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The Cosby Show
*Clair's maiden name, Hanks, is the maiden name of Bill Cosby's real life wife, Camille O. Cosby.
*In the Italian version, the family name has been changed from Huxtable to the more pronounceable Robinson. "I Robinson" ("The Robinsons") is the name of the show.
*The house in the pilot episode was different from the series. Cliff makes a remark having four children and not five.
*Joseph C. Phillips, who played Denise's husband, appeared in an earlier episode as one of Sondra's boyfriends.
*Phylicia Rashad was pregnant throughout much of the third season. As a result, her scenes were greatly reduced and what little she was used in, she had to hide her condition, such as sitting behind a desk.
*In real life Earle Hyman, who plays Cliff's father, is only 11 years older than Bill Cosby, who plays Cliff. Clarice Taylor, who plays his mother, is only 10 years older than he.
*Phylicia Rashad is only ten years older than Sabrina Le Beauf.
*Anna was the first name of both Heathcliff Huxtable and Bill Cosby's mother; Russell was the first name of Heathcliff Huxtable's father and Bill Cosby's younger brother, Russell Cosby.
*The first episodes in the show's next-to-last season had an opening in front of a "Mother Hale" mural. However, when there was a disagreement over what compensation would be paid to the kids who painted the original mural, the show switched back to its previous season's "Apollo Theater" opening, with an added graphic for Erika Alexander, who was now a regular on the show. Some episodes began with Bill Cosby and Raven telling the viewers that it was not a repeat. The final season used a slightly modified version of the "Mother Hale" opening.
*The character of Sondra, the Huxtables' eldest daughter, was added almost as an afterthought. They decided there should be another child that represented the results of a good upbringing, hence a daughter in college. When casting the role, it came down to two actresses: 26-year-old Sabrina Le Beauf and 21-year-old Whitney Houston. LeBeauf's theater experience won her the role.
*Before the opening credits in one episode, Olivia walks up to Cliff wearing a Bart Simpson mask, a reference to Fox's "The Simpsons" (1989) taking away so many of The Cosby Show's viewers.
*The black button that Dr. Heathcliff Huxtable (Bill Cosby) wears in some of the later seasons says "SD Jr," a reference to Cosby's close friend Sammy Davis Jr., who died during the series' run.
*In the first few episodes of season 1, the only son, Theodore, is referred to as "Teddy," a nickname that is never used again - "Theo" is what everyone calls him thereafter.
*In one of the earlier episodes, Theo buys a shirt by designer Gordon Gartrelle. Throughout the series, the real-life Gordon Gartrelle worked in various jobs for the series and is listed as a producer of the show during the last few seasons.
*The show's theme was composed by Bill Cosby and Stu Gardner.
*In episode #1.13 ("Father's Day") we learn that Cliff's birthday is in October.
*Rudy was originally going to be a son, but when a suitable boy could not be find, girls were allowed to audition.
*Nobody gave this sitcom much chance for success partly because it was on Thursday night against Magnum P.I. (1980) (TV), a very popular CBS drama series at the time. The sitcom eventually became the #1 show on the air and routinely out-rated Magnum. In one episode of the show, Cosby wore a "Magnum" baseball cap.
*The character Cliff Huxtable was ranked #1 in TV Guide's list of the "50 Greatest TV Dads of All Time" (20 June 2004 issue).
*At the start of the show, Cliff's name was Clifford. In later episodes, he is referred to as Heathcliff. Finally, in the first episode of the last season, Clair calls him Heathclifford.
*Carl Anthony Payne II, who played Theo's friend Cockroach, was fired from the show for refusing to cut his hair.
*Bill Cosby insisted that the show be filmed in New York due to his dislike of working in Hollywood.
*The show was initially rejected by ABC but later picked up by NBC where it became a huge success.
*Theo was found to be dyslexic, just like the late Ennis Cosby in real-life.
*Much of the artwork that hangs on the walls in the Huxtable household is by renowned fine artist Synthia Saint James.
*The episode "Mr. Quiet" (episode # 1.23) was actually a pilot for a proposed spin-off starring Tony Orlando as a man who runs a community center and Ada Maris as his girlfriend. The series never came to fruition.
*Winnie and Nelson Tibideaux are named for Winnie Mandela and Nelson Mandela, the first Black president of the Republic of South Africa and his then-wife.
*Bill Cosby's real-life family was the basis of the Huxtables. Both families consisted of four daughters and one son, the son being the middle child.
*In the final episode of the series, Cliff rings the door bell and dances Claire off the stage to the song "Embraceable You". This scene was totally improvised. The doorbell was a reoccurring theme throughout the final season. (I remember Phylicia said she didn't know what he was going to do, she was just following along)
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