TV actor, Earle Hyman who played Bill Cosby's dad on "The Cosby Show," has died at 91

Earle Hyman, a longtime stage and TV actor who was best known for playing Bill Cosby's dad on "The Cosby Show," has died at the age of 91.


According to Jordan Strohl, a representative for The Actors Fund, he died at the Lillian Booth Actors Home in Englewood, New Jersey. Hyman enjoyed an international theater career that spanned decades.

He also frequently appeared from 1984 to 1992 on the "The Cosby Show," playing Russell Huxtable. Hyman was nominated for an Emmy for Outstanding Guest Performer in a Comedy Series, for his work on the show in 1984.

Late Hyman was born in October 11, 1926, in Rocky Mount, North Carolina. When he was a teenager, he fell in love with the theater especially after seeing a Henrik Ibsen play, according to IMDb. Hyman learned Norwegian and later in life, maintained a second home there, where he also enjoyed a stage career.

He performed in several Shakespeare plays in the titular roles of Othello and Hamlet. In 1980, he was nominated for a Tony for his performance in Edward Albee's play "The Lady from Dubuque."