Bill Cosby Jackie Robinson Gala - H 2012
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At 75, Bill Cosby has become a master of virtually all media. With a career spanning five decades, he has won more than 40 awards for being an actor, comedian, singer, author, producer, composer, educator, and activist (to name a few). From his debut role in I Spy to the very funny (and sweet) Kids Say the Darndest Things, check out five of his most memorable TV highlights.
PHOTOS: Modern Day Film and Television Comedians
I Spy (1965-68): Cosby’s big breakthrough role was in NBC’s crime drama as Alexander Scott, opposite Robert Culp as Kelly Robinson. He became the first African-American to co-star in a dramatic television series and won three consecutive Emmy Awards for lead actor in a drama series.
The Bill Cosby Show (1969-71): The show marked the first time an African-American entertainer starred in a self-titled comedy series. Cosby played Chet Kincaid, a physical education teacher at a Los Angeles high school. The series ran for two seasons on NBC and won the BMI TV Music Award in 1987. Cosby co-wrote its theme song “Hikky Burr” with Quincy Jones.
STORY: Bill Cosby to Retire as Playboy Jazz Festival MC
Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids (1972-85): As an avid activist for children’s education, Cosby co-created the Saturday morning show and did some voice work, including Fat Albert. Expanding on characters from his stand-up act — and string of Grammy-winning albums — the show followed a group of inner-city kids going on adventures and learning valuable lessons along the way.
The Cosby Show (1984-92): The Cosby Show starred Cosby as Dr. Heathcliff “Cliff” Huxtable and Phylicia Rashad as his wife Clair. The Emmy-winning NBC family comedy was TV’s No. 1 show for five consecutive seasons and changed the way African-Americans were portrayed in television through its eight-season run.
Kids Say the Darndest Things (1998-2000): The unscripted comedy originally aired in 1995 as a one-hour special and became a CBS series in 1998. Cosby would ask young kids a question and turn them loose with the answers.
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