Throughout the second half of the 20th century, Bill Cosby was a true star of American film, television, and stand-up comedy. He was a trailblazing African American figure in the entertainment industry, working in advertising and creating the hit series “The Cosby Show.” In the U.S., he was known as “America’s Dad” thanks to the wholesome characters he portrayed on screen.
However, at the age of 81, the famous actor was imprisoned for sexual assault. This came after years of legal battles as a wave of victims came forward to testify about Cosby’s crimes. Ultimately, the scandal destroyed his reputation and career. We’ll explore where Bill Cosby is today and look back at his life’s story at philadelphiaski.com.
Early Life and Education
William Henry Cosby Jr. was born in Philadelphia on July 12, 1937. His mother worked as a maid, and his father served as a steward in the U.S. Navy. He was one of four sons in the family.
During his early years in public school, William was class president and the captain of the baseball and track and field teams. He was an avid athlete and a natural jokester, but academic success didn’t particularly interest him. Instead, he proudly called himself the “class clown.” He later attended Central High School and Germantown High School in Philadelphia but did not graduate.
In 1956, William followed in his father’s footsteps and joined the Navy. He was assigned as a hospital corpsman at a Marine Corps base in Virginia. He later served in Canada and Maryland, working as a physical therapist and rising to the rank of Petty Officer, Third Class by 1960.
He earned his high school diploma through a correspondence course the following year, and his athletic talent earned him a track and field scholarship to Temple University. There, he studied physical education and played on the football team. In his free time, William worked as a bartender in Philadelphia clubs. He often entertained customers with his humor, which helped him earn the biggest tips. This, along with his memories of being the class clown, sparked his interest in a comedy career.
William decided to leave the university to focus on comedy. He returned to formal education in 1971, when Temple University awarded him a bachelor’s degree based on life experience. Cosby then pursued graduate studies at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, earning a Master of Arts degree and, in 1976, a doctorate in education.
Comedy Career
Starting in 1961, Bill Cosby began performing stand-up comedy in Philadelphia clubs before moving on to New York City. Two years later, he gained national exposure after an appearance on NBC’s “The Tonight Show.” Following this initial success, he signed a contract with Warner Bros. Records, which released his debut comedy album, “Bill Cosby Is a Very Funny Fellow…Right!” in 1964. His subsequent album, “To Russell, My Brother, Whom I Slept With,” was hailed as a masterpiece and topped Spin magazine’s list of the “40 Greatest Comedy Albums of All Time.”
Bill Cosby’s comedy was built on observational, satirical, and surreal humor. While many comedians of the era tackled controversial and taboo subjects, Cosby primarily drew material from his childhood experiences. He largely avoided racial topics, believing that if his stories resonated with white audiences, it would bridge cultural divides more effectively than race-based jokes.
After the success of his early comedy albums, Bill Cosby focused on television, film, and advertising. In 1983, he released the stand-up concert film “Bill Cosby: Himself,” which showcased his signature storytelling style on topics ranging from marriage to parenthood. The film was critically acclaimed and remains a landmark in American stand-up, even though Cosby’s career would later collapse in disgrace.
Bill returned to television stand-up in 2013. A year later, he had a new special planned for Netflix, but the project was canceled amid the growing storm of sexual assault allegations. His last public performance was at a Philadelphia club in 2018.
Television, Film, and Advertising
In 1965, Cosby was cast in a lead role in the NBC series “I Spy,” becoming the first African American to co-star in a primetime drama series. While some local stations in the South refused to air the show, it became a massive success overall. Bill Cosby won three consecutive Emmy Awards for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series for his performance.
During this period, he continued to perform stand-up and record albums for Warner Bros. Records, but he ended the partnership in 1968. He then founded his own corporation to produce films and records, though the venture only lasted a few years.
In the 1960s, Cosby also appeared in various television specials and guest-hosted “The Tonight Show.” In 1969, he created the two-season sitcom “The Bill Cosby Show.” His Saturday morning cartoon, “Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids,” which ran from 1972 to 1979, was a major success. Throughout this time, Cosby also acted in numerous films.
His greatest television success was “The Cosby Show,” which premiered in the fall of 1984. Cosby co-produced the series and contributed his own ideas to the writers, basing the show’s storylines on his real family life. He starred as obstetrician Cliff Huxtable. The project ran for 8 seasons and was a phenomenal success—it immediately topped the ratings and remained a number-one show for most of its run.
After “The Cosby Show” ended, the actor worked on other projects, including a revival of Groucho Marx’s “You Bet Your Life,” the TV movie “I Spy Returns,” and “The Cosby Mysteries.” During the 1990s, he appeared in films such as:
- “Ghost Dad” (1990)
- “The Meteor Man” (1993)
- “Jack” (1996)
In 1996, Bill Cosby launched a new CBS sitcom, “Cosby,” which ran for four seasons but never achieved the popularity of “The Cosby Show.”
Additionally, from the 1960s to the early 2000s, Bill Cosby was a dominant force in advertising. He started with White Owl cigars and went on to endorse Jell-O pudding and gelatin, Coca-Cola, Ford cars, the American Red Cross, and countless other products. In 2002, he set a record for the longest-running celebrity endorsement for a product. In 2011, the Advertising Hall of Fame presented Bill Cosby with its President’s Award for his contributions to advertising.
Accusations, Trial, and Conviction
By the 2010s, it seemed Bill Cosby had achieved everything imaginable. A regular guy from a working-class family had become a comedy, television, film, and advertising superstar. He was famous in the U.S. and beyond, and his warm, trustworthy persona made him a favorite of major brands. His work had been recognized with many of the industry’s most prestigious awards. But instead of a quiet retirement, 2014 brought a flood of sexual assault allegations against him.
The first public accusation had surfaced as early as 1965, with others following in the 1980s. However, these were often isolated incidents involving one woman at a time. Bill Cosby either denied the claims or refused to comment. But starting in 2014, dozens of victims began to speak out publicly about the famous comedian and actor’s crimes.
This led to a high-profile criminal trial. After four years of legal proceedings, Bill Cosby was convicted in 2018 and sentenced to three to ten years in prison. He was 81 years old at the time. While he served his sentence, he was stripped of most of his awards and his work was pulled from syndication. In 2021, his conviction was overturned on procedural grounds, and Bill Cosby was released from prison. However, his reputation and legacy were permanently shattered. He has since lost his sight and no longer makes public appearances.