The Bill Cosby Show is an American sitcom television series that aired for two seasons on NBC's Sunday night schedule from 1969 until 1971 under the sponsorship of Procter & Gamble. There were 52 episodes made in the series. It marked Bill Cosby's first solo foray in television after his co-starring role with Robert Culp in I Spy.

The series also marked the first time an African American starred in their own eponymous comedy series.

Synopsis

thumb|left|180px|Cosby as Chet Kincaid with [[Rupert Crosse and Beah Richards, 1970.]]

Cosby played the role of Chet Kincaid, a physical education teacher at a Los Angeles high school, a bachelor, and an "average cool guy" trying to earn a living and help people out along the way. The show ran for two seasons, 52 episodes in all. While only a modest critical success, the series was nominated for two Primetime Emmys.

The Bill Cosby Show was a ratings hit, finishing eleventh in its first season. With the high school as the setting of most episodes, storylines involve life lessons, students and fellow teachers, family drama, a coach's purview, and a few challenging forays, such as a substitute teacher of algebra or English.

Cosby was lauded for having classic African American performers appear, such as Lillian Randolph (as Kincaid's mother) and Rex Ingram. Well-known stars who rarely did television appeared as well, including Henry Fonda and veteran comedians Mantan Moreland and Moms Mabley as Kincaid's feuding uncle and aunt.

The show's brass-heavy, funky theme song, "Hikky Burr", was written by Cosby and Quincy Jones, with Cosby providing the vocals. A new version of the theme was recorded for the second season.

The show did not use a laugh track; in that regard it was unique among half-hour situation comedies at the time. Cosby and NBC were at odds over his refusal to include a laugh track in the show. Cosby felt that viewers were intelligent enough to find the humor themselves, without being prompted.

While a few comedy dramas already aired without laugh tracks, few sitcoms went without, with most sitcoms filmed before a studio audience.

Mill Creek Entertainment released a ten episode best of set entitled The Bill Cosby Show – The Best of Season 1 on March 22, 2011.

References

  • Official Bill Cosby Site