ANCIENT& not so ancient WISDOM
offering a weekly positive perspective

May 12, 2005

"Anyone can dabble, but once you've made that commitment, your blood has that particular thing in it, and it's very hard for people to stop you." 

- Bill Cosby (1937 - )

William H. Cosby Jr. was born July 12, 1937 in Philadelphia, PA. His father shipped out in the U.S. Navy and stayed an absentee father. Bill joined the US Navy in the 10th grade and completed high school through correspondence courses.  

After his discharge, he attended Temple University on an athletic scholarship. After a stint as a bartender, he began his career as a stand-up comic, telling stories. Much of his material came from his Philadelphia childhood and friends.  

In 1964, he married Camille Olivia Hanks and they eventually had a total four daughters and one son. He won Grammy’s for Best Comedian Performance in 1964, 1965 and 1966. 

In 1965, TV producer Sheldon Leonard picked him for a role in I Spy, a weekly dramatic television series where he was awarded two Emmy Awards for his role as an undercover CIA agent, 1966 and 1967.

Bill Cosby was actor, writer, director and even composer on many of his later projects including The Cosby Show. He worked television, radio, and film. Golden Globe, People’s Choice, Grammy, and Emmy awards continued to be awarded throughout his career. He won more Grammies for comedy than any other artist, winning every year from 1965 to 1970 and again in 1987. His non-fiction books, Fatherhood and Time Flies were the best sellers in 1986 and 1987 respectively. During the 1980’s, Cosby was among the highest paid entertainers in the United States.

Cosby earned a doctorate in education from the University of Massachusetts in 1977; his thesis analyzed the value of the Fat Albert series as a teaching aid. His television work was designed to show how good parenting and education of children leads to success and he continues to be a leading educational philanthropist.

Their only son, Ennis Cosby was murdered on January 16, 1997 while changing a flat tire in Los Angeles, California.

Cosby received Kennedy Center Honors in 1998 and the Presidential Medial of Freedom in 2002. 

He is very vocal about the importance of a father’s role to the family and to their children. He lives in Shelburne, Massachusetts with his wife and remains an icon of popular culture.  

Wishing you unstopability,

Sincerely,