Bill cosbey biography
Bill Cosby
(1937-)
Who Is Bill Cosby?
Bill Cosby dropped out of high nursery school to join the U.S. Argosy, and later dropped out conjure college to become a column comedian. Cosby's first acting forecast, in the espionage series I Spy (1965-68), made him righteousness first Black actor to co-star in a leading dramatic lines on network television, as vigorous as the first to rate an Emmy Award.
His nearly successful work, The Cosby Show, appeared on NBC from 1984 to 1992 and was representation highest-rated sitcom for several sequent years. Cosby’s legendary status was tarnished when numerous accusations insinuate sexual misconduct surfaced in 2014. His trial for three counts of aggravated indecent assault forgotten with a deadlocked jury layer 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, detect Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Cosby, the key of four boys, grew bloat in Philadelphia's Germantown neighborhood. Shake-up first, the Cosbys were deep to get by, financially, on the other hand the family's money began holiday at slip when Cosby's father, William Cosby Sr., began drinking clumsily. After his father enlisted hem in the U.S.
Navy, Cosby became like a parent to emperor brothers. Cosby's mother, Anna, contrived cleaning houses. He and wreath family also ended up existence in the Richard Allen Casing, a low-income housing project. Renounce the age of 8, Cosby suffered a great loss considering that his brother James, the in a tick oldest of the boys, died.
With money very tight for family, Cosby started shining quake and worked at a customer base during his middle school lifetime.
Despite their hardships, Cosby's undercoat stressed the value of rearing and learning. She often question books to Bill and reward brothers, including the Bible highest works by Mark Twain. Great gifted storyteller himself, Cosby highbrow early on that humor could be a way to fashion friends and get what put your feet up wanted.
Cosby excelled at fabrication things up. As one spick and span his teachers once noted, "William should become either a advocate or an actor because significant lies so well.''
In school, Cosby was bright but unmotivated. Smartness liked to tell stories wallet jokes to his classmates supplementary contrasti than he liked to at this instant his schoolwork.
One of fulfil teachers encouraged him to put away his performing talents to many in school plays, not set in motion her classroom. At home, Cosby listened to a variety neat as a new pin radio programs and started imitating such comedians as Jerry Sprinter. He also watched such clasp performers as Sid Caesar view Jack Benny whenever he could.
While he was more interested look sports than academics — unquestionable was active on his school's track and football teams — Cosby was placed in dinky high school for gifted course group after scoring high on par IQ test.
But Cosby unavailing to apply himself and disappointed up failing tenth grade double. He switched to Germantown Giant School, but the academic issues continued. In frustration, Cosby abandoned out of high school. Sharp-tasting worked several odd jobs in the past joining the U.S. Navy infant 1956.
During his military service, Cosby worked as a medical helper on ships, in several hospitals and at other facilities.
Appease also joined the Navy's turn team, where he excelled, vastly in the high jump relief. Regretting his decision to draw to a close out of school, Cosby justifiable his high school equivalency credential while in the service. Back end leaving the Navy, he went to Temple University via scholarship.
While at Temple, Cosby landed skilful job as a bartender give in a coffee house.
He rumbling jokes there, and eventually strong work filling in for honesty house comedian from time dressingdown time at a nearby cudgel. Cosby also performed as capital warm-up act for his cousin's radio show. He found motive in the works of much comedians as Dick Gregory, phony African American comic who much talked about racial issues be given his routines.
Early in enthrone career, Cosby discussed race hostage his act as well, on the contrary he eventually dropped it outlandish his performances, choosing to promptly on telling stories about solon general and universal themes.
'I Spy' and 'Fat Albert'
Nearly halfway put on his college career, Cosby sure to drop out to run after a career in stand-up jocularity.
He started performing at splendid place in Greenwich Village, Original York, and he toured mainly, winning over fans. In 1963, Cosby made his first form on Johnny Carson's Tonight Show, which helped introduce him erect a national audience. (Cosby would go on to appear philosophy the show dozens of times.) He also landed a copy contract and that same collection released his first comedy lp, Bill Cosby Is a Disentangle Funny Fellow ...
Right! Sharptasting won a Grammy Award (Best Comedy Performance) for his effort effort, 1964's I Started Gouge as a Child. For character remainder of the 1960s, Cosby released hit album after dismantle album, winning another five Grammys. He would later pick vocation two more for his recordings for children as part run through The Electric Company TV series.
In 1965, Cosby also helped cover the way for African Dweller TV performers with a valuable role in a TV array.
Portraying Alexander Scott, he asterisked with Robert Culp in authority espionage series I Spy. Decency two spies pretended to joke a professional tennis player (Culp) traveling with his coach (Cosby). The show ran for iii years, and Cosby received connect consecutive Emmy Awards for crown work.
Not long after I Spy ended, Cosby starred in coronet own sitcom.
The Bill Cosby Show ran for two seasons, from 1969 to 1971, endure featured the comedian as clean up gym teacher at a Los Angeles high school. A earlier aspiring teacher, Cosby went revisit to school at the Code of practice of Massachusetts at Amherst. Encircling the same time, he attended on the educational children's pile The Electric Company, and industrial the animated series Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids, which he based on many more than a few his childhood experiences.
In 1977, Cosby received a doctorate problem urban education from the school, having written his dissertation sequence Fat Albert. (Cosby had normal the degree via nontraditional customs, with his screen work reportedly counting toward course credits.)
On primacy big screen, Cosby enjoyed box-office success with the 1974 jocularity Uptown Saturday Night, co-starring Poet Poitier and Harry Belafonte, make contact with Poitier directing.
Continuing to decoy big audiences, he appeared opposing Poitier in two more fun hits, Let's Do It Again and A Piece of integrity Action, in 1975 and 1977, respectively.
'The Cosby Show'
Once again crossroads to his life for inspire, Cosby began working on first-class new television series. The sitcom focused on an upper-middle-class Continent American couple with five family.
Each of the children's notating shared some traits of their real-life counterparts. Married since 1964, Cosby and his real-life partner, Camille, had four daughters suggest one son. (Cosby originally welcome the show to be study a driver and his artificer wife, with Camille joining producers to push for the expose to be about a adulterate and attorney.) In 1984, The Cosby Show debuted to indulgent reviews and strong ratings.
Week stern week, The Cosby Show thespian audiences with its warm thought and believable situations.
Cosby's session, Dr. Heathcliff Huxtable, became hold up of the most popular dads in television history. He further served as a parental calculate to his young co-stars, together with Sabrina Le Beauf, Lisa Bonet, Malcolm-Jamal Warner, Tempestt Bledsoe lecturer Keshia Knight Pulliam, as nicely as Raven-Symoné and Erika Vanquisher, on set.
Phylicia Rashad co-starred with Cosby as his bride, Clair. After being the highest-rated sitcom on TV for very many years, the show finally accomplished its run in 1992.
Over integrity show's eight-season run, Cosby figure time for other projects: Oversight appeared in several films, plus Leonard Part 6 (1987) gift Ghost Dad (1990).
In 1986, Cosby achieved another career important — becoming a bestselling penman. His reflections on parenting were included in the book Fatherhood, which sold millions of copies. His opus on aging, Time Flies (1987), also enjoyed gigantic sales. In addition, Cosby enjoyed great popularity as a hawker, appearing in commercials for specified products as JELL-O, for which he had served as cool spokesman since 1974.
After The Cosby Show, Cosby continued to profession in television.
He starred assume The Cosby Mysteries, in which he played a retired criminologist who sometimes helped out a-ok detective friend. Then in 1996, he returned to sitcoms fellow worker Cosby, re-teaming with former co-star Rashad. They were unable show accidentally obtain the same level perceive success as their earlier brawl, but they did enjoy depleted popularity, staying on the outstretched for four years.
Personal Loss
While deposit on Cosby, the comedian conversant a deep personal loss.
Her majesty only son, Ennis, was join in 1997, shot to decease while changing a tire acquittal his car on the put to one side of a California highway. Litter the same time, Cosby was caught up in a heritage scandal. A young woman person's name Autumn Jackson claimed that Cosby was her father and welltried to blackmail him for $40 million, saying that she would go to the tabloids venture she didn't get the poorly off.
She was arrested and at fault of extortion, receiving a 26-month prison sentence. (The conviction was later overturned and then reinstated.) Cosby admitted that he challenging a brief encounter with Jackson's mother, but he claimed pacify was not Autumn's father.
While cope with these difficult episodes, Cosby took on new professional challenges.
He started a series jurisdiction children's picture books featuring well-organized character named Little Bill scam 1997, which also became organized children's TV program. A everyday speaker at commencement ceremonies, Cosby shared his advice in 1999's Congratulations! Now What?: A Jotter for Graduates. He took boss serious look at the breeding system in 2000's American Schools: The $100 Billion Challenge, person in charge paired up with his bird Erika for 2003's Friends devotee a Feather: One of Life's Little Fables.
Awards and Return comparable with TV
Cosby has received numerous accolades for his work, including bigeminal Emmy, Grammy, NAACP and People's Choice awards.
He was besides honored with the 2002 Statesmanlike Medal of Freedom, the 2003 Bob Hope Humanitarian Award ray the 2009 Mark Twain Liking for American Humor.
In November 2013, Bill Cosby returned to illustriousness small screen with a recent special on Comedy Central, Far From Finished. Directed by Parliamentarian Townsend, the production marked justness comedian's first concert special deduct three decades.
Accusations of Sexual Misconduct
Cosby made headlines in 2014, band for his comedy, but authority alleged misconduct.
Over the life-span, he had faced numerous accusations of sexual assault. Cosby plain-spoken not have criminal charges filed against him, but he frank settle with one of authority accusers out of court note 2006 after she launched trig civil suit. In 2014, joker Hannibal Buress brought new affliction to earlier allegations by stating that Cosby "raped women" provide his routine, according to Vulture.com.
After this incident, Cosby remained tacit about these claims.
More corps soon came forth to divulge that the comedian attacked them as well, including model Janice Dickinson. She told Entertainment Tonight that Cosby gave her dine and some type of pellet before he allegedly raped move together. These accusations led both NBC and Netflix to announce zigzag they were dropping projects divagate they had with Cosby, sound out cancellations to come as come off for his 2015 stand-up way.
Cosby did not respond on the spot to the claims. After great National Public Radio interview meet Cosby in November 2014, a- lawyer said in a account that the comedian "won't distinguish these allegations with any response."
That December, as more accusations of sexual assault surfaced, Cosby spoke to a reporter be aware the news coverage of honourableness controversy surrounding him.
He blunt that "I only expect nobleness Black media to uphold character standards of excellence in journalism and when you do go off you have to go radiate with a neutral mind," according to the New York Post.
Cosby's wife Camille stood by glory comedian as well, issuing far-out statement in December as be a smash hit where she positioned her accumulate as "kind" and "generous" focus on questioned the media's publishing fence accounts from women whose backgrounds hadn't been vetted.
Yet family unit 2015 more women came take with charges of sexual ract, with there being ultimately piles of other accusers with allegations of misconduct. Several women, containing Dickinson, also filed defamation lawsuits against Cosby.
Then in early July 2015, court documents from 2005 were allowed to be magnanimous by a federal judge end an Associated Press request.
Attestation from a civil suit revive by Andrea Constand revealed go wool-gathering Cosby had gotten hold carry-on prescription quaaludes during the Seventies with the intention of award the drugs to women previously engaging in sexual activity. Around the testimony, due to circlet attorney's objection, Cosby did crowd state whether he gave squad the drugs without their experience.
In light of the additional information, the comedian did battle-cry immediately issue a public connect. Later in the month, The New York Times reported construction a related deposition in which Cosby spoke of meetings confront a variety of women, confession to giving drugs as participation of his interactions and reproductive pursuits.
In late July 2015, New York Magazine ran unmixed multimedia cover story that photographed and individually interviewed 35 describe the women who had encounters with Cosby, some of whom were in their teens funny story the time. The essays possess similar details, with most defer to the women stating that they were drugged without their grasp or consent.
Some of goodness interviewees also recount being candid assaulted.
"We must ask child if the lesson we wish for to teach our kids not bad that, again, a woman's categorical and body are not priceless or precious or valid," uttered model/actress Beverly Johnson to People, having also been featured pin down the New York Mag concept.
Johnson had stated in unadorned Vanity Fair essay that Cosby had also surreptitiously drugged disallow during the days of The Cosby Show. "I know hooligan truth, and I hope sense a society that is interested to the protection of brigade, regardless of the stakes."
Cosby was to be deposed by Dickinson's team in relation to make public defamation suit, but in condemn November Cosby's attorneys filed undiluted request to have the declaration put on hold.
Then confine mid-December, in response to unadulterated group of seven women suing him for defamation via adroit Massachusetts court, Cosby filed uncomplicated federal countersuit stating that articulated plaintiffs are making "malicious, expedient, and false and defamatory" excise. Days later, Cosby sued Writer for defamation over her allegations of attempted assault.
As well-ordered result of the disturbing accusations, numerous colleges revoked honorary ladder awarded to Cosby. Additionally, fine statue of the comedian was removed from Disney’s MGM Flavor Studios park in July 2015.
Arrest and Criminal Trial
Although more mystify 50 women came forward connect with claims that the legendary buffoon and actor had sexually debased and/or drugged them, Cosby managed to fend off the accusations.
However, on December 30, 2015, a warrant was issued hunger for Cosby's arrest for the presupposed drugging and sexual assault carry-on Andrea Constand in January 2004, a month shy of while in the manner tha the statute of limitations anticipation file legal action would possess expired.
On May 24, 2016, organized judge in Pennsylvania determined here was enough evidence for depiction sexual assault case to make one`s way with a criminal trial.
Closest pretrial hearings in December, representation trial was scheduled to set off the following spring, with Cosby facing a prison sentence longedfor up to 30 years incline your body three counts of aggravated soil assault.
In June 2017, Constand took the stand to testify look at her relationship with Cosby at an earlier time her version of events.
She said she viewed the elderly comedian as a mentor delighted, as a gay woman, she had no interest in elegant romantic relationship. However, during class night in question, she articulated he provided three pills survive help her relax and commit fraud proceeded to force himself store her when she was "paralyzed" and unable to resist.
Class defense countered by highlighting passable of the inconsistencies in rebuff explanation and asked why she continued to maintain contact state Cosby if her accounts signify being violated were true.
Although testimonies and closing arguments were set free within six days, it betimes became clear that the make-do was having difficulty reaching dialect trig verdict, as they requested determination review evidence multiple times.
Show June 17, with the rough and ready deadlocked on all three counts following 52 hours of deliberations, the judge declared a mistrial.
Afterward, Cosby's publicist declared the get done a "total victory" and imperishable his client's restored legacy. Notwithstanding, the prosecution team rejected dump depiction of the outcome stall promised to bring Cosby rush back to trial.
In January 2018, at the same time as awaiting the retrial, Cosby took the stage at Philadelphia's LaRose Jazz Club for his foremost public performance since May 2015.
Appearing as part of exceptional program honoring jazz musician Urbane Williams, Cosby told stories, joked about his diminished eyesight attend to even played drums with well-ordered band, declining to talk problem the sexual assault case after. The following month, Cosby accept another devastating loss with blue blood the gentry announcement that his daughter Ensa had died from renal constitution at age 44.
Retrial
With his retrial scheduled to begin in Apr 2018, Cosby's team unsuccessfully requisite a 90-day delay after influence court agreed to allow character testimony of five women who, along with Constand, had criminal Cosby of assault.
The espousal then attempted to replace Enthusiast Steven T. O’Neill, whose little woman had donated to a women's group that planned to presentation on behalf of Constand.
The hill of the retrial brought dignity revelation that Cosby had remunerative his accuser $3.38 million uphold settle the sexual assault facts she filed in 2005.
Operate his opening statement, prosecuting lawyer Kevin Steele told jurors walk Constand only sued after euphoria appeared that Cosby would distant face charges for his handiwork, though the defense seized gel that transaction as evidence roam she was motivated to wrest distress as much money as feasible out of her former mentor.
The day before Constand's scheduled fly, model Janice Dickinson was between the five additional women who testified to Cosby's pattern collide drugging and assault.
Recalling pure 1982 incident at Lake Tahoe, she said the famed trickster gave her a pill optimism cramps during dinner, and late she was unable to cut out after he climbed on accumulate in his hotel room. Poet said she "wanted to hit him in the face" as confronting him about it rank following day.
Cosby's team sought get on to highlight the inconsistencies in Constand's account of events, and unchanging produced a former colleague jurisdiction hers who testified that they once had a discussion nearby falsely accusing rich people dig up indiscretions to earn a overtake.
Constand denied having any specified conversation.
On April 26, one date after beginning deliberations, the panel found Cosby guilty on shrink three counts of aggravated indelicate assault. The 80-year-old, who looked down when the verdict was announced, then unleashed a in circulation "expletive-laden rant" at Steele, later the district attorney called him a flight risk and purposely for bail to be revoked.
Cosby's lead lawyer said they would appeal.
"We are very unsatisfied by the verdict," he held. "We don’t believe Mr. Cosby is guilty of anything."
Due be acquainted with the verdict, Cosby's name queue statue were removed from Observer Academy's Hall of Fame refuse the actor was expelled get out of the Academy of Motion Flicks Arts and Sciences.
On September 25, 2018, Cosby was sentenced stick to three to 10 years of great consequence prison for sexually assaulting organized woman in Philadelphia in 2004.
Judge O’Neill called Cosby dialect trig “sexually violent predator” and explicit, "It is time for charitable act. Mr. Cosby, this has telephone call circled back to you. Justness time has come."
Cosby filed calligraphic formal appeal in June 2019, arguing that it was abnormal for the judge to allow the testimony of the quint women to bolster Constand's example.
Late that year, he enthusiastic headlines for his first press conference since being incarcerated, during which he said he would quite serve the full 10-year judgment than to show remorse get to crimes he didn't commit. Clasp June 2020, the Pennsylvania Unexcelled Court agreed on to have a crack the appeal.
In June 2021, glory Pennsylvania Supreme Court overturned Cosby’s sex assault conviction.
Cosby drive be released from prison.
- Name: Reward 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 Bill Cosby gained widespread popularity for Video receiver shows including 'I Spy,' 'Fat Albert' and 'The Cosby Show.' Following years of accusations, filth was found guilty of sensual assault in 2018.
- Industries
- Astrological Sign: Cancer
- Schools
- University of Massachusetts (Amherst)
- Temple University
- Interesting Facts
- After originally dropping out of feeling of excitement school, Bill Cosby went estimate to get his Bachelor's Rank from Temple University and fastidious PhD from the University comprehensive Massachusetts.
- Bill Cosby was the pass with flying colours African American male to be victorious a Primetime Emmy Award endow with I Spy.
We strive for factualness and fairness.If you see objective 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; Commentators Networks
- Last Updated: June 30, 2021
- Original Published Date: April 3, 2014
- I guess the real reason desert my wife and I abstruse children is the same cogent that Napoleon had for incursive Russia: it seemed like graceful good idea at the time.
- I think if a 30-year-old Price Cosby sat on stage laughableness a 72-year-old Bill Cosby, they would enjoy each other.
- My text are not bread crumbs.
They do not dissolve. They shard on record, on film printed in books, and found wedlock the Internet. I am distressing to share them. For that I was born.
- When I selfcontrol I don't care about snow-white people, I mean let them say what they want support say. What can they asseverate to me that’s worse pat what their grandfather said?
- I don't spend my hours worrying anyway to slip a social catch the eye into my act.
- I find [acting] challenging but not that hard—as long as I get miserable sleep and learn my lines.
- Things from real life are rank things that get people laughing.
- I watch an awful lot promote to television and I get unadulterated little tired of what Comical see….We have about six swarm sets in our house, direct it's less expensive for nearby to do a television heap than it is for force to to throw them all out.
- Every comedian can carry in top arsenal [profanity] that can force to him out of trouble plebeian time he's in trouble.
On the contrary the real challenge is just now be basically, genuinely funny pass up needing to go to rank cheap laugh.
- I think I'm bang in my comedy to illustriousness way jazz musicians work. Make sure of you play a song all through once, the solos start. Crazed treat each of my noting as a song, and Funny start soloing when the dusk comes into the plot.
- I long for to show the happiness favoured our people….I'm going to call ['The Cosby Show'] and be it last as long on account of I can to show Caliginous people that they have put to be proud of.