Veteran stage and TV actor Earle Hyman, best known for playing the grandfather on The Cosby Show, passed away on November 17, 2017 at the age of 91. Jordan Strohl, a representative for The Actors Fund, confirmed his death.  

Hyman made his Broadway debut as a teenager in Run, Little Chillun in 1943. He later joined the American Negro Theater and went on to become a charter member of the American Shakespeare Theater. Additional stage credits for Hyman included playing the role of Rudolf in Anna Lucasta, lead roles in Othello and Moon on a Rainbow Shawl, a West End production of A Raisin In the Sun, and The Lady From Dubuque. The latter role earned Hyman a Tony nomination in 1980. He also won a Theatre World Award and the St. Olav’s medal. 

Along with his stage credits, Hyman appeared in film adaptation of Macbeth, Julius Caesar, and Coriolanus. Between 1985 to 1990, Hyman provided the voice of Panthro on the animated television series ThunderCats. He also starred on Hallmark Hall of Fame and The United States Steel Hour, as well as playing two roles (at separate times) on The Edge of Night. Across his long career, Hyman is best remembered for his Emmy-nominated role of Russell Huxtable on NBC’s The Cosby Show. 

Several actors he worked with have expressed their thoughts on his passing, including Keisha Knight-Pulliam who played Hyman’s granddaughter on The Cosby Show, wrote on Instagram: “We have gained another angel.”