Earle Hyman obit

"Cosby Show" actor Earle Hyman dead at 91

He was not on the list.

Earle Hyman, a veteran actor of stage and screen who was widely known for playing Russell Huxtable on "The Cosby Show," has died.

Jordan Strohl, a representative for The Actors Fund, says that Hyman died Friday at the Lillian Booth Actors Home in Englewood, New Jersey. He was 91.

A North Carolina native, Hyman made his Broadway debut as a teenager in 1943. He would go on to become a charter member of the American Shakespeare Theater. In 1980 Hyman received a Tony nomination for "The Lady From Dubuque."

Hyman is best known, however, for "The Cosby Show" where he played the father to Bill Cosby's Cliff Huxtable, even though he was only 11 years his senior. He earned a guest performer Emmy nomination for the role in 1986.

Some may recognize Hyman's voice from his work on the animated show "ThunderCats." He played Panthro for 125 episodes, according to The Hollywood Reporter.






Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes

1945 The Lost Weekend Smoking Man Uncredited

1954 The Bamboo Prison Doc Jackson, medic

1966 Afrikaneren Raymond Alternative title: The African

1972 The Possession of Joel Delaney Charles Credited Earl Hyman

1975 The Super Cops Police Detective Uncredited

1979 Julius Caesar Cicero

Coriolanus Cominius

1982 Fighting Back Police Chief Freeman Alternative title: Death Vengeance

1985 Thundercats – HO: The Movie Panthro Voice

1987 Light Years Maxum Voice, Alternative title: Gandahar


Television

Year Title Role Notes

1957 Hallmark Hall of Fame Adam 1 episode

The United States Steel Hour Jim 1 episode

1963 Espionage Premier Djatuma 1 episode

East Side/West Side Mr. Marsden 1 episode

1964 The Nurses Buratta 1 episode

Playdate Crouch 1 episode

The Defenders District Attorney 1 episode

1965 Seaway Tom Nkomo 1 episode

1968 Macbeth Macbeth Television movie

1969 Sesame Street "Big" tuba player Film about "Big and Little" musician friends, first aired on Episode 16[14]

1980 The Ivory Ape Inspector St. George Television movie

1982 Long Day's Journey Into Night James Tyrone Television movie

1984 The Edge of Night Bailiff Unknown episodes

1984–1992 The Cosby Show Russell Huxtable 40 episodes

1985 The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus King Awgwa Voice, Television movie

1985–1989 ThunderCats Panthro / Redeye Voice, 125 episodes

1987 A Different World Russell Huxtable Episode: "Sometimes You Get the Bear, Sometimes the Bear Gets You"

1989 A Man Called Hawk Jefferson Adams Episode: "Passing the Bar"

1994 Seier'n er vår Sammy Unknown episodes

1995 All My Children Mr. Patterson Unknown episodes

1996 Hijacked: Flight 285 Wayne Edwards Television movie

1997 Cosby Rev. Mitchell 1 episode

2000 The Moving of Sophia Myles Bishop Heath Television movie

2001 Twice in a Lifetime Charley Freeman Episode: "Moonshine Over Harlem"