The Bill Cosby Show is an American
situation comedyA situation comedy, often shortened to sitcom, is a genre of comedy that features characters sharing the same common environment, such as a home or workplace, accompanied with jokes as part of the dialogue...
that aired for two seasons on
NBCThe National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
's Sunday night schedule from 1969 until 1971, under the sponsorship of
Procter & GambleProcter & Gamble is a Fortune 500 American multinational corporation headquartered in downtown Cincinnati, Ohio and manufactures a wide range of consumer goods....
. There were 52 episodes made in the series. It marked Cosby's first solo foray in television, after his co-starring role with
Robert CulpRobert Martin Culp was an American actor, scriptwriter, voice actor and director, widely known for his work in television. Culp first earned an international reputation for his role as Kelly Robinson on I Spy , the espionage series in which he and co-star Bill Cosby played a pair of secret agents...
in
I Spy. The series also marked the first time an
African AmericanAfrican Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
starred in his or her own
eponymAn eponym is the name of a person or thing, whether real or fictitious, after which a particular place, tribe, era, discovery, or other item is named or thought to be named...
ous comedy series.
The Bill Cosby Show is an American
situation comedyA situation comedy, often shortened to sitcom, is a genre of comedy that features characters sharing the same common environment, such as a home or workplace, accompanied with jokes as part of the dialogue...
that aired for two seasons on
NBCThe National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
's Sunday night schedule from 1969 until 1971, under the sponsorship of
Procter & GambleProcter & Gamble is a Fortune 500 American multinational corporation headquartered in downtown Cincinnati, Ohio and manufactures a wide range of consumer goods....
. There were 52 episodes made in the series. It marked Cosby's first solo foray in television, after his co-starring role with
Robert CulpRobert Martin Culp was an American actor, scriptwriter, voice actor and director, widely known for his work in television. Culp first earned an international reputation for his role as Kelly Robinson on I Spy , the espionage series in which he and co-star Bill Cosby played a pair of secret agents...
in
I Spy. The series also marked the first time an
African AmericanAfrican Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
starred in his or her own
eponymAn eponym is the name of a person or thing, whether real or fictitious, after which a particular place, tribe, era, discovery, or other item is named or thought to be named...
ous comedy series.
Synopsis
In this light-hearted comedy,
Bill CosbyWilliam Henry "Bill" Cosby, Jr. is an American comedian, actor, author, television producer, educator, musician and activist. A veteran stand-up performer, he got his start at various clubs, then landed a starring role in the 1960s action show, I Spy. He later starred in his own series, the...
played the role of Chet Kincaid,
physical educationPhysical education or gymnastics is a course taken during primary and secondary education that encourages psychomotor learning in a play or movement exploration setting....
teacher at a Los Angeles
high schoolHigh school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
, bachelor, and average cool guy trying to earn a living, helping people out along the way. Many of the episodes involved Kincaid in various situations at the high school with his students and fellow teachers. In some episodes, Kincaid was asked to substitute, and fill in as an
algebraAlgebra is the branch of mathematics concerning the study of the rules of operations and relations, and the constructions and concepts arising from them, including terms, polynomials, equations and algebraic structures...
or
EnglishEnglish studies is an academic discipline that includes the study of literatures written in the English language , English linguistics English studies is an academic discipline that includes the study of literatures written in the English language (including literatures from the U.K., U.S.,...
teacher.
In one episode, Kincaid was the driver's education instructor trying to teach a nervous student how to drive. Leaving the student at the wheel, he went to get safety cones from the car's trunk to lay out a course for the lesson. The student accidentally backed up, dumping Kincaid into the trunk and driving around the parking lot backwards with Kincaid's legs dangling from the car.
In another episode, Kincaid is filming his football team's practice for the first time. Standing on the field, camera to his eye, he calls for his team to run a running "sweep" play; the team questions the request, but Kincaid insists. The play he has called for sends the ball-carrier directly through where Kincaid is standing, and the viewers see the result as the camera sees it—the players charging into view, a sudden tilt of the lens upward to view only sky, and then the helmeted heads of the concerned team circling around their trampled coach.
Other episodes involved younger children, and some episodes involved family and adult characters. Different guest stars also appeared in various episodes throughout the series. One memorable show featured veteran African-American comedians
Mantan MorelandMantan Moreland was an American actor and comedian most popular in the 1930s and 1940s.-Career:Born in Monroe, Louisiana, Moreland began acting by the time he was an adolescent, reportedly running away to join the circus...
and
Moms MableyJackie "Moms" Mabley, born Loretta Mary Aiken , was an American standup comedian and a pioneer of the so-called "Chitlin' Circuit" of African-American vaudeville.-Early years:...
as Kincaid's married—and feuding—uncle and aunt.
Production notes
The show's theme song, "
Hikky BurrHikky Burr was the theme song for The Bill Cosby Show, and was also released as a well-known single in 1969. It was written and performed by Quincy Jones and Bill Cosby. It is known for its nonsense lyrics. It is featured on the album The Original Jam Sessions 1969. It also features on The Best of...
," was written by Cosby and
Quincy JonesQuincy Delightt Jones, Jr. is an American record producer and musician. A conductor, musical arranger, film composer, television producer, and trumpeter. His career spans five decades in the entertainment industry and a record 79 Grammy Award nominations, 27 Grammys, including a Grammy Legend...
, with Cosby providing the vocals. A new version of the theme was recorded for later seasons.
The show did not use a
laugh trackA laugh track is a separate soundtrack invented by Charles "Charley" Douglass, with the artificial sound of audience laughter, made to be inserted into television programming of comedy shows and sitcoms.The term "laugh track" does not apply to the genuine audience laughter on shows that shoot in...
, which at the time was unique for a half-hour situation comedy. (Other humorous shows had begun airing without laugh tracks, but these fell more under the TV genre of
comedy-dramaComedy-drama is a genre of theatre, film and television programs which combines humorous and serious content.-Theatre:Traditional western theatre, beginning with the ancient Greeks, was divided into comedy and tragedy...
than did this show. Exceptions, however, include
The Beulah Show, a controversial 1950-1953 sitcom.)
The Bill Cosby Show was not the average, laugh-out-loud type of sitcom. The episodes were humorous, but the show emphasized intelligent character studies and plausible, real-life situations. The plot of many episodes centered on a lesson in life learned, which was explained in the classic Cosby style.
Season 1: 1969-1970
| Series # |
Season # |
Title |
Notes |
Original air date |
| 1 |
1 |
"The Fatal Phone Call" |
While out jogging, Chet hears the telephone ringing inside a phone booth. He hesitates, but decides to answer. As a result, Chet ends up getting involved in a dispute between an auto mechanic and his wife. In an interesting twist, a case of mistaken identity in which Chet is involved brings this episode to a close. Guest Star: Vic Tayback as Calvin the mechanic. |
September 14, 1969 |
| 2 |
2 |
"Lullaby and Goodnight" |
Chet is having difficulty sleeping at night, due to the new neighbor across the street whose dog won't stop barking. |
September 21, 1969 |
| 3 |
3 |
"The Best Hook Shot in the World" |
A short, but talented youngster with an unusual hook shot is determined to make the Holmes High School basketball team, where Chet is coach. He makes the team, after defeating Chet in a game of one on one. It's the day of the big game, Chet and the team pin their hopes on the little guy and his hook shot to win the game. |
September 28, 1969 |
| 4 |
4 |
"A Girl Named Punkin" |
Chet does volunteer work for the local community center, a place for underprivileged children. He is having problems with Punkin, a young girl who is unresponsive and stays to herself. Chet eventually breaks through, and Punkin comes around. A touching scene where Chet tells Punkin a bedtime story and teaches her a lesson in love and caring at the same time is the high point of this episode. |
October 05, 1969 |
| 5 |
5 |
"Rules Is Rules" |
Chet goes to great lengths to obtain a valve needle which he needs in order to inflate basketballs for his gym class. |
October 12, 1969 |
| 6 |
6 |
"Let X Equal a Lousy Weekend" |
Chet is asked to be substitute teacher in an algebra class. Chet and the students have a difficult time arriving at the answer for one particular problem involving candy being sold at varying amounts per pound. Chet spends the weekend trying to solve the problem, he even visits a candy store to try to purchase the correct amounts of candy. |
October 26, 1969 |
| 7 |
7 |
"To Kincaid, with Love" |
Chet is receiving attention from a female student of the high school. He thinks she has a crush on him, but the girl is actually trying to set Chet up with her mother. |
November 2, 1969 |
| 8 |
8 |
"The Killer Instinct" |
Chet is having problems with a proud father who insists that his son make the high school football team. Trouble is, the kid just doesn't have what it takes and is not cut out to play football. |
November 9, 1969 |
| 9 |
9 |
"The Substitute" |
Chet starts dating a substitute teacher from the high school, and has difficulty finding time to spend alone with her. |
November 16, 1969 |
| 10 |
10 |
"Brotherly Love" |
Chet's brother Brian moves in with Chet after having an argument with his wife. Brian spoils Chet's plans for the evening, then hilarity ensues when they attempt to sleep in the same bed together. |
November 23, 1969 |
| 11 |
11 |
"Going the Route" |
Chet's nephew is in bed with a cold. Chet is asked and agrees to substitute for his nephew in the morning paper route. |
November 30, 1969 |
| 12 |
12 |
"A Word from Our Sponsor" |
Chet does a TV commercial for a morning breakfast cereal, with disastrous results. Classic episode. Guest Stars: Alan Oppenheimer, Mike Farrell of M*A*S*H* fame also makes a brief cameo appearance. |
December 7, 1969 |
| 13 |
13 |
"A Christmas Ballad" |
Chet helps a down on his luck old timer capture the spirit of Christmas. Guest Star: Rex Ingram |
December 21, 1969 |
| 14 |
14 |
"Home Remedy" |
Chet is home with a cold, and is unable to rest because all his relatives come over offering their cure-alls and remedies. |
December 28, 1969 |
| 15 |
15 |
"Growing Growing Grown" |
Chet is asked to chaperone at a high school dance. Chet's car is not available, so he ends up borrowing his brothers garbage truck to drive his date to the dance. At the dance, Chet teaches one student a lesson in the importance of physical appearance. |
January 4, 1970 |
| 16 |
16 |
"The Elevator Doesn't Stop Here Anymore" |
Chet gets stuck inside an elevator at the high school along with one other faculty member and the school's cleaning lady. They entertain each other until help arrives. Guest Stars: Henry Fonda as a faculty member, Elsa Lanchester as the school's cleaning lady. |
January 11, 1970 |
| 17 |
17 |
"Lover's Quarrel" |
Chet tries to get his ever arguing aunt and uncle to stop fighting and treat each other with kindness and respect. Veteran actors Mantan Moreland and Jackie "Moms" Mabley guest star and give classic performances as the bickering old couple. |
January 18, 1970 |
| 18 |
18 |
"The Worst Crook That Ever Lived" |
Chet is asked to help straighten out Raymond, a youngster who has a penchant for stealing. In an effort to keep Raymond out of trouble, Chet finds a spot for him on his little league baseball team. But Raymond steals the money that Chet had saved up which was intended to buy uniforms for the team. In the end, Raymond realizes what he did was wrong and returns the money to Chet. |
January 25, 1970 |
| 19 |
19 |
"The Gumball Incident" |
Chet is wrongfully accused and arrested for breaking a gumball machine. Guest Star: Tom Bosley as Cookie Maharg. |
February 1, 1970 |
| 20 |
20 |
"Goodbye Cruel World" |
Wally Cox guest stars in this episode as a shy man lacking in self confidence. With Chet's help, he builds up the nerve to ask a woman out on a date. She rejects him, and he wants to commit suicide. Chet helps to restore the man's confidence and self esteem. |
February 8, 1970 |
| 21 |
21 |
"Driven to Distraction" |
Drivers ed instructor Chet tries to teach a nervous student how to drive. |
February 18, 1970 |
| 22 |
22 |
"The Blind Date" |
Chet reluctantly agrees to go on a blind date, and ends up falling in love. Guest Star: Cicely Tyson as Chet's love interest. |
March 1, 1970 |
| 23 |
23 |
"How You Play the Game" |
Chet is in the running for the city handball championship. He defeats his semi-final opponent, using psychological tactics. In the final match however, Chet has the tables turned on him and loses the match while being psyched out by his opponent. By losing, Chet teaches a player on the high school football team a lesson in good sportsmanship. |
March 8, 1970 |
| 24 |
24 |
"The Return of Big, Bad, Bubba Bronson" |
Big Bronson, an old high school classmate of Chet's, is coming to town for a visit. Chet recalls having a past dispute with Bronson, and fears revenge. Chet meets ex prize fighter Hurricane Smith, and asks for some boxing lessons to prepare himself for Bronson's arrival. Guest Stars: Lou Gossett as Hurricane Smith, Don Pedro Colley as Big Bronson. |
March 22, 1970 |
| 25 |
25 |
"This Mouth Is Rated X" |
Chet is having problems with a player on the high school basketball team who uses profane language on the court during games. |
March 29, 1970 |
| 26 |
26 |
"Really Cool" |
Chet is asked to tell a few stories about his life for a forthcoming article in the Holmes High School newspaper. |
April 5, 1970 |
Season 2: 1970-1971
| Series # |
Season # |
Title |
Notes |
Original air date |
| 27 |
1 |
"Anytime You're Ready, C.K." |
The Holmes High School football team is on a losing streak, so the team asks Chet if they can have game films to help determine what they're doing wrong. Chet borrows a movie camera from a friend, and films the teams practice sessions. Funny silent films result from Chet's experiments with trying out the camera. A side plot has Chet trying to help out a student and former player of the football team who can no longer play due to injury. |
September 13, 1970 |
| 28 |
2 |
"Open House" |
One of Chet's fellow teachers from the high school is a part time real estate agent. Chet spends a weekend helping him out, trying to sell a house. Chet sells the house, but the couple who put the house up for sale change their mind. |
September 20, 1970 |
| 29 |
3 |
"Is There a Doctor in the Hospital?" |
Chet injures his back during his gym class, and needs to be taken to the hospital. Upon arrival, he has difficulty trying to obtain medical service, until a young patient staying at the hospital assists Chet and helps him find a doctor. |
September 27, 1970 |
| 30 |
4 |
"There Must Be a Party" |
A female student at the high school is convinced she is destined to be an actress and is certain she will win an acting contest she has entered. Chet then tells her about the time he missed his own surprise birthday party to try to teach her a lesson about anticipation and being overconfident. |
October 4, 1970 |
| 31 |
5 |
"The Old Man of 4-C" |
Will Geer guest stars in this episode as a lonesome elderly man looking for companionship. He befriends Chet, and becomes too demanding of Chet's time, but they end up compromising and spend some quality time together. |
October 11, 1970 |
| 32 |
6 |
"The Lincoln Letter" |
Chet inherits a valuable letter which originally came from Abraham Lincoln. Only catch, the letter is misplaced and needs to be found. |
October 18, 1970 |
| 33 |
7 |
"The Runaways" |
Chet is sent out to track down and find a runaway boy. He succeeds, and they spend the day together. After sharing a few adventures, Chet helps the boy decide he should go back home. |
October 25, 1970 |
| 34 |
8 |
"The Artist" |
Chet helps out a talented youngster who wants to become an artist. Chet disputes however, when the youngster chooses Chet as subject matter for his painting which will be on display at the art fair. |
November 1, 1970 |
| 35 |
9 |
"March of the Antelopes" |
Chet is in charge of a group of youngsters and is supposed to take them on an overnight camping trip. They set out to their destination, but mishaps occur, and they end up staying over at Chet's apartment. |
November 8, 1970 |
| 36 |
10 |
"The Deluge (Part 1)" |
A driving rainstorm is pounding the Los Angeles area. Chet's next door neighbor is due to have her baby and is unable to get to the hospital, streets are flooded. Chet helps out as the woman prepares to have her baby at home. Part one of a two part episode. |
November 15, 1970 |
| 37 |
11 |
"The Deluge (Part 2)" |
Conclusion of a two part episode. Chet helps an expectant mother deliver her baby at home during a driving rainstorm. |
November 22, 1970 |
| 38 |
12 |
"Swann's Way" |
Don Knotts guest stars in this episode as a shifty repossessor who's trying to repossess Chet's television set. |
December 13, 1970 |
| 39 |
13 |
"The Poet" |
A male student at the high school enjoys writing poetry, but doesn't want his friends to find out, fearing ridicule. Chet (who has also written some poetry) tells the student he shouldn't be concerned with what other people think, to go ahead and do what he enjoys doing. Chet then gets in a bind when he is mistaken as the author of a poem he copied in his youth, and the poem is scheduled to be published in the school newspaper. |
December 20, 1970 |
| 40 |
14 |
"Teacher of the Year" |
Upon winning the award for Teacher of the Year, Chet has a difficult time convincing the other teachers to attend the banquet where he will receive the award. |
December 27, 1970 |
| 41 |
15 |
"Each According to Appetite" |
Students at the high school organize a lockout of the teachers cafeteria, requesting that they have input over what foods go on the student menu. Chet helps the students and cafeteria manager reach a compromise. But when the same students have a grievance with Chet's gym class, Chet is not as willing to cooperate. |
January 3, 1971 |
| 42 |
16 |
"Viva Ortega" |
Chet tutors a Mexican immigrant who is studying to become a United States citizen. |
January 10, 1971 |
| 43 |
17 |
"Miraculous Martin" |
Dick Van Dyke guest stars in this episode as Miraculous Martin, an out of work magician who's trying to stay sober and planning to get married. |
January 17, 1971 |
| 44 |
18 |
"The Sesame Street Rumble" |
Chet has a large TV antenna installed so he can watch the big Rams/Packers football game. Many teachers from the high school come over to see the game, but Chet's TV set goes out. Chet goes to his sister's and brother-in-law's place to try to borrow their TV set, but Chet's little nephew Davey refuses to let him borrow it, insisting that he wants to watch Sesame Street. |
January 24, 1971 |
| 45 |
19 |
"The Generation Gap" |
Chet's mother is going out of town, so Chet's father comes to stay with him while she is away. As they spend time together, they discover that things have changed and they don't have as much in common anymore. |
January 31, 1971 |
| 46 |
20 |
"Tobacco Road" |
Chet aids a fellow teacher from the high school who's trying to quit smoking. Herb Edelman guest stars as Mr. Maher, the teacher who's trying to kick the habit. |
February 7, 1971 |
| 47 |
21 |
"A Dirty Business" |
Chet is at odds with a student at the high school who wants to be a spy. Because the student is a fast runner, Chet wants him to join up with the school's track team. But the student wants no part of it, preferring to remain out of the spotlight. |
February 14, 1971 |
| 48 |
22 |
"The Barber Shop" |
Chet visits the local barber shop for a haircut. While there, he gets involved in a dispute with the barber and another patron over baseball. The three of them end up going to a high rise hotel, where the barber claims he can catch a baseball dropped from a window of the hotel's top floor. Guest Star: Antonio Fargas as J.J. the barber, and Arthur French, he is hilarious as Cartons. Funniest episode of the series, very well done. |
February 21, 1971 |
| 49 |
23 |
"Power of the Trees" |
Elsa Lanchester guest stars as an eccentric woman who recruits Chet to help save a tree from being cut down at a construction site. |
February 28, 1971 |
| 50 |
24 |
"The Green-Eyed Monster" |
A male student from the high school seeks Chet's advice regarding love and jealousy. As it turns out, Chet could use a lesson or two himself and does not seem to practice what he preaches. |
March 7, 1971 |
| 51 |
25 |
"The Long Road Back" |
John Marley guest stars in this episode as a wealthy, eccentric man who wants to relive his childhood. He seeks Chet's help to have his wish come true. |
March 14, 1971 |
| 52 |
26 |
"The Saturday Game" |
A young Jewish boy joins Chet's little league baseball team. Saturday is the day of the big game, and the boy is forced to decide between playing in the game, or sitting out due to his religious beliefs, Saturday being the Jewish sabbath. The episode that brings this show to an end. |
March 21, 1971 |
Syndication
In 1984, Cosby returned to NBC with a similarly named sitcom titled
The Cosby ShowThe Cosby Show is an American television situation comedy starring Bill Cosby, which aired for eight seasons on NBC from September 20, 1984 until April 30, 1992...
. The popularity of that sitcom led to reruns of this one being picked up on the CBN Cable Network (now known as
ABC FamilyABC Family, stylized as abc family, is an American television network, owned by ABC Family Worldwide Inc., a subsidiary of the Disney-ABC Television Group division of The Walt Disney Company...
).
In 2010, this series started being broadcast on the
Retro Television NetworkThe Retro Television Network is a system of television stations that airs classic television shows as well as more recently produced programs...
.
DVD releases
Shout! FactoryShout! Factory is an entertainment company founded in 2003 that was started by Richard Foos , Bob Emmer and Garson Foos initially as a specialty music label...
has released both seasons of
The Bill Cosby Show on DVD in Region 1.
| DVD name | Ep # | Release date |
| Season One |
26 |
August 22, 2006 |
| Season Two♦ |
26 |
April 20, 2010 |
♦ - Shout! Factory select title, sold exclusively through Shout's online store
External links