From watching Benson, I really enjoyed Robert Guillaume. From watching him, I loved his naturalness, sense of humor, wit, charm and nurturing sense. I saw similarities between him and Bill Crosby. Do any of you? I do. But I like Robert better. He doesn't seem like a know-it-all like Bill Crosby. Do any of you think Robert would have made a better Heathcliff Huxtable?

I think you mean Bill COSBY. Both are fine comedic actors but with very different backgrounds. Cos began as a standup comic before landing the role
in I SPY (the first lead dramatic role in a series for an African-American actor).
Guillaume is also an excellent actor. But Benson's personality is more abrasive
than Cliff's. So it is hard to imagine anyone else as Cliff Huxtable. Besides,
many of the episodes actually incorporated elements of Cosby's comedy
monologues about his real-life family. He was also the producer. After all,
the title of the show was THE COSBY SHOW. It would be like someone else
playing Andy Taylor on THE ANDY GRIFFITH SHOW.

Gosh, tough choice. I would have to say Cosby. Guillaume is a gr8 actor but I wasn't a huge fan of Benson. Liked him on Soap and the Broadway stuff, but felt the writing on Benson was too "one-liner".

Does anyone else think that Soap was the last of the quirky, mold breaking sitcoms (Like Maude, All in the Family, Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman)in the 80s for awhile? After that we got Benson, Facts of Life, Different Strokes, Gimme A Break, Webster.

Just a thought that the landscape changed in the 80s.

...both Robert and "Cos" had great timing and peerless delivery of sarcastic lines- say, if a character told each of them concerning another character they can't stand, "He really does have a heart of gold"....

"Dr. Huxtable" would say, "I don't have the time to go panning for 'fool's gold', I have a patient waiting for me to tap his kneecap and break it, just so he can get out of paying my fee!".

"Benson" would say, "About 95% of it is 'Bakelite'!".

:)

Benson

I used to think Bill Cosby played Benson till I realized that it was Robert Guillaume.

I am a RG fan, not so much BC although I give him credit for having the courage and convictions to speak his mind.

RG/Benson. He even replaced Michael Crawford on Broadway as Phantom of the Opera!! There was quite a backlash about that, but he silenced his critics. Nothing against BC, but he was never a favorite of mine. I did like him in Fat Albert and Picture Pages, though. He was also spokesman for Safety Town when I was a kid!! :D

What about Phill Lewis? He's kinda like RG and BC. Especially as Mr. Marion Moseby from the Suite Life of Zack and Cody. LOL!