# Bill Cosby

_American actor and comedian (born 1937)_

Canonical: https://diginpl.com/people/bill-cosby
Last updated: 2026-10-31

> William Henry Cosby Jr. ( KOZ-bee; born July 12, 1937) is an American former comedian, actor, and media personality. Often deemed a trailblazer for African Americans in the entertainment industry, Cosby was well known in the United States for his stand-up comedy routines and television career before achieving global recognition for his portrayal of Cliff Huxtable in the sitcom The Cosby Show (1984–1992).

## Quick facts

- **Born:** 12 July 1937 ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q213512#P569))
- **Place of birth:** Philadelphia ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q213512#P19))
- **Citizenship:** United States ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q213512#P27))
- **Occupation:** television actor; comedian; writer; dub actor; composer; singer ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q213512#P106))
- **Political party:** Democratic Party ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q213512#P102))
- **Education:** University of Massachusetts Amherst; Temple University; Germantown High School ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q213512#P69))
- **Spouse:** Camille Cosby ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q213512#P26))
- **Awards:** Spingarn Medal; Presidential Medal of Freedom; Marian Anderson Award; Daytime Emmy Award; Library of Congress Living Legend; Theodore Roosevelt Award; Kennedy Center Honors; Mark Twain Prize for American Humor; United Nations Peace Medal; Paul Robeson Award; Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Picture; Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Actor; Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Screenplay; Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series; star on Hollywood Walk of Fame ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q213512#P166))
- **X (Twitter):** BillCosby ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q213512#P2002))

## About

Cosby began his career as a stand-up comic at the Hungry I nightclub in San Francisco in 1961, and primarily performed observational comedy in a conversational style. He released LP records of numerous standup specials starting with Bill Cosby Is a Very Funny Fellow...Right! (1963) and starred in the comedy film Bill Cosby: Himself (1983). Cosby still holds the record for winning the most Grammy Awards for Best Comedy Album, with seven wins. His acting career began with a starring role in the NBC secret-agent show I Spy (1965–1968), which broke new ground for African Americans when he made history by winning three Primetime Emmy Awards for Best Actor in a Drama Series, becoming the first black actor to do so.

Cosby made his film debut starring in Man and Boy (1971) followed by Hickey & Boggs (1972), Uptown Saturday Night (1974), Let's Do It Again (1975), A Piece of the Action (1977), Leonard Part 6 (1987), and Ghost Dad (1990). He produced and starred in a series of television sitcoms such as The Bill Cosby Show (1969–1971), Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids (1972–1985) and The Cosby Show (1984–1992) as well as its spin-off A Different World (1987–1993), The Cosby Mysteries (1994–1995), and Cosby (1996–2000). He hosted Kids Say the Darndest Things (1998–2000). During his prolific career he advertised numerous products including the Jell-O ice pop treats Pudding Pop.

Over 60 women have accused Cosby of various offenses, including rape, drug-facilitated sexual assault,…

## Questions

**When was Bill Cosby born?**  
Bill Cosby was born on 12 July 1937 in Philadelphia.

**Where did Bill Cosby study?**  
Bill Cosby was educated at University of Massachusetts Amherst, Temple University, Germantown High School.

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## Sources

- [Wikipedia (English): Bill Cosby](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Cosby) — [CC BY-SA 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)
- [Wikidata item Q213512](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q213512) — [CC0 1.0](https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/)
- [Image: Bill Cosby 1965.JPG by NBC Television (Public domain)](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bill_Cosby_1965.JPG)

## Licence and attribution

Text from the Wikipedia article Bill Cosby, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. This page's text is shared under the same licence. Facts from Wikidata (CC0). Image: Bill Cosby 1965.JPG — NBC Television, Public domain.

## Cite this page

"Bill Cosby". DigiNepal. Last updated 31 October 2026. https://diginpl.com/people/bill-cosby. Retrieved 5 November 2026.