Earle Hyman, an actor best known for his role on “The Cosby Show” as Russell Huxtable, died at 91.
According to media reports, Hyman died Friday at the Lillian Booth Actors Home in Englewood, N.J.
He played Bill Cosby’s character’s father on 40 episodes for the show’s nine-season run. He got an Emmy nomination in 1986.
He also did voice acting and had roles on “All My Children” and “Defenders.” Hyman also appeared in Broadway performances, including shows like “The Merchant of Venice,” “Othello,” “Waiting for Godot,” and “The Master Builder”.
He was born in North Carolina and moved to Brooklyn as a child and that is where he began honing his acting skills in the theaters of New York.
He scored an Emmy nomination for his role as Russell Huxtable in 1986 for playing a positive father figure to Bill Cosby on the successful show. In real life, he was only 11 years Cosby’s senior and was first cousins with another great talent Phyllis Hyman.
Due to the success of The Cosby show, Hyman continued to play the beloved character in the sitcom’s Lisa Bonet led spin-off A Different World.
It’s been confirmed that he died on November 17th at 91 years old. However, the cause of death has not been revealed as of this time.
Check out one of his most memorable Cosby Show scenes him below.
