Misplaced Pages

Bill Cosby

Article snapshot taken from Wikipedia with creative commons attribution-sharealike license. Give it a read and then ask your questions in the chat. We can research this topic together.

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Srgntfeeluup (talk | contribs) at 01:51, 14 September 2008 (→In the 1990s and 2000s). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Revision as of 01:51, 14 September 2008 by Srgntfeeluup (talk | contribs) (→In the 1990s and 2000s)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)
This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
Find sources: "Bill Cosby" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (May 2008) (Learn how and when to remove this message)
Bill Cosby
Birth nameWilliam Henry Cosby, Jr.
Born (1937-07-12) July 12, 1937 (age 87)
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
MediumStand-up, film, television, print
NationalityAmerican
Years active1962–present
GenresObservational comedy, Improvisational comedy,
Physical comedy
Subject(s)Childhood, Family, Parenting, Marriage, Aging, Everyday life
SpouseCamille Hanks (1964–present) (5 children)
Notable works and rolesAlexander Scott in I Spy
Host and voices in Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids
Himself in Bill Cosby: Himself
Dr. Heathcliff Huxtable in The Cosby Show
Websitewww.BillCosby.com

William Henry Cosby, Jr. (born July 12, 1937) is an American comedian, actor, author, television producer and activist. He later starred in his own series, The Bill Cosby Show, in the late 1960s. He was one of the major characters on the children's television show The Electric Company for its first two seasons, and created the humorous educational cartoon series Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids, about a group of young friends growing up in the city. Cosby also acted in numerous films.

During the 1980s, Cosby produced and starred in what is considered one of the decade's defining sitcoms, The Cosby Show, which lasted eight seasons from 1984 to 1992, and is still in syndication. The sitcom highlighted the experiences and growth of an upper middle-class African-American family.

In the 1990s, Cosby starred in Cosby, which first aired in 1996, hosted Kids Say the Darnest Things, which began in 1998, and appeared in a number of movies. He has also appeared on the stand-up circuit.

His good-natured, fatherly image has made him a popular personality and garnered him the nickname of "America's Dad". He has also been a sought-after spokesman for products like Jell-O Pudding and Kodak Film.

Early life

nigger

The Bill Cosby Show and the 1970s

nigger

The Cosby Show and the 1980s

nigger

In the 1990s and 2000s

NIGGER

Personal life

Cosby met his wife Camille Hanks while he was performing stand-up in Washington, D.C., in the early 1960s, and she was a student at the University of Maryland. They married on January 25, 1964, and had five children: daughters Erika Ranee (b. 1965), Erinn Chalene (b. 1966), Ensa Camille (b. 1973), and Evin Harrah (b. 1976), and son Ennis William (1969-1997). His son Ennis was shot to death while changing a flat tire on the side of the Interstate 405 in Los Angeles on January 16, 1997.

Bill Cosby is an active alumni supporter of his alma mater, Temple University, and in particular their men's basketball team, whose games Cosby frequently attends (particularly during the team's glory days under coach John Chaney, who is a close friend of Cosby).

Cosby is a huge Philadelphia Eagles fan. Recently, when both the Eagles' starting and backup quarterbacks were injured, Cosby sent some of his old football gear to head coach Andy Reid, joking he was ready to play if needed.

Cosby also attends many public events, such as the 100th Millrose Games at Madison Square Garden in New York on February 2, 2007.

Cosby enjoys cigars, a hobby he picked up from Groucho Marx, one of his comedy influences.

Cosby is also a noted pen collector, and often frequents several well-known fountain pen stores; he is the spokesperson for Fountain Pen Hospital.

Cosby maintains homes in Shelburne, Massachusetts and Cheltenham, Pennsylvania.

Bill Cosby also has been hosting the Los Angeles Playboy Jazz Festival since 1979.

The Playboy Jazz Festival in Los Angeles 2007. Bill Cosby is on stage.
This article contains a list of miscellaneous information. Please relocate any relevant information into other sections or articles. (August 2008)

The Pound Cake speech and other comments on moral values

Main article: Pound Cake speech

In May 2004 after receiving an award at the celebration of the 50th Anniversary commemoration of the Brown v. Board of Education ruling, the U.S. Supreme Court's decision that outlawed school segregation, Cosby made public remarks critical of African Americans who put higher priorities on sports, fashion, and "acting hard" than on education, self-respect, and self-improvement. He has made a plea for African American families to educate their children on the many different aspects of American culture (Baker). According to the Washington Times, he has had a long history of endeavors to advance African Americans (DeBose, Brian).

In "Pound Cake", Cosby, whose doctorate degree is in education, asked that African American parents begin teaching their children better morals at a younger age. He directed this address to the leaders in the lower and middle economic classes of the African-American community (see main article). Cosby told reporters of the Washington Times, "Parenting needs to come to the forefront. If you need help and you don't know how to parent, we want to be able to reach out and touch" (DeBose, Brian). Richard Leiby of the Washington Post reported, "Bill Cosby was anything but politically correct in his remarks Monday night at a Constitution Hall bash commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Brown vs. Board of Education decision."

Cosby again came under sharp criticism, and again he was largely unapologetic for his stance when he made similar remarks during a speech in a July 1 Rainbow Coalition meeting commemorating the anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education. During that speech, he admonished blacks for not assisting or concerning themselves with the individuals who are involved with crime or have counter-productive aspirations. He further described those who needed attention as "blacks had forgotten the sacrifices of those in the Civil Rights Movement." The talk was interrupted several times by applause and received praise from leaders such as Jesse Jackson.

As of 2008 Cosby continues to lecture to black communities (usually at churches) about his frustrations with certain problems prevalent in underpriveleged urban communities such as taking part in illegal drugs, teenage pregnancy, Black Entertainment Television, high school dropouts, anti-intellectualism, gangsta rap, vulgarity, thievery, offensive clothing, vanity, parental alienation, single parenting and failing to live up to the ideals of Frederick Douglas, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the African American ancestors that preceded Generation X. Cosby criticizes African Americans that associate his ideals with race treachery.

Albums

Books

  • Fatherhood (1986) - ISBN 0-425-09772-2
  • Time Flies (1987) - ISBN 0-553-27724-3
  • Love and Marriage (1989) - ISBN 0-553-28467-3
  • Childhood (1991) - ISBN 0-399-13647-9
  • Kids Say the Darndest Things (1998) - ISBN 0-553-58126-0
  • Congratulations! Now What? A Book for Graduates (1999) - ISBN 0-7868-6572-5
  • American Schools: The 100 Billion Dollar Challenge (2000) - ISBN 0-7595-5000-X (with Dwight Allen Ed.D.)
  • Cosbyology: Essays and Observations from the Doctor of Comedy (2001) - ISBN 0-7868-6810-4
  • I Am What I Ate...and I'm Frightened!!! (2003) - ISBN 0-06-054573-9
  • Friends of a Feather (2003) - ISBN 0-06-009147-9
  • Come On People: On the Path from Victims to Victors (2007) - ISBN 1-59-555092-5 (with Alvin F. Poussaint M.D.)

References

  1. Welkos, Robert W. (2007-07-24). "Funny, that was my joke". The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2008-05-04. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  2. Celebrating honors and achievements "Commencement 2007- Carnegie Mellon University"
  3. Yale Bulletin and Calendar Vol 31, No 31. June 6, 2003.
  4. http://www.haverford.edu/commencement/cosby.htm
  5. "BIOGRAPHY OF BILL COSBY". John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Retrieved 2007-02-23.
  6. "Retiring College President Lee Eliot Berk and Bill Cosby Honored at Berklee College of Music's 2004 Commencement" (Press release). Berklee College of Music. 2004-05-08. Retrieved 2007-02-23. {{cite press release}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
General References
  • DeBose, Brian (September 9, 2004). ""Cosby urges leaders to aid black families"". The Washington Times. Retrieved 2007-11-04.
  • Leiby, Richard. "Publications with a Cannes-Do Attitude." Washington Post. May 19, 2004: 3.
  • Morano, Marc. "Bill Cosby was hounded by President Nixon." World Entertainment News Network. May 1, 2000. 2 Mar 2006. www.imdb.com
  • "Segregated Expectations" USA Today. May 15, 2003: 12.
  • Wu, Frank H. "Brown at 50: Keeping Promises." Black Issues in Higher Education. May 20, 2004: 49
  • "Biography — William Henry "Bill" Cosby, Jr". Biographies in Naval History. Naval Historical Center, Department of the Navy. June 22, 2006. Retrieved 2007-11-04.

External links

Please use a more specific IMDb template. See the documentation for available templates.

Please use a more specific IBDB template. See the documentation for available templates.

Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series
1954–1975
1976–2000
2001–present

Template:Persondata {{subst:#if:Cosby, Bill|}} [[Category:{{subst:#switch:{{subst:uc:1937}} 

|| UNKNOWN | MISSING = Year of birth missing {{subst:#switch:{{subst:uc:LIVING}}||LIVING=(living people)}}
| #default = 1937 births

}}]] {{subst:#switch:{{subst:uc:LIVING}} 

|| LIVING  = 
| MISSING  = 
| UNKNOWN  = 
| #default =

}}

Categories: