Acclaimed actor Earle Hyman died Thursday at the age of 91, as first reported by Broadway Black.
It is not yet known how he died, but his nephew Rick Ferguson confirmed to the Hollywood Reporter that the celebrated actor died at the Lillian Booth Actors Home in Englewood, N.J.
The Emmy-and Tony-nominated actor had a career that spanned over five decades. But he is best known for his role as Russell Huxtable, the former jazz-playing father to Bill Cosby’s Heathcliff Huxtable in the The Cosby show. He received a 1986 Emmy nomination for outstanding guest performer in a comedy series for his work on the Cosby episode “Happy Anniversary.”
He was also the voice of Panthera for five seasons of the animated series “Thundercats.”
Hyman played a number of stage roles in Broadway shows like Anna Lucasta, The Merchant of Venice, No Time for Sergeants, Mister Johnson, and Saint Joan among others. He was nominated for a Tony Award for featured actor in a play for his performance as Oscar in the original 1980 production of Edward Albee’s The Lady From Dubuque.
Hyman was the son of schoolteachers. Born on Oct. 11, 1926, in Rocky Mount, N.C., he was raised in Brooklyn.
He is survived by nieces and nephews Rick, Derryl, Cassandra, Yvette and Monica.
May he rest in power.