document_title: The Haunted Mansion

question_text: where is the haunted mansion in disney world

text: The Haunted Mansion

text: History[edit]

text: Development[edit]

text:
The idea for the Mansion precedes Disneyland and WED Enterprises, to when Walt Disney hired the first of his Imagineers.[1] At the time, the park they were developing the attraction for was supposed to be located across from the studios. In 1951, the first known illustration of the park showed a main street setting, green fields, western village and a carnival.[2]
Disney Legend Harper Goff developed a black-and-white sketch of a crooked street leading away from main street by a peaceful church and graveyard, with a run-down manor perched high on a hill that towered over main street.[1]

text: Disney assigned Imagineer Ken Anderson to create a story using Goff's idea.[1] Plans were made to build a New Orleans-themed land in the small transition area between Frontierland and Adventureland. Weeks later, New Orleans Square appeared on the souvenir map and promised a thieves market, a pirate wax museum, and a haunted house walk-through.[3] Anderson studied New Orleans and old plantations and came up with a drawing of an antebellum manor overgrown with weeds, dead trees, swarms of bats and boarded doors and windows topped by a screeching cat as a weather vane.[1]

text: Disney, however, rejected the idea of having a run-down building in his park.[1] He visited the Winchester Mystery House in San Jose, California, and was captivated by the massive mansion with its stairs to nowhere, doors that opened to walls and holes, and elevators.[2] Anderson envisioned stories for the mansion, including tales of a ghostly sea captain who killed his nosy bride and then hanged himself, a mansion home to an unfortunate family, and a ghostly wedding party with well-known Disney villains and spooks.[1] Imagineers Rolly Crump and Yale Gracey recreated Ken Anderson's stories in a studio at WED Enterprises.

text: In 1961, handbills announcing a 1963 opening of the Haunted Mansion were given out at Disneyland's main entrance.[4] Construction began a year later, and the exterior was completed in 1963.[3] The attraction was previewed in a 1965 episode of Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color,[4] but the attraction itself would not open until 1969. The six-year delay owed heavily to Disney's involvement in the New York World's Fair in 1964–1965 and to an attraction redesign after Walt's death in 1966.[1]

text: After the fair, many Imagineers such as Marc Davis, X Atencio and Claude Coats contributed ideas to the project.[3] By this time, Ken Anderson had left the project. Rolly Crump showed Walt some designs for his version, which included bizarre objects like coffin clocks, candle men, talking chairs, man-eating plants, tiki-like busts, living gypsy wagons and a mirror with a face.[2] Walt accepted these ideas and wanted to make the proclaimed "Museum of the Weird", a restaurant side to the now-named Haunted Mansion, similar to the Blue Bayou at Pirates of the Caribbean.[1] Though this concept was never realized, some of its aspects were implemented into the final attraction.

text: When Walt put Imagineers Rolly Crump and Yale Gracey in charge of creating the visual illusions for the attraction, they intended to make the "Museum of the Weird" into a separate section that guests could walk through and discover illusions from around the world. Guests would be able to see transparent ghosts and other apparitions, utilizing the Pepper's Ghost technique used in the theater since the early 1800s.[1] Crump and Gracey were eventually given an entire warehouse to house their developments and one evening forgot to switch off the mechanics before leaving for the day. The cleaning crew was met with surprise as Crump explained, "Once, we got a call from personnel saying that the janitors requested that we leave the lights on in there due to the creepiness of all the audio-animatronic ghosts and such. We complied, but put motion sensors in the room that would extinguish the lights and turn on all the ghost effects when triggered. The next morning, we came in and found all the ghost effects still running and a broom lying in the center of the floor. Personnel called and said that the janitors would not be back."[5]

text: Marc Davis and Claude Coats, two of the mansion's main designers,[6] disagreed on whether the ride should be frightening or enjoyable. Claude, originally a background artist, wanted a scary adventure, and produced renditions of moody surroundings like endless hallways, corridors of doors and numerous characterless environments. Marc, an animator and character designer, proposed variegated characters and thought the ride should be silly and full of gags. In the end, both artists got their ways when X Atencio combined their approaches and ideas, creating a transition from dark foreboding to "spirited" entertainment. The ride narration was performed by Paul Frees in the role of the Ghost Host. The attraction's theme song, "Grim Grinning Ghosts", was composed by Buddy Baker with lyrics written by X Atencio.[1] It can be heard in nearly every area of the ride,[2] with various instrumentations and tempos.

text: After Disney's death in December 1966, the project evolved significantly; the Museum of the Weird restaurant idea was abandoned. The Imagineers objected to a walk-through attraction's low capacity, going so far as suggesting building two identical attractions to accommodate twice as many guests.[1] A solution appeared with the development of the Omnimover system for Adventure Thru Inner Space.[2] Renamed the '"Doom Buggy", the system's continuous chain of semi-enclosed vehicles offered high capacity. The cars could be set to rotate in any direction at any point, allowing the Imagineers to control what guests saw and heard throughout the show.[2] And because each car held from one to three, it was a convenient way to divide guests into smaller groups — a better fit with the story of people wandering "alone" through a haunted house.[3]

text: Debut[edit]

text: Employee previews of the Mansion were held August 9, 10, and possibly the 11th, followed by "soft" openings on August 9 and 10 where limited numbers of park guests were allowed to ride. A "Midnight" Press Event was held on the evening of August 11. The mansion opened to all guests August 12, 1969.[1] The public opening was announced in full-page newspaper ads, creating the anomaly of either two official openings or an advertised "soft" opening. The attraction was an immediate success, attracting record crowds and helping Disney recover from Walt's untimely death.

text: In around 1977, WDI considered utilising the unused designs, creatures and effects that Rolly Crump had originally created for the Haunted Mansion and the Museum of the Weird as part of Professor Marvel's Gallery — "a tent show of mysteries and delights, a carousel of magic and wonder." This was to be built as part of Disneyland's Discovery Bay expansion area, and was dropped when those plans fell through.[7]

text: The attraction opened at Magic Kingdom in 1971 and Tokyo Disneyland in 1983. In 1999, a retrospective of the art of The Haunted Mansion was featured at The Disney Gallery above the entrance to Pirates of the Caribbean. When the 2003 film The Haunted Mansion was released, a retrospective of its art was featured in the gallery as well.

text: Updates[edit]

text: In 1995, Disneyland's Haunted Mansion was updated. A phantom piano player sat at a run-down piano,[1] just like the music room at Walt Disney World's Mansion. However, instead of the sinister Rachmaninoff-esque version of "Grim Grinning Ghosts", a dark version of Richard Wagner's Bridal March plays.

text: In 2001, a newer, more detailed safety spiel was added to the onboard audio of the doom buggy in the Load Area, now featuring voice-over artist and Paul Frees impersonator Joe Leahy, giving a bilingual safety spiel as part of a park-wide attempt to increase safety at attractions. In October 2001, Haunted Mansion Holiday premiered, a seasonal overlay featuring characters from the 1993 film The Nightmare Before Christmas.[3]

text: In 2007, the Walt Disney World Haunted Mansion was reopened to the public. Included in the update was a more elaborate transformation of the foyer's portrait, new sound, visual and audio effects in the Stretching Room, and a new Endless Staircase scene, which replaced two rubber spiders before guests would see the Endless Hallway.This blurb explains what took place in the mansion and what guests can expect.

text: In March 2011, a new "interactive queue" debuted at the Walt Disney World location, with new crypts and tombstones honoring Imagineers; a murder mystery for guests to solve featuring the sinister Dread Family; the Composer Crypt, which features musical instruments that play variations of "Grim Grinning Ghosts" when touched; the Mariner's brine-filled sepulcher, whose ghost sings and sneezes from within, and a crypt for Prudence Pock the poetess, which features haunted moving books & Prudence's ghost writing invisibly in her poem book. Guests can solve the unfinished poems by speaking into microphones located on the crypt. The FastPass+ line skips the queue altogether and leads guests straight to the Foyer doors.

text: On April 10, 2015, it was officially confirmed that an iconic Haunted Mansion character, The Hatbox Ghost, would return to Disneyland's Haunted Mansion. The character returned on May 9, 2015. The Hatbox Ghost was originally a part of the attraction when it opened in 1969,[8] but was removed when the illusion involving the specter's head was not convincing enough.[1]

text: Attraction[edit]

text:
Disneyland

Magic Kingdom

Tokyo Disneyland

text: Disneyland[edit]

text: Entering the queuing area through a pair of ornate gates, guests find themselves in the antebellum-era mansion's well-tended gardens and courtyards. The queuing path leads guests past a pet cemetery,[9] a mausoleum with pun names, a cemetery at the top whose tombstones bear the names of the Imagineers who created this attraction, and a white carriage hearse led by an invisible horse which occasionally nickers. Stepping onto the porch, guests are admitted inside the mansion through a doorway on the far right of the house into the Foyer, lit by a large, flickering, cobweb-covered chandelier and surrounding candelabras.

text: In the Foyer, the deep, resonant voice of an invisible spirit (Paul Frees) sets the tone of the attraction with a short opening monologue, accompanied by a funeral dirge variation of Grim Grinning Ghosts.

text: "When hinges creep in door less chambers, and strange and frightening sounds echo through the halls, whenever candle lights flicker where the air is deathly still, that is the time, when ghosts are present, practicing their terror, with ghoulish delight....."

text: A pair of sliding doors open to one of two similar octagonal rooms, which are actually large slow-moving elevators with two sets of walls, the lower of which does not reach the ceiling. The invisible spirit teasingly welcomes the guests (referring to them as "foolish mortals") and introduces himself as their "Ghost Host" who will take them on a tour of the Haunted Mansion. The room contains four paintings, one on every other wall, each depicting a person from the chest up; previous guests "as they appeared in their corruptible mortal state". The portraits are flanked by eight leering, candle-holding gargoyles. At this point a cast member will often instruct guests to, ". . . kindly drag your bodies away from the walls to the dead center of the room." A sliding wall panel closes in front of the doorway where the guests entered, trapping them inside the room. As the Ghost Host delivers his spiel, the room begins to "stretch" vertically. As the floor descends, the visible extent of the upper walls increases and portrait frames (located behind the lower walls) appear to elongate, revealing the grim fates of the previous residents. The paintings humorously depict macabre situations: a beautiful young girl holding a parasol is shown to be balancing on a fraying tightrope above the jaws of an alligator; a middle-aged bearded man holding a document is shown to be standing atop a barrel of dynamite in his boxer shorts with a candle lighting the fuse; a smiling elderly woman holding a rose is shown to be sitting on the tombstone of her late husband George, who is depicted as a stone bust with an axe in his head; and a confident-looking middle-aged man in a bowler hat is shown to be sitting on the shoulders of a frightened-looking man, who sits on the shoulders of a third man who is waist-deep in quicksand, an expression of terror on his face.[9] As the Ghost Host challenges guests "to find a way out" of this seemingly windowless and doorless chamber, he concludes his speech with,

text: Of course, there's always MY way...

text: With a sudden thunderclap, the lights go out and the ceiling disappears. A ghastly vision manifests above: the skeletal corpse of the Ghost Host dangling from a taut rope inside an octagonal cupola with four curtainless windows (rather than the hexagonal cupola with six curtained windows seen on the exterior), illuminated by flashes of lightning. Seconds later, the room plunges into darkness, and a bloodcurdling scream is heard — falling from the ceiling to the floor, ending with the sound of the corpse hitting the floor.

text: As the chamber is re-lit, a wall opens, exposing a Portrait Gallery. As lightning flashes from the windows on the opposite side of the gallery, the portraits transform into images of ghosts and monsters in synchronization with the lightning. At the corridor's far end are two statuary busts depicting a strict-looking man and woman. The statues appear to turn and gaze at guests, following their every move.

text: Turning a corner, guests enter the Load Area, where a seemingly endless stream of black carriages, known as Doom Buggies, descend one staircase and ascend another. Beyond the track, clouds drift past a limbo of boundless mist and decay. The guests then board the carriages, accompanied by the Ghost Host (who lowers the safety bar and provides a safety spiel).

text: Once guests ascend the pitch-black Staircase to the second floor, they come across a moving suit of armor, and a chair which appears to be embroidered with a hidden abstract face. The Doom Buggies also pass by the end of a seemingly Endless Hallway. Halfway down the hallway is a candelabra, floating eerily.

text: Turning away from the Endless Hallway, guests travel past a glass Conservatory filled with dead, withered plants and flowers. In the middle of the room is a coffin occupied by a restless "guest", plaintively wailing for someone to "Let me out!'. Perched near the coffin is a black raven with glowing red eyes.

text: The Doom Buggies continue down a Corridor of Doors. The sounds of pounding, shrieking, calls for help, screams, knocking, and maniacal laughter can be heard from behind the doors. Knockers and handles are moved by unseen hands and some doors appear to be "breathing." The walls, covered in demon-faced wallpaper, are adorned with daguerreotypes of screaming and grinning corpses, and a large painting of the Ghost Host with a noose around his neck and holding a hatchet. A demonic grandfather clock chimes 13 as its hands spin counter-clockwise and the shadow of a claw passes over it.

text: Guests enter a dark Séance Room full of floating objects. Madame Leota (Eleanor Audley), a medium whose disembodied head appears within a misty crystal ball with blue hair, summons the Mansion's spirits, levitating mysteriously above a table littered with tarot cards and a wispy green spirit moves off in a corner of the room. The raven seen moments ago in the Conservatory can now be seen perched on the back of the chair at the table.  As she incants,

text:
Serpents and spiders, tail of a rat... Call in the spirits, wherever they're at.
Rap on a table, it's time to respond... Send us a message from somewhere beyond.
Goblins and ghoulies from last Halloween... Awaken the spirits with your tambourine!
Creepies and crawlies, toads in a pond... Let there be music from regions beyond!
Wizards and witches, wherever you dwell... Give us a hint by ringing a bell.

text: floating objects and instruments respond in turn. Before exiting the Séance Circle, guests pass a large, ancient tome entitled "Necronomicon: Book of the Dead" resting on a stand, with the book opened to pages 1312 and 1313. Page 1312 contains a cloaked version of Ezra the HitchHiking Ghost, while page 1313 contains Leota's incantations.

text: After leaving the Séance Circle, guests move along a balcony overlooking a birthday party taking place in a Grand Hall, with a number of ghosts dancing and reveling. Ghosts are seen entering the room through a broken door, where a hearse has crashed with its coffin (and its contents) sliding out. Eerie phantoms are seen flying in and out of the windows above. A merry ghost is seen sitting atop the mantle of a fireplace with a mysterious green fire, with his arm wrapped around a bust. An elderly ghost is seen rocking back and forth in a chair, a book in her lap. Many ghosts have gathered around a dinner table, where a ghost is blowing out candles on a birthday cake. A massive chandelier hangs above the table on which a couple is perched and another ghost named Pickwick swings from by his cane. Another balcony is seen across the room, where a curtained doorway is situated between two portraits of dueling gunmen. From time to time, the ghosts of both duelists appear and shoot at each other with their pistols. A number of elegantly dressed couples are seen below, waltzing to a discordant version of the attraction's theme song played on a pipe organ (Captain Nemo's organ set piece from 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea)[2] by a ghostly gentleman wearing a top hat, while banshees float out of its pipes.

text: The Doom Buggies then proceed to the Attic, an irregularly shaped room cluttered with gifts, personal items, mementos and wedding portraits. In each portrait, the same bride is seen with a different groom, whose heads disappear only to reappear a moment later. With each successive photograph, the bride gains another string of pearls. The sound of a beating heart fills the room, and a shadowy spirit plays a grim version of the "Bridal Chorus" on an old harpsichord. Just before the Doom Buggies escape the Attic, the ghost of the bride from the pictures, Constance Hatchaway [2] is encountered, shrouded in cool blue light, and uttering words reciting the traditional wedding vows:

text: Here comes the bride... As long as we both shall live... For better or for... hearse? I do. I did, In sickness and in... Wealth. You may now kiss the bride... We'll live happily ever after... Till death do us part...

text: As she raises her arms, a hatchet appears and disappears in her hands between vows.

text: The Doom Buggies drift out of an Attic window and onto the balcony, coming face to face with the Hatbox Ghost amidst a starry night sky filled with wispy spirits rising from the Graveyard below. The Doom Buggies turn around, and tip backward down a 15-percent grade surrounded by dark, ghoulish trees with knotted expressions. The red-eyed raven (previously seen in the Conservatory and Séance Circle) caws at guests from a branch overhead as guests enter the Graveyard. The Doom Buggies then reach the ground and turn towards the gate of the Graveyard. There stands a caretaker and his dog, the attraction's only "living" characters. The caretaker cowers in fright, an expression of terror on his face, while his emaciated dog whines and whimpers. Around the corner, a ghostly band of minstrels plays a jazzy rendition of "Grim Grinning Ghosts" as a family of cats and two owls join in harmony. Ghouls pop up from behind tombstones, a king and queen balance on a teeter-totter, and a skeletal hellhound howls from behind guests. The Doom Buggies travel down a hill and turn to see five expressive haunted busts singing "Grim Grinning Ghosts" in barbershop harmony. Next, guests encounter a ghostly tea party surrounding a hearse stuck in the mud. A bony arm protrudes from a crypt with a wine glass in its hand, while banshees ride bicycles in the distance. An Egyptian mummy sits up in his sarcophagus, holding a cup of tea and singing along, while the ghost of a "wise old man" from the Renaissance period holds an ear trumpet to his ear in an attempt to make out the muffled words of the mummy. The Doom Buggies then turn and pass a group of singing ghosts (an operatic pair, a decapitated knight, a masked executioner, and a prisoner) standing in front of a series of crypts. A bony arm holding a trowel protrudes from a partially walled-up crypt, its occupant attempting to finish the job.

text: As the Doom Buggies approach the entrance of a large crypt, and the Ghost Host speaks one final time:

text: Ah, there you are... and just in time. There's a little matter I forgot to mention: beware of HitchHiking Ghosts! They have selected you to fill our quota, and will haunt you until you return... Now I will raise the safety bar, and a ghost will follow you home!

text: Entering the Hall of Mirrors, the Doom Buggies pass a group of three ghosts thumbing for a ride. Around the corner, in large, ornately framed mirrors, the guests see that one of the ghosts from the trio is in the carriage with them.

text: While passing through the Hall of Mirrors, the same Singing Bust spirits from the Graveyard sing a somber tune in the background while guests proceed to the exit.

text: If you would like to join our jamboree there's a simple rule that's compulsory; mortals pay a token fee; rest in peace, the haunting's free; so hurry back, we would like your company...

text: The guests then disembark their Doom Buggies and ascend back to the "living world." The last apparition they see is the tiny Ghost Hostess, also known as "Little Leota," [2] who encourages them to:

text: Hurry back... hurry back! Be sure to bring your death certificate, if you decide to join us. Make final arrangements now. We've been 'dying' to have you.

text: Magic Kingdom[edit]

text: The Haunted Mansion was an opening day attraction at Magic Kingdom in Walt Disney World, where it is part of Liberty Square. During the production and assembly of the props and audio-animatronics for Disneyland's Haunted Mansion, duplicates of everything were being made for Walt Disney World's Haunted Mansion. It was decided that the Florida version of the attraction would be slightly longer and more elaborate than its California counterpart. Paul Frees recorded additional voice-overs, including the "Ghost Host" to accompany the extra scenes in the ride.[10] Because of the ample space within the park, the attraction's show building is much larger and not restricted by any railroad berm. When passing the graveyard gates on line, five head busts (six if you count the two busts on one stand) that contain the Dread Family, a family that killed each other for wealth. The members are Uncle Jacob, Bertie, Aunt Florence Dread (née McGriffin), The twins named Wellington and Forsythia, and Cousin Maude. Bertie killed Jacob with poison from his snake, Florence killed Bertie for revenge with her gun, Wellington and Forsythia killed Florence as revenge for Florence doing a rouge shot and killing their pet canary, and Maude killed the twins with her croquet mallet. Maude accidentally killed herself by forgetting that she put matches in her hair to hold her bun together and setting a fire that killed her.

text: Tokyo Disneyland[edit]

text: The Haunted Mansion was an opening day attraction at Tokyo Disneyland, where it is part of Fantasyland. The Tokyo Disneyland version is largely a duplicate of the Magic Kingdom version, although it features some additional scenes in the beginning of the ride and did not receive the changes made in the 2007 refurbishment of the Magic Kingdom version.

text: Other versions[edit]

text: Haunted Mansion Holiday[edit]

text: Since 2001, the Haunted Mansion at Disneyland and Tokyo Disneyland is transformed into Haunted Mansion Holiday during the Halloween and Christmas seasons, inspired by Tim Burton's 1993 film The Nightmare Before Christmas. The Haunted Mansion is closed in September for a few weeks as they revamp the attraction, replacing many of the props and Audio-Animatronics with characters and themes from the movie.

text: Related attractions[edit]

text: Disneyland Paris features Phantom Manor, a "re-imagined" version of the Haunted Mansion. The house is a Western Victorian, in the Second Empire architectural style, based on the look of the Fourth Ward School House in Virginia City, Nevada. Along with the Western architectural style, the attraction uses a Western plot to fit in with the Thunder Mesa and Frontierland backdrop.

text: Mystic Manor, spiritually inspired by the Haunted Mansion,[citation needed] opened at Hong Kong Disneyland in spring 2013. Unlike the Haunted Mansion, however, it does not include references to departed spirits or the afterlife, due to differences in traditional Chinese culture. Continuing the Society of Explorers and Adventurers theme of Tokyo DisneySea, the attraction tells the story of Lord Henry Mystic and his monkey Albert. Having recently acquired an enchanted music box with the power to bring inanimate objects to life, Albert opens the box and brings all of the house's artifacts to life. The attraction's exterior is that of a large Victorian mansion in an elaborate Queen Anne architectural style, and the experience features a trackless "ride" system and a musical score by Danny Elfman.

text: In popular culture[edit]

text:
Walt Disney Pictures produced a theatrical feature film adaptation based on the attraction and starring Eddie Murphy on November 26, 2003.[6] In July 2010, Guillermo del Toro announced that he was set to write and produce a darker film adaptation based on the attraction, promising that it would be both scary and fun.[6] With del Toro leaving his animated deal with Disney in late 2010 for DreamWorks Animation, there was no word on the status of this project.[11]
In October 2005, Slave Labor Graphics began publishing a bimonthly Haunted Mansion comic book anthology, with the main recurring story (Mystery of the Manse) centered around "Master Gracey" and inspired by the sea captain concepts proposed for the attraction by Ken Anderson in the 1950s.
In the Mickey Mouse episode "Potatoland", Mickey and Donald build a theme park called Potatoland to fulfil Goofy's lifelong dream to go to the park, even though it never existed. One of the attractions featured was a version of The Haunted Mansion, based on potato horror stories.
In January 2014, Marvel Comics began publishing Seekers of the Weird, a five-issue miniseries and first under the Disney Kingdoms imprint. The miniseries was based on the Museum of the Weird, Rolly Crump's unused precursor designs for the attraction.[12] In March 2016, Marvel Comics began publishing a five-issue miniseries based on the attraction, released under the Disney Kingdoms imprint.[13]
A video game produced by Disney Interactive, TDK, and High Voltage Software was released in 2003, primarily based on the attraction but using some of the set designs from the film. The attraction appears and is referenced in other video games, including Epic Mickey and Kinect Disneyland Adventures.
In July 2014, it was announced that a cartoon special based on the attraction, animated by Gris Grimly, was being developed in honor of the 45th anniversary, to be aired on the Disney Channel and Disney XD.[14]
Madame Leota appears in the second half of the seventh season of ABC's Once Upon a Time, portrayed by Suzy Joachim.[15]
In the horror video game, Bendy and the Ink Machine, the haunted house attraction that appears in the game's fourth chapter is based on the ride.[citation needed]


document_title: List of The Cosby Show characters

question_text: who played claire huxtable's mother on the cosby show

question_tokens: who played claire huxtable 's mother on the cosby show

root

text: List of The Cosby Show characters

text: Main characters

text: Cliff Huxtable

tag: p

text:
Portrayed by
Seasons
No. of episodes

Bill Cosby
All
202 (all)

tag: table

text: Dr. Heathcliff "Cliff" Huxtable[1] is known for his comical antics, playful admonishments, and relentless teasing humor. He lives in Brooklyn Heights, New York. Cliff had a brother, James Theodore Huxtable, who died of rheumatic fever at the age of 7. In his high school and college years, he was an athlete who wrestled, played football, and ran track. He later served in the Navy before going to medical school. He is an OB/GYN who runs a practice from the office annexed to his home. In the show, most characters outside of family and friends refer to him as "Dr. Huxtable", and he is well-respected in the community.[2][3][4][5][6]

text: Cliff is married to Clair Huxtable. Both Cliff and Clair attended the fictional Hillman College. Together, they have five children: Sondra, Denise, Theodore (Theo), Vanessa, and Rudith (Rudy). Cliff enjoys live jazz, has an extensive collection of albums, and tries to eat junk food whenever he can get away with it.[7]

text: Cliff is very eccentric and silly to most people around him, especially his family, however he is very kind-hearted and an extremely dedicated father with a strong sense of humor. Although he and his wife fostered a tight-knit, loving family, a running gag throughout the series is his thwarted attempts to get the grown children to leave the house.[8]

text: Very playful, Cliff enjoys competition, often making bets with Clair over various things, such as the date a certain jazz song was released, or having a "Smooth Contest" to see which of them looked more elegant for a night on the town, as judged by the children. He also plays a monthly game of pinochle against his father and some friends, which sometimes gets very passionate. Unfortunately, Cliff often finds himself on the losing end of most of his bets and games, as, for example, he has never beaten his father-in-law at chess. However, Cliff eventually broke his losing streak at pinochle against his father and his friend Homer Dobson with the help of Dr. Foster (played by Roscoe Lee Browne), an expert pinochle player who also happened to be his and Clair's literary professor at Hillman College.

text: In the pilot episode, Cosby's character's full name is Clifford, as shown on a sign on the exterior of the house. His full name was subsequently changed to Heathcliff, even though in one episode Clair called him "Heathclifford", and he is commonly called "Cliff" throughout the series.

text: Originally, Cliff was to have worked as a chauffeur, with most of the humor coming from his interactions with customers. However, the show was changed before airing to have Cliff be a medical doctor, and the humor to come from his interactions with his family.

text: Cliff also appears in three episodes of A Different World: the pilot (with Rudy), "Rudy and the Snow Queen" (also with Rudy) and "If Chosen, I May Not Run".

text: He is the only character to appear in every episode.

text: Clair Huxtable

text:
Portrayed by
Seasons
No. of episodes

Phylicia Rashād
All
193

text: Clair Olivia Huxtable (née Hanks) is the elegantly tough, eloquent, and engaging wife of Cliff, who is known for her relaxed confidence and striking emphasis as shown.[4][1] Aside from her deep and decorated self-expression, Clair can also be playful and silly. She is an intelligent, classy, and successful businesswoman. A great debater, Clair rarely if ever loses an argument on the show, a testament to her career as lawyer. She is also highly skilled in areas of recall about facts and dates, which she uses during discussions and debates: in one episode she is shown quoting a passage and even the page number of a book during an appearance at a television roundtable. Clair is bilingual but is only shown speaking Spanish on a couple of occasions. Several episodes also showcased her singing talent. Despite her elegant brand of toughness and strictness, Clair is a very loving mother and wife. The character is loosely based upon Cosby's wife, Camille Olivia Hanks-Cosby.

text: Her age is directly stated only once during the series, and two separate episodes provide contradictory information on the age difference between herself and Cliff. He celebrates his 50th birthday during season three ("Cliff's 50th Birthday"), while she celebrates her 46th during season five ("Birthday Blues," two years later), indicating that she is six years younger. However, in the season four episode "The Locker Room," it is stated that Clair is four years younger.

text: Her character was originally supposed to be a housewife, but when the show finally aired, she became a lawyer. During the series, she becomes a partner in her law firm. As an attorney she helps her family with legal issues, and she successfully represents her eldest daughter, Sondra, in a case over dishonest car repairs. When it came to the Huxtable household, she was in charge, even though she let Cliff think he was in charge (although Cliff was known to lay down the law when he had to). She was the chief disciplinarian of the children, as shown in an episode where Vanessa and her friends sneak off to Baltimore to see a rock concert and Clair delivers a memorable and scathing diatribe to her. Another memorable moment came when the normally composed Clair lost her temper when Sondra announced she wasn't going to law school after paying her tuition to attend Princeton.

text: Clair also appears in four episodes of A Different World: "Clair's Last Stand", "Risky Business" (with Theo and Vanessa), "Forever Hold Your Peace" (with Martin and Olivia) and "Success, Lies and Videotapes".

text: Clair Huxtable has been ranked highly in several lists of the top television mothers. She was voted as television's "Favorite TV Mom" in a poll conducted by the Opinion Research Company in 2004.[9] In 2009, she was included in the Top 5 Classic TV Moms by Film.com.[10] In May 2012, Clair was one of the 12 moms chosen by users of iVillage on their list of "Mommy Dearest: The TV Moms You Love".[11] AOL named her the ninth Most Memorable Female TV Character.[12]

text: Sondra Huxtable Tibideaux

text:
Portrayed by
Seasons
No. of episodes
First appearance

Sabrina LeBeauf
2–8;
recurring in 1
53
"Bonjour Sondra"

text: Sondra Tibideaux (née Huxtable), the eldest daughter of Cliff and Clair, did not appear on screen until mid-way through season one. She did not exist in the pilot episode (Clair: "Why do we have four children?" Cliff: "Because we did not want five.") In her first appearance, she is a sophomore in college, and Cliff notes her to be 20 years old (episode 10), making her birth year 1964. She earned a degree from Princeton University and had intentions of pursuing a career as a lawyer, like her mother. She married her boyfriend, Elvin Tibideaux, in season four, and later gave birth to twins—a boy and a girl—named after Nelson and Winnie Mandela. More serious, earnest and responsible than the other children, Sondra fits many of the characteristics of the first born from a large family. Though she had her moments of bizarre thinking (e.g. dropping out of law school to open up a wilderness store with Elvin), she'd usually snap out of them relatively quickly. Because of her intelligence level and overachieving nature, she is looked upon by her parents proudly, but also is held to a higher standard than the rest of the children. Sondra appeared sporadically in early seasons of the series due to the character being off at college at the time.

text: Sondra was created when Bill Cosby wanted the show to express the accomplishment of successfully raising a child (e.g. a college graduate). Whitney Houston was considered for the role of Sondra Huxtable. Sabrina LeBeauf almost missed out on the role because she is only 10 years younger (b. 1958) than Phylicia Rashad (b. 1948).

text: The character is loosely based upon Cosby's eldest daughter, Erika, who was approximately the same age as Sondra.

text: Denise Huxtable Kendall

text:
Portrayed by
Seasons
No. of episodes
Final appearance

Lisa Bonet
1–3, 6–7;
recurring in 4&5
119
"Cliff and Jake"

text: Denise Kendall (née Huxtable) is the second daughter of Cliff and Clair Huxtable.[13] At the beginning of the series, she is sixteen years old, putting her year of birth in 1968. She loves fashion and music, but did not want to attend school to pursue either interest. She is noted as being an individual who usually wishes to march to the beat of her own drum, and often learns lessons up front for herself rather than based off the experiences of others. A two-year stint at Hillman College ends with Denise wishing to see what she can accomplish on her own, which leads her to Africa as a photographer's assistant. While there, she meets and marries Navy Lt. Martin Kendall, and also becomes stepmother to Martin's three-year-old daughter Olivia, his child from a previous marriage. Denise eventually decides to become a special education teacher and makes arrangements to attend Medgar Evers College to this effect, but that idea does not work out as Denise eventually leaves New York again when Martin is posted to Singapore on a long-term assignment. It is revealed in the series finale that she is pregnant.

text: During the first two seasons, Denise was portrayed as a very popular high-schooler, with many friends, who seemingly had a different boyfriend every episode. Along with her constantly fluctuating love life, were her various hairstyles and choices of clothing, which were occasionally made fun of by Cliff. In later seasons, however, she exhibited a more flighty nature, often expressing ideas that left Cliff and Clair greatly puzzled.

text: In season three, Denise left home to attend Hillman College, a fictional, historically African-American college, of which her mother, father and grandfather were all alumni. The Cosby Show's producers created a spin-off series, entitled A Different World, which initially dealt with the life of Denise at college. Denise was written out of the series following its inaugural season (which aired concurrently with season four of The Cosby Show), after actress Lisa Bonet became pregnant. Shortly after the start of season five, Denise traveled to Africa for a year, and there she fell in love with and married Martin. In the season six premiere, she returned home, shocking her parents with the news of her surprise marriage to a divorced single father. However, Cliff and Clair accepted the couple when they met Olivia, who immediately won their hearts and was welcomed into the family. She appears regularly during the first three seasons, and is in only four episodes each of seasons four and five (a picture of her can be seen in the opening credits of season four), she appears regularly in season six, but only appears in a handful of episodes during season seven.

text: The character is loosely based upon Cosby's daughter, Erinn, who was approximately the same age as Denise. Additionally, Denise attended Hillman College, whereas Erinn attended Spelman College, the university that Hillman is believed to be modeled after.

text: Theo Huxtable

text:
Portrayed by
Seasons
No. of episodes

Malcolm-Jamal Warner
All
176

text: Theodore Aloysius "Theo" Huxtable is the middle child and only son of Cliff and Clair Huxtable, and is athletic and obsessed with impressing girls, and obtaining a sports car or motorcycle. He is fourteen years old when the series begins, making his birth year 1970. In the pilot episode, he is lectured by his father for not applying himself at school ("I brought you in this world, and I'll take you out"). Also in the early seasons, he was somewhat of a troublemaker, as illustrated through incidents both alluded to and explicitly portrayed in the series, such as letting his best friend's younger sister pierce his ear, resulting in an infected earlobe, but his behavior had improved by the time he left high school.

text: A running theme of the early seasons revolved around Theo's academic struggles, especially in his sophomore-year geometry class, taught by Mrs. Westlake (Sonia Braga). As the seasons progressed, Theo gradually evolved from being an under-achiever to a successful high school—and college—student (in interviews, Cosby noted a similar change in his real-life son, Ennis). While Theo was a student at NYU, it was revealed that he suffered from dyslexia, a learning disability that inspired him to work harder, and as a result overcame it. By the final season, Theo was a student teacher, helping other children with dyslexia at a local education center. In the show's final episode, he graduated from NYU with a degree in psychology.

text: In the pilot, and once more in season one (the episode "Bad Dreams"), he is referred to by Vanessa as "Teddy", instead of "Theo."

text: Theo has a long-running, but on-and-off relationship with a girl named Justine, who is mentioned many times throughout the series, but appears in only nine episodes. During his high school years, Theo's best friend was Walter Bradley (Carl Anthony Payne II), better known as "Cockroach", who was more of a scholastic underachiever than Theo. The two of them would occasionally compose rap songs for various school assignments. When Theo got tickets to "Dance Mania" (a "Soul Train"-like television dance show), and only one of them was allowed into the studio, Theo let Cockroach have the spot, but did not feel good about it when he saw Cockroach on TV, and as the center of their friends' attention the next day at school. This episode marked the final appearance of the character, and Cockroach was rarely mentioned in subsequent episodes. Theo appears in the series the most out of the Huxtable children.

text: The character is loosely based upon Cosby's only son Ennis, who was approximately the same age as Theo (and was also dyslexic).

text: Theo also appears in two episodes of A Different World: "My Dinner With Theo" (with Rudy) and "Risky Business" (with Clair and Vanessa).

text: Vanessa Huxtable

text:
Portrayed by
Seasons
No. of episodes

Tempestt Bledsoe
All
157

text: Vanessa Huxtable is the fourth child and third daughter of Cliff and Clair. In season one, she is eleven years old, making her birth year 1973. As Vanessa grew up, she faced typical teenage problems and heartbreaks, such as wearing make-up before her 15th birthday in violation of her parents' rules and spending a lot of time talking on the phone with her friends. Unlike her older brother, she was an excellent student and seemed to enjoy school; at the beginning of season seven, she went off to college one year early. She became engaged in the final season to Dabnis Brickey, a man in his late twenties. Dabnis was the head of maintenance at Lincoln University in Pennsylvania, where Vanessa was enrolled. However, Vanessa realized that she was not ready to get married, and they broke off the engagement. They maintained they were "just friends" by the end of the season.

text: In the early seasons, Vanessa is usually considered to be nosy, as she usually—sneakily—tries to find out what goes on in the Huxtable house, especially when it involves someone (usually Theo) in trouble with their parents. But, in a later episode, the tables are turned, as Theo catches Vanessa's friends smoking cigarettes in her room, although Vanessa herself did not take part, and even tried to dissuade her friends from doing so.

text: She often fought with her younger sister, Rudy, over typical childish issues. At one point, their fighting caused damage to both their bedrooms and the kitchen ceiling, driving Cliff to declare their rooms off limits because of "World War Five" and exile them to the basement until repairs were finished. But, on one occasion, Vanessa got into a physical tussle with Denise over a sweater that Vanessa stole from Denise's closet after Denise did not allow her to borrow it.

text: One of Vanessa's best friends in high school was a girl named Kara (played by Elizabeth Narvaez), who could ramble on about nothing in particular at high speed. Whenever Cliff—who once referred to Kara as "Turbo Tongue"—was on the receiving end of her babbling, he would always reply with a bewildered "Thank you." Vanessa appeared sporadically in the final two seasons of the series due to the character being away at college.

text: The character is loosely based upon Cosby's daughter, Ensa, who was approximately the same age as Vanessa.

text: Vanessa also appears in the A Different World episode "Risky Business" (with Clair and Theo).

text: Rudy Huxtable

text:
Portrayed by
Seasons
No. of episodes

Keshia Knight Pulliam
All
177[14]

text: Rudith Lillian "Rudy" Huxtable is the youngest of the Huxtable children.[15] She is only five years old at the beginning of the series, making her birth year 1979. She comes of age during the course of the show.[16]

text: A number of Rudy's friends appear in episodes as the series progresses. Among the best known are the taciturn Peter Chiara who repeatedly ran out the Huxtables' front door when frightened; and the chauvinist, blues-loving Kenny, whom she nicknames "Bud", and who always gets advice from his (unseen) older brother about basically everything. This unfortunately gives him the wrong conception about certain things and gets him in trouble, although he seemed to grow out of it as the series reached its end.

text: Keshia Knight Pulliam was nominated for an Emmy for her performance in season two, becoming the youngest nominee ever.[17] One of her fellow nominees that year was Phylicia Rashad. Neither won.

text: The Huxtable family was originally going to be two boys and two girls. The youngest child, Rudy, was initially supposed to be a boy, but the character was re-written for a girl (Keshia Knight Pulliam) when no boys auditioned. Jaleel White, later known for his role as Steve Urkel on Family Matters, revealed in a 2011 interview with Vanity Fair that he had auditioned for the role of Rudy.[18]

text: The character is loosely based upon Cosby's youngest daughter, Evin, who was approximately the same age as Rudy.[19]

text: Rudy also appears in three episodes of A Different World: the pilot (with Cliff), "Rudy and the Snow Queen" (also with Cliff) and "My Dinner with Theo" (with Theo).

text: Elvin Tibideaux

text:
Portrayed by
Seasons
No. of episodes
First appearance

Geoffrey Owens
4–8;
recurring in 2&3
44
"Cliff in Love"

text: Elvin Tibideaux is Sondra's boyfriend, and later, husband. They met at Princeton, where they both earned degrees. The two constantly bickered during early episodes, until his interactions with the Huxtables, particularly Clair, challenged him to confront his "male-chauvinist" attitudes.

text: When they return from their honeymoon, they shock Cliff and Clair by announcing their intentions to forego medical school and law school, and start a wilderness supply store in Brooklyn. When his children are born, Elvin then announces that he will re-apply to medical school. This decision later convinces Sondra to resume her studies at law school.

text: Elvin was a wrestler in high school and for one year at Princeton, but had to quit after injuring his hip. During season three, he helped Theo with some strategy and moves.

text: Martin Kendall

text:
Portrayed by
Seasons
No. of episodes
First appearance

Joseph C. Phillips
6 and 7,
recurring in 8
21
"Denise: The Saga Continues"

text: Lt. Martin Kendall is a Navy officer, husband of Denise Huxtable, and father of Olivia. Phillips' role as Martin Kendall came about when Denise unexpectedly married him in Africa, unbeknownst to her parents and family. When the newlyweds arrive back home, Martin learns that Denise's family not only does not know about their marriage, they do not know about him at all, so he wants to introduce himself to the Huxtables now that he has married into their family and to show his intentions of marrying his daughter were honorable. This does not go over smoothly at first, as Clair and Cliff are uneasy with the whirlwind marriage of Martin, however in due time they become accustomed to this blended family. Kendall also had an ex-wife, named Paula (played by Victoria Rowell of The Young and the Restless). In the finale, it is revealed that he and Denise are expecting a baby together.

text: Joseph C. Phillips played Sondra's date in a season two episode, before coming back as a new character, and playing the husband of Denise. Martin appears frequently in the sixth season but is only seen in a handful episodes of the seventh season, Joseph C. Phillips's final season as a regular. Martin makes his final appearance in an episode of season eight, "Olivia Comes Out of the Closet."

text: Martin also appears in the Different World episode "Forever Hold Your Peace" (with Clair and Olivia).

text: Olivia Kendall

text:
Portrayed by
Seasons
No. of episodes
First appearance

Raven-Symoné
6–8
63
"Denise: The Saga Continues"

text: Olivia Kendall is Denise Huxtable's precocious stepdaughter, who is three years old when she first appears in the series. Olivia is the only child of Martin and Paula Kendall. After a few years of marriage, her parents divorced, and her mother, Paula, gave Martin full custody, as she felt overwhelmed by marriage and motherhood. Olivia was then raised by her grandparents and father.

text: When Olivia was almost four years old, her father Martin married Denise Huxtable, whom he met in Africa. The new family moved in with Denise's parents, Clair and Cliff Huxtable, who are now Olivia's step-grandparents. Martin, as a Naval officer, is required to travel a lot, so for a while, Olivia was unable to spend time with him. During his absences, her stepmother, Denise, raised her. Olivia continued to live with her step-grandparents while her parents were in Singapore during the final season.

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

text: Olivia also appears in the Different World episode "Forever Hold Your Peace" (with Clair and Martin).

text: Pam Tucker

text:
Portrayed by
Seasons
No. of episodes
First appearance

Erika Alexander[20]
7–8
21
"Period of Adjustment"

text: Pam Tucker is Clair Huxtable's distant cousin.[21] The daughter of a single mother, Pam comes to live with the Huxtables after her mother moved to California to take care of Pam's grandmother.[22] Upon moving in, Pam is a high school junior—younger than Vanessa, but older than Rudy. At first, she is not used to the Huxtables' upper-middle-class lifestyle or close-knit family relationships.[23] Eventually, she fits in, and becomes just another one of the Huxtable clan. Pam makes her first appearance in the fourth episode, "A Period of Adjustment," Tin season seven.

text: Frequently, Pam is shown interacting with her best friend, Charmaine Brown (Karen Malina White), and Charmaine's boyfriend, Lance Rodman (Allen Payne).

text: The character had a mixed reception.[24][25][26]

text: Recurring characters

text:
Russell and Anna Huxtable (Earle Hyman and Clarice Taylor): Cliff's parents (seasons 1–8)
Kenny, aka "Bud" (Deon Richmond): Rudy's longtime friend (32 episodes)
Charmaine Brown (Karen Malina White): Pam's best friend (13 episodes) (later became a regular on the final season of A Different World)
Winnie Tibideaux (Domonique & Monique Reynolds, Jalese & Jenelle Grays, Jessica Ann Vaughn) daughter of Sondra and Elvin (18 episodes)
Peter Chiara (Peter Costa) Rudy's friend (13 episodes)
Walter Bradley, aka "Cockroach" (Carl Anthony Payne II) Theo's best friend in high school (12 episodes)
Nelson Tibideaux (Christopher & Clayton Griggs, Darrian & Donovan Bryant, Gary LeRoi Gray) son of Sondra and Elvin (7 episodes)
Denny (Troy Winbush) Theo's high school, college friend (11 episodes)
Lance Rodman (Allen Payne) Charmaine's boyfriend (11 episodes)
Janet Meiser (Pam Potillo) Vanessa's friend (10 episodes)
Howard (Reno Wilson Theo's college friend (10 episodes)
Justine Phillips (Michelle Thomas) Theo's longtime girlfriend (8 episodes)
Kara (Elizabeth Narvaez) Vanessa's friend (8 episodes)
Stanley (Merlin Santana) Rudy's boyfriend (7 episodes)
Kim Ogawa (Naoka Nakagawa) Rudy's friend (7 episodes)
Carrie Hanks (Ethel Ayler) Clair's mother (6 episodes)
Robert Foreman (Dondre T. Whitfield) Vanessa's boyfriend (6 episodes)
Lou Hernandez (Alex Ruiz) Theo's college friend (6 episodes)
Dabnis Brickey (William Thomas Jr.) Vanessa's fiance (6 episodes)
Jeffry Engels (Wallace Shawn) the Huxtables' neighbor (5 episodes)
Smitty (Adam Sandler) Theo's high school friend (4 episodes)
Arthur Bartell a.k.a. "Slide" (Mushond Lee) Pam's ex-boyfriend (4 episodes)
Al Hanks (Joe Williams) Clair's father (4 episodes)
Aaron Dexter (Seth Gilliam) Pam's boyfriend (3 episodes)
Mrs. McGee (Elaine Stritch) Rudy's teacher (3 episodes)
Jade (Vanessa A. Williams) Theo's friend (2 episodes, season 5)
Cheryl (Vanessa A. Williams) Theo's friend (2 episodes, season 7)
Eunice Chantilly (unseen character) Cliff's former girlfriend (She is mentioned in several episodes as a foil device but never seen)

tag: ul

text: Notable guest stars

text:
Debbie Allen as Emma ("If the Dress Fits, Wear It", season 5)
John Amos as Dr. Herbert ("The Physical", season 5)
Tichina Arnold as Delores ("Theo's Women", season 5)
Angela Bassett as Mrs. Mitchell ("Mr. Quiet", season 1), and Paula ("Bookworm", season 4)
Norman Beaton as Carleton ("There's Still No Joy in Mudville" season 7)
U.S. Senator Bill Bradley as Cliff's teammate #1 ("The Boys of Winter", season 5)
Sônia Braga as Anna Maria Westlake ("Mrs. Westlake" and "An Early Spring", season 2)
Valerie Brisco-Hooks as herself ("Off to the Races", season 2)
Roscoe Lee Browne as Dr. Foster ("Shakespeare", season 4)
Red Buttons as Jake, owner of Jake's Appliances ("Cliff and Jake", season 7)
Naomi Campbell as Julia ("The Birth" and "Cyranoise de Bergington", season 5)
Betty Carter as Amanda Woods ("How Do You Get to Carnegie Hall", season 5)
Robert Culp as Scott Kelly ("Bald and Beautiful", season 3)
Sammy Davis, Jr. as Ray Palomino ("No Way, Baby", season 5)
Dave DeBusschere as Cliff's teammate #2 ("The Boys of Winter", season 5)
Plácido Domingo as Alberto Santiago ("Birthday Blues", season 5)
Teresa Edwards as Opponent #2 ("The Boys of Winter", season 5)
Yvonne Irvin as Clair's Sister ("Clair's Sister", season 2)
Al Freeman, Jr. as Ernie Scott ("Back to the Track, Jack", season 1)
Minnie Gentry as Gramtee ("The Storyteller", season 6)
Dizzy Gillespie as Mr. Hampton ("Play It Again Vanessa", season 1)
Erica Gimpel as Jennifer ("Waterworks", season 4)
Robin Givens as Susanne ("Theo and the Older Woman", season 2)
Pam Grier as Samantha ("Planning Parenthood", season 3)
Moses Gunn as Joe Kendall ("Grampy and NuNu Visit the Huxtables", season 6)
Walt Hazzard as Cliff's teammate #3 ("The Boys of Winter", season 5)
Lena Horne as herself ("Cliff's Birthday", season 1)
Iman as Mrs. Montgomery ("Theo and the Joint", season 1)
Danny Kaye as Dr. Burns ("The Dentist", season 2), in one of his last TV appearances
Alicia Keys as Maria ("Slumber Party", season 1)
B.B. King as Riley Jackson ("Not Everybody Loves the Blues", season 6)
LaChanze as Sylvia ("The Prom", season 4)
Audrey Landers as Cookie Bennett ("Cliff and Jake", season 7)
Sheldon Leonard as Dr. Wexler ("Physician of the Year," season 1)
Nancy Lieberman as Opponent #1 ("The Boys of Winter", season 5)
Miriam Makeba as herself ("Olivia Comes Out of the Closet", season 8)
S. Epatha Merkerson as Book Club Member 5 ("Bookworm", season 4)
Melba Moore as Patricia Abbott ("Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star", season 4)
Rita Moreno as Mrs. Granger ("You Only Hurt the One You Love", season 3)
Lou Myers as Mr. Davis ("You Only Hurt the One You Love", & "Andalusian Flu", season 3)
Tony Orlando as Tony Castillo ("Mr. Quiet", season 1)
Tito Puente as timbal player ("Play It Again, Russell", season 2)
Christopher Plummer as Professor Jonathan Lawrence ("Shakespeare", season 4)
Patricia Richardson as Mrs. Schrader ("Calling Doctor Huxtable", season 3)
John Ritter as Ray Evans ("Total Control", season 7)
Frank Robinson as Frank Potter ("There's Still No Joy in Mudville", season 7)
Victoria Rowell as Paula Kendall ("Cliff's Wet Adventure", season 6)
Howard "Sandman" Sims as himself ("Mr. Sandman", season 6)
Special Ed as J.T. Freeze ("Warning: A Double-Lit Candle Can Cause a Meltdown", season 8)
Bern Nadette Stanis as Carolyn Thompson ("Adventures in Babysitting", season 7)
Leslie Uggams as Kris Temple ("The Return of the Clairettes", season 7)
Blair Underwood as Denise's boyfriend (uncredited) ("Jitterbug Break", season 1), and Mark ("Theo and the Older Woman", season 2)
Mario Van Peebles as Garvin ("Clair's Sister", season 2)
Jim Valvano as John Velarde ("The Getaway", season 8)
Dick Vitale as Dan Vicente ("The Getaway", season 8)
Malinda Williams as Althea Logan ("Calling Doctor Huxtable", season 3) and Shana ("Denise Kendall: Singles Counselor", season 6)
Nancy Wilson as Lorraine Kendall ("Grampy and NuNu Visit the Huxtables", season 6)
Stevie Wonder as himself ("A Touch of Wonder", season 2)
Amy Yasbeck as Alicia Evans ("Total Control", season 7)