Bill Cosby
Bill Cosby has been the Honorary Chairman of the Thelonious Monk Institute since 1986. He made his television debut in “I Spy,” which was the first in a string of successes that have marked Cosby’s career in television. He has since recorded 21 chart-topping comedy albums, written two best-selling books, and appeared in dozens of films and television shows. “The Cosby Show,” which ran from 1984 to 1992, is considered one of the most influential hit prime-time sitcoms. Cosby went on to produce the spin-off, “A Different World,” which ran for seven successful seasons.