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.
In his early twenties, he appeared on many well-known variety programs including “The Ed Sullivan Show” (1948). 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. Mr. Cosby studied for many years during his career in the 1960s and 1970s, and he received a Doctorate in Education from the University of Massachusetts.
In 1984, ‘Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids’ stopped production, and “The Cosby Show” (1984) commenced. 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.
Mr. Cosby was dissatisfied with the way African Americans 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.
