Tonight show impressed the network's entertainment chief, Brandon Tartikoff. However, despite Cosby's widespread popularity-- he had registered one of the highest audience appeal ratings in history as a commercial pitchman--programmers initially viewed his star potential with suspicion. His television career history was mixed. After co-starring in the hit series I Spy (1965-68), Cosby appeared in a string ratings failures: The Bill Cosby Show (1969), The New Bill Cosby Show (1972), and Cos (1976). While NBC fretted over questions concerning Cosby's viability as a television star and situation comedy's status as a dying genre, Carsey and Werner presented the idea to ABC. But that network was not interested. At the last minute, just in time for inclusion in the fall schedule, NBC gave a firm commitment to Carsey and Werner to produce a pilot and five episodes for the sitcom. The extraordinary success of the show quickly propelled also-ran NBC into first-place in the primetime ratings.

Set and taped before a studio audience in Brooklyn, New York, The Cosby Show revolved around the day-to-day situations faced by Cliff (Bill Cosby) and Clair Huxtable (Phylicia Ayers-Allen, later Phylicia Rashad) and their five children. This family was unlike other black families previously seen on television in that it was solidly upper-middle-class--the Huxtables lived in a fashionable Flatbush brownstone, the father was a respected gynecologist, and the mother a successful attorney. Theo (Malcolm Jamal-Warner), the only son, was something of an underachiever who enjoyed a special relationship with his father. The oldest daughter, Sondra (Sabrina LeBeauf), was a college student at prestigious Princeton University. The next daughter in age, Denise (Lisa Bonet), tested her parents' patience with rather eccentric, new-age preoccupations. She left the series after the third season to attend the fictitious, historically black Hillman College; her experiences there became the basis of a spin-off, A Different World (1987-93).

The two younger daughters, Rudy (Keisha Knight Pulliam) and Vanessa (Tempestt Bledsoe), were cute preteens who served admirably as foils to Cosby's hilarious child-rearing routines. Secure in a cocoon of loving parents and affluence, the Huxtable kids steered clear of trouble as they grew up over the series' eight-year run. Indeed, TV Guide compared the Huxtable's lifestyle to that of other black families in America and described the family as the most "atypical black family in television history." For many observers, The Cosby Show was unique in other ways as well. For example, unlike many situation comedies, the program avoided one-liners, buffoonery and other standard tactics designed to win laughs. Instead, series writers remained true to Cosby's vision of finding humor in realistic family situations, in the minutiae of human behavior. Thus episodes generally shunned typical sitcom formulas by featuring, instead, a rather loose story structure and unpredictable pacing. Moreover, the soundtrack was sweetened with jazz, and the Huxtable home prominently featured contemporary African American art.

Several observers described the result as "classy." In many respects, The Cosby Show and its "classy" aura were designed to address a long history of black negative portrayals on television. Indeed, Alvin Poussaint, a prominent black psychiatrist, was hired by producers as a consultant to help "recode blackness" in the minds of audience members. In contrast to the families in other popular black situation comedies--for example, those in Sanford and Son (1972-77), Good Times (1974-79), and The Jeffersons (1975-85)--the Huxtables were given a particular mix of qualities that its creators thought would challenge common black stereotypes. These qualities included: a strong father figure; a strong nuclear family; parents who were professionals; affluence and fiscal responsibility; a strong emphasis on education; a multigenerational family; multiracial friends; and low-key racial pride. This project, of course, was not without its critics. Some observers described the show as a 1980's version of Father Knows Best, the Huxtables as a white family in blackface.

Moreover, as the show's debut coincided with the President Reagan's landslide reelection, and as many of the Huxtables' "qualities" seemed to echo key Republican themes, critics labeled the show's politics as "reformist conservatism." The Huxtables' affluence, they argued, worked to obscure persistent inequalities in America--especially those faced by blacks and other minority groups--and validate the myth of the American Dream. One audience study suggests that the show "strikes a deal" with white viewers, that it absolves them of responsibility for racial inequality in the United States in exchange for inviting the Huxtables into their living room. Meanwhile, the same study found that black viewers tend to embrace the show for its positive portrayals of blackness, but express misgivings about the Huxtables' failure to regularly interact with less affluent blacks. On an April evening in 1992--when America was being saturated with images of fires, and racial and economic turmoil from Los Angeles--many viewers opted to tune into the farewell episode of The Cosby Show. In Los Angeles, at least, this viewing choice was almost not an option.

KNBC-TV's news coverage of the civil unrest seemed certain to preempt the show, much as the news coverage of other networks' affiliates would preempt their regular prime-time programming that evening. But as Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley worked to restore order to a war-torn Los Angeles, he offered, perhaps, the greatest testament to the social significance of the series: he successfully lobbied KNBC-TV to broadcast the final episode as originally scheduled. -Darnell M. Hunt September 1984-June 1992 Thursday 8:00-8:30 July 1992-September 1992 Thursday 8:30-9:00 Beller, Miles. "The Cosby Show." The Hollywood Reporter (Los Angeles), 29 September 1986. Bogle, Donald. Blacks in American Films and Television: An Encyclopedia. New York: Fireside, 1988. Brown, Judy. "Leave it to Bill: The Huxtables, The Cleavers of the '80s." L.A. Weekly (Los Angeles), 27 December-2 January 1985. Cantor, Muriel.

"The American Family on Television: From Molly Goldberg to Bill Cosby." Journal of Comparative Family Studies, Summer 1991. Carson, Tom. "Cosby Knows Best." Village Voice (New York), 23 October 1984. Carter, Richard G. "TV's Black Comfort Zone for Whites." Television Quarterly (New York), Fall 1988. Downing, John D. H. "The Cosby Show and American Racial Discourse." In, Smitherman-Donaldson, Geneva, and Teun A. van Dijk, editors. Discourse and Discrimination. Detroit: Wayne State University Press, 1988. Frazer, June M., and Timothy C. Frazer. "Father Knows Best and The Cosby Show: Nostalgia and the Sitcom Tradition." Journal of Popular Culture (Bowling Green, Ohio), Winter 1993. Fuller, Linda K. The Cosby Show: Audiences, Impact, And Implications. Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood, 1992. Gelman, Morris.

"Prof Says Cosby a Symptom of TV's Impossible Ideals." Daily Variety (Los Angeles), 9 June 1987. Gendel, Morgan. "Cosby & Co.: What Makes the Show a Hit." Los Angeles Times, 26 September 1985. Gray, Herman. "Response to Justin Lewis and Sut Jhally." American Quarterly (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania), March 1994. _______________. "Television, Black Americans, and the American Dream." Critical Studies in Mass Communication (Annandale, Virginia), December 1989. _______________. Watching Race: Television and theStruggle for "Blackness." Minneapolis, Minnesota: University of Minnesota Press, 1995. Hill, Doug. "Viacom Pitchmen Got a Record $500 Million For Cosby Reruns. Now the Buyers Await the Results of Their Expensive Gamble." TV Guide (Radnor, Pennsylvania), 7 May 1988. Inniss, Leslie B. "The Cosby Show: The View from the Black Middle Class." Journal of Black Studies (Newbury Park, California), July 1995.

Jhally, Sut, and Justin Lewis. Enlightened Racism: The Cosby Show, Audiences, and the Myth of the American Dream. Boulder, Colorado: Westview, 1992. Johnson, Robert B. "TV's Top Mom & Dad." Ebony (Chicago), February 1986. Kalu, Anthonia C. "Bill Cosby, Blues and the Reconstruction of African-American Literary Theory." The Literary Griot: International Journal of Black Oral and Literary Studies (Wayne, New Jersey), Spring-Fall, 1992. Lyons, Douglas C. "Blacks and 50 Years of TV: Ten Memorable Moments." Ebony (Chicago), September 1989. McNeil, Alex. Total Television. New York: Penguin, 1991. Merritt, Bishetta D. "Bill Cosby: TV Auteur." Journal of Popular Culture (Bowling Green, Ohio), Spring 1991. Miller, Jack. "Cosby a Big Hit in Canada." Hollywood Reporter (Los Ageles), 18 March 1986. Nelson, Carlos.

"White Racism and The Cosby Show: A Critique." The Black Scholar (Oakland, California), Spring, 1995. Palmer, Gareth. "The Cosby Show--An Ideologically Based Analysis." Critical Survey (Oxford, U.K.), 1994. Payne, Monica A. "The 'Ideal' Black Family? A Caribbean View of The Cosby Show. Journal of Black Studies (Newbury Park, California), December 1994. Real, Michael R. Super Media: A Cultural Studies Approach. London: Sage, 1989. Who Talked About This Show TV Dads Event Red Carpet Marcy Carsey and Tom Werner The Cosby Show Description | Retro Junk Description 4290 The Cosby Show was an American television sitcom that ran from 1984 to 1992. Starring Bill Cosby, the sitcom was first broadcast on September 20, 1984 and ran for eight seasons on the NBC television network, until April 30, 1992. Bill Cosby had a great deal of creative control over the show, which was unusual for a star at that time but has become commonplace now.

Cosby wanted the program to be educational as well as entertaining, reflecting Cosby's own background in education: he was credited as "William H. Cosby, Jr., Ed.D" at the beginning of each program, referencing his doctoral degree in Education from the University of Massachusetts. He also insisted that the program be taped in New York City, where he lived, rather than Los Angeles, where most television programs were taped. The show focused on the Huxtable family, an upper-middle class family living in Brooklyn, New York at 10 Stigwood Avenue.[1] Patriarch Heathcliff "Cliff" Huxtable (an obstetrician/gynecologist) and his attorney wife Clair Huxtable presided over a raucous yet loving household. In every way, they were an utterly typical traditional American sitcom family, with the notable exception that they were African-American. The topics of the show involved the usual difficulties of children growing up, an example being son Theo experiences of dealing with dyslexia, based on Cosby's real-life child Ennis who was dyslexic. The show was very much centered on Cosby's real life, and portrayed his children's lives as well.

The show was extremely well-regarded, winning six Emmys, as well as three Golden Globes, five NAACP Image Awards, and a Peabody Award. It was also notable as being highly popular with white viewers and around the world, unlike many other television shows featuring mainly African-American characters. The show has been praised for its portrayal of positive child rearing methods. For instance, in the first episode, Heathcliff confronts his son about his poor grades and Theo responds that he should accept his son's weaknesses and love him unconditionally because they are father and sona typical sentimental idiom in family sitcoms of that time, and one which generated the typical applause from the studio audience.

Heathcliff, however, to the audience's surprise and amused approval, immediately and angrily calls this sentiment "the dumbest thing I've ever heard in my life," completely rejecting the notion that loving his son means he must quietly and willingly accept it when the boy does not give his best effort in school, and famously threatened him with the often quoted line, "I brought you into this world, and I can take you out." At the time of the show's original broadcast, some people criticized the series for presenting an unrealistic portrayal of an African-American family as wealthy, and for not addressing black-white relations and contemporary issues such as poverty and the AIDS-HIV epidemic. Others felt that the show was simply a portrayal of what African-Americans could potentially become. They also felt that portraying an African-American family as a normal family with normal, and largely wholesome, family issues was generally a positive contribution to issues of race in the United States. The sitcom had numerous guest star appearances, including Stevie Wonder, Willie Colon, Plácido Domingo, Tony Orlando, Dizzy Gillespie, B.B. King, Danny Kaye and Frank Robinson. Additionally, many actors had the show as their launching pad to success.

Examples include Raven Symone, Angela Bassett, and Adam Sandler among others. John Ritter guest starred on an episode with Amy Yasbeck, whom he soon started a relationship with and married eight years later, and Sammy Davis Jr appeared in an episode in 1989 playing a soon to be great-grandfather who does not know how to read. It was one of the last television appearances of Davis (he would die the next year). The popularity of The Cosby Show was often seen as a symbol of hope and progress for African-Americans in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Ironically, as the final episode was airing on April 30, 1992, a series of race riots was raging throughout the city of Los Angeles, in the aftermath of the previous day's controversial verdict in the Rodney King trial. The exterior of the Huxtable home was actually the brownstone facade of a private residence at 10 St. Luke's Place near 7th Avenue in Manhattan's Greenwich Village. That home is not a single family home but rather was divided into an owner's duplex and four tiny one-bedroom apartments.

Search 20 Things You Might Not Know About 'The Cosby Show' | Mental Floss 20 Things You Might Not Know About 'The Cosby Show' nbc Like us on Facebook Bill Cosby was not pleased with the so-called “family” sitcoms he saw on TV in the early 1980s. The kids seemed to be in charge of the household and tiny 6-year-olds were smart-mouthing their parents without suffering any repercussions. Cosby sketched out a show where the kids were certainly intelligent, but their parents were always smarter and—most importantly—in charge. The Cosby Show debuted on September 20, 1984, and America went on to spend eight memorable seasons with the Huxtables. 1. Huxtable: Limousine Driver? In Bill Cosby’s original pitch, he played a limousine driver, and Clair was a union plumber. Camille Cosby told her husband that she thought the TV couple should be more representative of their own family—two white-collar professional parents. When executive producer Marcy Carsey sided with Camille, Cosby capitulated and made the patriarch a doctor and Clair an attorney. 2.

“Mira que tiene cosa la mujer esta…” Another one of Cosby’s early visions of the show was for Clair to be Dominican, and to have her revert to her native Spanish whenever she was frustrated. He pictured it as a reverse I Love Lucy scenario, where the audience always knew when Ricky Ricardo had reached his limit because he’d burst into a Spanish-language tirade. 3. Phylicia Rashad's Stare Helped Get Her the Role Of all the actresses who auditioned for the role of Clair, Phylicia Rashad caught Cosby’s eye because of the way she argued with Theo during the screen test. Unlike the previous candidates, she didn’t wag her head and she didn’t place her hand on her hip. Instead, she simply stopped speaking and gave Theo a look—and her eyes said enough to frighten any child into submission. Cosby knew immediately that Phylicia was Clair. 4. Cosby Worried About The Studio Audience's Reaction To The Pilot The Cosby Show's pilot was filmed in front of a live audience, and even though there were plenty of laughs where expected, Cosby was worried that the audience wasn’t embracing his overall vision of the series.

In the scene where Theo is defending the “D” on his report card, he earnestly tells his dad, “If you weren't a doctor, I wouldn't love you less, because you're my dad. So rather than feeling disappointed because I'm not like you, maybe you should accept who I am and love me anyway, because I'm your son.” What concerned Cosby about this scene was the spontaneous applause from the audience after Theo’s speech. Luckily the audience reacted even more enthusiastically when he replied with complete conviction, “That’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard in my life!” 5. The Story Behind Those Sweaters NBC Cliff Huxtable’s iconic sweaters were the work of Dutch fashion designer Koos Van Den Akker. Van Den Akker was asked by an customer of his in the early 1980s to make a unique sweater as a present for her friend, Bill Cosby. Cosby wore that sweater on camera while filming an episode of his show. Mail poured in as viewers wanted to know where they could buy a similar garment. Cosby asked Van Den Akker to make more, and a legacy was born.

The sweaters' designer described the process of creating each pullover as a “painting,” throwing various colors and patterns of fabric pieces together on a jersey/wool blend canvas. According to Van Den Akker , each design tread a “very thin line between absolutely awful and something of genius.” 6. There Were Originally Only Four Huxtable Children YouTube At one point in the pilot, Clair asks, "Why did we have four children?" He responds, "Because we didn't want five." Originally, Denise was the oldest of the offspring, followed by Theo, Vanessa, and Rudy. But once the series was poised to become a hit, Bill Cosby decided to add an additional older child—one who was away at college and was an example of successful parenting. Enter Princeton student Sondra, the eldest Huxtable child. 7. In Real Life, Sondra Couldn't Have Been Clair's Daughter Getty Images Sabrina LeBeauf, the actress who played Sondra, is only 10 years younger than her TV mom. Sabrina won the role over such staunch competitors as Whitney Houston and future Miss America Suzette Charles.

LeBeauf impressed Cosby partly because she had recently graduated from a prestigious university (Yale), just like the character he had in mind. 8. Italians Couldn't Pronounce "Huxtable" The Cosby Show not only topped the ratings charts at home, it was also a hit internationally—albeit with some minor tweaks made for non-U.S. audiences. For example, in Italy, the surname “Huxtable” proved to be impossible to pronounce, so the family’s name was changed and the show was titled I Robinson ("The Robinsons") in Italy. Why “Robinson” instead of, say, Smith or Jones? The name was chosen in honor of Jackie Robinson, the first African-American to play in Major League Baseball. 9. Rudy Was Almost Played By Urkel Getty Images In Bill Cosby’s original vision, the Huxtables had two boys and two girls (this was before Sondra was added to the mix). The youngest child, Rudy, was originally supposed to be a younger brother who looked up to Theo.

Eight-year-old Jaleel White (Family Matters’ future Urkel) had auditioned so strongly that his agent told his parents that they should start looking for apartments in New York, where The Cosby Show was filmed. The producers still had a few more kids to consider, and one of those last-minute interviews was with four-year-old charmer Keshia Knight-Pulliam. Director Jay Sandrich recalled trying to talk to Keshia, asking her if she could remember lines, but she kept looking away from him. He finally asked her what was wrong. The story goes that she pointed to a monitor and said, “That’s me! How can you make me on the TV?” Immediately enchanted, Sandrich moved Keshia’s name to the top of the short list, and Theo became an only son surrounded by four sisters. 10. Theo Was Supposed to be Taller The casting call for the role of Theo specified that he was 6'2" and 15 years old. Malcolm-Jamal Warner, however, was 13 and 5'5". Nevertheless, he landed an interview on the last day auditions were held.

According to Warner, he read the Monopoly money scene with Cosby like a traditional TV brat—hand on hip, eyes rolled, a real smart-aleck. Everyone in the room was laughing ... except for Cosby. He asked the young actor if he'd act like that with his real father. With that advice in mind, Warner read for the part a second time and nailed it. 11. Vanessa's Early College Enrollment Was Written In So Tempestt Bledsoe Could Go To Actual College Season 7 begins with a “back to school” episode where Cliff and Clair happily usher their brood out the door the morning after summer vacation ended. But why was Vanessa carrying a suitcase instead of a Trapper Keeper? It's revealed that Vanessa attended summer school so she could graduate a year early, and was now bound for Lincoln College in Pennsylvania. The sudden change in Vanessa’s story arc was due to Tempestt Bledsoe’s desire to get her degree, and Cosby’s determination to help her however possible. After graduating from high school, Bledsoe told her boss that she’d enrolled at New York University but would be attending classes in the evenings and on weekends so it wouldn’t affect her work schedule.

Cosby instead arranged the show’s shooting schedule so that Bledsoe could go to school full-time, which is why we only saw Vanessa sporadically throughout the season. Tempestt recalls that Cosby used to post her grades on his dressing room door. 12. Dr. Huxtable's Inaccurate Nameplate NBC It is common for some elements of a series to differ from the pilot once it's picked up by a network. So it is understandable that in the Cosby pilot, the layout of the house is nothing like the 10 Stigwood Avenue we later see, and Theo is referred to as “Teddy.” But surely someone in the editing room should have noticed that the establishing exterior shot of Dr. Heathcliff Huxtable’s office that was used several times throughout Season One still bore the pilot-engraved nameplate that read “Clifford Huxtable, M.D.” 13. Grandpa Huxtable Was A Very Accomplished Thespian Russell Huxtable could always be relied upon to recite Shakespeare at length when sage advice was required. These scenes were tailored specifically for Earle Hyman, who played Cliff’s dad.

From the age of 13, Hyman devoured classic literature and stage plays.He developed a particular fondness for the work of Henrik Ibsen, and Hyman eventually spent enough time in Norway (Ibsen’s home) to become fluent in Norwegian and was awarded the prestigious Medal of St. Olav for his stage work there. 14. He was also the voice of Panthro There's your ThunderCats connection. 15. Some of Bill's TV Family Were Named After Real-Life Family Members Bill Cosby incorporated many names from his own real-life family into his sitcom relatives. He married Camille Olivia Hanks in 1964. In the show, Clair Huxtable’s maiden name was “Hanks,” and Denise’s precocious stepdaughter was named Olivia. His mother’s name was Anna, just like his TV mom. His younger brother Russell lent his name to the Huxtable granddad. 16. Who Was the Real Gordon Gartrelle? Even today, whenever Malcolm-Jamal Warner attends a formal event, there’s always one wise guy who will ask him if he’s wearing Gordon Gartrelle.

Theo’s lopsided yellow satin shirt with the two-tone pockets has become indelibly entwined with garish, ill-fitting couture. The original garment recently got a nod in an episode of Suburgatory, when George and Noah were sifting through boxes of old clothes in the attic. (“Are you kidding me?! It’s a Gordon Gartrelle. Keep!”) The real Gordon G. Gartrelle, by the way, was a writer and producer on the Cosby series. 17. The Uncola Man Choreographed A Season Opener The Cosby Show was famous for changing its opening credits sequence every season. Season Five’s opening is unique because it is the only time throughout the series’ run that the entire cast is shown dancing together. The music was performed by the Oregon Symphony Orchestra, and the choreography was courtesy of Trinidadian-born actor, dancer, director and singer Geoffrey Holder. Many Baby Boomers remember Holder as the “ Uncola Man ” spokesman for 7-Up. 18. Nude Photos Helped Send Denise to Hillman College Denise was the Wild Child among the Huxtables–she always wore the craziest fashions and dated boys her father couldn’t stand.

Lisa Bonet sometimes tried Cosby’s patience even more than her character did, and she was often late for tapings or sometimes didn’t bother to show up at all. The turning point for both actress and character came in 1986, when 19-year-old Bonet spent her hiatus co-starring in Angel Heart, a movie that had to edit many scenes in order to avoid an X rating. Topless photos of Bonet were being leaked to the media to promote the film, and Cosby had her much younger TV siblings to consider. Denise was the most popular Huxtable (according to the fan mail), so Cosby solved the problem by spinning her off into A Different World, a series set at Hillman College. 19. (Baby) Bumps in the Road Bill Cosby didn't want to add infants to the series, so when Phylicia Rashad was pregnant during Season Three, extreme measures were used to conceal her burgeoning midsection. Clair was either conveniently away at a conference in Washington D.C. or confined to bed. This bed had a specially constructed mattress that was scooped out so her tummy wouldn’t make the covers protrude, and the contraption resulted in a pinched nerve in her back.

The masquerade became downright bizarre, like in “Vanessa’s Rich,” when Clair is seated on the living room sofa with a giant teddy bear in front of her for no explained reason whatsoever. And then Lisa Bonet, who had eloped with musician Lenny Kravitz on November 16, 1987, announced that she was with child early in 1988. A pregnant college freshman was not what the producers of A Different World had in mind, so Bonet was canned from that show and was rehired back on The Cosby Show for Season Five. Of course, she was outfitted in oversized jackets and loose-fitting wild-patterned shirts until Episode Five, where she conveniently was given permission by Cliff and Clair to accompany a photographer to Zaire for an extended assignment. 20. Peter's Horrible Stage Fright Caused His Awkwardness As a rule, stage fright would put a kibosh on any child actor’s career, but Cosby decided to capitalize on it in the case of Peter Costa. Costa had trouble reciting his lines due to “red light fever” once the cameras started rolling. But Cosby cast him as Rudy’s playmate Peter who lived across the street.

Peter rarely spoke to anyone, especially adults, but Rudy always “understood” him, much like regular kids do with the friends that confound their parents. The Cosby Show TV Season 1 | The Cosby Show Wiki | Fandom powered by Wikia The Cosby Show Wiki The Cosby Show TV Season 1 122pages on The following is a list of episode for the first season the NBC-TV sitcom The Cosby Show . The series aired from September 20, 1984 to April 30, 1992 with 201 episodes produced spanning eight seasons. Series overview -- January 13, 2010 A 25th Anniversary Edition DVD set containing all 202 episodes was also released to the public on November 11, 2008. Season 1 (1984–85) All of the main characters appear in all episodes This season comprises 24 episodes This season's opening credits features the Huxtable family playing sports in Central Park . Two versions f the show's theme song are used in this sequence.

A long version of the show's theme is heard in the second and another episode, but a shortened version with a few bars taken out and with a different, though similar, style is used for the rest of the season. The show's theme, titled "Kiss Me", was composed by Stu Gardner and Bill Cosby . No. in September 20, 1984 0101 Cliff and Clair deal with the daily pressures of having children. Theo gets four D's on his report card, while Denise goes on a date with an older boy. Cliff illustrates the cost of living to Theo using Monopoly money. Note In 1996, TV Guide included this episode as part of its "100 Most Memorable Moments in TV History", ranking it # 31. 2 September 27, 1984 0102 When Rudy's pet fish, Lamont, dies, Cliff tries to bring the family together for a funeral in the bathroom. The festivities end when Rudy gets bored and leaves to watch TV.

3 October 4, 1984 0103 Vanessa claims that she is old enough to watch a scary movie that Theo saw, but Cliff still forbids it. Vanessa sneaks out anyway, and ends up having nightmares as a result. 4 October 11, 1984 0105 Freshman Theo tries out for the football team and makes it. Cliff is overjoyed, but his pride falters when he discovers his son will never be a star. Theo, however, is just happy being on the team. Meanwhile, Rudy believes that her older brother and sisters don't like her. 5 October 18, 1984 0108 Theo wants to impress a girl by wearing an expensive shirt by designer Gordon Gartrelle. Since Cliff and Clair will not pay for it, Denise offers to make a copy of the shirt for him. Notes: Guest appearance by Kadeem Hardison , who years later would portray Dwayne Wayne on the Cosby Show spinoff, A Different World .

The name "Gordon Gartrelle" was taken from a staff member, who eventually became a writer/producer for The Cosby Show during the final two seasons of the series. 6 October 25, 1984 0106 Cliff's father, Russell, pays a visit and begins questioning Cliff about the kids' college choices. He asks Denise about Hillman, his and Cliff's alma mater. Denise is dead-set against it at first, until Russell tells her that the males outnumber the females there. Also Cliff reveals that he went to Hillman because of a young woman who later will be his wife. 7 November 1, 1984 0107 While Clair cares for a friend's baby, she begins to consider having another. Cliff desperately tries to talk her out of it, claiming that babies are " false advertising ", and grow up to be a nuisance. Clair's mother, Carrie, then reminds her that the older you are when you have kids, the older you'll be if they end up having to come back and live at home. Note: This is the first appearance of Ethel Ayler as Carrie Hanks, Clair's mother.

8 November 8, 1984 0109 Vanessa plays the clarinet in the school's orchestra. Though she tries her best and practices daily, she simply cannot play the instrument. She plays an embarrassing solo at the school concert, but her parents support her anyway. Guest: Dizzy Gillespie as Mr. Hampton, Vanessa's music teacher. 9 November 15, 1984 0110 Denise has a new boyfriend, David, but is reluctant to bring him home. She fears that Cliff will, like always, make fun of the boy and ruin her chances with him. Cliff and Clair are initially impressed with David until he expresses some unwanted opinions about medicine and the law at dinner. Kristoff St. John plays boyfriend David. 10 November 22, 1984 0111 Sondra, the eldest Huxtable child, makes her first appearance when she visits home for Thanksgiving . She plans on going to Paris for the summer with her friends, and hopes that her parents will support the decision. While Clair, Vanessa, Rudy, Theo, and Denise agree that she should go, she barely makes it with the head of household, Cliff.

11 Karyl Geld Miller & Korby Siamis December 6, 1984 0104 Clair is exhausted from constantly caring for the children, so Cliff decides to take her out on the town for "You're Not a Mother Night". Cliff reserves a suite in the Biltmore Hotel . While there, some of Clair's motherly instincts start kicking in—but they stop in time for a romantic evening. 12 December 13, 1984 0113 Clair could be named partner at her law firm if an interview goes well, but Rudy is sick! Cliff vows to take care of her while Clair works, and engages in some unique doctoring methods. Clair is named partner and Rudy is fine in the end. 13 December 20, 1984 0112 Cliff complains about the poor quality of his annual Father's Day gifts. He challenges the children to find some better presents for a December Father's Day. They give him thoughtful—if not quite attractive—presents. 14 January 10, 1985 0114 Theo gets his ear pierced to impress a girl, but Denise thinks it might be infected.

She is correct, and Theo must go to Cliff. Cliff hopes that Grandpa Huxtable will punish Theo, but the old man instead relates the story of how Cliff tried to straighten his hair to impress Clair, but ended up burning it off! Russell brags, and Anna reminds him of the time that he had a tattoo of her name placed on his chest, but ended up with a huge scar on his chest when he tried to remove it when the tattoo artist misspells Anna's name (Adda instead of Anna, which was also the name of the girl who was a rival of Anna's for Russell's affection)! 15 THEN: Phylicia Rashad as 'Clair Huxtable' | 'The Cosby Show' Then & Now | XFINITY 'The Cosby Show' Then & Now 4 of 26 Send to Friend THEN: Phylicia Rashad as 'Clair Huxtable' Clair Olivia Huxtable is a loving mother of five who works as a lawyer. Clair, who met her husband Cliff during college, has a remarkable memory and is known for her organizational skills.

âXFINITY Entertainment Staff (Photo: NBC) The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast. More from this Slideshow Catch Up with th... NBC's hit series "The Cosby Show," which aired for eight seasons from 1984-1992, helped revive the traditional television sitcom and opened doors for African-American actors. Find out what Cliff, Clair and all the Huxtable kids have been up to since the show went off the air. âXFINITY Entertainment Staff (AP Photo/Richard Drew) The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast. THEN: Bill Cosby... Dr. Heathcliff "Cliff" Huxtable is an OB/GYN working out of an office in his Brooklyn home. He is married to Clair, with whom he has five children. Cliff is known for his goofy attitude, vibrant sweaters, competitive nature and silly faces. âXFINITY Entertainment Staff (Photo: NBC) The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.

NOW: Bill Cosby Cosby went on to produce "The Cosby Show" spin-off "A Different World." In addition, the 77-year-old actor starred in another sitcom called "Cosby" and hosted "Kids Say the Darndest Things" for two seasons. The Philadelphia native has been the spokesperson for a number of products, including Jell-O and Kodak. Cosby was recently honored with the Johnny Carson Award for Comedic Excellence at the 2014 American Comedy Awards. âXFINITY Entertainment Staff (Photo by Michael Loccisano/Getty Images) The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast. THEN: Phylicia R... Clair Olivia Huxtable is a loving mother of five who works as a lawyer. Clair, who met her husband Cliff during college, has a remarkable memory and is known for her organizational skills. âXFINITY Entertainment Staff (Photo: NBC) The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast. NOW: Phylicia Ra... Rashad, 66, continues to light up the screen and stage.

In 2004, she became the first African-American actress to win the Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play for her role in "A Raisin in the Sun." She most recently starred on an episode of "Do No Harm." âXFINITY Entertainment Staff (Photo by Andrew H. Walker/Getty Images) The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast. THEN: Sabrina Le... Sondra Huxtable is the oldest daughter of Cliff and Clair. She attended Princeton University with hopes of becoming an attorney, but dropped out of law school to open a wilderness school with Elvin Tibideaux, the man she eventually marries. Sondra goes on to have two children. âXFINITY Entertainment Staff (Photo: NBC) The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast. NOW: Sabrina Le ... Following her days as the oldest Huxtable, Le Beauf appeared on several episodes of "Star Trek: The Next Generation." The 56-year-old now works as an interior designer.

âXFINITY Entertainment Staff (AP Photo/Peter Kramer) The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast. THEN: Lisa Bonet... Denise is the second-oldest Huxtable. She is known for being a free spirit who eventually attends Hillman College, the school where her parents met. Denise drops out after two years and moves to Africa, where she meets her eventual husband, Navy Lt. Martin Kendall. âXFINITY Entertainment Staff (Photo: NBC) The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast. NOW: Lisa Bonet Following "The Cosby Show," Bonet, now 47, starred in the spin-off "A Different World," which focused on Denise's life in college. After eloping with rocker Lenny Kravitz in 1987 and giving birth to daughter ZoÃ« in 1988, Bonet legally changed her name to Lilakoi Moon. Bonet split from Kravitz in 1999 and is currently involved with actor Jason Momoa. The pair have two children together.

âXFINITY Entertainment Staff (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images) The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast. THEN: Malcolm-Ja... Theo Huxtable is Cliff and Clair's sports-obsessed only son. He is known for being a girl-crazy troublemaker who struggles in school because of a learning disability. He eventually attends NYU for college and earns a degree in psychology. âXFINITY Entertainment Staff (Photo: NBC) The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast. NOW: Malcolm-Jam... In the years since "The Cosby Show" ended, Warner, 43, has dabbled in acting, singing and directing. He recently starred on the now-canceled BET sitcom "Reed Between the Lines." âXFINITY Entertainment Staff (Photo by Imeh Akpanudosen/Getty Images) The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast. THEN: Tempestt B... The fourth Huxtable child is Vanessa, a nosy pre-teen who often gets into fights with her younger sister Rudy.

She goes on to attend Lincoln University and eventually becomes engaged to an older man named Dabnis Brickey. The pair decided not to go through with the wedding, but remained friends. âXFINITY Entertainment Staff (Photo: NBC) The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast. NOW: Tempestt Bl... Tempestt Bledsoe, 40, went on to host her own talk show in the years following "The Cosby Show." In 2010, the actress replaced Niecy Nash as the host of "Clean House" on the Style Network. She most recently starred on the NBC sitcom "Guys with Kids," which was canceled in May. âXFINITY Entertainment Staff (Photo by Jason Merritt/Getty Images) The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast. THEN: Keshia Kni... Rudith Lillian "Rudy" Huxtable, the youngest of the Cosby family, is best-known for her sassy attitude. The role was originally supposed to go to a boy, but the character was re-written for Keshia Knight Pulliam.

âXFINITY Entertainment Staff (Photo: NBC) The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast. NOW: Keshia Knig... Pulliam, now 35, portrayed Miranda Payne on "Tyler Perry's House of Payne" from 2007-2012, a role that earned her the 2009 and 2010 NAACP Image Awards for Outstanding Supporting Actress. She currently stars in the series "Mr. Box Office." âXFINITY Entertainment Staff (Photo by Jason Kempin/Getty Images) The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast. THEN: Joseph C. ... Navy officer Lt. Martin Kendall is Denise Huxtable's husband. The pair unexpectedly married in Africa and surprised Cliff and Clair with the news. Kendall is father to Olivia, who becomes Denise's stepdaughter when they wed. âXFINITY Entertainment Staff (Photo: NBC) The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast. NOW: Joseph C. P...

After leaving "The Cosby Show" in 1991, Phillips, 52, went on to star as attorney Justus Ward on the soap opera "General Hospital" from 1994-1998. The conservative Republican published an autobiography called "He Talk Like A White Boy" in 2006. The actor has three sons with his wife Nicole. âXFINITY Entertainment Staff (Photo by Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images) The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast. THEN: Raven-Symo... Olivia Kendall is Denise's adorable stepdaughter. She moves in with the Huxtables and develops a close relationship with the entire family. âXFINITY Entertainment Staff (Photo: NBC) The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast. NOW: Raven-Symon... Raven-SymonÃ©, 28, found success both on and off the screen after "The Cosby Show." The actress appeared on the sitcom "Hangin' with Mr. Cooper" and released a debut album, "Here's to New Dreams," in the early 1990s.

She transitioned to the big screen in 1998 with a role in "Dr. Dolittle." SymonÃ© most recently starred on the ABC Family comedy series "State of Georgia." âXFINITY Entertainment Staff (Photo by Michael Kovac/Getty Images) The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast. THEN: Geoffrey O... Elvin Tibideaux is Sondra's boyfriend who she met while attending Princeton. The pair eventually married and welcomed twins named Nelson and Winnie. âXFINITY Entertainment Staff (Photo: NBC) The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast. NOW: Geoffrey Ow... Geoffrey Owens has appeared on a number of shows since his days with the Huxtables, including "That's So Raven" (alongside "Cosby" co-star Raven-Symone) and "The Secret Life of the American Teenager." Owens, 53, currently teaches an acting class in New York City. âXFINITY Entertainment Staff (Photo by Michael Loccisano/Getty Images) The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.

THEN: Erika Alex... Pam Tucker is Clair's distant cousin who comes to stay with the family after her mother moves away. She is uncomfortable living with the Huxtables at first, but eventually becomes one of the gang. âXFINITY Entertainment Staff (Photo: NBC) The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast. NOW: Erika Alexa... Alexander went on to play tough attorney Max Shaw on "Living Single" from 1993-1998. The 44-year-old most recently appeared on an episode of "Low Winter Sun" and is set to appear in the upcoming movie "The Magic City." âXFINITY Entertainment Staff (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images) The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast. Earle Hyman as '... Despite the fact that he is only 10 years older than Bill Cosby, actor Earle Hyman, 87, portrayed Cliff's father Russell on "The Cosby Show." Hyman earned an Emmy nomination for the role in in 1986.

He hasn't acted since 2001, with a brief appearance an episode of "Twice in a Lifetime." âXFINITY Entertainment Staff (Photo: NBC) The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast. Clarice Taylor a... Clarice Taylor, who played Cliff's mother Anna on "The Cosby Show," passed away in 2011 from congestive heart failure at the age of 93. She earned an Emmy nomination for her role as Anna in 1986. âXFINITY Entertainment Staff (Photo: NBC) The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast. TV Screen Legend... For decades, these characters have made us laugh and, sometimes, even cry. In the world of television there are no personalities more addictive, no characters more quotable than these kings and queens of canned laughter. Click here to check out the best sitcom characters to ever grace the small screen.

Question: First shown in 1984, which sit-com featured the characters Cliff and Clair Huxtable?
Answer: The Cosby Show