Bill Cosby

Served as a Navy medical corpsman and helped with the physical rehabilitation of Korean War veterans. Received a track scholarship to Temple University. Won six consecutive Grammy Awards for his comedy albums, beginning with I Started Out as a Child in 1964. Was the first African American to costar in a TV dramatic series ( I Spy ) and won three consecutive Emmys for his leading role. The Cosby Show was TV's biggest hit in the '80s (it was No. 1 from 1985 to '89) and almost single-handedly… Show more revived the sitcom genre. Is the author of several bestselling books, including Fatherhood (1986) and Time Flies (1988).  Was inducted into the Television Arts & Sciences Hall of Fame in 1992; received the Kennedy Center Honors Lifetime Achievement Award in 1998; received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2002; received the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor in 2009. A passionate believer in higher education, he gave each of his children names that began with the letter "E," standing for "excellence." ~ Rovi

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