{{Short description|American actor (1947–2020)}} {{other people}} {{Infobox person |name = William Thomas Jr. |image = |birth_name = |birth_date = {{birth date|1947|11|8}} |death_date = {{death date and age|2020|11|14|1947|11|8}} |birth_place = Columbus, Ohio, US |occupation = Actor, Minister |website = }} '''William Thomas Jr.''' (November 8, 1947 – November 14, 2020)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/dispatch/obituary.aspx?n=william-thomas-butch&pid=197181757&fhid=40014|title=Rev. Dr. William "Butch" Thomas Jr.|website=Legacy.com |accessdate=December 11, 2020}}</ref> was an American actor. From 1991 to 1992, he played Vanessa Huxtable's fiancé Dabnis Brickey on the NBC sitcom ''The Cosby Show''. He also appeared on Broadway, and had roles in several films and television series.
==Career== Before coming to Hollywood, he appeared on Broadway in ''Godspell'', ''Your Arms Are Too Short to Box with God'', and as Jacob in the original production of ''La Cage aux Folles''.
In his early television career, Thomas portrayed Cool Charles on the critically acclaimed but short-lived 1987-1988 CBS comedy-drama ''Frank's Place'', which starred Tim Reid and his wife Daphne Maxwell Reid. He also portrayed Det. William Donald Potts on Steven Bochco's widely panned 1990 ABC musical-drama ''Cop Rock''.
From 1991 to 1992, in one of his most well-known roles, Thomas played Vanessa Huxtable's fiancé Dabnis Brickey on the NBC sitcom ''The Cosby Show'', during the eighth and final season.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Evans |first1=Erin |title=The Cosby Show: Where Are They Now? |url=https://www.theroot.com/the-cosby-show-where-are-they-now-1790868420 |website=The Root |date=19 September 2014 |accessdate=30 October 2019}}</ref> He later played Mr. Laskin on the "My Big Brother" episode of ''Family Matters'', as well as appearing in episodes of ''The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air'', ''Star Trek: The Next Generation'', ''Home Improvement'', ''Hangin' with Mr. Cooper'', and ''The West Wing''. Thomas also appeared on ''The Bold and the Beautiful'' in 2005 as an INS agent.
His movie credits included ''Mambo Kings'' (1992), ''Bruce Almighty'' (2003), and ''Surviving Christmas'' (2004).
==Personal life and death== Thomas was also an ordained minister. Bill was married to Rev. Dr. Michael Kosik, also a pastor. He died on November 14, 2020 at age 73 after a series of health issues.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://disciples.org/obituaries/william-bill-thomas-jr/|title=William "Bill" Thomas, Jr.|website=disciples.org |accessdate=November 15, 2020}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * {{IMDb name|0858435}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Thomas, William Jr.}} Category:1947 births Category:2020 deaths Category:American evangelists Category:American male television actors Category:Male actors from Columbus, Ohio Category:20th-century African-American male actors Category:20th-century American male actors Category:21st-century African-American male actors Category:21st-century American male actors
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