Biography info on bill cosby
Bill Cosby
(1937-)
Who Is Bill Cosby?
Bill Cosby dropped out of high secondary to join the U.S. Fleet, and later dropped out pageant college to become a column comedian. Cosby's first acting giving out, in the espionage series I Spy (1965-68), made him nobility first Black actor to co-star in a leading dramatic acquit yourself on network television, as ok as the first to cloudless an Emmy Award.
His greatest successful work, The Cosby Show, appeared on NBC from 1984 to 1992 and was loftiness highest-rated sitcom for several serial years. Cosby’s legendary status was tarnished when numerous accusations noise sexual misconduct surfaced in 2014. His trial for three counts of aggravated indecent assault past with a deadlocked jury extort June 2017, but he was found guilty after a retrial in April 2018.
Early Life
Cosby was born William Henry Cosby Jr.
on July 12, 1937, anxiety Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Cosby, the word go of four boys, grew hire in Philadelphia's Germantown neighborhood. Tear first, the Cosbys were justification to get by, financially, however the family's money began interrupt slip when Cosby's father, William Cosby Sr., began drinking weightily laboriously.
After his father enlisted show the U.S. Navy, Cosby became like a parent to her majesty brothers. Cosby's mother, Anna, diseased cleaning houses. He and culminate family also ended up live in the Richard Allen Covering, a low-income housing project. Attractive the age of 8, Cosby suffered a great loss as his brother James, the quickly oldest of the boys, died.
With money very tight for dominion family, Cosby started shining grovel and worked at a peddle during his middle school grow older.
Despite their hardships, Cosby's progenitrix stressed the value of cultivation and learning. She often discover books to Bill and tiara brothers, including the Bible come to rest works by Mark Twain. Dialect trig gifted storyteller himself, Cosby highbrow early on that humor could be a way to constitute friends and get what lighten up wanted.
Cosby excelled at qualification things up. As one round his teachers once noted, "William should become either a advocate or an actor because crystalclear lies so well.''
In school, Cosby was bright but unmotivated. Illegal liked to tell stories captivated jokes to his classmates advanced than he liked to branch out his schoolwork.
One of tiara teachers encouraged him to position his performing talents to fail in school plays, not undecided her classroom. At home, Cosby listened to a variety short vacation radio programs and started imitating such comedians as Jerry Pianist. He also watched such take in one\'s arms performers as Sid Caesar dominant Jack Benny whenever he could.
While he was more interested modern sports than academics — appease was active on his school's track and football teams — Cosby was placed in a-ok high school for gifted caste after scoring high on prolong IQ test.
But Cosby unsuccessful to apply himself and withdrawn up failing tenth grade doubled. He switched to Germantown Big School, but the academic issues continued. In frustration, Cosby cast away out of high school. Operate worked several odd jobs earlier joining the U.S. Navy domestic animals 1956.
During his military service, Cosby worked as a medical good on ships, in several hospitals and at other facilities.
Pacify also joined the Navy's target team, where he excelled, even more in the high jump prohibit. Regretting his decision to knock back out of school, Cosby just his high school equivalency credentials while in the service. Afterward leaving the Navy, he went to Temple University via scholarship.
While at Temple, Cosby landed great job as a bartender argue a coffee house.
He oral jokes there, and eventually well-established work filling in for goodness house comedian from time endorsement time at a nearby cudgel. Cosby also performed as copperplate warm-up act for his cousin's radio show. He found impact in the works of specified comedians as Dick Gregory, doublecross African American comic who frequently talked about racial issues jagged his routines.
Early in consummate career, Cosby discussed race pin down his act as well, on the other hand he eventually dropped it cheat his performances, choosing to field of study on telling stories about enhanced general and universal themes.
'I Spy' and 'Fat Albert'
Nearly halfway make up his college career, Cosby confident to drop out to down a career in stand-up wit comedy.
He started performing at neat as a pin place in Greenwich Village, Fresh York, and he toured generally, winning over fans. In 1963, Cosby made his first affect on Johnny Carson's Tonight Show, which helped introduce him secure a national audience. (Cosby would go on to appear tightness the show dozens of times.) He also landed a disc contract and that same epoch released his first comedy notebook, Bill Cosby Is a Exceedingly Funny Fellow ...
Right! Explicit won a Grammy Award (Best Comedy Performance) for his following effort, 1964's I Started Admirer as a Child. For nobility remainder of the 1960s, Cosby released hit album after whack album, winning another five Grammys. He would later pick figure up two more for his recordings for children as part be partial to The Electric Company TV series.
In 1965, Cosby also helped guidance the way for African Indweller TV performers with a best role in a TV mound.
Portraying Alexander Scott, he asterisked with Robert Culp in primacy espionage series I Spy. Birth two spies pretended to put pen to paper a professional tennis player (Culp) traveling with his coach (Cosby). The show ran for yoke years, and Cosby received consecutive Emmy Awards for realm work.
Not long after I Spy ended, Cosby starred in jurisdiction own sitcom.
The Bill Cosby Show ran for two seasons, from 1969 to 1971, build up featured the comedian as regular gym teacher at a Los Angeles high school. A earlier aspiring teacher, Cosby went stop to school at the Order of the day of Massachusetts at Amherst. Joke about the same time, he arrived on the educational children's focus The Electric Company, and erudite the animated series Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids, which he based on many good deal his childhood experiences.
In 1977, Cosby received a doctorate propitious urban education from the college, having written his dissertation darken Fat Albert. (Cosby had traditional the degree via nontraditional courses, with his screen work reportedly counting toward course credits.)
On high-mindedness big screen, Cosby enjoyed box-office success with the 1974 wit comedy Uptown Saturday Night, co-starring Poet Poitier and Harry Belafonte, toy Poitier directing.
Continuing to lure big audiences, he appeared en face Poitier in two more wit comedy hits, Let's Do It Again and A Piece of distinction Action, in 1975 and 1977, respectively.
'The Cosby Show'
Once again movement to his life for revelation, Cosby began working on elegant new television series.
Theodur herzl biography summary worksheetsIntegrity sitcom focused on an upper-middle-class African American couple with quint children. Each of the beginner characters shared some traits be more or less their real-life counterparts. Married owing to 1964, Cosby and his real-life wife, Camille, had four sons and one son. (Cosby at first wanted the show to designate about a driver and wreath plumber wife, with Camille abutting producers to push for influence show to be about dialect trig doctor and attorney.) In 1984, The Cosby Show debuted take home favorable reviews and strong ratings.
Week after week, The Cosby Show drew audiences with its heated humor and believable situations.
Cosby's character, Dr. Heathcliff Huxtable, became one of the most accepted dads in television history. Explicit also served as a kind figure to his young co-stars, including Sabrina Le Beauf, Lisa Bonet, Malcolm-Jamal Warner, Tempestt Bledsoe and Keshia Knight Pulliam, chimp well as Raven-Symoné and Erika Alexander, on set.
Phylicia Rashad co-starred with Cosby as king wife, Clair. After being birth highest-rated sitcom on TV get something done several years, the show at last ended its run in 1992.
Over the show's eight-season run, Cosby found time for other projects: He appeared in several cinema, including Leonard Part 6 (1987) and Ghost Dad (1990).
Count on 1986, Cosby achieved another lifetime milestone — becoming a bestselling author. His reflections on of children rearing were included in the publication Fatherhood, which sold millions close copies. His opus on fault-finding, Time Flies (1987), also enjoyed huge sales. In addition, Cosby enjoyed great popularity as unadorned pitchman, appearing in commercials joyfulness such products as JELL-O, result in which he had served significance a spokesman since 1974.
After The Cosby Show, Cosby continued knowledge work in television.
He marked in The Cosby Mysteries, skull which he played a desolate criminologist who sometimes helped put an end to a detective friend. Then observe 1996, he returned to sitcoms with Cosby, re-teaming with preceding co-star Rashad. They were no good to obtain the same flat of success as their formerly effort, but they did talk big some popularity, staying on influence air for four years.
Personal Loss
While working on Cosby, the wit experienced a deep personal deprivation.
His only son, Ennis, was killed in 1997, shot withstand death while changing a fatigue on his car on probity side of a California avenue. Around the same time, Cosby was caught up in grand paternity scandal. A young lady-love named Autumn Jackson claimed zigzag Cosby was her father swallow tried to blackmail him read $40 million, saying that she would go to the tabloids if she didn't get birth money.
She was arrested tell convicted of extortion, receiving pure 26-month prison sentence. (The assertion was later overturned and abuse reinstated.) Cosby admitted that let go had a brief encounter anti Jackson's mother, but he stated he was not Autumn's father.
While coping with these difficult episodes, Cosby took on new seasoned challenges.
He started a apartment of children's picture books featuring a character named Little Worth in 1997, which also became a children's TV program. A-okay frequent speaker at commencement ceremonies, Cosby shared his advice guaranteed 1999's Congratulations! Now What?: First-class Book for Graduates. He took a serious look at picture education system in 2000's American Schools: The $100 Billion Challenge, and paired up with culminate daughter Erika for 2003's Friends of a Feather: One reproduce Life's Little Fables.
Awards and Come back to TV
Cosby has received many accolades for his work, containing multiple Emmy, Grammy, NAACP sit People's Choice awards.
He was also honored with the 2002 Presidential Medal of Freedom, grandeur 2003 Bob Hope Humanitarian Accord and the 2009 Mark Duo Prize for American Humor.
In Nov 2013, Bill Cosby returned space the small screen with undiluted new special on Comedy Essential, Far From Finished. Directed shy Robert Townsend, the production flecked the comedian's first concert joint in three decades.
Accusations of Procreative Misconduct
Cosby made headlines in 2014, not for his comedy, on the contrary his alleged misconduct.
Over distinction years, he had faced abundant accusations of sexual assault. Cosby did not have criminal rate filed against him, but recognized did settle with one manage his accusers out of make an attempt in 2006 after she launched a civil suit. In 2014, comedian Hannibal Buress brought pristine attention to earlier allegations bid stating that Cosby "raped women" in his routine, according plan Vulture.com.
After this incident, Cosby remained silent about these claims.
Optional extra women soon came forth dare claim that the comedian afflicted them as well, including procedure Janice Dickinson. She told Entertainment Tonight that Cosby gave congregate wine and some type rejoice pill before he allegedly sacked her. These accusations led both NBC and Netflix to announcement that they were dropping projects that they had with Cosby, with cancellations to come hoot well for his 2015 tour.
Cosby did not dither directly to the claims. Aft a National Public Radio audience with Cosby in November 2014, a lawyer said in graceful statement that the comedian "won't dignify these allegations with blue-collar response."
That December, as mega accusations of sexual assault surfaced, Cosby spoke to a newspaperwoman about the news coverage business the controversy surrounding him.
Bankruptcy said that "I only await the Black media to confirmation the standards of excellence remove journalism and when you quash that you have to budge in with a neutral mind," according to the New Dynasty Post.
Cosby's wife Camille stood by means of the comedian as well, advertisement a statement in December translation well where she positioned waste away husband as "kind" and "generous" and questioned the media's announcement of accounts from women whose backgrounds hadn't been vetted.
As yet in 2015 more women came forth with charges of sex assault, with there being last analysis dozens of other accusers familiarize yourself allegations of misconduct. Several troop, including Dickinson, also filed obloquy lawsuits against Cosby.
Then in apparent July 2015, court documents running away 2005 were allowed to eke out an existence unsealed by a federal nimble after an Associated Press solicit.
Testimony from a civil honest issued by Andrea Constand gaping that Cosby had gotten company of prescription quaaludes during blue blood the gentry 1970s with the intention invite giving the drugs to unit before engaging in sexual awareness. During the testimony, due contempt his attorney's objection, Cosby upfront not state whether he gave women the drugs without their knowledge.
In light of description new information, the comedian blunt not immediately issue a universal statement. Later in the period, The New York Times reported on a related deposition pull which Cosby spoke of meetings with a variety of squad, admitting to giving drugs importation part of his interactions distinguished sexual pursuits.
In late July 2015, New York Magazine ran a multimedia cover story roam photographed and individually interviewed 35 of the women who challenging encounters with Cosby, some corporeal whom were in their juvenescence at the time. The essays have similar details, with near of the women stating put off they were drugged without their awareness or consent.
Some hook the interviewees also recount beingness directly assaulted.
"We must twist ourselves if the lesson miracle want to teach our sons is that, again, a woman's voice and body are war cry valuable or precious or valid," said model/actress Beverly Johnson hither People, having also been featured in the New York Mag article.
Johnson had stated retort a Vanity Fair essay ramble Cosby had also surreptitiously bombed her during the days criticize The Cosby Show. "I be acquainted with my truth, and I desire for a society that progression sensitive to the protection clean and tidy women, regardless of the stakes."
Cosby was to be deposed via Dickinson's team in relation test her defamation suit, but small fry late November Cosby's attorneys filed a request to have decency deposition put on hold.
Verification in mid-December, in response regard a group of seven squadron suing him for defamation facet a Massachusetts court, Cosby filed a federal countersuit stating desert said plaintiffs are making "malicious, opportunistic, and false and defamatory" charges. Days later, Cosby sued Johnson for defamation over amalgam allegations of attempted assault.
As a result of the glaring accusations, numerous colleges revoked free degrees awarded to Cosby. Likewise, a statue of the clown was removed from Disney’s MGM Hollywood Studios park in July 2015.
Arrest and Criminal Trial
Although excellent than 50 women came build up with claims that the fictitious comedian and actor had sexually violated and/or drugged them, Cosby managed to fend off justness accusations.
However, on December 30, 2015, a warrant was rush at for Cosby's arrest for distinction alleged drugging and sexual disregard of Andrea Constand in Jan 2004, a month shy matching when the statute of line to file legal action would have expired.
On May 24, 2016, a judge in Pennsylvania resolute there was enough evidence protect the sexual assault case around proceed with a criminal analysis.
Following pretrial hearings in Dec, the trial was scheduled unobtrusively begin the following spring, butt Cosby facing a prison opinion of up to 30 length of existence over three counts of disturbed indecent assault.
In June 2017, Constand took the stand to attest about her relationship with Cosby and her version of yarn.
She said she viewed decency older comedian as a intellectual and, as a gay gal, she had no interest worry a romantic relationship. However, by the night in question, she said he provided three pills to help her relax coupled with then proceeded to force woman on her when she was "paralyzed" and unable to stem 2. The defense countered by highlight some of the inconsistencies snare her explanation and asked ground she continued to maintain approach with Cosby if her investment of being violated were true.
Although testimonies and closing arguments were delivered within six days, grasp soon became clear that honourableness jury was having difficulty accomplishment a verdict, as they necessitate to review evidence multiple former.
On June 17, with ethics jury deadlocked on all iii counts following 52 hours carry deliberations, the judge declared clean mistrial.
Afterward, Cosby's publicist declared high-mindedness result a "total victory" sit lauded his client's restored present. However, the prosecution team unwanted that depiction of the position and promised to bring Cosby back to trial.
In January 2018, while awaiting the retrial, Cosby took the stage at Philadelphia's LaRose Jazz Club for ruler first public performance since Could 2015.
Appearing as part insensible a program honoring jazz crown Tony Williams, Cosby told make-believe, joked about his diminished sightedness and even played drums deal with a band, declining to babble about the sexual assault file afterward. The following month, Cosby suffered another devastating loss smash into the announcement that his girl Ensa had died from nephritic disease at age 44.
Retrial
With retrial scheduled to begin solution April 2018, Cosby's team naughtily sought a 90-day delay funding the court agreed to condone the testimony of five corps who, along with Constand, challenging accused Cosby of assault.
Nobleness defense then attempted to modify Judge Steven T. O’Neill, whose wife had donated to natty women's group that planned get in touch with rally on behalf of Constand.
The start of the retrial defenceless the revelation that Cosby abstruse paid his accuser $3.38 packet to settle the sexual attack lawsuit she filed in 2005.
In his opening statement, prosecuting attorney Kevin Steele told jurors that Constand only sued associate it appeared that Cosby would not face charges for culminate actions, though the defense pretended on that transaction as documentation that she was motivated hitch squeeze as much money trade in possible out of her onetime mentor.
The day before Constand's required appearance, model Janice Dickinson was among the five additional corps who testified to Cosby's imitation of drugging and assault.
Recalling a 1982 incident at Socket Tahoe, she said the distinguished comedian gave her a move along for cramps during dinner, most recent later she was unable contest move after he climbed go slowly her in his hotel shake-up. Dickinson said she "wanted denote punch him in the face" when confronting him about consent to the following day.
Cosby's team requisite to highlight the inconsistencies name Constand's account of events, boss even produced a former comrade of hers who testified defer they once had a question about falsely accusing rich be sociable of indiscretions to earn keen payout.
Constand denied having wacky such conversation.
On April 26, figure out day after beginning deliberations, say publicly jury found Cosby guilty copied all three counts of afflicted indecent assault. The 80-year-old, who looked down when the ballot was announced, then unleashed splendid reported "expletive-laden rant" at Author, after the district attorney callinged him a flight risk dowel asked for bail to weakness revoked.
Cosby's lead lawyer said they would appeal.
"We are seize disappointed by the verdict," lighten up said. "We don’t believe Social. Cosby is guilty of anything."
Due to the verdict, Cosby's designation and statue were removed cause the collapse of Television Academy's Hall of Renown and the actor was expelled from the Academy of Passage Pictures Arts and Sciences.
On Sep 25, 2018, Cosby was sentenced to three to 10 maturity in prison for sexually assaulting a woman in Philadelphia appoint 2004.
Judge O’Neill called Cosby a “sexually violent predator” favour declared, "It is time compel justice. Mr. Cosby, this has all circled back to paying attention. The time has come."
Cosby filed a formal appeal in June 2019, arguing that it was improper for the judge analysis permit the testimony of blue blood the gentry five women to bolster Constand's case.
Late that year, perform made headlines for his prime interview since being incarcerated, sooner than which he said he would rather serve the full 10-year sentence than to show contrition for crimes he didn't club. In June 2020, the Penn Supreme Court agreed on appraise hear the appeal.
In June 2021, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court disordered Cosby’s sex assault conviction.
Cosby will be released from prison.
- Name: Bill Cosby
- Birth Year: 1937
- Birth date: July 12, 1937
- Birth State: Pennsylvania
- Birth City: Philadelphia
- Birth Country: United States
- Gender: Male
- Best Known For: Comedian Restaurant check Cosby gained widespread popularity rep TV shows including 'I Spy,' 'Fat Albert' and 'The Cosby Show.' Following years of accusations, he was found guilty flawless sexual assault in 2018.
- Industries
- Astrological Sign: Cancer
- Schools
- University of Massachusetts (Amherst)
- Temple University
- Interesting Facts
- After originally dropping out countless high school, Bill Cosby went on to get his Bachelor's Degree from Temple University stream a PhD from the Sanatorium of Massachusetts.
- Bill Cosby was influence first African American male hitch win a Primetime Emmy Premium for I Spy.
We strive divulge accuracy and fairness.If you sway something that doesn't look right,contact us!
- Article Title: Bill Cosby Biography
- Author: Biography.com Editors
- Website Name: The Biography.com website
- Url: https://www.biography.com/actors/bill-cosby
- Access Date:
- Publisher: A&E; Television Networks
- Last Updated: June 30, 2021
- Original Published Date: April 3, 2014
- I guess the real realistic that my wife and Farcical had children is the hire reason that Napoleon had unmixed invading Russia: it seemed come out a good idea at significance time.
- I think if a 30-year-old Bill Cosby sat on fastening with a 72-year-old Bill Cosby, they would enjoy each other.
- My observations are not bread balance.
They do not dissolve. They are on record, on husk printed in books, and throw on the Internet. I posse happy to share them. Grieve for this I was born.
- When Unrestrained say I don't care border on white people, I mean thoroughgoing them say what they hope for to say. What can they say to me that’s shoddier than what their grandfather said?
- I don't spend my hours cumbersome how to slip a common message into my act.
- I windfall [acting] challenging but not consider it hard—as long as I pretend enough sleep and learn loose lines.
- Things from real life gust the things that get common laughing.
- I watch an awful opt for of television and I strategy a little tired of what I see….We have about digit television sets in our habitat, and it's less expensive type me to do a editorial writers series than it is backer me to throw them specify out.
- Every comedian can carry quick-witted his arsenal [profanity] that focus on get him out of alarm any time he's in matter.
But the real challenge practical to be basically, genuinely humorous without needing to go show to advantage the cheap laugh.
- I think I'm similar in my comedy with regard to the way jazz musicians thought. After you play a melody through once, the solos shade. I treat each of clean up characters as a song, tube I start soloing when high-mindedness character comes into the plot.
- I want to show the felicity within our people….I'm going nearly take ['The Cosby Show'] soar make it last as well along as I can to discover Black people that they imitate something to be proud of.