List of The Cosby Show characters facts for kids

The Cosby Show was a popular American TV show that aired from 1984 to 1992 on NBC. It was a sitcom, which means it was a funny show about everyday life. The show was about the Huxtable family, an African-American family who lived in Brooklyn, New York. They were a loving, upper middle-class family, and the show focused on their daily adventures and challenges.

Meet the Main Characters

Cliff Huxtable: The Funny Dad

Dr. Heathcliff "Cliff" Huxtable is the dad of the family. He's known for being very funny and playful. Cliff lives in Brooklyn Heights, New York. Before becoming a doctor, he was an athlete in high school and college, playing wrestling, American football, and running track and field. He also served in the Navy.

Cliff is an obstetrics and gynaecology doctor, which means he helps deliver babies. He has his office right next to his home. People in the community respect him a lot and often call him "Dr. Huxtable."

He is married to Clair Huxtable, and they both went to a college called Hillman College. Together, they have five children: Sondra, Denise, Theodore (Theo), Vanessa, and Rudith (Rudy). Cliff loves listening to jazz music and tries to sneak in junk food whenever he can!

Cliff is a very kind-hearted and dedicated father. He loves to joke around with his family. Even though he and Clair created a strong, loving family, he often tries to get his grown-up children to move out of the house.

Cliff loves friendly competition. He often makes bets with Clair about different things. He also plays a monthly game of pinochle with his father and friends. Sometimes, he loses these games, like when he plays chess with his father-in-law. But he did eventually win a pinochle game with help from a friend.

Originally, Cliff was supposed to be a chauffeur. But before the show aired, they changed his job to a medical doctor. This made the show focus more on his funny interactions with his family. Cliff is the only character who appeared in every single episode of the show.

Clair Huxtable: The Smart Mom

Clair Olivia Huxtable is Cliff's elegant and strong wife. She is known for her confidence and clear way of speaking. Clair is very smart, classy, and successful. She is a lawyer and is great at debating. She almost never loses an argument on the show! Clair is also very good at remembering facts and dates.

She can speak several languages, including Spanish and Portuguese. She also showed off her singing talent in some episodes. Even though she can be tough and strict, Clair is a very loving mother and wife. Her famous phrase on the show is “Let the record show.” The character of Clair is based a little on Bill Cosby's real wife, Camille Cosby.

Clair was first planned to be a housewife. But when the show started, she became a lawyer. During the show, she even became a partner at her law firm. As a lawyer, she helps her family with legal problems. She also helped her oldest daughter, Sondra, with a car repair issue.

Clair was often the main person in charge of disciplining the children. For example, when Vanessa and her friends snuck off to Baltimore for a concert, Clair gave her a very strong lecture.

Clair Huxtable has been named one of the best TV mothers on many lists. She was voted "Favorite TV Mom" in a 2004 poll.

Sondra Huxtable: The Eldest Sister

Sondra Tibideaux is the oldest daughter of Cliff and Clair. She first appeared in the middle of the first season. When she first showed up, she was 20 years old and in college. Sondra graduated from Princeton University. She wanted to become a lawyer, just like her mom.

She married her boyfriend, Elvin Tibideaux, in season four. Later, they had twins, a boy and a girl, named after Nelson and Winnie Mandela. Sondra is more serious and responsible than her younger siblings. She is very intelligent and achieves a lot. Her parents are very proud of her and expect a lot from her.

Sondra didn't appear in every episode in the early seasons because her character was away at college. The character was created because Bill Cosby wanted the show to feature a child who had successfully graduated from college.

Denise Huxtable: The Free Spirit

Denise Kendall is the second daughter of Cliff and Clair. She was 16 years old when the show began. Denise loves fashion and music. She is very independent and likes to do things her own way. She often learns lessons by experiencing them herself.

Denise went to Hillman College for two years. After that, she decided to explore the world on her own. This led her to Africa, where she worked as a photographer's assistant. While there, she met and married Navy Lt. Martin Kendall. She also became a stepmother to Martin's young daughter, Olivia.

Denise later decided to become a special education teacher. She planned to attend Medgar Evers College for this. However, she left New York again when Martin was sent to Singapore for work. In the very last episode of the series, it was revealed that Denise was expecting a baby.

In the first two seasons, Denise was a popular high school student with many friends and different boyfriends. She also changed her hairstyles and clothing choices often. In later seasons, she sometimes had ideas that puzzled her parents.

Denise left home in season three to attend Hillman College, a fictional college that her parents and grandfather also attended. The Cosby Show even made a spin-off show called A Different World that was about Denise's life at college.

Theo Huxtable: The Only Son

Theodore Aloysius "Theo" Huxtable is the middle child and the only son of Cliff and Clair. He was 14 years old when the show started. Theo was athletic and liked to impress girls. He also really wanted a sports car or a motorcycle.

In the first episode, his dad talked to him about working harder in school. In the early seasons, Theo was a bit of a troublemaker. For example, he let his friend's sister pierce his ear, which got infected. But his behavior improved as he got older.

A big part of the early seasons was Theo's struggles with schoolwork, especially in geometry. As the show went on, Theo became a more successful student in high school and college. While he was a student at New York University, it was discovered that he had dyslexia, which is a learning difficulty. This discovery actually made him work even harder. By the final season, Theo was a student teacher, helping other children with dyslexia. In the last episode, he graduated from New York University with a degree in psychology.

Theo had a long-term girlfriend named Justine, who appeared in several episodes. His best friend in high school was Walter Bradley, also known as "Cockroach." They sometimes wrote rap songs for school projects. Theo appeared in the most episodes out of all the Huxtable children.

Vanessa Huxtable: The Growing Teen

Vanessa Huxtable is the fourth child and third daughter of Cliff and Clair. She was 11 years old in the first season. As Vanessa grew up, she faced typical teenage problems. For example, she tried to wear makeup before her parents allowed it. She also spent a lot of time talking on the phone with her friends.

Unlike her older brother Theo, Vanessa was a good student and seemed to enjoy school. At the start of season seven, she went to college a year early. In the final season, she got engaged to Dabnis Brickey, an older man who worked at Lincoln University, where Vanessa was studying. However, Vanessa realized she wasn't ready to get married, and they broke off the engagement. They decided to remain "just friends."

In the early seasons, Vanessa was often seen as nosy. She would try to find out what was happening in the Huxtable house, especially if someone was in trouble. But later, she was the one who got caught when her friends smoked cigarettes in her room. Vanessa herself didn't smoke and even tried to stop her friends.

She often argued with her younger sister, Rudy, about typical kid issues. One time, their fighting caused damage to their bedrooms and the kitchen ceiling! Cliff made them stay in the basement until repairs were done.

Rudy Huxtable: The Youngest Child

Rudith Lillian "Rudy" Huxtable is the youngest of the Huxtable children. She was only five years old when the show began. We watched her grow up throughout the series.

Many of Rudy's friends appeared in episodes as she got older. One well-known friend is Peter Chiara, who often ran out the front door when he got scared. Another friend is Kenny, whom she calls "Bud." Kenny often shares advice from his older brother, which sometimes gets him into trouble. But he seems to grow out of this as the show ends.

Keshia Knight Pulliam, who played Rudy, was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for her acting in season two. She became the youngest person ever to be nominated for that award!

The Huxtable family was originally going to have two boys and two girls. Rudy was first planned to be a boy. But they changed the character to a girl because there weren't enough boys auditioning for the role.

Elvin Tibideaux: Sondra's Husband

Elvin Tibideaux is Sondra's boyfriend, and later, her husband. They met at Princeton University, where they both earned their degrees. In early episodes, they often argued. But his time with the Huxtables, especially Clair, helped him change some of his old-fashioned ideas.

After their honeymoon, Elvin and Sondra surprised Cliff and Clair. They announced they would not go to medical or law school. Instead, they wanted to open a wilderness supply store in Brooklyn. When their children were born, Elvin decided to apply to medical school again. This decision later encouraged Sondra to go back to law school.

Elvin was a wrestler in high school and for one year in college. He even helped Theo with some wrestling moves in one episode.

Martin Kendall: Denise's Husband

Lt. Martin Kendall is an officer in the United States Navy. He is Denise Huxtable's husband and Olivia's father. The Huxtables first met Martin when Denise unexpectedly married him in Africa. Denise's family didn't even know about him or their marriage!

At first, Cliff and Clair were a bit uneasy about the sudden marriage. But they soon got used to their new blended family. Martin also had an ex-wife named Paula. In the final episode, it was revealed that he and Denise were expecting a baby together.

Olivia Kendall: The Cute Stepdaughter

Olivia Kendall is Denise Huxtable's smart and lively stepdaughter. She was three years old when she first appeared on the show. Olivia is the only child of Martin and his first wife, Paula. After her parents divorced, Olivia lived with her grandparents and father.

When Olivia was almost four, her father Martin married Denise Huxtable. The new family moved in with Denise's parents, Clair and Cliff Huxtable. Martin, being a Naval officer, had to travel a lot. So, for a while, Denise raised Olivia. Olivia continued to live with her step-grandparents while her parents were in Singapore during the final season.

The character of Olivia was named after Bill Cosby's wife, Camille Olivia Hanks-Cosby.

Pam Tucker: The Cousin Who Joins the Family

Pam Tucker is Clair Huxtable's distant cousin. Pam came to live with the Huxtables after her single mother moved to California to care for Pam's grandmother. When she first moved in, Pam was a high school junior. She wasn't used to the Huxtables' comfortable lifestyle or their close family bonds. But eventually, she fit in and became a part of the Huxtable family. Pam first appeared in season seven.

Pam is often shown with her best friend, Charmaine Brown, and Charmaine's boyfriend, Lance Rodman.

Other Important Characters

• Russell Huxtable (Earle Hyman): Cliff's father.
• Kenny, also known as "Bud" (Deon Richmond): Rudy's longtime friend.
• Anna Huxtable (Clarice Taylor): Cliff's mother.
• Nelson Tibideaux (various actors): Sondra and Elvin's son.
• Winnie Tibideaux (various actors): Sondra and Elvin's daughter.
• Peter Chiara (Peter Costa): Rudy's friend.
• Charmaine Brown (Karen Malina White): Pam's best friend.
• Walter Bradley, also known as "Cockroach" (Carl Anthony Payne II): Theo's best friend in high school.
• Denny (Troy Winbush): Theo's high school and college friend.
• Lance Rodman (Allen Payne): Charmaine's boyfriend.
• Justine Phillips (Michelle Thomas): Theo's longtime girlfriend.
• Stanley (Merlin Santana): Rudy's boyfriend.
• Carrie Hanks (Ethel Ayler): Clair's mother.
• Al Hanks (Joe Williams): Clair's father.
• Smitty (Adam Sandler): Theo's high school friend.
• Dabnis Brickey (William Thomas Jr.): Vanessa's fiancé for a short time.