Elliot Shoenman Movies
- 1986
Sonia Braga guest stars as Mrs. Westlake, aka "The Dragon Lady", the mercilessly strict and demanding math teacher who has made Theo's life miserable in school. When Mrs. Westlake asks to meet Cliff (Bill Cosby), Theo (Malcolm-Jamal Warner) is worried that he is flunking her class. But during a dinner at the Huxtables, Mrs. Westlake not only reveals that she's actually a very pleasant human being under the right circumstances, but also that she has a pleasant surprise in store for those nearest and dearest to her. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1986
Danny Kaye guest stars as Dr. Burns, a puckish dentist who tries his best (and then some) to allay the fears of Rudy's friend Peter (Peter Costa) when the boy balks at sitting in Burns' chair to have a toothache treated. And back at the Huxtable house, Cliff (Bill Cosby) suffers sleep deprivation thanks to the loud and incessant outrage expressed by Clair (Phylicia Rashad) over a newspaper article. This episode was originally telecast on a Sunday, rather than The Cosby Show's usual Thursday-night timeslot, as a lead-in to the NBC miniseries Peter the Great. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1985
Cliff (Bill Cosby), Clair (Phylicia Rashad) and the children put on an elaborate show in honor of Grandpa Russell and Grandma Anna's (Earle Hyman, Clarice Taylor) 49th wedding anniversary. The festivities include a lip-synched rendition of Ray Charles' Night Time is the Right Time, and tons of lavish presents. Russell and Anna are thrilled and touched, but they are reluctant to accept Cliff's biggest gift of all: an expensive European cruise. "Happy Anniversary" has been cited by TV Guide as one of the "best TV episodes ever"--and who are we to argue? ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1985
As Season Two of The Cosby Show commences, the children in the Huxtable household prepare for the coming school year with a mixture of fear and apprehensiion--especially Theo (Malcolm-Jamal Warner), who must now contend with a math teacher who is legendary for her "take no prisoners" approach to learning. Conversely, Cliff and Clair Huxtable (Bill Cosby, Phylicia Rashad) could not be happier to get the children out of the house--and as part of their celebration, the couple indulges in their annual, elaborate "freedom" ritual. Although she does not appear in this episode, Sabrina LeBeauf is now listed among the regulars as the Huxtables' eldest daughter Sondra. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1985
Yvonne Erwin guests as Clair's sister Sarah, who shows up at the Huxtables to announce her engagement. Helpfully, Clair (Phylicia Rashad) and her mother Carrie (Ethel Ayler) volunteer to give Sarah sage advice on married life. Before long, all three women are laughing hysterically--and Cliff (Bill Cosby) is not only annoyed by this, but also by the fact that they abruptly stop laughing the minute he enters the room! Elsewhere, Cliff struggles manfully to beat his father-in-law (played by singer Joe Williams) at chess. A young Mario Van Peebles appears in this episode, which is highlighted by Joe Williams and Phylicia Rashad's soulful rendition of "We Belong Together". ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1985
Although Cliff (Bill Cosby) has perenially guessed what he will receive for his birthday, this year Clair (Phylicia Rashad) and the kids conspire to surprise him with something totally unexpected. However, Clair is careful not divulge her plans to son Theo (Malcolm-Jamal Warner), knowing how easily Cliff can break the boy down. The story's denoument is not only surprising for Cliff, but also significant in the life of daughter Denise (Lisa Bonet). Guest star Lena Horne sings "I'm Glad There Is You" in this final episode of The Cosby Show's immensely successful first season. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1985
Diane (Shelley Long) is pleasantly surprised when Sam (Ted Danson), who never does anything for free, agrees to pitch in a charity softball game. But it's neither pleasant nor surprising for Diane when it turns out that the opposing team is comprised of Playboy Bunnies. Unfortunately for his love life, Sam's competitive instincts win out over his libido. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1985
Halloween proves to be a most eventful occasion for the Huxtable family. For starters, Cliff (Bill Cosby) reluctantly agrees to wear a costume to take Rudy (Keshia Knight Pulliam) trick-or-treating. And then, Vanessa (Tempestt Bledsoe) invites Robert Foreman (Dondre T. Whitfield in his series debut), the "coolest seventh-grader" in her school, to her Halloween party. Though Cliff manages to survive his ordeal, Vanessa is so overwhelmed by Robert's presence that she ends up embarrassing herself in front of all her friends (well, ALMOST all). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1984
The family can't understand why Cliff (Bill Cosby) is behaving in such an eccentric fashion, tooling around the house in the oldest clothes he can find. It turns out that Cliff is on the verge of giving an object lesson, which culminates with his hauling out the many inappropriate Father's Days gifts that he's received over the years, but that he had never asked for nor even used. Suggesting that the kids put just little more thought into their future gifts, Cliff encourages them to start shopping around immediately--even though it's the second week of December! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1984
The series that literally rescued the moribund situation comedy genre from oblivion, NBC's The Cosby Show made its first appearance on September 20, 1984. By the time its first season was over, the series was the second-highest-rated program in the country, enabling NBC to build a brand-new sitcom empire with such popular offerings as Frasier, Seinfeld, and Friends. Bill Cosby was of course the creator of the series, in concert with the Carsey-Werner Company, whose later efforts included Roseanne, 3rd Rock From the Sun, and That '70s Show. Cosby played the leading character, Dr. Cliff Huxtable, a successful obstetrician who lived in a fashionable Brooklyn townhouse with his attorney wife, Clair (played by Phylicia Ayers-Allen, later billed as Phylicia Rashad). The couple's children included daughters Sondra (Sabrina Le Beauf), Denise (Lisa Bonet), Vanessa (Tempestt Bledsoe), and Rudy (Keshia Knight Pulliam) and son Theo (Malcolm-Jamal Warner). Among the many other characters were Cliff's dad, Russell (Earle Hyman), and mom, Anna (Clarice Taylor); Sondra's boyfriend -- and later husband -- Elvin Tibedeaux (Geoffrey Owens); Theo's pal Cockroach (Carl Anthony Payne II); Rudy's friends Peter (Peter Costa) and Kenny (Deon Richmond); Vanessa's boyfriend Dabnis (William Thomas Jr.); Clair's second cousin, Bedford-Stuyvesant refugee Pam Turner (Erika Alexander); and Pam's friends Slida (Mushond Lee), Charmaine (Karen Malina White), and Lance (Allen Payne). Also, after briefly leaving the series to star in her own series, A Different World, Lisa Bonet returned in the role of Denise, then-married to Lt. Martin Kendall (Joseph C. Phillips) and stepmother of Martin's daughter, Olivia (Raven-Symone). Increasing the number of family members were Sondra and Elvin's twin children, Winnie and Nelson, played during the series' final season by Jessica Vaughn and Gary Gray. Unlike many sitcoms with African-American casts, The Cosby Show did not overemphasize its racial aspects, nor did it traffic in stereotypical characters or dialogue. Put simply, the Huxtables could have been any upper-middle-class family of any color, and it was their normality and universality that made the series a hit with viewers from all ethnic groups. The winner of innumerable industry awards, and America's top-rated sitcom for a remarkable five years in a row, The Cosby Show finished its network run on September 17, 1992, and has been a welcome fixture in the syndicated-rerun field ever since. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Bill Cosby, Phylicia Rashad, (more)
