Cosby is an American 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 stars Bill Cosby, Phylicia Rashād . Madeline Kahn portrayed their neighbor, Pauline, until her death in 1999. Cosby portrays grumpy Hilton Lucas, a New York City man forced into early retirement from his job as an airline customer service agent. His wife Ruth is played by Phylicia Rashād. Initially, Telma Hopkins was cast as Ruth Lucas; however, she was recast after she didn't react well to Cosby's... tendency to ad lib. The couple had one daughter, Erica Lucas, portrayed by T'Keyah Crystal Keymáh. Doug E. Doug played Griffin Vesey, a foster son the Lucas family took in when he was younger. Griffin occasionally tried to win Erica's affections, but they decided just to remain friends when in the fourth and final season, Darien Sills-Evans portrayed Darien Evans, Erica's fiancé/husband. Jurnee Smollett also joined the cast as 11-year-old Jurnee, whom Hilton adored.
more
| On the air: | September 16, 1996-April 28, 2000 |
| Number of seasons: | 4 |
| Writers: | Tom Purcell |
| Producer: | Tom Werner, Bill Cosby, David Landsberg |
| Genre: | Comedy |