PORTLAND – Legendary actor/comedian Bill Cosby, fondly known as “The Cos” to millions nationwide, will perform Feb. 11 at Merrill Auditorium. This will be his third appearance at Merrill.

Tickets to the 5 and 8 p.m. shows are $57.50. They are available at the Merrill Auditorium box office, online at www.porttix.com and by phone at (207) 842-0800. Tickets went on sale in June and are still available.

Born William H. Cosby Jr. July 12, 1937, the comic legend grew up in Philadelphia, Pa., in extreme poverty. Desperate to leave the city, Cosby dropped out of school before graduation and joined the Navy.

After eventually earning his degree through correspondence courses, Cosby won a football scholarship to Temple University, where he attended school during the day and bartended at night. His innate ability to converse with his customers and make them laugh was what ultimately led him to pursue a career in comedy.

What originally set “The Cos” apart from his comedic peers was his refusal to make racial jokes or use profanities. Instead, his act was usually filled with a conversational theme based on childhood recollections and the like. His family-friendly comedic style soon made him a success. His debut record – “Bill Cosby is a Very Funny Fellow…Right!” – was nominated for a Grammy in 1963. Cosby went on to release several successful records throughout the years.

Cosby’s first acting role was with the hit series “I Spy,” making him the first black actor to star in a TV drama. His hit TV show, “The Cosby Show,” came out in 1984, shot to the No. 1 slot on the Neilsen Ratings in its first season and had an eight-season run.