The Last of Us - 2023 - S01 E09

Cosby is an American television sitcom that aired on CBS from September 16, 1996, to April 28, 2000. The program starred Bill Cosby (in his final series) and Phylicia Rashad, who had previously worked together in the NBC sitcom The Cosby Show (1984–1992). Madeline Kahn portrayed their neighborly friend, Pauline, until her death in 1999. The show was adapted from the British sitcom One Foot in the Grave.

Set at the corner of 33rd Ave and 1539 Blake St.[1] in Astoria, Queens, Cosby portrayed grumpy Hilton Lucas, a New York City man forced into early retirement from his job as an airline customer service agent. His wife Ruth was again played by Phylicia Rashad. Initially, Telma Hopkins was cast as Ruth Lucas; however, she was recast after she reacted poorly to Cosby's tendency to ad lib. The couple had one daughter, Erica Lucas, initially portrayed by Audra McDonald and later portrayed by T'Keyah Crystal Keymáh. Doug E. Doug played Griffin Vesey, a foster son the Lucas family took in when he was younger. Griffin occasionally tried to win Erica's affections, but they decided just to remain friends when in the fourth and final season, Darien Sills-Evans portrayed Darien Evans, Erica's fiancé/husband. Jurnee Smollett also joined the cast as 11-year-old Jurnee, whom Hilton adored.

The show was based on the concept from the BBC series One Foot in the Grave, starring Richard Wilson and Annette Crosbie. David Renwick, the creator and writer of One Foot in the Grave, was listed as a consultant of Cosby. One Foot in the Grave was notable for containing dark humor for a mainstream sitcom. The tone was significantly lightened for Cosby, although certain controversial scenes, such as a scene in which the lead character incinerates a live tortoise, albeit by accident, were recreated.[2]

When the show was under development for CBS, it's working title was Not Dead Yet (not to be confused with the short-lived 2023-2024 ABC sitcom of the same name respectively), featuring Glenn Plummer as Griffin Vessey and Audra McDonald as Erica Lucas. Madeline Kahn and Phylicia Rashad were the only cast members to survive the pilot episode. The unaired theme by Benny Golson was recorded as a jazz standard while congas and harmonica were later added for the uptempo salsa mix. Telma Hopkins auditioned for the role of Ruth Lucas and won. However, she was replaced shortly before filming the pilot.

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