Comedian, author, actor, producer, musician, educator, activist and Emmy winner Bill Cosby is coming to Iowa State tonight to perform a stand-up act to hundreds of his fans.

Cosby began his stand-up career in the early 1960s, traveling from cities like New York, Chicago and Las Vegas. He gained national exposure when he appeared on NBC’s “The Tonight Show” in 1963.

In 1965 Cosby was cast in the NBC television show “I Spy,” in which Cosby was the first black to co-star in a dramatic television series. The show quickly became a hit on television and Cosby continued to do stand-up on the side. Cosby won three Emmys for “I Spy” in 1966, 1967 and 1968.

Cosby also hosted the Saturday morning show “Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids,” which spawned many other series throughout the 1970s and 1980s. 

Cosby’s most popular television show, “The Cosby Show,” premiered on NBC in 1984. It became one of the highest viewed sitcoms of all time. “The Cosby Show” was the first television show to show an African-American family in a middle class setting that featured both parents with college educations and multiple children, as well as being financially successful. 

In the 1990s and 2000s, Cosby continued to tour stand-up as well as be featured in many films and television series.

“An Evening with Bill Cosby” will be at Stephens Auditorium Friday, Oct. 18, at 7:30 p.m. Single seats are available for $77.20 via Ticketmaster.