Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids (TV)
"Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids" is an animated television series that premiered on CBS on September 9, 1972, as part of its Saturday morning lineup. The show is loosely based on the childhood experiences of comedian Bill Cosby and follows a group of friends living in a lower-income urban neighborhood in Philadelphia. The characters, including Fat Albert, Rudy, and Weird Harold, navigate real-life issues such as peer pressure, bigotry, and learning disabilities, with each episode concluding with a moral lesson reinforced by Cosby himself.
The backdrop of the series features realistic depictions of urban life, highlighting the challenges faced by its characters. It stands out as a landmark in children's programming, particularly for its positive portrayal of African American characters at a time when most cartoons either perpetuated stereotypes or ignored diversity altogether. The show was notable not only for its educational content but also for its sensitivity to social issues, setting a new standard for quality children's programming.
Its success is reflected in its twelve-year run on CBS and continued popularity through syndication, leading to DVD releases and a live-action film adaptation in 2004. The impact of "Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids" remains significant as a culturally relevant and educational animated series.
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Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids (TV)
Identification Animated children’s series
Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids was one of the first cartoons both to include educational story lines and to portray African American characters in a positive light.
Date Aired from September, 1972, to August, 1984
Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids debuted on the Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) on Saturday, September 9, 1972, as a part of the network’s Saturday morning cartoon lineup. The animated children’s show chronicled the antics of a group of friends living in a lower-income urban neighborhood in Philadelphia. In order to reflect the inner-city setting, the background art of the show included run-down homes, littered streets, and a junkyard, which served as the gang’s preferred hangout. Loosely based on the childhood experiences of comedian Bill Cosby, the cast of characters included Fat Albert, Rudy, Weird Harold, Edward, Mush Mouth, Donald, Bucky, and Russell.
Hosted by Cosby (who also served as executive producer), the show focused on story lines that taught educational and moral values. Through the experiences of Fat Albert and his gang, children learned about real-life issues such as peer pressure, bigotry, handicaps, learning disabilities, and drug addiction. Each segment ended with Cosby reinforcing the lesson of the day. Although the show’s stories featured a group of African American youngsters living in an urban ghetto, the underlying message was aimed at all children.
By the early 1970’s, children’s Saturday morning programming was dominated by animated shows, most of which were lacking in any quality educational value. Concern over these programs and pressure from groups such as Action for Children’s Television (ACT) resulted in attempts by mainstream networks to provide socially conscious cartoons. Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids took the lead by presenting a children’s program that was sensitive to the social concerns of the day and focused on issues with which the audience could identify. Cosby set a new industry standard in quality children’s programming by hiring professionals to serve as consultants to the series and review each show’s content.
Impact
Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids was considered a landmark in minority programming because it featured African American characters in a positive light. Up until that time, most cartoons either emphasized African American stereotypes or failed to portray African Americans at all. The show’s themes focused on the feelings and personal relationships of the characters. In addition, the show made use of real-life situations and adapted them to the cartoon format. Critics referred to it as a show before its time. The popularity of Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids was evidenced by its twelve-year broadcast on CBS, making it one of the longest-running Saturday morning programs.
Subsequent Events
The show was syndicated in 1984, and its appeal continued with new generations—classic episodes of Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids were released on digital video disk (DVD) in 2004, and the same year brought the film release of Fat Albert, an adaptation of the cartoon series using human actors.
Bibliography
Davis, Jeffery. Children’s Television, 1947-1990: Over Two Hundred Series, Game, and Variety Shows, Cartoons, Educational Programs and Specials. Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland, 1995.
Erickson, Hal. Television Cartoon Shows: An Illustrated Encyclopedia, 1949 through 1993. Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland, 1995.
Merritt, Bishetta D. “Bill Cosby: TV Auteur?” Journal of Popular Culture 24, no. 4 (Spring, 1991): 89-102.