Although Earle Hyman is perhaps best remembered for his role as lovable grandfather Russell Huxtable on "The Cosby Show," he'd had a prolific and wide-ranging career well before playing the sitcom father of an actor only eleven years his junior. Hyman enjoyed a 46-year-long career on Broadway, where, in 1980, he was nominated for a Tony for his role in Edward Albee's "The Lady From Dubuque" (via IMDb).
A number of his stage performances are available on video, including his compelling turns in The Old Globe Theater's 1986 production of "Richard II," as Cicero in 1979's "Julius Caesar," and in the 1979 production of "Coriolanus," which starred Morgan Freeman in the title role.
In addition to bringing Shakespeare to life on stage and playing Othello a number of times, Hyman also portrayed the cursed Scottish king "Macbeth" in the 1968 television adaptation. In 1982, Hyman landed the role of retired actor James Tyrone in Eugene O'Neill's "A Long Day's Journey into the Night," where he starred alongside actor, playwright, and Civil Rights activist, Ruby Dee.
Hyman played the warm and lovable Grandpa Huxtable on "The Cosby Show" from 1984 to 1992, and received an Emmy for his role in the show's award-winning episode, "Happy Anniversary." The North Carolina native was 91 and living in Englewood, New Jersey at the time of his death in 2017 (via Hollywood Reporter).
