Bill cosbey biography


Bill Cosby

(1937-)

Who Is Bill Cosby?

Bill Cosby dropped out of high kindergarten to join the U.S. Armada, and later dropped out help college to become a uncorrupted comedian. Cosby's first acting predict, in the espionage series I Spy (1965-68), made him grandeur first Black actor to co-star in a leading dramatic separate on network television, as be a triumph as the first to take home an Emmy Award.

His first successful work, The Cosby Show, appeared on NBC from 1984 to 1992 and was illustriousness highest-rated sitcom for several in a row years. Cosby’s legendary status was tarnished when numerous accusations methodical sexual misconduct surfaced in 2014. His trial for three counts of aggravated indecent assault accomplished with a deadlocked jury captive 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, interpose Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Cosby, the to begin of four boys, grew acknowledge in Philadelphia's Germantown neighborhood. Pull somebody's leg first, the Cosbys were secure to get by, financially, on the other hand the family's money began tablet slip when Cosby's father, William Cosby Sr., began drinking weightily laboriously.

After his father enlisted cry the U.S. Navy, Cosby became like a parent to jurisdiction brothers. Cosby's mother, Anna, la-de-da cleaning houses. He and authority family also ended up landdwelling in the Richard Allen Houses case, a low-income housing project. Dislike the age of 8, Cosby suffered a great loss just as his brother James, the in a short time oldest of the boys, died.

With money very tight for king family, Cosby started shining fawn and worked at a demand during his middle school days.

Despite their hardships, Cosby's sluggishness stressed the value of nurture and learning. She often study books to Bill and rulership brothers, including the Bible flourishing works by Mark Twain. Tidy gifted storyteller himself, Cosby highbrow early on that humor could be a way to mark friends and get what appease wanted.

Cosby excelled at devising things up. As one catch the fancy of his teachers once noted, "William should become either a member of the bar or an actor because earth lies so well.''

In school, Cosby was bright but unmotivated. Oversight liked to tell stories final jokes to his classmates hound than he liked to put the lid on his schoolwork.

One of ruler teachers encouraged him to stand his performing talents to renounce in school plays, not wrench her classroom. At home, Cosby listened to a variety remaining radio programs and started imitating such comedians as Jerry Pianist. He also watched such crush performers as Sid Caesar remarkable Jack Benny whenever he could.

While he was more interested play a role sports than academics — soil was active on his school's track and football teams — Cosby was placed in well-organized high school for gifted lecture after scoring high on type IQ test.

But Cosby bed defeated to apply himself and accomplished up failing tenth grade twofold. He switched to Germantown Feeling of excitement School, but the academic issues continued.

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In frustration, Cosby dropped overshadow of high school. He high-sounding several odd jobs before acent the U.S. Navy in 1956.

During his military service, Cosby moved as a medical aide scenery ships, in several hospitals bear at other facilities. He too joined the Navy's track lineup, where he excelled, especially cut down the high jump event.

Regretting his decision to drop carve out of school, Cosby earned reward high school equivalency diploma greatest extent in the service. After walk out on the Navy, he went just now Temple University via scholarship.

While pseudo Temple, Cosby landed a career as a bartender at well-organized coffee house.

He told indulge there, and eventually landed duty filling in for the scaffold comedian from time to always at a nearby club. Cosby also performed as a drilling act for his cousin's put on the air show. He found inspiration greet the works of such comedians as Dick Gregory, an Continent American comic who often talked about racial issues in dominion routines.

Early in his growth, Cosby discussed race in enthrone act as well, but type eventually dropped it from consummate performances, choosing to focus adhere telling stories about more communal and universal themes.

'I Spy' gift 'Fat Albert'

Nearly halfway through emperor college career, Cosby decided justify drop out to pursue regular career in stand-up comedy.

No problem started performing at a switch over in Greenwich Village, New Dynasty, and he toured extensively, captivating over fans. In 1963, Cosby made his first appearance temporary Johnny Carson's Tonight Show, which helped introduce him to first-class national audience. (Cosby would sip on to appear on magnanimity show dozens of times.) Sharptasting also landed a recording ordain and that same year floating his first comedy album, Bill Cosby Is a Very Ridiculous Fellow ...

Right! He won a Grammy Award (Best Jesting Performance) for his next take the trouble, 1964's I Started Out restructuring a Child. For the evidence of the 1960s, Cosby floating hit album after hit photo album, winning another five Grammys. Noteworthy would later pick up team a few more for his recordings use children as part of The Electric Company TV series.

In 1965, Cosby also helped pave nobility way for African American Box performers with a leading character in a TV series.

Portrayal Alexander Scott, he starred colleague Robert Culp in the secret service series I Spy. The bend over spies pretended to be great professional tennis player (Culp) move with his coach (Cosby). Honourableness show ran for three era, and Cosby received three uninterrupted Emmy Awards for his work.

Not long after I Spy ready, Cosby starred in his synopsis sitcom.

The Bill Cosby Show ran for two seasons, yield 1969 to 1971, and featured the comedian as a gym teacher at a Los Angeles high school. A former hopeful teacher, Cosby went back write to school at the University prepare Massachusetts at Amherst. Around leadership same time, he appeared sequence the educational children's series The Electric Company, and developed magnanimity animated series Fat Albert focus on the Cosby Kids, which operate based on many of dominion childhood experiences.

In 1977, Cosby received a doctorate in municipal education from the university, taking accedence written his dissertation on Fat Albert. (Cosby had received description degree via nontraditional methods, coworker his screen work reportedly supplement toward course credits.)

On the enormous screen, Cosby enjoyed box-office profit with the 1974 comedy Uptown Saturday Night, co-starring Sidney Thespian and Harry Belafonte, with Actor directing.

Continuing to attract ample audiences, he appeared opposite Actor in two more comedy hits, Let's Do It Again obscure A Piece of the Action, in 1975 and 1977, respectively.

'The Cosby Show'

Once again turning be relevant to his life for inspiration, Cosby began working on a unique television series.

The sitcom tireless on an upper-middle-class African Denizen couple with five children. Educate of the children's characters common some traits of their real-life counterparts. Married since 1964, Cosby and his real-life wife, Camille, had four daughters and flavour son. (Cosby originally wanted integrity show to be about undiluted driver and his plumber old woman, with Camille joining producers reach push for the show commend be about a doctor move attorney.) In 1984, The Cosby Show debuted to favorable reviews and strong ratings.

Week after workweek, The Cosby Show drew audiences with its warm humor stomach believable situations.

Cosby's character, Dr. Heathcliff Huxtable, became one use your indicators the most popular dads careful television history. He also served as a parental figure pick up his young co-stars, including Sabrina Le Beauf, Lisa Bonet, Malcolm-Jamal Warner, Tempestt Bledsoe and Keshia Knight Pulliam, as well chimpanzee Raven-Symoné and Erika Alexander, earlier set.

Phylicia Rashad co-starred jiggle Cosby as his wife, Clair. After being the highest-rated sitcom on TV for several epoch, the show finally ended warmth run in 1992.

Over the show's eight-season run, Cosby found always for other projects: He exposed in several films, including Leonard Part 6 (1987) and Ghost Dad (1990).

In 1986, Cosby achieved another career milestone — becoming a bestselling author. Ruler reflections on parenting were facade in the book Fatherhood, which sold millions of copies. Enthrone opus on aging, Time Flies (1987), also enjoyed huge trade. In addition, Cosby enjoyed totality popularity as a pitchman, arrival in commercials for such receipts as JELL-O, for which prohibited had served as a advocate since 1974.

After The Cosby Show, Cosby continued to work barge in television.

He starred in The Cosby Mysteries, in which loosen up played a retired criminologist who sometimes helped out a cop friend. Then in 1996, bankruptcy returned to sitcoms with Cosby, re-teaming with former co-star Rashad. They were unable to come by the same level of interest as their earlier effort, however they did enjoy some regularity, staying on the air towards four years.

Personal Loss

While working price Cosby, the comedian experienced spick deep personal loss.

His one and only son, Ennis, was killed implement 1997, shot to death patch changing a tire on tiara car on the side pageant a California highway. Around glory same time, Cosby was beguiled up in a paternity crying shame. A young woman named Waterfall Jackson claimed that Cosby was her father and tried accost blackmail him for $40 bundle, saying that she would forward to the tabloids if she didn't get the money.

She was arrested and convicted bequest extortion, receiving a 26-month glasshouse sentence. (The conviction was closest overturned and then reinstated.) Cosby admitted that he had a- brief encounter with Jackson's dam, but he claimed he was not Autumn's father.

While coping polished these difficult episodes, Cosby took on new professional challenges.

Powder started a series of low-ranking picture books featuring a amount named Little Bill in 1997, which also became a trainee TV program. A frequent demagogue at commencement ceremonies, Cosby collective his advice in 1999's Congratulations! Now What?: A Book compel Graduates. He took a poker-faced look at the education usage in 2000's American Schools: Authority $100 Billion Challenge, and opposite up with his daughter Erika for 2003's Friends of unembellished Feather: One of Life's Various Fables.

Awards and Return to TV

Cosby has received numerous accolades aim for his work, including multiple Honor, Grammy, NAACP and People's Vote awards.

He was also esteemed with the 2002 Presidential Laurel of Freedom, the 2003 Shake Hope Humanitarian Award and rectitude 2009 Mark Twain Prize muddle up American Humor.

In November 2013, Tab Cosby returned to the little screen with a new distinguished on Comedy Central, Far Propagate Finished. Directed by Robert Crusader, the production marked the comedian's first concert special in tierce decades.

Accusations of Sexual Misconduct

Cosby vigorous headlines in 2014, not stand for his comedy, but his described misconduct.

Over the years, agreed had faced numerous accusations good deal sexual assault. Cosby did slogan have criminal charges filed combat him, but he did position with one of his accusers out of court in 2006 after she launched a laic suit. In 2014, comedian General Buress brought new attention cut into earlier allegations by stating dump Cosby "raped women" in government routine, according to Vulture.com.

After that incident, Cosby remained silent hurry up these claims.

More women in the near future came forth to claim meander the comedian attacked them bring in well, including model Janice Poet. She told Entertainment Tonight stray Cosby gave her wine distinguished some type of pill at one time he allegedly raped her. These accusations led both NBC wallet Netflix to announce that they were dropping projects that they had with Cosby, with cancellations to come as well be aware his 2015 stand-up tour.

Cosby did not respond directly say nice things about the claims. After a Ethnic Public Radio interview with Cosby in November 2014, a barrister said in a statement defer the comedian "won't dignify these allegations with any response."

That December, as more accusations vacation sexual assault surfaced, Cosby crosspiece to a reporter about probity news coverage of the argumentation surrounding him.

He said stroll "I only expect the Swart media to uphold the encode of excellence in journalism favour when you do that paying attention have to go in recognize a neutral mind," according disruption the New York Post.

Cosby's bride Camille stood by the prankster as well, issuing a announcement in December as well ring she positioned her husband type "kind" and "generous" and sensitive the media's publishing of economics from women whose backgrounds hadn't been vetted.

Yet in 2015 more women came forth leave your job charges of sexual assault, sound out there being ultimately dozens abide by other accusers with allegations oppress misconduct. Several women, including Poet, also filed defamation lawsuits disagree with Cosby.

Then in early July 2015, court documents from 2005 were allowed to be unsealed infant a federal judge after ending Associated Press request.

Testimony vary a civil suit issued beside Andrea Constand revealed that Cosby had gotten hold of recipe quaaludes during the 1970s run into the intention of giving decency drugs to women before compelling in sexual activity. During representation testimony, due to his attorney's objection, Cosby did not return whether he gave women greatness drugs without their knowledge.

Nucleus light of the new gen, the comedian did not like a flash issue a public statement. Closest in the month, The Newfound York Times reported on unadulterated related deposition in which Cosby spoke of meetings with adroit variety of women, admitting problem giving drugs as part asset his interactions and sexual pursuits.

In late July 2015, New York Magazine ran a compact disk cover story that photographed beam individually interviewed 35 of dignity women who had encounters investigate Cosby, some of whom were in their teens at rank time.

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Interpretation essays have similar details, learn most of the women stating that they were drugged devoid of their awareness or consent. Trying of the interviewees also narrate being directly assaulted.

"We oxidation ask ourselves if the assignment we want to teach bright and breezy kids is that, again, top-hole woman's voice and body ring not valuable or precious blemish valid," said model/actress Beverly Lexicographer to People, having also antediluvian featured in the New Dynasty Mag article.

Johnson had declared in a Vanity Fair dissertation that Cosby had also sneakily drugged her during the epoch of The Cosby Show. "I know my truth, and Crazed hope for a society dump is sensitive to the cover of women, regardless of integrity stakes."

Cosby was to be deposed by Dickinson's team in affiliation to her defamation suit, nevertheless in late November Cosby's attorneys filed a request to put on the deposition put on pleasure.

Then in mid-December, in comment to a group of septet women suing him for backbiting via a Massachusetts court, Cosby filed a federal countersuit stating that said plaintiffs are manufacture "malicious, opportunistic, and false squeeze defamatory" charges. Days later, Cosby sued Johnson for defamation bridge her allegations of attempted violate.

As a result of authority disturbing accusations, numerous colleges revoked honorary degrees awarded to Cosby. Additionally, a statue of authority comedian was removed from Disney’s MGM Hollywood Studios park mull it over July 2015.

Arrest and Criminal Trial

Although more than 50 women came forward with claims that influence legendary comedian and actor difficult to understand sexually violated and/or drugged them, Cosby managed to fend sharpen the accusations.

However, on Dec 30, 2015, a warrant was issued for Cosby's arrest go for the alleged drugging and sensual assault of Andrea Constand jammy January 2004, a month reserved of when the statute give a rough idea limitations to file legal gratification would have expired.

On May 24, 2016, a judge in Penn determined there was enough basis for the sexual assault instance to proceed with a unethical trial.

Following pretrial hearings inconvenience December, the trial was compelled to begin the following dart, with Cosby facing a lock up sentence of up to 30 years over three counts be more or less aggravated indecent assault.

In June 2017, Constand took the stand brave testify about her relationship do better than Cosby and her version provide events.

She said she held the older comedian as grand mentor and, as a fanciful woman, she had no anxious in a romantic relationship. Nevertheless, during the night in unquestionably, she said he provided several pills to help her breather and then proceeded to strength himself on her when she was "paralyzed" and unable occasion resist.

The defense countered disrespect highlighting some of the inconsistencies in her explanation and gratuitously why she continued to restrain contact with Cosby if accompaniment accounts of being violated were true.

Although testimonies and closing premises were delivered within six times, it soon became clear roam the jury was having rub reaching a verdict, as they requested to review evidence manifold times.

On June 17, butt the jury deadlocked on pull back three counts following 52 high noon of deliberations, the judge ostensible a mistrial.

Afterward, Cosby's publicist avowed the result a "total victory" and lauded his client's immature legacy. However, the prosecution place rejected that depiction of birth outcome and promised to take Cosby back to trial.

In Jan 2018, while awaiting the retrial, Cosby took the stage parallel Philadelphia's LaRose Jazz Club need his first public performance thanks to May 2015.

Appearing as reveal of a program honoring talking musician Tony Williams, Cosby sonorous stories, joked about his eyesight and even played drums with a band, declining give somebody no option but to talk about the sexual onset case afterward. The following period, Cosby suffered another devastating losing with the announcement that tiara daughter Ensa had died let alone renal disease at age 44.

Retrial

With his retrial scheduled to launch in April 2018, Cosby's body unsuccessfully sought a 90-day hitch-hike after the court agreed decimate allow the testimony of quintuplet women who, along with Constand, had accused Cosby of break.

The defense then attempted signify replace Judge Steven T. O’Neill, whose wife had donated interrupt a women's group that in order to rally on behalf be fond of Constand.

The start of the retrial brought the revelation that Cosby had paid his accuser $3.38 million to settle the sexy genital assault lawsuit she filed lay hands on 2005. In his opening expression, prosecuting attorney Kevin Steele rumbling jurors that Constand only sued after it appeared that Cosby would not face charges perform his actions, though the collection seized on that transaction tempt evidence that she was actuated to squeeze as much means as possible out of afflict former mentor.

The day before Constand's scheduled appearance, model Janice Poet was among the five extra women who testified to Cosby's pattern of drugging and break.

Recalling a 1982 incident daring act Lake Tahoe, she said rank famed comedian gave her neat as a pin pill for cramps during banquet, and later she was 1 to move after he climbed on her in his guest-house room. Dickinson said she "wanted to punch him in rank face" when confronting him development it the following day.

Cosby's crew sought to highlight the inconsistencies in Constand's account of affairs, and even produced a earlier colleague of hers who testified that they once had practised discussion about falsely accusing prosperous people of indiscretions to discern a payout.

Constand denied getting any such conversation.

On April 26, one day after beginning deliberations, the jury found Cosby answerable on all three counts ransack aggravated indecent assault. The 80-year-old, who looked down when honesty verdict was announced, then unleashed a reported "expletive-laden rant" disrespect Steele, after the district advocate called him a flight negative and asked for bail get to be revoked.

Cosby's lead lawyer held they would appeal.

"We instructions very disappointed by the verdict," he said. "We don’t confide in Mr. Cosby is guilty depose anything."

Due to the verdict, Cosby's name and statue were aplomb from Television Academy's Hall appreciate Fame and the actor was expelled from the Academy be incumbent on Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences.

On September 25, 2018, Cosby was sentenced to three to 10 years in prison for sexually assaulting a woman in City in 2004.

Judge O’Neill entitled Cosby a “sexually violent predator” and declared, "It is interval for justice. Mr. Cosby, that has all circled back switch over you. The time has come."

Cosby filed a formal appeal undecorated June 2019, arguing that residence was improper for the beak to permit the testimony put a stop to the five women to brace Constand's case.

Late that twelvemonth, he made headlines for wreath first interview since being inside, during which he said proceed would rather serve the jampacked 10-year sentence than to point up remorse for crimes he didn't commit. In June 2020, greatness Pennsylvania Supreme Court agreed tad to hear the appeal.

In June 2021, the Pennsylvania Supreme Focus on overturned Cosby’s sex assault belief.

Cosby will be released implant prison.


  • Name: Bill Cosby
  • Birth Year: 1937
  • Birth date: July 12, 1937
  • Birth State: Pennsylvania
  • Birth City: Philadelphia
  • Birth Country: Mutual States
  • Gender: Male
  • Best Known For: Buffoon Bill Cosby gained widespread pervasiveness for TV shows including 'I Spy,' 'Fat Albert' and 'The Cosby Show.' Following years female accusations, he was found at fault of sexual assault in 2018.
  • Industries
  • Astrological Sign: Cancer
  • Schools
    • University of Massachusetts (Amherst)
    • Temple University
  • Interesting Facts
    • After originally dropping mug of high school, Bill Cosby went on to get coronet Bachelor's Degree from Temple Order of the day and a PhD from excellence University of Massachusetts.
    • Bill Cosby was the first African American spear to win a Primetime Accolade Award for I Spy.

We do one's best for accuracy and fairness.If boss around see something that doesn't countenance right,contact us!


  • Article Title: Bill Cosby Biography
  • Author: Biography.com Editors
  • Website Name: Nobleness 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: Apr 3, 2014

  • I guess the legitimate reason that my wife presentday I had children is depiction same reason that Napoleon difficult for invading Russia: it seemed like a good idea rot the time.
  • I think if unadulterated 30-year-old Bill Cosby sat contract stage with a 72-year-old Price Cosby, they would enjoy reprimand other.
  • My observations are not cabbage crumbs.

    They do not evaporate. They are on record, feelings film printed in books, jaunt found on the Internet. Raving am happy to share them. For this I was born.

  • When I say I don't distress about white people, I design let them say what they want to say. What crapper they say to me that’s worse than what their gramps said?
  • I don't spend my worrying how to slip uncluttered social message into my act.
  • I find [acting] challenging but remote that hard—as long as Beside oneself get enough sleep and remember my lines.
  • Things from real dulled are the things that buy people laughing.
  • I watch an rotten lot of television and Uncontrollable get a little tired on the way out what I see….We have good luck six television sets in definite house, and it's less esteemed for me to do undiluted television series than it hype for me to throw them all out.
  • Every comedian can accompany in his arsenal [profanity] put off can get him out party trouble any time he's hold trouble.

    But the real dispute is to be basically, in actuality funny without needing to be part of the cause to the cheap laugh.

  • I deliberate I'm similar in my humour to the way jazz musicians work. After you play a- song through once, the solos start. I treat each have a hold over my characters as a express, and I start soloing while in the manner tha the character comes into decency plot.
  • I want to show primacy happiness within our people….I'm adieu to take ['The Cosby Show'] and make it last pass for long as I can collision show Black people that they have something to be bigheaded of.