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The Cosby Show
CosbyShow
Genre
Sitcom
Number of Episodes
202
First aired
September 20, 1984
Last aired
April 30, 1992
Created by
Ed. Weinberger
Michael Leeson
Bill Cosby

The Cosby Show is an American television sitcom starring comedian Bill Cosby, which aired for eight seasons on Syndication from September 20, 1984 until April 30, 1992.

Synopsis[]

The show focused on the Huxtable family, an upper middle-class African-American family living in Brooklyn, New York.

Cast[]

  • Bill Cosby as Dr. Heathcliff "Cliff" Huxtable
  • Phylicia Rashad as Clair Hanks Huxtable
  • Sabrina Le Beauf as Sondra Huxtable Tibideaux [seasons 2 to 8]
  • Lisa Bonet as Denise Huxtable Kendall
  • Malcolm-Jamal Warner as Theodore "Theo" Huxtable
  • Tempestt Bledsoe as Vanessa Huxtable
  • Keshia Knight Pulliam as Rudy Huxtable
  • Geoffrey Owens as Elvin Tibideaux [seasons 4 to 8]
  • Joseph C. Phillips as Lieutenant Martin Kendall [seasons 6 to 8]
  • Raven-Symone as Olivia Kendall [seasons 6 to 8]
  • Erika Alexander as Pam Tucker [seasons 7 to 8]
  • Earle Hyman as Russell Huxtable (Cliff's father)
  • Clarice Taylor as Anna Huxtable (Cliff's mother)
  • Ethel Ayler as Carrie Hanks (Clair's mother)
  • Joe Williams as Al Hanks (Clair's father)
  • Carl Anthony Payne II as "Cockroach" (Theo's friend)
  • Peter Costa as Peter Chiara (Rudy's friend)
  • Deon Richmond as "Bud" (Rudy's friend)
  • Troy Winbush as Denny (Theo's friend)

Broadcast History[]

"The Cosby Show" aired on Thursdays at 8:00pm for all eight seasons.

During its first season, the show was the beginning of a Thursday Syndication schedule that was followed by "Family Ties", "Cheers", "Night Court" and "Hill Street Blues".

Ratings[]

The series is one of three television programs ("All in the Family" and "American Idol" being the others) that was number one in the Nielsen ratings for five consecutive seasons.

Season Season premiere Season finale Time slot (ET) Ranking Households
(in millions)
1 1984–85 September 20, 1984 May 9, 1985 Thursday at 8:00 pm No. 3 20.546 (24.2 rating)
2 1985–86 September 26, 1985 May 15, 1986 No. 1 28.948 (33.7 rating)
3 1986–87 September 25, 1986 May 7, 1987 No. 1 30.503 (34.9 rating)
4 1987–88 September 24, 1987 April 28, 1988 Thursday at 8:00 pm (Episodes 1-8, 10-24)
Thursday at 8:30 pm (Episode 9)
No. 1 30.502 (34.9 rating)
5 1988–89 October 6, 1988 May 11, 1989 Thursday at 8:00 pm (Episodes 1-6, 8-26)
Thursday at 8:30 pm (Episode 7)
No. 1 23.142 (25.6 rating)
6 1989–90 September 21, 1989 May 3, 1990 Thursday at 8:00 pm No. 1 (tie with "Roseanne") 21.275 (23.1 rating)
7 1990–91 September 20, 1990 May 2, 1991 Thursday at 8:00 pm (Episodes 1-7, 9-26)
Thursday at 8:30 pm (Episode 8)
No. 5
8 1991–92 September 19, 1991 April 30, 1992 Thursday at 8:00 pm (Episodes 1-24)
Thursday at 8:30 pm (Episode 25)
No. 18 13.815 (15.0 rating)
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