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Bill CosbyAdd to My CelebsAge 74 Birthday Jul. 12th, 1937 Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA Height 6' 1" |
Bill Cosby's Main TV Roles |
Main Movie Roles2002 - Comedian1997 - 4 Little Girls 1996 - Jack 1993 - The Meteor Man 1992 - Malcolm X 1990 - Ghost Dad 1987 - Leonard, Part 6 1983 - Bill Cosby: Himself 1981 - The Devil and Max Devlin 1978 - California Suite 1976 - Mother, Jugs & Speed 1975 - Let's Do It Again 1974 - Uptown Saturday Night |
NOTE: Complete List of Works can be found at IMDB
William H. Cosby Jr. was born on July 12th, 1937, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and for over thirty years, he has been one of the world's most respected and well-known entertainers and comedians. After tenth grade, Cosby joined the Navy and completed high school through a correspondence course. He later took up an athletics scholarship at Temple University, supporting himself during his studies by tending bar, where his easy-going style and witty joking with the clientèle prompted suggestions that he try stand-up comedy. This he did and was soon to be discovered by the legendary Carl Reiner.
In his early twenties, he appeared on many well-known variety programs including "Toast of the Town" (1948) (aka "The Ed Sullivan Show"). His big break came in 1965 when he appeared as "Alexander Scott" in "I Spy" (1965), winning numerous Emmys for his performance. He later appeared in "The Bill Cosby Show" (1969), playing a teacher, although originally the show only lasted for two years. He then created a Filmation cartoon based on many of his high school buddies including Weird Harold, Dumb Donald, Mushmouth, and others: the show was, of course, "Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids" (1972). The theme was humorous but also focused on Cosby's more educational side. He studied for many years during his career in the 1960s and 1970s, and he received a doctorate in Education from the University of Massachusetts. Cosby also starred in some highly successful movies such as Uptown Saturday Night (1974), Let's Do It Again (1975), A Piece of the Action (1977), Mother, Jugs & Speed (1976), and California Suite (1978). During his early years he also made some comedy albums that sold very well; his most notable comedy song being "Little Old Man." He was one of the original cast members of "The Electric Company" (1971), and he was featured in the series "Pinwheel" (1979) during the late 1970s and then appeared in the mediocre The Devil and Max Devlin (1981).
In 1984, 'Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids' stopped production, and "The Cosby Show" (1984) commenced. The show was originally intended to follow a blue-collar family, but finally ended up portraying a white-collar family. It was originally rejected by ABC, accepted by a then-floundering NBC, and was an almost instant success. From 1985 to 1987 the show broke viewing records, with Cosby becoming perhaps the strongest driving force in television during the eighties. Despite this great success, he arguably created his own downfall. The Cosby Show led what was considered by many at that time to be the best night of television: the line-up included "Night Court" (1984), "Hill Street Blues" (1981), and "Family Ties" (1982), which all followed The Cosby Show.
Cosby was dissatisfied with the way minorities were portrayed on television. He produced the TV series "A Different World" (1987) and insisted that this program should follow the Cosby Show, rather than Family Ties. A Different World was set in an historically Black college and concentrated on young people and education. Impact was felt on the show immediately; at its peak, the Cosby Show logged an estimated 70 million viewers. However, after the scheduling reshuffle, the show lost roughly 20% of its massive audience. However, Cosby was still riding high in the early nineties until massive competition from "The Simpsons" (1989).
The Cosby Show finally ended in 1992, conceding to "The Simpsons" (1989), with the final production considered to be one of the highest-rated shows of the season and featured a pleading Cosby asking for peace in riot-torn Los Angeles during the height of the Rodney King (I) riots. Cosby never seemed able to top the success of the Cosby Show; his film Leonard Part 6 (1987) was considered to be one of the worst American films in history and may have contributed in part to his downfall as a film actor, along with his performance in Ghost Dad (1990). He did attempt a minor comeback in 1996 starring in the Robin Williams (I) film Jack (1996), which was directed by Francis Ford Coppola; and in another show, "Cosby" (1996), (starring Phylicia Rashad, who appeared as his wife in the previous Cosby Show). Since then he has produced films such as Men of Honor (2000), and shows including "Little Bill" (1999).
Sadly, his son Ennis was murdered in 1997. Throughout the years, Bill Cosby has taken a socially conscious tone, often associated with family values, coupled with a distinctly urban spin on his style. He will go down in entertainment history as one of the most successful and most respected entertainers in the world.
TRIVIA:
- (2003) Grand marshal, Tournament of Roses parade
- Dyslexia ran in the Cosby family. Bill didn't inherit it, but brother 'Russell Cosby' (qv) did (not finding out until he was an adult). Bill's son Ennis was dyslexic, but overcame it well enough to graduate from college.
- Holds a Doctorate in Education.
- Did not submit himself for Emmy consideration during the eight-year run of _"The Cosby Show" (1984)_ (qv).
- Sang on a number of albums in the 1970s.
- Played as Running Back for Temple University (Philadelphia, PA, USA) football team during the 1962-64 seasons.
- All his children name's start with the letter E for excellence
- In addition to numerous best-selling comedy albums over the years, for which he won several Grammy awards, Cosby had a top-40 hit as a singer in 1969 with "Little Old Man."
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