List of The Cosby Show characters
Encyclopedia
This is a list of characters from the TV sitcom The Cosby Show
.
), lives in Brooklyn Heights, New York
. He was born in October 1937 in Philadelphia
, making him 47 years old at the beginning of the series. Cliff had a brother, James Theodore Huxtable, who died of rheumatic fever
at the age of 7. In his high school and college years, he was an athlete who played wrestling
, football
, and track
. He later served in the Navy before going to medical school. He is an OB/GYN who runs a practice from the basement of his home. In the show, most characters outside of family and friends refer to him as "Dr. Huxtable", and he is well-respected in the community.
Cliff is married to Clair Huxtable. Both Cliff and Clair attended the fictional Hillman College. Together, they have five children: Sondra, Denise, Theodore (Theo), Vanessa, and Rudith (Rudy). Cliff enjoys live jazz, has an extensive collection of albums, and tries to eat junk food whenever he can get away with it.
Cliff is very eccentric and silly to most people around him, especially his family. Despite this, he is very kind-hearted and an extremely dedicated father with a strong sense of humor. Although he and his wife fostered a tight-knit, loving family, a running gag throughout the series is his thwarted attempts to get the grown children to leave the house.
Cliff is also very competitive, often making bets with Clair over various things, such as the date a certain jazz song was released, or having a "Smooth Contest" to see which of them looked more elegant for a night on the town, as judged by the children. He also plays a monthly game of pinochle
against his father and some friends, which sometimes gets very passionate. Unfortunately, Cliff often finds himself on the losing end of most of his bets and games, as, for example, he has never beaten his father-in-law at chess
. However, Cliff eventually broke his losing streak at pinochle
against his father and his friend Homer Dobson with the help of Dr. Foster (played by Roscoe Lee Browne
), who also happened to be his and Clair's literary professor at Hillman College.
In the pilot episode, Cosby's character's full name is Clifford, as shown on a sign on the exterior of the house. His full name was subsequently changed to Heathcliff, even though in one episode Clair called him "Heathclifford", and he is commonly called "Cliff" throughout the series.
Originally, Cliff was to have worked as a chauffeur, with most of the humor coming from his interactions with customers. However, the show was changed before airing to have Cliff be a medical doctor, and the humor to come from his interactions with his family.
At many points in the series, Cliff makes the famous "Cosby
face", in which he presses his lips tightly and rolls back his eyes.
The character is loosely based upon Cosby himself.
), is the very eloquent, elegant wife of Cliff. Clair is playful, sometimes silly, yet very assertive. She is articulate and remarkably intelligent. She is a great debator and rarely ever loses an argument on the show. She has terrific recall about facts and dates, which she uses during discussions or arguments: in one episode she is shown quoting a passage and even the page number of a book during an appearance at a television roundtable. Clair is bi-lingual but is only shown speaking Spanish on a couple of occasions. Although she is very strict, she is a very loving mother to her family.
Her age is directly stated only once during the series, and two separate episodes provide contradictory information on the age difference between herself and Cliff. He celebrates his 50th birthday during Season 3 ("Cliff's 50th Birthday"), while she celebrates her 46th during Season 5 ("Birthday Blues," two years later), indicating that she is six years younger. However, in the Season 4 episode "The Locker Room," it is stated that Clair is four years younger.
Her character was originally supposed to be a housewife, but when the show finally aired, she became a lawyer. During the series, she becomes a partner in her law firm. As an attorney she helps her family with legal issues, and she successfully represents her eldest daughter, Sondra, in a case over dishonest car repairs. When it came to the Huxtable household, she was in charge, even though she let Cliff think he was in charge (although Cliff was known to lay down the law when he had to). She was the chief disciplinarian of the children, as shown in an episode where Vanessa and her friends sneak off to Baltimore to see a rock concert and Clair delivers a memorable and scathing diatribe to her. Another memorable moment came when the normally composed Clair lost her temper when Sondra announced she wasn't going to law school after paying her tuition to attend Princeton.
Clair is also something of a disciplinarian to Cliff, particularly in matters of Cliff sticking to a healthful diet and rationing his junk food intake.
Clair makes several appearances on The Cosby Show spin-off A Different World, even after her daughter, Denise (Lisa Bonet
), is removed from that series.
Clair is once referred to as Clair Olivia when Cliff is asking their old professor what grade she received in the class. The character of Olivia (Raven-Symoné
) is later introduced as Denise's stepdaughter.
Clair Huxtable was voted as television's "Favorite TV Mom" in a poll conducted by the Opinion Research Company in 2006.
The character is loosely based upon Cosby's wife, Camille Olivia Hanks-Cosby.
Sondra Tibideaux (née Huxtable) (Sabrina LeBeauf), the eldest daughter of Cliff and Clair, did not appear on screen until mid-way through Season 1. She did not exist in the pilot episode (Clair: "Why do we have four children?" Cliff: "Because we did not want five.") In her first appearance, she is a sophomore in college, 20 years old putting her birth year in 1964. She earned a degree from Princeton University
. She married her boyfriend, Elvin Tibideaux, in Season Four, and later gave birth to twins—a boy and a girl—named after Nelson
and Winnie Mandela. More serious, earnest and responsible than the other children, Sondra fits many of the characteristics of an eldest child. Though she had her moments of bizarre thinking (e.g. dropping out of law school to open up a wilderness store), she'd usually snap out of them relatively quickly. Because of her intelligence level and overachieving nature, she's looked upon by her parents proudly, but also is held to a higher standard than the rest of the children.
Sondra was created when Bill Cosby wanted the show to express the accomplishment of successfully raising a child (e.g. a college graduate). Whitney Houston
was considered for the role of Sondra Huxtable. Sabrina LeBeauf almost missed out on the role because she is only 10 years younger (b. 1958) than Phylicia Rashad (b. 1948).
The character is loosely based upon Cosby's eldest daughter, Erika, who was approximately the same age as Sondra.
Denise Kendall (née Huxtable) (Lisa Bonet
), is the second, free-spirited daughter of Cliff and Clair Huxtable. At the beginning of the series, she is sixteen years old, putting her year of birth in 1968. She loves fashion and music, but did not want to attend school to pursue either interest. A two-year stint at Hillman College leads her to Africa, where she meets and marries Navy Lt. Martin Kendall, who has a daughter, Olivia, from a previous relationship. Denise eventually decides to become a special education teacher and makes arrangements to attend Medgar Evers College
to this effect, but that idea does not work out as Denise eventually leaves New York again when Martin is posted to Singapore
on a long-term assignment. It is revealed in the finale that she is pregnant.
During the first two seasons, Denise was portrayed as a very popular high-schooler, with many friends, who seemingly had a different boyfriend every episode. Along with her constantly fluctuating love life, were her various hairstyles and choices of clothing, which were occasionally made fun of by Cliff. In later seasons, however, she exhibited a more flighty nature, often expressing ideas that left Cliff and Clair greatly puzzled.
In Season 3, Denise left home to attend Hillman College, a fictional, historically African-American college
, of which her mother, father and grandfather were all alumni. The Cosby Show' s producers created a spin-off series, entitled A Different World, which initially dealt with the life of Denise at college. Denise was written out of the series following its inaugural season (which aired concurrently with Season 4 of The Cosby Show), after actress Lisa Bonet became pregnant. Shortly after the start of Season 5, Denise traveled to Africa for a year, where she fell in love with and married Martin Kendall. In the Season 6 premiere, she returned home, shocking her parents with the news of her surprise marriage to a divorced single father.
However, Cliff and Clair accepted the couple when they met Olivia, who immediately won their hearts and was welcomed into the family. Denise was featured regularly on The Cosby Show during Seasons 1-3 and 6-7, and on a recurring basis during Seasons 4 and 5.
The character is loosely based upon Cosby's daughter, Erinn, who was approximately the same age as Denise. Additionally, Denise attended Hillman College, whereas Erinn attended Spelman College, the university that Hillman is believed to be modeled after.
), is the only son of Cliff and Clair Huxtable, and is athletic and obsessed with impressing girls, and obtaining a sports car or motorcycle. He is fourteen years old when the series begins, making his birth year 1970. In the pilot episode, he is lectured by his father for not applying himself at school ("I brought you in this world, and I'll take you out"). Also in the early seasons, he was somewhat of a troublemaker, as illustrated through incidents both alluded to and explicitly portrayed in the series, but his behavior had improved by the time he left high school.
A running theme of the early seasons revolved around Theo's academic struggles, especially in his sophomore-year geometry class, taught by Mrs. Westlake (Sonia Braga
). As the seasons progressed, Theo gradually evolved from being an under-achiever to a successful high school - and college - student (in interviews, Cosby noted a similar change in his real-life son, Ennis). While Theo was a student at NYU
, it was revealed that he suffered from dyslexia
, a learning disability that inspired him to work harder, and as a result overcame it. By the final season, Theo was a student teacher, helping other children with dyslexia
at a local education center. In the show's final episode, he graduated from NYU with a degree in psychology.
In the pilot, and once more in Season 1, (an episode entitled "Bad Dreams"), he is referred to by Vanessa as "Teddy", instead of "Theo."
Theo has a long-running, but on-and-off relationship with a girl named Justine, who is mentioned many times throughout the series, but appears in only nine episodes. During his high school years, Theo's best friend was Walter Bradley, better known as "Cockroach", who was more of a scholastic underachiever than Theo. The two of them would occasionally compose rap songs for various school assignments. When Theo got tickets to "Dance Mania" (a "Soul Train
"-like television dance show), and only one of them was allowed into the studio, Theo let Cockroach have the spot, but did not feel good about it when he saw Cockroach on TV, and as the center of their friends' attention the next day at school. After this particular episode, Carl Anthony Payne II
, the actor who played Cockroach was fired from the show after supposedly refusing to cut his hair at Bill Cosby's request. Cockroach was written out of the series and rarely mentioned after this episode.
The character is loosely based upon Cosby's only son Ennis
, who was approximately the same age as Theo (and was also dyslexic).
), is the third daughter of Cliff and Clair. In Season 1, she was eleven years old, making her birth year 1973. As Vanessa grew up, she faced typical teenage problems and heartbreaks, such as wearing make-up before her 15th birthday, in violation of her parents' rules. Unlike her older brother, she was an excellent student and seemed to enjoy school; at the beginning of Season 7, she went off to college one year early. She became engaged in the final season to Dabnis Brickey, a man in his late twenties. Dabnis was the head of maintenance at Lincoln University
in Pennsylvania, where Vanessa was enrolled. However, Vanessa realized that she was not ready to get married, and they broke off the engagement. They maintained they were "just friends" by the end of the season.
In the early seasons, Vanessa is usually considered to be nosy, as she usually—sneakily—tries to find out what goes on in the Huxtable house, especially when it involves someone (usually Theo) in trouble with their parents. But, in a later episode, the tables are turned, as Theo catches Vanessa's friends smoking cigarettes in her room, although Vanessa herself did not take part, and even tried to dissuade her friends from doing so.
She often fought with her younger sister, Rudy, over typical childish issues. At one point, their fighting caused damage to both their bedrooms and the kitchen ceiling, driving Cliff to declare their rooms off limits because of "World War Five" and exile them to the basement until repairs were finished. But, on one occasion, Vanessa got into a physical tussle with Denise over a sweater that Vanessa stole from Denise's closet after Denise did not allow her to borrow it.
One of Vanessa's best friends in high school was a girl named Kara (played by Elizabeth Narvaez), who could ramble on about nothing in particular at high speed. Whenever Cliff was on the receiving end of her babbling, he would always reply with a bewildered "Thank you."
The character is loosely based upon Cosby's daughter, Ensa, who was approximately the same age as Vanessa.
), is the youngest of the Huxtable children - only five years old at the beginning of the series, making her birth year 1979. She comes of age during the course of the show.
We get to see a number of Rudy's friends as the series progresses. Among the best known are the taciturn Peter Chiara who repeatedly ran out the Huxtables' front door when frightened; and the chauvinist, blues-loving Kenny, whom she nicknames "Bud", and who always gets advice from his (unseen
) older brother about basically everything. This unfortunately gives him the wrong conception about certain things and gets him in trouble, although he seemed to grow out of it as the series reached its end.
Keshia Knight Pulliam was nominated for an Emmy for her performance in Season 2, becoming the youngest nominee ever. One of her fellow nominees that year was Phylicia Rashad. Neither won.
The Huxtable family was originally going to be two boys and two girls. The youngest child, Rudy, was initially supposed to be a boy, but the character was re-written for a girl (Keshia Knight Pulliam) when no suitable boys auditioned. Jaleel White
, later known for his role as Steve Urkel
on Family Matters, revealed in a 2011 interview with Vanity Fair
that he had auditioned for the role of Rudy.
The character is loosely based upon Cosby's youngest daughter, Evin, who was approximately the same age as Rudy.
Elvin Tibideaux (Geoffrey Owens
), is Sondra's boyfriend, and later, husband. They met at Princeton
, where they both earned degrees. The two constantly bickered during early episodes, until his interactions with the Huxtables, particularly Clair, challenged him to confront his "male-chauvinist" attitudes.
When they return from their honeymoon, they shock Cliff and Clair by announcing their intentions to forego medical school and law school, and start a wilderness supply store in Brooklyn
. When his children are born, Elvin then announces that he will re-apply to medical school. This decision later convinces Sondra to resume her studies at law school.
Elvin was a wrestler in high school and for one year at Princeton
, but had to quit after injuring his hip. During the third season, he helped Theo with some strategy and moves.
Lt. Martin Kendall (Joseph C. Phillips
), is a Navy
man, husband of Denise Huxtable, and father of Olivia. Phillips' role as Martin Kendall came about when Denise unexpectedly married him in Africa, unbeknownest to her parents and family. When the newlyweds arrive back home, Martin learns that Denise's family not only does not know about their marriage, they do not know about him at all. Kendall also had an ex-wife, named Paula (played by Victoria Rowell
of The Young and The Restless
). In the finale, it is learned that he and Denise are expecting a baby together.
Joseph C. Phillips played Sondra's date in a second-season episode, before coming back as a new character, and playing the husband of Denise.
Olivia Kendall (Raven-Symoné
), is Denise Huxtable's precocious stepdaughter, who is three years old when she first appears in the series. Olivia is the only child of Martin and Paula Kendall. After a few years of marriage, her parents divorced, and her mother, Paula, gave Martin full custody, as she felt overwhelmed by marriage and motherhood. Olivia was then raised by her grandparents and father.
When Olivia was almost four years old, her father Martin married Denise Huxtable, whom he met in Africa. The new family moved in with Denise's parents, Clair and Cliff Huxtable, who are now Olivia's step-grandparents. Martin, as a Naval officer, is required to travel a lot, so for a while, Olivia was unable to spend time with him. During his absences, her stepmother, Denise, raised her. Olivia continued to live with her step-grandparents while her parents were in Singapore
during the final season.
The character was named after Bill Cosby
's wife, Camille Olivia Hanks-Cosby.
Pam Tucker (Erika Alexander
), is Clair Huxtable's distant cousin. The daughter of a single mother, Pam comes to live with the Huxtables after her mother moved to California
to take care of Pam's grandmother. Upon moving in, Pam is a high school junior—younger than Vanessa, but older than Rudy. At first, she is not used to the Huxtables' upper-middle-class lifestyle or close-knit family relationships. Eventually, she fits in, and becomes just another one of the Huxtable clan.
Frequently, Pam is shown interacting with her best friend, Charmaine Brown (Karen Malina White
), and Charmaine's boyfriend, Lance Rodman (Allen Payne).
Russell Huxtable and Anna Huxtable (Earle Hyman
and Clarice Taylor
), are Cliff's parents. They were originally from North Carolina, before moving to Philadelphia and, later, New Jersey. Russell was a touring musician in the "Jazz Caravan", playing the trombone, earning the nickname "Slide" Huxtable. Anna is presumed to have been a housewife and mother, as Russell was on the road for many months out of the year. They, as well as Cliff and Clair, and Clair's parents, attended the civil rights March on Washington
in 1963.
In the second and third seasons of the series, Cliff and his family organized "entertainment" for his parents' anniversaries, in the form of lip-sync and dance routines to Ray Charles
' "The Night Time (Is the Right Time)" in Season 2, and James Brown
's "I Got the Feeling" in Season 3.
Russell and Anna are named after Bill Cosby's brother and mother.
The Cosby Show
The Cosby Show is an American television situation comedy starring Bill Cosby, which aired for eight seasons on NBC from September 20, 1984 until April 30, 1992...
.
Cliff Huxtable
Dr. Heathcliff "Cliff" Huxtable (Bill CosbyBill Cosby
William Henry "Bill" Cosby, Jr. is an American comedian, actor, author, television producer, educator, musician and activist. A veteran stand-up performer, he got his start at various clubs, then landed a starring role in the 1960s action show, I Spy. He later starred in his own series, the...
), lives in Brooklyn Heights, New York
Brooklyn Heights, Brooklyn
Brooklyn Heights is a culturally diverse neighborhood within the New York City borough of Brooklyn. Originally referred to as 'Brooklyn Village', it has been a prominent area of Brooklyn since 1834. As of 2000, Brooklyn Heights sustained a population of 22,594 people. The neighborhood is part of...
. He was born in October 1937 in Philadelphia
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
, making him 47 years old at the beginning of the series. Cliff had a brother, James Theodore Huxtable, who died of rheumatic fever
Rheumatic fever
Rheumatic fever is an inflammatory disease that occurs following a Streptococcus pyogenes infection, such as strep throat or scarlet fever. Believed to be caused by antibody cross-reactivity that can involve the heart, joints, skin, and brain, the illness typically develops two to three weeks after...
at the age of 7. In his high school and college years, he was an athlete who played wrestling
Wrestling
Wrestling is a form of grappling type techniques such as clinch fighting, throws and takedowns, joint locks, pins and other grappling holds. A wrestling bout is a physical competition, between two competitors or sparring partners, who attempt to gain and maintain a superior position...
, football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
, and track
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
. He later served in the Navy before going to medical school. He is an OB/GYN who runs a practice from the basement of his home. In the show, most characters outside of family and friends refer to him as "Dr. Huxtable", and he is well-respected in the community.
Cliff is married to Clair Huxtable. Both Cliff and Clair attended the fictional Hillman College. Together, they have five children: Sondra, Denise, Theodore (Theo), Vanessa, and Rudith (Rudy). Cliff enjoys live jazz, has an extensive collection of albums, and tries to eat junk food whenever he can get away with it.
Cliff is very eccentric and silly to most people around him, especially his family. Despite this, he is very kind-hearted and an extremely dedicated father with a strong sense of humor. Although he and his wife fostered a tight-knit, loving family, a running gag throughout the series is his thwarted attempts to get the grown children to leave the house.
Cliff is also very competitive, often making bets with Clair over various things, such as the date a certain jazz song was released, or having a "Smooth Contest" to see which of them looked more elegant for a night on the town, as judged by the children. He also plays a monthly game of pinochle
Pinochle
Pinochle or Binocle is a trick-taking game typically for two to four players and played with a 48 card deck. Derived from the card game bezique, players score points by trick-taking and also by forming combinations of cards into melds. It is thus considered part of a "trick-and-meld" category...
against his father and some friends, which sometimes gets very passionate. Unfortunately, Cliff often finds himself on the losing end of most of his bets and games, as, for example, he has never beaten his father-in-law at chess
Chess
Chess is a two-player board game played on a chessboard, a square-checkered board with 64 squares arranged in an eight-by-eight grid. It is one of the world's most popular games, played by millions of people worldwide at home, in clubs, online, by correspondence, and in tournaments.Each player...
. However, Cliff eventually broke his losing streak at pinochle
Pinochle
Pinochle or Binocle is a trick-taking game typically for two to four players and played with a 48 card deck. Derived from the card game bezique, players score points by trick-taking and also by forming combinations of cards into melds. It is thus considered part of a "trick-and-meld" category...
against his father and his friend Homer Dobson with the help of Dr. Foster (played by Roscoe Lee Browne
Roscoe Lee Browne
Roscoe Lee Browne was an American actor and director, known for his rich voice and dignified bearing.-Biography:Browne was the fourth son of a Baptist minister, Sylvanus S. Browne, and his wife Lovie...
), who also happened to be his and Clair's literary professor at Hillman College.
In the pilot episode, Cosby's character's full name is Clifford, as shown on a sign on the exterior of the house. His full name was subsequently changed to Heathcliff, even though in one episode Clair called him "Heathclifford", and he is commonly called "Cliff" throughout the series.
Originally, Cliff was to have worked as a chauffeur, with most of the humor coming from his interactions with customers. However, the show was changed before airing to have Cliff be a medical doctor, and the humor to come from his interactions with his family.
At many points in the series, Cliff makes the famous "Cosby
Cosby
Cosby is a situation comedy television series broadcast on CBS from September 16, 1996 to April 28, 2000, loosely based on the British sitcom One Foot in the Grave. The program starred Bill Cosby, Phylicia Rashād...
face", in which he presses his lips tightly and rolls back his eyes.
The character is loosely based upon Cosby himself.
Clair Huxtable
Clair Olivia Huxtable (née Hanks) (Phylicia RashādPhylicia Rashad
Phylicia Rashād is an American Tony Award winning actress and singer, best known for her role as Clair Huxtable on the long-running NBC sitcom The Cosby Show....
), is the very eloquent, elegant wife of Cliff. Clair is playful, sometimes silly, yet very assertive. She is articulate and remarkably intelligent. She is a great debator and rarely ever loses an argument on the show. She has terrific recall about facts and dates, which she uses during discussions or arguments: in one episode she is shown quoting a passage and even the page number of a book during an appearance at a television roundtable. Clair is bi-lingual but is only shown speaking Spanish on a couple of occasions. Although she is very strict, she is a very loving mother to her family.
Her age is directly stated only once during the series, and two separate episodes provide contradictory information on the age difference between herself and Cliff. He celebrates his 50th birthday during Season 3 ("Cliff's 50th Birthday"), while she celebrates her 46th during Season 5 ("Birthday Blues," two years later), indicating that she is six years younger. However, in the Season 4 episode "The Locker Room," it is stated that Clair is four years younger.
Her character was originally supposed to be a housewife, but when the show finally aired, she became a lawyer. During the series, she becomes a partner in her law firm. As an attorney she helps her family with legal issues, and she successfully represents her eldest daughter, Sondra, in a case over dishonest car repairs. When it came to the Huxtable household, she was in charge, even though she let Cliff think he was in charge (although Cliff was known to lay down the law when he had to). She was the chief disciplinarian of the children, as shown in an episode where Vanessa and her friends sneak off to Baltimore to see a rock concert and Clair delivers a memorable and scathing diatribe to her. Another memorable moment came when the normally composed Clair lost her temper when Sondra announced she wasn't going to law school after paying her tuition to attend Princeton.
Clair is also something of a disciplinarian to Cliff, particularly in matters of Cliff sticking to a healthful diet and rationing his junk food intake.
Clair makes several appearances on The Cosby Show spin-off A Different World, even after her daughter, Denise (Lisa Bonet
Lisa Bonet
Lisa Bonet , also known as Lilakoi Moon, is an American actress. She is best known for her role as Denise Huxtable Kendall on the long-running NBC sitcom The Cosby Show, and originally starring in its spinoff A Different World.-Early life:Bonet was born in San Francisco, California...
), is removed from that series.
Clair is once referred to as Clair Olivia when Cliff is asking their old professor what grade she received in the class. The character of Olivia (Raven-Symoné
Raven-Symoné
Raven-Symoné Christina Pearman , known professionally as Raven-Symoné , or simply Raven, is an American actress, singer, songwriter, comedian, dancer, television producer and model. Symoné launched her successful career in 1989 after appearing in The Cosby Show as Olivia...
) is later introduced as Denise's stepdaughter.
Clair Huxtable was voted as television's "Favorite TV Mom" in a poll conducted by the Opinion Research Company in 2006.
The character is loosely based upon Cosby's wife, Camille Olivia Hanks-Cosby.
Sondra Tibideaux
(1985-1992 as regular character, recurring during 1984-85 season)Sondra Tibideaux (née Huxtable) (Sabrina LeBeauf), the eldest daughter of Cliff and Clair, did not appear on screen until mid-way through Season 1. She did not exist in the pilot episode (Clair: "Why do we have four children?" Cliff: "Because we did not want five.") In her first appearance, she is a sophomore in college, 20 years old putting her birth year in 1964. She earned a degree from Princeton University
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
. She married her boyfriend, Elvin Tibideaux, in Season Four, and later gave birth to twins—a boy and a girl—named after Nelson
Nelson Mandela
Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela served as President of South Africa from 1994 to 1999, and was the first South African president to be elected in a fully representative democratic election. Before his presidency, Mandela was an anti-apartheid activist, and the leader of Umkhonto we Sizwe, the armed wing...
and Winnie Mandela. More serious, earnest and responsible than the other children, Sondra fits many of the characteristics of an eldest child. Though she had her moments of bizarre thinking (e.g. dropping out of law school to open up a wilderness store), she'd usually snap out of them relatively quickly. Because of her intelligence level and overachieving nature, she's looked upon by her parents proudly, but also is held to a higher standard than the rest of the children.
Sondra was created when Bill Cosby wanted the show to express the accomplishment of successfully raising a child (e.g. a college graduate). Whitney Houston
Whitney Houston
Whitney Elizabeth Houston is an American singer, actress, producer and a former model. Houston is the most awarded female act of all time, according to Guinness World Records, and her list of awards include 1 Emmy Award, 6 Grammy Awards, 30 Billboard Music Awards, 22 American Music Awards, among...
was considered for the role of Sondra Huxtable. Sabrina LeBeauf almost missed out on the role because she is only 10 years younger (b. 1958) than Phylicia Rashad (b. 1948).
The character is loosely based upon Cosby's eldest daughter, Erika, who was approximately the same age as Sondra.
Denise Kendall
(1984–1987, 1989-1991 recurring otherwise)Denise Kendall (née Huxtable) (Lisa Bonet
Lisa Bonet
Lisa Bonet , also known as Lilakoi Moon, is an American actress. She is best known for her role as Denise Huxtable Kendall on the long-running NBC sitcom The Cosby Show, and originally starring in its spinoff A Different World.-Early life:Bonet was born in San Francisco, California...
), is the second, free-spirited daughter of Cliff and Clair Huxtable. At the beginning of the series, she is sixteen years old, putting her year of birth in 1968. She loves fashion and music, but did not want to attend school to pursue either interest. A two-year stint at Hillman College leads her to Africa, where she meets and marries Navy Lt. Martin Kendall, who has a daughter, Olivia, from a previous relationship. Denise eventually decides to become a special education teacher and makes arrangements to attend Medgar Evers College
Medgar Evers College
Medgar Evers College is a senior college of The City University of New York.Medgar Evers College was officially established in 1970 through cooperation from educators and community leaders in central Brooklyn...
to this effect, but that idea does not work out as Denise eventually leaves New York again when Martin is posted to Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
on a long-term assignment. It is revealed in the finale that she is pregnant.
During the first two seasons, Denise was portrayed as a very popular high-schooler, with many friends, who seemingly had a different boyfriend every episode. Along with her constantly fluctuating love life, were her various hairstyles and choices of clothing, which were occasionally made fun of by Cliff. In later seasons, however, she exhibited a more flighty nature, often expressing ideas that left Cliff and Clair greatly puzzled.
In Season 3, Denise left home to attend Hillman College, a fictional, historically African-American college
Historically Black Colleges and Universities
Historically black colleges and universities are institutions of higher education in the United States that were established before 1964 with the intention of serving the black community....
, of which her mother, father and grandfather were all alumni. The Cosby Show
However, Cliff and Clair accepted the couple when they met Olivia, who immediately won their hearts and was welcomed into the family. Denise was featured regularly on The Cosby Show during Seasons 1-3 and 6-7, and on a recurring basis during Seasons 4 and 5.
The character is loosely based upon Cosby's daughter, Erinn, who was approximately the same age as Denise. Additionally, Denise attended Hillman College, whereas Erinn attended Spelman College, the university that Hillman is believed to be modeled after.
Theo Huxtable
Theodore Aloysius "Theo" Huxtable (Malcolm-Jamal WarnerMalcolm-Jamal Warner
Malcolm-Jamal Warner is an American television actor, film director, and musician. He is best known for his role as Theo Huxtable on the long-running NBC sitcom The Cosby Show. Additionally, he appeared as Malcolm McGee on the UPN sitcom Malcolm & Eddie. He is currently starring as Dr...
), is the only son of Cliff and Clair Huxtable, and is athletic and obsessed with impressing girls, and obtaining a sports car or motorcycle. He is fourteen years old when the series begins, making his birth year 1970. In the pilot episode, he is lectured by his father for not applying himself at school ("I brought you in this world, and I'll take you out"). Also in the early seasons, he was somewhat of a troublemaker, as illustrated through incidents both alluded to and explicitly portrayed in the series, but his behavior had improved by the time he left high school.
A running theme of the early seasons revolved around Theo's academic struggles, especially in his sophomore-year geometry class, taught by Mrs. Westlake (Sonia Braga
Sônia Braga
Sônia Maria Campos Braga is a Brazilian actress. She has been nominated for both a Golden Globe Award and an Emmy Award.-Early life:...
). As the seasons progressed, Theo gradually evolved from being an under-achiever to a successful high school - and college - student (in interviews, Cosby noted a similar change in his real-life son, Ennis). While Theo was a student at NYU
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
, it was revealed that he suffered from dyslexia
Dyslexia
Dyslexia is a very broad term defining a learning disability that impairs a person's fluency or comprehension accuracy in being able to read, and which can manifest itself as a difficulty with phonological awareness, phonological decoding, orthographic coding, auditory short-term memory, or rapid...
, a learning disability that inspired him to work harder, and as a result overcame it. By the final season, Theo was a student teacher, helping other children with dyslexia
Dyslexia
Dyslexia is a very broad term defining a learning disability that impairs a person's fluency or comprehension accuracy in being able to read, and which can manifest itself as a difficulty with phonological awareness, phonological decoding, orthographic coding, auditory short-term memory, or rapid...
at a local education center. In the show's final episode, he graduated from NYU with a degree in psychology.
In the pilot, and once more in Season 1, (an episode entitled "Bad Dreams"), he is referred to by Vanessa as "Teddy", instead of "Theo."
Theo has a long-running, but on-and-off relationship with a girl named Justine, who is mentioned many times throughout the series, but appears in only nine episodes. During his high school years, Theo's best friend was Walter Bradley, better known as "Cockroach", who was more of a scholastic underachiever than Theo. The two of them would occasionally compose rap songs for various school assignments. When Theo got tickets to "Dance Mania" (a "Soul Train
Soul Train
Soul Train is an American musical variety show that aired in syndication from October 1971 to March 2006. In its 35-year history, the show primarily featured performances by R&B, soul, and hip hop artists, although funk, jazz, disco, and gospel artists have also appeared.As a nod to Soul Trains...
"-like television dance show), and only one of them was allowed into the studio, Theo let Cockroach have the spot, but did not feel good about it when he saw Cockroach on TV, and as the center of their friends' attention the next day at school. After this particular episode, Carl Anthony Payne II
Carl Anthony Payne II
Carl Anthony Payne II is an American actor. He studied at the Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts, New York and Howard University, Washington DC...
, the actor who played Cockroach was fired from the show after supposedly refusing to cut his hair at Bill Cosby's request. Cockroach was written out of the series and rarely mentioned after this episode.
The character is loosely based upon Cosby's only son Ennis
Ennis Cosby
Ennis William "The Music" Cosby was the son of comedian-actor Bill Cosby and Camille Cosby. He was murdered in 1997 on Skirball Center Drive, an access road of Los Angeles' 405 Freeway by Mikhail Markhasev.-Life:...
, who was approximately the same age as Theo (and was also dyslexic).
Vanessa Huxtable
Vanessa Huxtable (Tempestt BledsoeTempestt Bledsoe
Tempestt Bledsoe is an American actress. She is best known for her childhood role as Vanessa Huxtable on the long-running NBC sitcom The Cosby Show....
), is the third daughter of Cliff and Clair. In Season 1, she was eleven years old, making her birth year 1973. As Vanessa grew up, she faced typical teenage problems and heartbreaks, such as wearing make-up before her 15th birthday, in violation of her parents' rules. Unlike her older brother, she was an excellent student and seemed to enjoy school; at the beginning of Season 7, she went off to college one year early. She became engaged in the final season to Dabnis Brickey, a man in his late twenties. Dabnis was the head of maintenance at Lincoln University
Lincoln University (Pennsylvania)
Lincoln University is the United States' first degree-granting historically black university. It is located near the town of Oxford in southern Chester County, Pennsylvania. The university also hosts a Center for Graduate Studies in the City of Philadelphia. Lincoln University provides...
in Pennsylvania, where Vanessa was enrolled. However, Vanessa realized that she was not ready to get married, and they broke off the engagement. They maintained they were "just friends" by the end of the season.
In the early seasons, Vanessa is usually considered to be nosy, as she usually—sneakily—tries to find out what goes on in the Huxtable house, especially when it involves someone (usually Theo) in trouble with their parents. But, in a later episode, the tables are turned, as Theo catches Vanessa's friends smoking cigarettes in her room, although Vanessa herself did not take part, and even tried to dissuade her friends from doing so.
She often fought with her younger sister, Rudy, over typical childish issues. At one point, their fighting caused damage to both their bedrooms and the kitchen ceiling, driving Cliff to declare their rooms off limits because of "World War Five" and exile them to the basement until repairs were finished. But, on one occasion, Vanessa got into a physical tussle with Denise over a sweater that Vanessa stole from Denise's closet after Denise did not allow her to borrow it.
One of Vanessa's best friends in high school was a girl named Kara (played by Elizabeth Narvaez), who could ramble on about nothing in particular at high speed. Whenever Cliff was on the receiving end of her babbling, he would always reply with a bewildered "Thank you."
The character is loosely based upon Cosby's daughter, Ensa, who was approximately the same age as Vanessa.
Rudy Huxtable
Rudith Lillian "Rudy" Huxtable (Keshia Knight PulliamKeshia Knight Pulliam
Keshia Knight Pulliam is an American actress. She is most recognized for her childhood role as Rudy Huxtable on the long-running NBC sitcom The Cosby Show. Currently, she appears as reformed con artist Miranda Lucas-Payne on the TBS comedy-drama Tyler Perry's House of Payne.-Personal life:Keshia...
), is the youngest of the Huxtable children - only five years old at the beginning of the series, making her birth year 1979. She comes of age during the course of the show.
We get to see a number of Rudy's friends as the series progresses. Among the best known are the taciturn Peter Chiara who repeatedly ran out the Huxtables' front door when frightened; and the chauvinist, blues-loving Kenny, whom she nicknames "Bud", and who always gets advice from his (unseen
Unseen character
In fiction, an unseen character is a character that is never directly observed by the audience but is only described by other characters. They are a common device in drama and have been called "triumphs of theatrical invention". They are continuing characters — characters who are currently in...
) older brother about basically everything. This unfortunately gives him the wrong conception about certain things and gets him in trouble, although he seemed to grow out of it as the series reached its end.
Keshia Knight Pulliam was nominated for an Emmy for her performance in Season 2, becoming the youngest nominee ever. One of her fellow nominees that year was Phylicia Rashad. Neither won.
The Huxtable family was originally going to be two boys and two girls. The youngest child, Rudy, was initially supposed to be a boy, but the character was re-written for a girl (Keshia Knight Pulliam) when no suitable boys auditioned. Jaleel White
Jaleel White
Jaleel Ahmad White is an American actor and screenwriter. He is best known for his role as Steve Urkel from Family Matters and voicing the character of Sonic the Hedgehog and other characters for Sonic the Hedgehog media....
, later known for his role as Steve Urkel
Steve Urkel
Steven Quincy Urkel, generally known as Steve Urkel or simply Urkel, is a fictional character on the ABC/CBS sitcom Family Matters, portrayed by Jaleel White...
on Family Matters, revealed in a 2011 interview with Vanity Fair
Vanity Fair (magazine)
Vanity Fair is a magazine of pop culture, fashion, and current affairs published by Condé Nast. The present Vanity Fair has been published since 1983 and there have been editions for four European countries as well as the U.S. edition. This revived the title which had ceased publication in 1935...
that he had auditioned for the role of Rudy.
The character is loosely based upon Cosby's youngest daughter, Evin, who was approximately the same age as Rudy.
Elvin Tibideaux
(1987–1992, recurring previously)Elvin Tibideaux (Geoffrey Owens
Geoffrey Owens
Geoffrey Owens is an American actor. He currently teaches an acting class at HB Studio in New York City.-Roles:...
), is Sondra's boyfriend, and later, husband. They met at Princeton
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
, where they both earned degrees. The two constantly bickered during early episodes, until his interactions with the Huxtables, particularly Clair, challenged him to confront his "male-chauvinist" attitudes.
When they return from their honeymoon, they shock Cliff and Clair by announcing their intentions to forego medical school and law school, and start a wilderness supply store in Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
. When his children are born, Elvin then announces that he will re-apply to medical school. This decision later convinces Sondra to resume her studies at law school.
Elvin was a wrestler in high school and for one year at Princeton
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
, but had to quit after injuring his hip. During the third season, he helped Theo with some strategy and moves.
Martin Kendall
(1989–1991)Lt. Martin Kendall (Joseph C. Phillips
Joseph C. Phillips
Joseph Connor Phillips is an American actor and conservative Christian commentator and writer. He is best known for his role as Martin Kendall on the long-running NBC sitcom The Cosby Show.-Personal life:...
), is a Navy
Navy
A navy is the branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake- or ocean-borne combat operations and related functions...
man, husband of Denise Huxtable, and father of Olivia. Phillips' role as Martin Kendall came about when Denise unexpectedly married him in Africa, unbeknownest to her parents and family. When the newlyweds arrive back home, Martin learns that Denise's family not only does not know about their marriage, they do not know about him at all. Kendall also had an ex-wife, named Paula (played by Victoria Rowell
Victoria Rowell
Victoria "Vicki" Lynn Rowell is an American actress and dancer. She is best known for her portrayal of ballerina-turned-model Drucilla Winters on the CBS daytime drama The Young and the Restless, and medical examiner/pathologist Dr. Amanda Bentley on the CBS drama Diagnosis: Murder...
of The Young and The Restless
The Young and the Restless
The Young and the Restless is an American television soap opera created by William J. Bell and Lee Phillip Bell for CBS. The show is set in a fictional Wisconsin town called Genoa City, which is unlike and unrelated to the real life village of the same name, Genoa City, Wisconsin...
). In the finale, it is learned that he and Denise are expecting a baby together.
Joseph C. Phillips played Sondra's date in a second-season episode, before coming back as a new character, and playing the husband of Denise.
Olivia Kendall
(1989–1992)Olivia Kendall (Raven-Symoné
Raven-Symoné
Raven-Symoné Christina Pearman , known professionally as Raven-Symoné , or simply Raven, is an American actress, singer, songwriter, comedian, dancer, television producer and model. Symoné launched her successful career in 1989 after appearing in The Cosby Show as Olivia...
), is Denise Huxtable's precocious stepdaughter, who is three years old when she first appears in the series. Olivia is the only child of Martin and Paula Kendall. After a few years of marriage, her parents divorced, and her mother, Paula, gave Martin full custody, as she felt overwhelmed by marriage and motherhood. Olivia was then raised by her grandparents and father.
When Olivia was almost four years old, her father Martin married Denise Huxtable, whom he met in Africa. The new family moved in with Denise's parents, Clair and Cliff Huxtable, who are now Olivia's step-grandparents. Martin, as a Naval officer, is required to travel a lot, so for a while, Olivia was unable to spend time with him. During his absences, her stepmother, Denise, raised her. Olivia continued to live with her step-grandparents while her parents were in Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
during the final season.
The character was named after Bill Cosby
Bill Cosby
William Henry "Bill" Cosby, Jr. is an American comedian, actor, author, television producer, educator, musician and activist. A veteran stand-up performer, he got his start at various clubs, then landed a starring role in the 1960s action show, I Spy. He later starred in his own series, the...
's wife, Camille Olivia Hanks-Cosby.
Pam Tucker
(1990–1992)Pam Tucker (Erika Alexander
Erika Alexander
Erika Alexander is an American actress. She is best known for her roles as Pam Tucker on the NBC sitcom The Cosby Show, and as Maxine Shaw on the FOX sitcom Living Single. She has won numerous awards for her work on Living Single, including two NAACP Image Awards for Outstanding Actress in a...
), is Clair Huxtable's distant cousin. The daughter of a single mother, Pam comes to live with the Huxtables after her mother moved to California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
to take care of Pam's grandmother. Upon moving in, Pam is a high school junior—younger than Vanessa, but older than Rudy. At first, she is not used to the Huxtables' upper-middle-class lifestyle or close-knit family relationships. Eventually, she fits in, and becomes just another one of the Huxtable clan.
Frequently, Pam is shown interacting with her best friend, Charmaine Brown (Karen Malina White
Karen Malina White
Karen Malina White is an American film and television actress. She is perhaps best known for her portrayal of Charmaine Brown on the NBC sitcom The Cosby Show, and its spin-off series A Different World...
), and Charmaine's boyfriend, Lance Rodman (Allen Payne).
Russell Huxtable and Anna Huxtable
(recurring throughout the series)Russell Huxtable and Anna Huxtable (Earle Hyman
Earle Hyman
Earle Hyman is an American stage, television, and film actor. Hyman is known for his recurring role on The Cosby Show as Cliff's father, Russell Huxtable.-Career:...
and Clarice Taylor
Clarice Taylor
Clarice Taylor was an American stage, film and television actress.-Biography:Born in Buckingham County, Virginia, Taylor was best-known for her recurring role on television on The Cosby Show as Dr. Heathcliff "Cliff" Huxtable's mother, Anna Huxtable. She was nominated for an Emmy Award in 1986...
), are Cliff's parents. They were originally from North Carolina, before moving to Philadelphia and, later, New Jersey. Russell was a touring musician in the "Jazz Caravan", playing the trombone, earning the nickname "Slide" Huxtable. Anna is presumed to have been a housewife and mother, as Russell was on the road for many months out of the year. They, as well as Cliff and Clair, and Clair's parents, attended the civil rights March on Washington
March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom
The March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom was the largest political rally for human rights in United States history and called for civil and economic rights for African Americans. It took place in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday, August 28, 1963. Martin Luther King, Jr...
in 1963.
In the second and third seasons of the series, Cliff and his family organized "entertainment" for his parents' anniversaries, in the form of lip-sync and dance routines to Ray Charles
Ray Charles
Ray Charles Robinson , known by his shortened stage name Ray Charles, was an American musician. He was a pioneer in the genre of soul music during the 1950s by fusing rhythm and blues, gospel, and blues styles into his early recordings with Atlantic Records...
' "The Night Time (Is the Right Time)" in Season 2, and James Brown
James Brown
James Joseph Brown was an American singer, songwriter, musician, and recording artist. He is the originator of Funk and is recognized as a major figure in the 20th century popular music for both his vocals and dancing. He has been referred to as "The Godfather of Soul," "Mr...
's "I Got the Feeling" in Season 3.
Russell and Anna are named after Bill Cosby's brother and mother.
Recurring characters
- Kenny, aka "Bud"; longtime friend of Rudy (Deon RichmondDeon RichmondDeon Richmond is an American actor from New York City; he is best known for his semi-regular childhood role as Rudy Huxtable's friend Kenny on the NBC sitcom The Cosby Show....
) - Walter Bradley, aka "Cockroach"; Theo's best friend in high school (Carl Anthony Payne IICarl Anthony Payne IICarl Anthony Payne II is an American actor. He studied at the Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts, New York and Howard University, Washington DC...
) - Janet Meiser; friend of Vanessa (Pam PotilloPam PotilloPamela "Pam" Potillo is an American actress. Raised in NJ, she began her career as one of the hosts on the weekend morning kids newsmagazine Wonderama, which ran on WNEW-TV. Potillo's role on the show spanned from 1980 to 1987....
) - Smitty; high school friend of Theo (Adam SandlerAdam SandlerAdam Richard Sandler is an American actor, comedian, screenwriter, musician, and film producer.After becoming a Saturday Night Live cast member, Sandler went on to star in several Hollywood feature films that grossed over $100 million at the box office...
) - Justine Phillips; Theo's longtime girlfriend (Michelle ThomasMichelle ThomasMichelle Thomas was an American actress. She was best known for her roles as Justine Phillips on the NBC sitcom The Cosby Show, and as Myra Monkhouse on the ABC/CBS sitcom Family Matters.-Early life and career:Born in Boston, Massachusetts, Thomas grew up in Montclair, New Jersey and was an...
) - Robert Foreman; boyfriend of Vanessa (Dondre T. Whitfield)
- Denny; high school, college friend of Theo (Troy WinbushTroy Winbush-Life and career:Winbush was born in Manhattan, New York. He is perhaps best known for his recurring role as Denny on The Cosby Show, appearing on the series from 1989 to 1991. He also made guest appearances in number of other notable television series including, Law & Order, NYPD Blue, Boston...
) - Howard; college friend of Theo (Reno WilsonReno WilsonRoy Reno Wilson is an American actor and voice artist who has appeared in a number of television programs and films. His first television role was on the NBC sitcom The Cosby Show, where he portrayed Theo Huxtable's college friend Howard during Seasons 5 and 6 of the series...
) - Lou Hernandez; college friend of Theo (Alex Ruiz)
- Charmaine Brown; best friend of Pam (Karen Malina WhiteKaren Malina WhiteKaren Malina White is an American film and television actress. She is perhaps best known for her portrayal of Charmaine Brown on the NBC sitcom The Cosby Show, and its spin-off series A Different World...
) - Lance Rodman; boyfriend of Charmaine (Allen Payne)
- Al Hanks; Clair's father (Joe WilliamsJoe Williams (jazz singer)Joe Williams was a well-known jazz vocalist, a baritone singing a mixture of blues, ballads, popular songs, and jazz standards.-Early life:...
) - Carrie Hanks; Clair's mother (Ethel AylerEthel AylerEthel Ayler is a veteran African-American character actress with a career spanning over five decades.-Biography:Ayler was born in Whistler, Alabama in 1934. In 1957, she made her off-Broadway debut in the Langston Hughes musical, Simply Heavenly...
) - Nelson Tibideaux; son of Sondra and Elvin (Gary LeRoi GrayGary LeRoi GrayGary LeRoi Gray is an African-American actor and voice actor involved with movies, television, and animation. He is most recognized for his childhood role as Nelson Tibideaux, the son of Sondra Huxtable Tibideaux and Elvin Tibideaux on the NBC sitcom The Cosby Show...
) - Winnie Tibideaux; daughter of Sondra and Elvin (Jessica Ann Vaughn)
- Kara; friend of Vanessa (Elizabeth Narvaez)
- Dabnis Brickey; fiance of Vanessa (William Thomas Jr.)
- Jade; friend of Theo (Vanessa A. WilliamsVanessa A. WilliamsVanessa A. Williams is an American actress who has appeared in several television series such as Melrose Place and the Showtime cable television series Soul Food. In 1996, she was featured in the television series Murder One...
) - Jeffry Engels; neighbor of the Huxtables (Wallace ShawnWallace ShawnWallace Michael Shawn , sometimes credited as Wally Shawn, is an American stand-up comedian, actor, writer, author, voice artist, and intellectual. His best-known film roles include Wally Shawn in My Dinner with Andre , Vizzini in The Princess Bride , and debate teacher Mr...
) - Peter Chiara; friend of Rudy (Peter CostaPeter Costa (actor)Peter Costa is a former American child actor. Costa is best known for his many appearances on The Cosby Show, playing Rudy Huxtable's young friend Peter Chiara....
) - Kim Ogawa; friend of Rudy (Naoka Nakagawa)
- Stanley; boyfriend of Rudy (Merlin SantanaMerlin SantanaMerlin Santana was an American actor and rapper. He is best known for his role as Keshia Knight Pulliam's admirer, Stanley on The Cosby Show and the high school student, Romeo Santana on The WB sitcom, The Steve Harvey Show.-Early life:Born in Upper Manhattan, New York to Dominican parents,...
) - Arthur Bartell, aka "Slide"; ex-boyfriend of Pam (Mushond LeeMushond LeeMushond Lee is an African American actor recognized from his recurring role as Jo-Jo Muhammad in NBC's soap opera Sunset Beach. He appeared regularly in season 7 of The Cosby Show. He has also starred in the film 2001 Maniacs as the character Malcom...
) - Aaron Dexter; boyfriend of Pam (Seth GilliamSeth GilliamSeth Gilliam is an American actor. He is known for his HBO television roles, first as corrections officer-turned-prisoner Clayton Hughes on Oz, and later as Baltimore police detective promoted to sergeant Ellis Carver on The Wire. On both of these series, he co-starred with Lance Reddick and J.D....
) - Cheryl; friend of Theo (Vanessa A. WilliamsVanessa A. WilliamsVanessa A. Williams is an American actress who has appeared in several television series such as Melrose Place and the Showtime cable television series Soul Food. In 1996, she was featured in the television series Murder One...
) - Eunice Chantilly; child love interest of Cliff; foe of Clair (unseen characterUnseen characterIn fiction, an unseen character is a character that is never directly observed by the audience but is only described by other characters. They are a common device in drama and have been called "triumphs of theatrical invention". They are continuing characters — characters who are currently in...
) - Shaniqua Watkins; foe of Pam (unseen characterUnseen characterIn fiction, an unseen character is a character that is never directly observed by the audience but is only described by other characters. They are a common device in drama and have been called "triumphs of theatrical invention". They are continuing characters — characters who are currently in...
)
Notable guest stars
- Debbie AllenDebbie AllenDeborrah Kaye “Debbie” Allen is an American actress, dancer, choreographer, television director, television producer, and a member of the President's Committee on the Arts and Humanities...
as Emma ("If the Dress Fits, Wear It", Season 5) - Tichina ArnoldTichina ArnoldTichina Rolanda Arnold is an American actress and singer. She is best known for having portrayed the roles of Pamela James on the FOX sitcom Martin and the family matriarch Rochelle on the UPN/CW sitcom Everybody Hates Chris....
as Delores ("Theo's Women", Season 5) - Angela BassettAngela BassettAngela Evelyn Bassett is an American actress. She has become well known for her biographical film roles portraying real life women in African American culture, including singer Tina Turner in the motion picture What's Love Got to Do with It, as well as Betty Shabazz in the films Malcolm X and...
as Mrs. Mitchell ("Mr. Quiet", Season 1), and Paula ("Bookworm", Season 4) - Norman BeatonNorman BeatonNorman Lugard Beaton was a Guyanese actor long resident in the United Kingdom....
as Carleton ("There's Still No Joy in Mudville" Season 7) - U.S. Senator Bill BradleyBill BradleyWilliam Warren "Bill" Bradley is an American hall of fame basketball player, Rhodes scholar, and former three-term Democratic U.S. Senator from New Jersey. He ran unsuccessfully for the Democratic Party's nomination for President in the 2000 election.Bradley was born and raised in a suburb of St....
as Cliff's teammate #1 ("The Boys of Winter", Season 5) - Sônia BragaSônia BragaSônia Maria Campos Braga is a Brazilian actress. She has been nominated for both a Golden Globe Award and an Emmy Award.-Early life:...
as Anna Maria Westlake ("Mrs. Westlake" and "An Early Spring", Season 2) - Valerie Brisco-HooksValerie Brisco-HooksValerie Ann Brisco-Hooks won three gold medals as an Olympic track and field athlete at the 1984 Olympics at Los Angeles, California, making her the first Olympian to win gold medals in both the 200- and 400-meter races at a single Olympics. She also won a gold medal for the 4x400 m...
as herself ("Off to the Races", Season 2) - Roscoe Lee BrowneRoscoe Lee BrowneRoscoe Lee Browne was an American actor and director, known for his rich voice and dignified bearing.-Biography:Browne was the fourth son of a Baptist minister, Sylvanus S. Browne, and his wife Lovie...
as Dr. Foster ("Shakespeare", Season 4) - Red Buttons as Jake, owner of Jake's Appliances ("Cliff and Jake", Season 7)
- Naomi CampbellNaomi CampbellNaomi Campbell is a British model. Scouted at the age of 15, she established herself among the top three most recognisable and in-demand models of the late 1980s and early 1990s, and she was one of six models of her generation declared "supermodels" by the fashion world...
as Julia ("The Birth" and "Cyranoise de Bergington", Season 5) - Betty CarterBetty CarterBetty Carter was an American jazz singer renowned for her improvisational technique and idiosyncratic vocal style...
as Amanda Woods ("How Do You Get to Carnegie Hall", Season 5) - Robert CulpRobert CulpRobert Martin Culp was an American actor, scriptwriter, voice actor and director, widely known for his work in television. Culp first earned an international reputation for his role as Kelly Robinson on I Spy , the espionage series in which he and co-star Bill Cosby played a pair of secret agents...
as Scott Kelly ("Bald and Beautiful", Season 3) - Sammy Davis, Jr.Sammy Davis, Jr.Samuel George "Sammy" Davis Jr. was an American entertainer and was also known for his impersonations of actors and other celebrities....
as Ray Palomino ("No Way, Baby", Season 5) - Dave DeBusschereDave DeBusschereDavid Albert DeBusschere was an American NBA and major league baseball player and coach in the NBA. In 1996, DeBusschere was named as one of the 50 greatest players in NBA history....
as Cliff's teammate #2 ("The Boys of Winter", Season 5) - Plácido DomingoPlácido DomingoPlácido Domingo KBE , born José Plácido Domingo Embil, is a Spanish tenor and conductor known for his versatile and strong voice, possessing a ringing and dramatic tone throughout its range...
as Alberto Santiago ("Birthday Blues", Season 5) - Teresa EdwardsTeresa Edwards-External links:******...
as Opponent #2 ("The Boys of Winter", Season 5) - Yvonne Irvin as Clair's Sister ("Clair's Sister", Season 2)
- Al Freeman, Jr.Al Freeman, Jr.Al Freeman, Jr., M.Ed. is an African-American actor and director....
as Ernie Scott ("Back to the Track, Jack", Season 1) - Minnie GentryMinnie GentryMinnie Gentry was an American actress.Gentry was born Minnie Lee Watson in Norfolk, Virginia, the daughter of Mincie and Taylor Watson. Her family moved to Cleveland during her childhood, where she began studying piano at the age of nine, at the Phyllis Wheatley School of Music...
as Gramtee ("The Storyteller", Season 6) - Dizzy GillespieDizzy GillespieJohn Birks "Dizzy" Gillespie was an American jazz trumpet player, bandleader, singer, and composer dubbed "the sound of surprise".Together with Charlie Parker, he was a major figure in the development of bebop and modern jazz...
as Mr. Hampton ("Play It Again Vanessa", Season 1) - Erica GimpelErica GimpelErica Fawn Gimpel , American television actress. She is best known for her roles on television shows Fame as Coco Hernandez and on Profiler as Angel Brown. She is also known for her major recurring roles on the television shows ER as Adele Newman and on Veronica Mars as Alicia Fennel...
as Jennifer ("Waterworks", Season 4) - Robin GivensRobin GivensRobin Simone Givens is an American model and film, television, and stage actress. She is best known for her role as Darlene Merriman on the television series Head of the Class.-Early life:...
as Susanne ("Theo and the Older Woman", Season 2) - Pam GrierPam GrierPamela Suzette "Pam" Grier is an American actress. She became famous in the early 1970s, after starring in a string of moderately successful women in prison and blaxploitation films such as 1974's Foxy Brown. Her career was revitalized in 1997 after her appearance in Quentin Tarantino's film...
as Samantha ("Planning Parenthood", Season 3) - Moses Gunn as Joe Kendall ("Grampy and NuNu Visit the Huxtables", Season 6)
- Walt HazzardWalt HazzardWalter "Walt" Raphael Hazzard Jr. , also known as Mahdi Abdul-Rahman, was an American college, Olympic, and professional basketball player and college basketball coach...
as Cliff's teammate #3 ("The Boys of Winter", Season 5) - Lena HorneLena HorneLena Mary Calhoun Horne was an American singer, actress, civil rights activist and dancer.Horne joined the chorus of the Cotton Club at the age of sixteen and became a nightclub performer before moving to Hollywood, where she had small parts in numerous movies, and more substantial parts in the...
as herself ("Cliff's Birthday", Season 1) - ImanIman (model)Iman Mohamed Abdulmajid , professionally known as Iman , is a Somali-American fashion model, actress and entrepreneur. A pioneer in the field of ethnic cosmetics, she is also noted for her charitable work. She is married to David Bowie.-Early life:Born in Mogadishu, Somalia, Iman is the daughter...
as Mrs. Montgomery ("Theo and the Joint", Season 1) - Danny KayeDanny KayeDanny Kaye was a celebrated American actor, singer, dancer, and comedian...
as Dr. Burns ("The Dentist", Season 2), in one of his last TV appearances - Alicia KeysAlicia KeysAlicia Augello Cook , better known by her stage name Alicia Keys, is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and occasional actress. She was raised by a single mother in the Hell's Kitchen area of Manhattan in New York City. At age seven, Keys began playing the piano...
as Maria ("Slumber Party", Season 1) - B.B. King as Riley Jackson ("Not Everybody Loves the Blues", Season 6)
- LaChanzeLaChanzeLaChanze is an American actress, singer, and dancer. She won the Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical in 2006 for her role in The Color Purple....
as Sylvia ("The Prom", Season 4) - Audrey LandersAudrey LandersAudrey Landers is a German American actress and singer, who is probably best known for her role as Afton Cooper in the television drama series Dallas and her role as Val Clarke in the film version of A Chorus Line.- Early years :...
as Cookie Bennett ("Cliff and Jake", Season 7) - Sheldon LeonardSheldon LeonardSheldon Leonard was a pioneering American film and television producer, director, writer, and actor.-Biography:...
as Dr. Wexler ("Physician of the Year," Season 1) - Nancy LiebermanNancy LiebermanNancy Elizabeth Lieberman , nicknamed "Lady Magic", is a former professional basketball player who played and coached in the WNBA.Lieberman is regarded as one of the greatest figures in women's basketball....
as Opponent #1 ("The Boys of Winter", Season 5) - Miriam MakebaMiriam MakebaMiriam Makeba , nicknamed Mama Africa, was a Grammy Award winning South African singer and civil rights activist....
as herself ("Olivia Comes Out of the Closet", Season 8) - S. Epatha MerkersonS. Epatha MerkersonS. Epatha Merkerson is an American film, stage, and television actress. She has won a Golden Globe, Emmy Awards, Screen Actors Guild Awards, Obie Award and four NAACP Image Awards. She has also received two Tony Award nominations...
as Book Club Member 5 ("Bookworm", Season 4) - Melba MooreMelba MooreBeatrice Melba Smith , known by her stage name, Melba Moore is an American disco, R&B singer and actress. She is the daughter of saxophonist Teddy Hill and R&B singer Bonnie Davis.-Early life:...
as Patricia Abbott ("Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star", Season 4) - Rita MorenoRita MorenoRita Moreno is a Puerto Rican singer, dancer and actress. She is the only Hispanic and one of the few performers who have won an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar, and a Tony, and was the second Puerto Rican to win an Academy Award....
as Mrs. Granger ("You Only Hurt the One You Love", Season 3) - Lou MyersLou Myers (actor)Lou Leabengula Myers is an American actor. Myers is typically typecast as a grumpy old man, but he has appeared in many movies, stage plays, television sitcoms, and dramas. He got his first break as an understudy in the Broadway play, The First Breeze of Summer as Reverend Mosley. He is probably...
as Mr. Davis ("You Only Hurt the One You Love", & "Andalusian Flu", Season 3) - Tony OrlandoTony OrlandoMichael Anthony Orlando Cassavitis , better known as Tony Orlando, is an American show business professional, best known as the lead singer of the group Tony Orlando and Dawn in the early 1970s. Discovered by producer Don Kirshner, Orlando had songs on the charts in 1961 when he was 16, "Halfway to...
as Tony Castillo ("Mr. Quiet", Season 1) - Tito PuenteTito PuenteTito Puente, , born Ernesto Antonio Puente, was a Latin jazz and Salsa musician. The son of native Puerto Ricans Ernest and Ercilia Puente, of Spanish Harlem in New York City, Puente is often credited as "El Rey de los Timbales" and "The King of Latin Music"...
as timbal player ("Play It Again, Russell", Season 2) - Christopher PlummerChristopher PlummerArthur Christopher Orne Plummer, CC is a Canadian theatre, film and television actor. He made his film debut in 1957's Stage Struck, and notable early film performances include Night of the Generals, The Return of the Pink Panther and The Man Who Would Be King.In a career that spans over five...
as Professor Jonathan Lawrence ("Shakespeare", Season 4) - Patricia RichardsonPatricia RichardsonPatricia Castle Richardson is an American television and film actress best known for her portrayal of Jill Taylor on the sitcom Home Improvement.-Early life and education:...
as Mrs. Schrader ("Calling Doctor Huxtable", Season 3) - John RitterJohn RitterJonathan Southworth "John" Ritter was an American actor, voice over artist and comedian perhaps best known for having played Jack Tripper and Paul Hennessy in the ABC sitcoms Three's Company and 8 Simple Rules, respectively...
as Ray Evans ("Total Control", Season 7) - Frank RobinsonFrank RobinsonFrank Robinson , is a former Major League Baseball outfielder and manager. He played from 1956–1976, most notably for the Cincinnati Reds and the Baltimore Orioles. He is the only player to win league MVP honors in both the National and American Leagues...
as Frank Potter ("There's Still No Joy in Mudville", Season 7) - Victoria RowellVictoria RowellVictoria "Vicki" Lynn Rowell is an American actress and dancer. She is best known for her portrayal of ballerina-turned-model Drucilla Winters on the CBS daytime drama The Young and the Restless, and medical examiner/pathologist Dr. Amanda Bentley on the CBS drama Diagnosis: Murder...
as Paula Kendall ("Cliff's Wet Adventure", Season 6) - Howard "Sandman" SimsHoward SimmsHoward Sims , also known as "Sandman", was a tap dancer in vaudeville. He acquired his name from the sand he sprinkled on the floor to amplify the sound of his steps when he danced. In his senior years, Sims appeared at the famous Apollo Theater, comedically ushering failed acts offstage with a...
as himself ("Mr. Sandman", Season 6) - Special EdSpecial EdSpecial Ed is the performing name of Edward Archer , an American hip hop musician of Jamaican descent. Hailing from Brooklyn in New York City, he was raised in Flatbush before moving to Canarsie, and is identified with East Coast hip hop...
as J.T. Freeze ("Warning: A Double-Lit Candle Can Cause a Meltdown", Season 8) - Bern Nadette StanisBern Nadette StanisBern Nadette Stanis is an American actress best known for her role as the strong-willed Thelma Evans on the CBS sitcom, Good Times.-Career:...
as Carolyn Thompson ("Adventures in Babysitting", Season 7) - Elaine StritchElaine StritchElaine Stritch is an American actress and vocalist. She has appeared in numerous stage plays and musicals, feature films, and many television programs...
as Mrs. McGee ("Shall We Dance?", "Cliff la Dolce", & "Mr. Sandman", Season 6) - Leslie UggamsLeslie UggamsLeslie Uggams is an American actress and singer, perhaps best known for her work in Hallelujah, Baby! She is a member of Delta Sigma Theta sorority.-Singing:...
as Kris Temple ("The Return of the Clairettes", Season 7) - Blair UnderwoodBlair UnderwoodBlair Underwood is an American television and film actor. He is perhaps best known as headstrong attorney Jonathan Rollins from the NBC legal drama L.A. Law, a role he portrayed for seven years. He has gained critical acclaim throughout his career, receiving numerous Golden Globe Award...
as Denise's boyfriend (uncredited) ("Jitterbug Break", Season 1), and Mark ("Theo and the Older Woman", Season 2) - Mario Van PeeblesMario Van PeeblesMario "Chip" Cain Van Peebles is an American director and actor who has appeared in numerous Hollywood films. He is son of filmmaker Melvin Van Peebles.-Life and career:...
as Garvin ("Clair's Sister", Season 2) - Jim ValvanoJim ValvanoJames Thomas Anthony "Jim" Valvano , nicknamed Jimmy V, was an American college basketball coach.While the head basketball coach at North Carolina State University, he won the 1983 NCAA Basketball Tournament against high odds...
as John Velarde ("The Getaway", Season 8) - Dick VitaleDick VitaleRichard J. "Dick" Vitale , also known as "Dickie V", is an American basketball sportscaster. A former head coach in the college and professional ranks, he is well-known as a college basketball broadcaster and for the enthusiastic and colorful remarks he makes during games. He is known for his...
as Dan Vicente ("The Getaway", Season 8) - Malinda Williams as Althea Logan ("Calling Doctor Huxtable", Season 3) and Shana ("Denise Kendall: Singles Counselor", Season 6)
- Nancy WilsonNancy Wilson (singer)Nancy Wilson is an American singer with more than 70 albums, and three Grammy Awards. She has been labeled a singer of blues, jazz, cabaret and pop; a "consummate actress"; and "the complete entertainer." The title she prefers, however, is song stylist...
as Lorraine Kendall ("Grampy and NuNu Visit the Huxtables", Season 6) - Stevie WonderStevie WonderStevland Hardaway Morris , better known by his stage name Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and activist...
as himself ("A Touch of Wonder", Season 2) - Amy YasbeckAmy YasbeckAmy Marie Yasbeck is an American film and television actress. She is best known for her role as Casey Chapel Davenport on the sitcom Wings from 1994-1997.-Early life:...
as Alicia Evans ("Total Control", Season 7)