Bill Cosby
Bill Cosby is, by any standards, one of the most influential stars in America today. Whether it's through concert appearances or recordings, television or films, commercials or education, he has the ability to touch people's lives. His humor often centers on the basic cornerstones of our existence, seeking to provide an insight into our roles as parents, children, family members, and men and women. Bill Cosby's comedy has a point of reference and respect for the trappings and traditions of the great American humorists such as Charlie Chaplin, Will Rogers, W.C. Fields and Groucho Marx.
The 1984-92 run of "The Cosby Show" and his books Fatherhood and Time Flies established new benchmarks on how success is measured. His status at the top of the TVQ survey year after year continues to confirm his appeal as one of the most popular personalities in America. Bill Cosby's believability and humor makes him most effective as the spokesman for Jell-O. His lifelong contributions to American culture were recognized with a Kennedy Center Honor in 1998 and the Presidential Medal of Freedom in July 2002.
Today, Bill Cosby has touched the hearts of a new generation of young children with his "Little Bill" animated series, which airs daily on Nickelodeon and Saturday mornings on CBS. The show is based on Cosby's popular children's books. His interest in young people also spawned his best-selling book, Congratulations! Now What?, which contains his amusing yet wise take on college life and what lies ahead for the new graduate in the real world.
Friends of a Feather, a HarperCollins book to be released in May, is his most recent children's book. Illustrated by his daughter, Erika, it is a beautiful story that deals with self-esteem.
In November 2001, Bill Cosby released Cosbyology, a book based on his own life experiences and personal observations including childhood, marriage, aging and all else that lies in-between. His bestselling book Fatherhood is currently in development as an animated series with Nickelodeon.
Bill Cosby's initial immediate success began with "Bill Cosby Is A Very Funny Fellow, Right?" and continued with many other comedy albums. He also has released a number of jazz recordings, including "hello, friend: to ennis with love" (released in 1997). Bill Cosby has earned five Grammy Awards for best comedy album.
Bill Cosby represents the voice of a vast, ordinary world. Everyone seems to easily identify with his characters and the situations they find themselves in. He gives the twist of the ridiculous to everyday faults, foibles and successes and makes them a recognizable slice of life. Bill Cosby points out the humor in our lives, and in doing so, he touches our hearts. Because of this, his appeal is not restricted to any specific group. His qualities have endeared him to people from all walks of life.
It is the fusion of these qualities that has resulted in one of television's biggest and most influential hits of the modern era, "The Cosby Show." The show was credited by many for single-handedly resurrecting the sitcom genre. Cosby's return to television after eight years was prompted by what he perceived as a lack of relevance and an abundance of superficiality in TV comedy programming. Week after week of #1 ratings and the almost unanimous critical acclaim only confirms that others agree with his opinion. Life Magazine wrote:
"Cosby's success may have changed the game as well as the scores. Before his show hit the air, many viewers had rejected prime time television as an electronic wasteland of crime, slime, glitz and glands...What Cosby offered instead was a gentle, whimsical, warm-hearted sitcom about family life that found humor in the little things that happen in every home and everlasting value in the love and trust that exist between parents and children...Nobody actually says this family represents the whole human family, but the delicious ordinariness of its pleasures and tribulations has given millions a fresh, laughter-splashed perspective on their own domestic lives."
His success on television, which had been a catalyst in promoting NBC to first place, has been matched in other areas. In 1986 he broke Radio City's 53-year-old attendance record for his concert appearance. In 1987 wife Camille Cosby produced a home video cassette called Bill Cosby: 49 which was distributed by Kodak and sold in the hundreds of thousands. A comedy album on Geffen Records, Those of You With or Without Children, You'll Understand, sold close to a million copies, an almost unheard of phenomenon today for a comedy record.
In the publishing world, Bill Cosby has shattered records with each of his books. Fatherhood, published by Doubleday/Dolphin in May of 1986, became the fastest-selling hardcover book of all time. It remained for over half of its fifty-four weeks on the New York Times Best Seller List as #1. It has sold 2.6 million hardcover copies and 1.5 million paperbacks (published by Berkeley).
His next Doubleday/Dolphin title, Time Flies, had the largest single first printing in publishing history -- 1.75 million copies. Like its predecessor, it too remained at the top of the New York Times list. Bantam Books published the paperback version in the fall of 1988 and received the same rights for Love and Marriage.
Love and Marriage, was published by Doubleday/Dolphin in April of 1989 and covered everything from childhood romances and adolescent crushes to first love, dating and courtship, the ebb and flow of relationships and the rewards of marriage.
Childhood (published by Putnam in 1991), deals with the predicaments of growing up and coming of age, combining stories of his legendary childhood with comic insights about children of today.
Exercising his deep concern with projecting positive images of African Americans, Cosby together with partners Tom Werner and Marcy Carsey, produced "A Different World" on NBC for seven seasons. In his partnership, they also put on the air "Here and Now" (starring Malcolm-Jamal Warner) for NBC and the revival of the classic Groucho Marx show, "You Bet Your Life," for first run syndication. They re-teamed again with the CBS sitcom "Cosby," which ran from 1996 to 2000.
At one point in the 1999-2000 television season, Cosby had three series running simultaneously--"Cosby," "Kids Say the Darndest Things" (1996-2000) and Nickelodeon's "Little Bill." Cosby's other television credits during the last decade included "The Cosby Mysteries," a series on NBC, broadcast during the 1994-5 season, and the CBS television movie "I Spy Returns," co-starring his original partner Robert Culp.
With over thirty years in comedy, Bill Cosby is for many young comedians the man who wrote the textbook. What Cosby teaches is to approach the monologue as a screenwriter looks at real life, bringing to each story the structure and body of a complete work. The Cosby student will also learn that one does not have to use offensive language or risqué topics to obtain laughs. According to Cosby, "Anyone should be able to say on stage what they want. But those who have knowledge, do understand that certain things on stage can be abused and misused. And if such topics are used just for laughter, the humor will not stand the test of time."
Cosby is, without a doubt, the best-selling comedian of all time on records. During the mid-sixties Cosby had as many as six albums on the charts at one time. Ten of Cosby's albums have been certified Gold Records and five have been certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).
Cosby made his motion picture debut in a powerful and dramatic role in the film Man and Boy, which was set in the post-Civil War era. He teamed with his "I Spy" partner, Robert Culp, for Hickey and Boggs. Cosby has co-starred with Sidney Poitier and Harry Belafonte in Uptown Saturday Night and in the sequel Let's Do It Again. Cosby joined Raquel Welch in Mother, Jugs and Speed. He also starred in an animated film, Aesop's Fables. Cosby and Sidney Poitier rejoined to co-star in their third film together, A Piece of the Action. He then teamed with Richard Pryor in a starring role in California Suite.
It was during Cosby's nightclub circuit period (when he was first getting started) that Carl Reiner caught his act in Pittsburgh and introduced Cosby to producer Sheldon Leonard, who signed him to star in the "I Spy" series. The series, about two spies disguised as tennis bums, was an instant smash hit on TV. Cosby's I Spy role as co-star broke the racial barrier of television. Before the series ended, he had won three Emmy Awards. It was a historic moment in casting when a black man was placed along side a white man as his equal and it created international interest in the show and in Bill Cosby. After "I Spy," "The Bill Cosby Show" followed on NBC in 1971. In September 1976 Cosby hosted another variety show called "Cos," this time on ABC.
In addition, Cosby has filmed numerous television specials, starred in NBC-TV's Children's Theater and PBS-TV's "The Electric Company" (the latter created by the Sesame Street Children's Television Workshop) and has written, directed and produced two educational TV shows ("Concern," dealing with his concern for school children and "Prejudice," an irreverent spoof of prejudiced hang-ups). His production company also turned out two animated specials featuring his lovable gallery of childhood pals. In the early 80's, Cosby hosted Picture Pages on "Captain Kangaroo's Wake Up" program on CBS. Today, the instruction Cosby leads, which is designed to develop readiness skills in pre-school children, is available on home video by Disney. The series was awarded the Gold Award at the 1981 International Film & TV Festival in New York as "Outstanding Children's Program."
Someone up there touched Bill Cosby with the gift of comedy when he was born in Philadelphia on July 12, 1937, the son of William and Anna Cosby. He has two younger brothers, Robert and Russell. It didn't take Cosby long to begin making up gags and practicing routines on his mom and dad. His appreciative audience of one, his mom, always encouraged his inventive performances of everyday household happenings.
Cosby attended Wister Elementary School along with his pals Fat Albert, Old Weird Harold, Dumb Donald, Rudy, Nolan and Weasel -- all later immortalized by Bill Cosby's comedy routines. When school was out, they could all be found romping through the "projects" (four massive suburban tenement buildings with a cement playground in the center) or under the Ninth Street Bridge. It was there that Cosby acquired his athletic skills and his lifetime love of sports. Cosby's sixth grade teacher must have sensed his genius when she wrote on his report card, "William is a boy's boy, an all-around fellow, and he should grow up to do great things."
About his high school sports career, Cosby humorously claims, "I was on the ninth grade football team which was made up of me and ten other guys from the remedial gym class. All we had to do was look at the parallel bars, and they gave us a 'D'. I never got into the game and I had to give my jersey to the guy who'd had his ripped."
He often neglected his studies for athletics and, after repeating the tenth grade, he left school to join the Navy. He finished high school via a correspondence course while still in the service. When he was discharged, he enrolled at Temple University as the result of an athletic scholarship where he earned academic honors. His goal was to become a physical education teacher. He probably could have made it as a professional football player, but the world is richer in laughter because he decided on show business.
To support himself during his college days, Cosby tended bar at night, where he found a ready-made audience for his brand of homegrown humor. The enthusiasm of his customers convinced him that he might have a chance as a comedian.
His first stage appearance (for $5 a night) was at a night spot called "The Underground" in a small room named "The Cellar." It didn't have a stage, so Cosby did his act on a table with a chair propped on it. He not only had to climb over the bar to get to the "stage," but he couldn't stand up because of his height. He was probably the world's first "sitdown" comedian.
The beatniks were "in" at that time in New York's Greenwich Village, and word of Cosby's comedy spread from Philly. A club called "The Gaslight" booked him for sixty dollars a week, and he was on his way.
His routines rocked audiences with laughter at the top clubs around the country. Many of his expressions became part of the jargon of this generation, like his famous drawn-out "riiiiiiiiight." He established a rare rapport with all audiences. He talked about his youth in Philadelphia where two guys on the block shared one broken-down auto, crashed parties, cowered from trouble, and constantly scrimped around to raise the 19 cents they needed for gas for their car and the 14 dollars they needed for oil.
About his performances Cosby says, "I feel that in-person contact with people is the most important thing in comedy. While I'm up on stage, I can actually put myself into the audience and adjust my pace and timing to them. I can get into their heads through their ears and through their eyes. Only through this total communication can I really achieve what I'm trying to do."
As busy as he is with his many ventures, Cosby has been a crusader throughout his career for a better world and for better understanding between people. Besides his involvement with a host of charity organizations, Cosby is also an active trustee of his alma mater, Temple University of Philadelphia. As philanthropists, Bill and Camille Cosby have made substantial gifts in support of education (most notably to predominantly African American colleges) and to various social service and civil rights organizations.
In addition, Cosby earned a Masters Degree in Education (M. Ed.) in 1972 and his Doctorate in Education (Ed. D.) in 1977 from the University of Massachusetts. His doctoral thesis was titled "The Integration of Visual Media Via Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids Into the Elementary Schools Culminating as a Teacher Aid to Achieve Increased Learning."
Cosby's been busy raising a family, too. He married the former Camille Hanks on January 25, 1964, while she was still a student at the University of Maryland. They raised four daughters (Erika, Erinn, Ensa and Evin) and one son (Ennis Cosby). The family resides in New England.
When speaking of Camille, Cosby has urged an amendment to the saying, "Behind every good man there's a good woman." He suggests that "behind" should be substituted by "Three miles ahead." Camille has not only raised five children, but has also been totally involved in her husband's career. She produced his last album and taped two concerts over the past few years. She has received her doctorate in education and plays an active role in a number of important national organizations.
Camille has enjoyed great success with the best-selling book Having Our Say: The Delany Sisters' First 100 Years. First she produced the property as a Broadway play and then as a television movie. The play was nominated for three Tony Awards and the television film won a Peabody Award. Camille also produced a one-hour sociological documentary film No Dreams Deferred, which aired on over 150 public television stations. When Oprah Winfrey debuted her new magazine in April 2000, she chose Camille Cosby as her very first interview.
On the evolution of his own style of comedy, Cosby states that he was drawn at an early age to the masters of jazz: Charlie Parker, Louis Armstrong, Charlie Mingus and Miles Davis. Through their musical example, Cosby learned to emulate in comedy their ability to take an idea and continually find new and innovative ways of expressing the same theme.
When Cosby and his pals yelled at the top of their lungs under the Ninth Street Bridge, the echo could be heard for blocks. The legacy of Cosby's comedic genius continues to make sure that those echoes will continue to be heard around the world.
Reviews
The Best Way to Play
Bill Cosby
Illustrated by Varnette P. Honeywood
This brightly illustrated story for beginning readers is the latest in the "Little Bill"series written by Bill Cosby and including a message for parents by Dr. Alvin F. Poussanint. Little Bill , Andrew, Kivu and Fuchsia like to watch cartoons on Saturday morning. Their favorite show is Space Explorers. They yearn for the new Space Explorers video game and finally Andrew's parents are talked into buying it for him. Little Bill and his friends take turns playing the game but soon become bored. They realize they have had more fun playing their own version of Space Explorers outside, in an empty lot. "The Best Way to Play" encourages children to rely less on TV and video games for their amusement and more on their creativity and imagination. The message is presented in an appealing manner for kids. 1997, Scholastic Cartwheel, $3.99 paperback (hardcover $13.95). Ages 6 to 10. Reviewer:Carolyn Mott Ford
ISBN: 0-590-13756-5
ISBN: 0-590-95617-5
The Block: Poems
Langston Hughes
Collage by Romare Bearden
Selected by Lowery S. Sims and Daisy Murray Voigt
Introduction by Bill Cosby
Sections of Rearden's six-panel collage, "The Block," form the backdrop for twelve Langston Hughes poems celebrating the vitality of the culture that spawned the Harlem Renaissance. This is definitely a book that adults will need (and want!) to read with their children; the longer poems, in particular, contain difficult language, some mature themes, and images that may have to be teased slowly out of the text. But there probably are few more rewarding uses of your time than working your way through this magnificent book together with your child. Hughes is one of the finest poets of this century; these selections give a clear sense of his ability to capture the joys and trials of urban life. Rearden's Harlem collages are beautiful, complex, and provocative. 1995, Viking, $15.99. Ages 12 up. Reviewer: Andrea Brott
ISBN: 0-670-86501-X
Best Books:
Adventuring with Books: A Booklist for Pre-K--Grade 6, 1997 ; National Council of Teachers of English; United States
Best Books for Young Adults, 1996 ; American Library Association-YALSA; United States
Kaleidoscope, A Multicultural Booklist for Grades K-8, Second Edition, 1997 ; National Council of Teachers of English; United States
Middle And Junior High School Library Catalog, Eighth Edition, 2000 ; H.W. Wilson; United States
Publishers Weekly Book Review Stars, November 1995 ; Cahners; United States
The Day I Was Rich
Bill Cosby
Illustrated by Varnette P. Honeywood
While playing baseball in the park with his friends, Little Bill finds what he thinks is the biggest diamond in the world. By the time he and his friends have decided what they'll do with their fortunes (Bill is going to give a million dollars to each of his friends), they learn that diamonds do not say on the bottom, "Made in Taiwan." The children cope with their disappointment by laughing at their gullibility. A letter to parents from psychiatrist Alvin F. Poussaint introduces this book aimed at beginning readers. The story and illustrations are serviceable, but prosaic. Part of the "Little Bill" series. 1999, Scholastic Cartwheel, $15.95. Ages 6 to 7. Reviewer: Linnea Hendrickson
ISBN: 0-590-5217-21
ISBN: 0-590-52173-X
Friends of a Feather, One of Life's Little Fables
Bill Cosby
Illustrated by Erika Cosby
Inspired by a visit to the Island of Guana, the author, a noted comedian, actor and educator, tells the story of Slipper, a seabird who ruled on a rock near the island. Although Slipper was something special, people came from miles around to see another bird, Feathers. Feathers was unusual because of his coloring and his size. Folks loved watching Feathers dive, and swoop and gather fish from the ocean. Another Pelican-like bird named Hog, liked to challenge Feathers in his daring feats, but the people just didn't seem to notice the plain-colored bird. Feathers warned Hog to be careful as he performed his daring acts to get peoples' attention. One day when Hog was flying daringly too close to the rock, the wind blew him into it. Hog injured his wing and had to be rescued by Feathers. Feathers tried to straighten Hog's wing but Hog was afraid. Feathers assures him that he cares about him and that he shouldn't perform just to entertain others. They promise to be good friends and look out for each other. Later, Hog tries some daring feats just to tease Feathers, but reassures that he has learned his lesson about showing off to impress others. The story seems a bit wordy and long for its intended audience and could have ended when Feathers and Hog agree to be friends forever. The watercolor and cutout illustrations, while colorful, seem stilted and lifeless in this story about birds in flight. 2003, HarperCollins, Ages 5 to 7, $16.95.
Reviewer: Meredith Kiger
ISBN: 0-06-009147-9
Hooray for the Dandelion Warriors!
Bill Cosby
Illustrated by Varnette P. Honeywood
Little Bill and his friends are excited. Baseball season is starting and they are going to form a team. Little Bill is sure that he will play second base, until a new player arrives on the scene. Simone is good, but to Little Bill's chagrin, Simone is a girl. The ensuing family interaction shows Dad to be a bit of a chauvinist, but Mom is understanding and great-grandmother is really wise. She gives Little Bill her comments and helps to change his negative thinking. There is also a battle between the sexes regarding the choice of team name. It is all resolved neatly and perhaps a bit unrealistically. 1999, Cartwheel/Scholastic, $15.95 and $3.99. Ages 5 to 8. Reviewer: Marilyn Courtot
ISBN: 0-590-52191-8
ISBN: 0-590-52194-2
Best Books:
The Best Children's Books of the Year, 2000 ; Bank Street College of Education; United States
The Meanest Thing to Say
Bill Cosby
Illustrated by Varnette P. Honeywood
Little Bill is confronted by a new boy at school with the intention of being mean under the guise of a name calling game. Bill is saved by the recess bell and has the evening to prepare his mean things to say. With some strategy from Dad, Bill turns the table on the verbal bully with embarrassing either party. The tactic presented may not always be successful but it does show young readers that there are ways to interact with other children without losing face or resorting to violence. It is part of the "Little Bill" series. 1997, Scholastic, $13.95 and $3.99. Ages 4 to 7. Reviewer:E. L. Thomas
ISBN: 0-590-13754-9
ISBN: 0-590-95616-7
Best Books:
Recent and Relevant Children's Books, 1997 ; American Visions; United States
Money Troubles
Bill Cosby
Illustrated by Varnette P. Honeywood
Little Bill wants to become famous by discovering a comet and having it named after him. But first he needs money to buy a telescope. Readers will enjoy Little Bill's ingenuity as they join him in various moneymaking escapades in this selection in the "Little Bill" series of Books for Beginning Readers. Bold and bright illustrations accompany the delightful text, which has a social message to convey. Little Bill becomes famous, but not in the way he had intended when he set out to discover a comet. 1998, Cartwheel Books/Scholastic, $3.99. Ages 5 to 10. Reviewer: Jeanne K. Pettenati
ISBN: 0-590-16402-3
ISBN: 0-590-95623-X
Best Books:
Adventuring with Books: A Booklist for Pre-K--Grade 6, 12th Edition, 1999 ; National Council of Teachers of English; United States
My Big Lie
Bill Cosby
Illustrated by Varnette P. Honeywood
Introduction by Alvin F. Poussaint
One of the "Little Bill" series, this entry suggests that when you tell a fib and own up to it, your parents will still love and support you. Bill tells his story from his room where he's been sent to read The Boy Who Cried Wolf and think about its message. It seems he was too busy playing to come home and so he makes up a story about getting in a strange man's van to give him directions. When Dad is about to report this to the police, Bill admits to his fib and is punished. As usual, a didactic note from psychologist Alvin Poussaint tells parents what this story teaches children. Honeywood's bright-colored, stylish paintings resemble collage shapes and convey the action with a pleasing minimum of detail. 1999, Cartwheel/Scholastic, $3.99. Ages 6 to 9. Reviewer: Susan Hepler
ISBN: 0-590-52161-6
ISBN: 0-590-52160-8
One Dark and Scary Night
Bill Cosby
Illustrated by Varnette P. Honeywood
Little Bill can't go to sleep. His imagination has run wild and the lights and sounds are surely coming from monsters hiding in his closet, just waiting to pounce on him. He runs into his parents' room, but they soon have him back in his own bed. Still unable to sleep and getting more frightened Bill runs to his great grandmother, Alice the Great. She helps him overcome his nighttime fears using her magical tucking in trick. The story is not new, but the relationship between Little Bill and Alice the Great is a warm and reassuring one. It may help kids who also have nighttime fears. The illustrations by Honeywood are bright and amusing. 1999, Cartwheel/Scholastic, $3.99. Ages 6 to 10. Reviewer: Marilyn Courtot
What is in the closet? What is on the roof? What is making the white lights on my wall? Little Bill is having a hard time falling asleep at night. He feels the monsters are out to get him. Mom and Dad try to convince him there is nothing in his closet, but little Bill does not believe them. After many sleepless nights, great-grandma comes to the rescue. She tells little Bill her secret for keeping the monsters away. (Little Bill Books for Beginning Readers) Fiction. 1999, Cartwheel Books, Unpaged, $15.95. Grades 2. Reviewer: Leticia Nino (Heart of Texas Reviews (Vol. 12, No. 2))
ISBN: 0-590-51475-X
ISBN: 0-590-51476-8
Added 06/01/03
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