Earle Hyman facts for kids

Earle Hyman (born George Earle Plummer; October 11, 1926 – November 17, 2017) was a famous American actor. He worked in theater, on television, and in movies. Many people know him as the voice of Panthro from the cartoon series ThunderCats. He also played Russell Huxtable, who was Cliff Huxtable's father, on The Cosby Show. Singer Phyllis Hyman was his cousin.

Life and Career of Earle Hyman

Earle Hyman was born in Rocky Mount, North Carolina. His birth name was George Earle Plummer. When he was young, his family moved to Brooklyn, New York. They wanted better schools for their children.

Hyman knew he wanted to be an actor from a very young age. He was only four years old when he performed a poem at a church play. Later, he saw a play called Ghosts and decided to become an actor.

He studied acting in New York City. He first appeared on Broadway in 1943. The play was called Run, Little Chillun. After that, he joined the American Negro Theater. The next year, he played Rudolf in the Broadway show Anna Lucasta.

Hyman was also part of the American Shakespeare Theatre. He joined in 1955. He even played the main role of Othello in 1957. In 1958, he went to London to act in a play called Moon on a Rainbow Shawl.

In 1959, he acted in another London play, A Raisin In the Sun. He worked with Kim Hamilton in this show. Earle Hyman acted in many plays in both the United States and Norway. He even owned a home in Norway. In 1965, he won a Theatre World Award. In 1988, he received the St Olav's medal for his work in Norwegian theater.

Besides his stage work, Hyman was in many TV shows and movies. He appeared in movie versions of Shakespeare's plays. These included Macbeth (1968) and Julius Caesar (1979). He also voiced Panthro on the cartoon ThunderCats. This show ran from 1985 to 1989.

One of his most famous roles was Russell Huxtable on The Cosby Show. He was nominated for an Emmy Award in 1986 for this role. He played the father of Cliff Huxtable, who was played by Bill Cosby. Even though he played Cosby's father, Hyman was only 11 years older than Cosby.

Earle Hyman's Passing

Earle Hyman passed away on November 17, 2017. He was 91 years old. He died at the Lillian Booth Actors Home in Englewood, New Jersey.

Earle Hyman's Connection to Norway

Earle Hyman had a special connection to Norway. People in Norway saw him as a good friend of their country. He even had a cabin in a place called Skånevik.

Earle Hyman learned to speak the Norwegian language. He became very good at it.

Filmography

Awards and Nominations