Cosby's distinctive sweaters to be auctioned off for charity

Some regular dads could look a bit like iconic TV patriarch Bill Cosby this Father's Day, following the charity auction of a trio of sweaters by the actor and comedian's daughter.

Cosby's daughter, Evin,is selling three of her famous father's distinctive sweaters worn during filming of hishit TV series The Cosby Show on eBay in June.

The opening price is set at $5,000 US for the three colourful, geometric sweaters, with bidding open from June 2-12.

Evin Cosby said her mother and father discovered the sweaters recently while cleaning out a closet.

"I pounced on these sweaters," she said on Thursday, adding that she hoped the auction could raise significant funds for her father's charity.

"The price of what some of these sweaters might sell for could make a big difference in the lives of thousands of children."

Proceeds will go to the Hello Friend/Ennis William Cosby Foundation, a nonprofit organization benefitting educational programs. The group is named after the comedian's only son, who was pursuing doctoral studies in education when he was killed in 1997.

Broadcast from 1984 to 1992, The Cosby Show starred Bill Cosby as Heathcliff Huxtable, a doctor and patriarch of a large, upper-middle class family living in Brooklyn.

Though the show didn't typically tackle race issues in its storylines, the popular sitcom was hailed for paving the way for a greater representation of African-Americans on U.S. television.