"The Bill Cosby Show" (1969) TV series 1969-1971

Creators:

Bill Cosby
Ed. Weinberger
Michael Zagor
(more)

Seasons:

1 | 2

Release Date:

14 September 1969 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Plot Keywords:

Performer Name In Title | No Laugh Track | Actor Name In Title | Sitcom | Character Name In Title

Awards:

Nominated for 4 Primetime Emmys. Another 1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

Bill Cosby

...

Chet Kincaid (52 episodes, 1969-1971)

Series Directed by
Coby Ruskin		(17 episodes, 1969-1971)
Jay Sandrich		(11 episodes, 1969-1971)
Ralph Senensky		(4 episodes, 1969-1970)
Bill Cosby		(3 episodes, 1970-1971)
Ivan Dixon		(3 episodes, 1970-1971)
Sid McCoy		(2 episodes, 1969-1970)
Harvey Hart		(2 episodes, 1969)

Series Writing credits
Bill Cosby		(52 episodes, 1969-1971)
Ed. Weinberger		(52 episodes, 1969-1971)
Michael Zagor		(52 episodes, 1969-1971)
Michael Elias		(5 episodes, 1969-1971)
Frank Shaw		(5 episodes, 1969-1971)
Milton R.F. Brown		(4 episodes, 1969-1970)
Art Wallace		(4 episodes, 1970-1971)
Martin Ragaway		(3 episodes, 1970)
Dorothy Cooper		(2 episodes, 1970)
Stanley R. Greenberg		(2 episodes, 1970)
Robert Garland		(2 episodes, 1971)

Series Produced by
Bill Cosby	....	executive producer (52 episodes, 1969-1971)
Marvin Miller	....	producer (52 episodes, 1969-1971)
Robert Gondell	....	associate producer (26 episodes, 1969-1970)
R. Robert Rosenbaum	....	associate producer (26 episodes, 1970-1971)

Series Original Music by
Quincy Jones		(52 episodes, 1969-1971)
Ray Brown		(2 episodes, 1971)
Danny Hurd		(unknown episodes)

Series Cinematography by
Arnold L. Rich		(52 episodes, 1969-1971)

Series Film Editing by
Diane Adler		(17 episodes, 1969-1971)
John A. Martinelli		(12 episodes, 1970-1971)
Anthony Ippolito		(10 episodes, 1969-1971)
Ralph James Hall		(7 episodes, 1969-1970)
Peter Colbert		(6 episodes, 1969-1970)

Series Casting by
Tony D'Agosta		(26 episodes, 1969-1970)
Joe Scully		(26 episodes, 1970-1971)

Series Art Direction by
Rolland M. Brooks		(52 episodes, 1969-1971)

Series Set Decoration by
Antony Mondello		(52 episodes, 1969-1971)

Series Makeup Department
Hazel Washington	....	hairdresser (26 episodes, 1969-1970)
Eddie M. Barron	....	hairdresser (26 episodes, 1970-1971)
Perc Westmore	....	makeup artist (23 episodes, 1970-1971)
Otis Malcolm	....	makeup artist (19 episodes, 1969-1970)
Fred Williams	....	makeup artist (10 episodes, 1970-1971)

Series Production Management
R. Robert Rosenbaum	....	unit production manager (26 episodes, 1969-1970)
Cassius Weathersby	....	production manager (unknown episodes)

Series Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Charles Washburn	....	second assistant director / first assistant director (35 episodes, 1969-1971)
Wendell Franklin	....	first assistant director (26 episodes, 1969-1970)
Joe Florence	....	second assistant director (16 episodes, 1970-1971)
Kevin Donnelly	....	first assistant director (10 episodes, 1970-1971)
Milton Trager	....	second assistant director (10 episodes, 1970-1971)
Randall Henderson	....	second assistant director (7 episodes, 1970)

Series Art Department
Ed Shanley	....	construction coordinator (52 episodes, 1969-1971)
Lou Sluskin	....	property master (39 episodes, 1969-1971)
Robert Maddy	....	set designer (26 episodes, 1969-1970)
Les Gobruegge	....	assistant art director (26 episodes, 1970-1971)
Don Miller	....	property master (7 episodes, 1970)
Robert Lamb	....	property master (6 episodes, 1970-1971)

Series Sound Department
Charles M. Wilborn	....	sound mixer (47 episodes, 1969-1971)
Larry Meek	....	sound effects editor (26 episodes, 1970-1971)
John A. Martinelli	....	sound effects editor (14 episodes, 1969-1970)
Bill Rivol	....	sound editor / sound effects editor (10 episodes, 1969-1970)
Al Overton Jr.	....	sound mixer (4 episodes, 1970-1971)
John O. Young	....	sound editor / sound effects editor (2 episodes, 1969-1970)

Series Special Effects by
Johnny Borgese	....	special effects (6 episodes, 1969-1970)

Series Camera and Electrical Department
Carl Boles	....	gaffer (52 episodes, 1969-1971)
Leonard Lookabaugh	....	key grip (52 episodes, 1969-1971)
Albert Bettcher	....	camera operator (26 episodes, 1970-1971)
Gene Evans	....	camera operator (24 episodes, 1969-1970)

Series Costume and Wardrobe Department
Glenn Wright	....	costumer: men (51 episodes, 1969-1971)
Thalia Phillips	....	costumer: women (16 episodes, 1970-1971)
Rose Brandi	....	costumer: women (10 episodes, 1970-1971)

Series Editorial Department
Anthony Ippolito	....	editorial supervisor (26 episodes, 1970-1971)
Peter Colbert	....	editorial supervisor (15 episodes, 1969-1970)

Series Music Department
Harry King	....	music editor (52 episodes, 1969-1971)
Bill Cosby	....	composer: theme "Hikky Burr" (unknown episodes)
Mike Deasy	....	musician (unknown episodes)

Series Transportation Department
Chris Haynes	....	driver (1 episode, 1969)

Series Other crew
Mariette Burr Mandell	....	executive assistant: Bill Cosby / executive assistant to Bill Cosby (52 episodes, 1969-1971)
Don Record	....	title designer (52 episodes, 1969-1971)
Ed. Weinberger	....	executive story editor / script consultant (52 episodes, 1969-1971)
Dan Alexander	....	script supervisor (44 episodes, 1969-1971)
Donald Moses	....	assistant to the producer (26 episodes, 1969-1970)
Michael Elias	....	script consultant (26 episodes, 1970-1971)
Frank Shaw	....	script consultant (26 episodes, 1970-1971)
Del Shields	....	assistant to the producer (26 episodes, 1970-1971)
Victoria Weisbart	....	script supervisor (8 episodes, 1969-1970)

Production Companies

• Bill Cosby
• Jemmin Inc.

Distributors

• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1969-1971) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• Shout! Factory (2006) (USA) (DVD)
• Sony BMG Music Entertainment (2006) (USA) (DVD)
• Peter Rodgers Organization (1985) (USA) (all media)
• Peter Rodgers Organization (USA)
• Shout! Factory (2010) (USA) (DVD) (Season Two)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

30 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Filming Locations:

Stage 2, Warner Brothers Burbank Studios - 4000 Warner Boulevard, Burbank, California, USA

Company:

Bill Cosby

Trivia:

According to 2nd AD Charles Washburn, when Van Peebles. Melvin once directed an episode of the show, his love of using the 'F-' and 'MF-word' left other crew members too afraid to bring their families to visit the set.

Movie Connections:

Featured in TV in Black: The First Fifty Years (2004) (V)

The Bill Cosby Show:1969-1971

In 1965,comedian talent Bill Cosby scored a huge success as being the first black American to star in a non-stereotypical role,playing tennis coach/secret government agent Alexander Scott on the action-adventure espionage series "I Spy",which was produced by Sheldon Leonard which was very successful,filmed on location in various parts of the world and was in full color for the three seasons that it ran on NBC-TV from September 15,1965 until September 2,1968,producing 86 episodes. The show was so brilliant and clever it won Bill Cosby the Emmy in 1966 for Best Supporting Actor in a Dramatic Role.

In 1969,Bill Cosby returned to series television. Only this time it would be a situation comedy series,which was also successful in its own right. Created by Bill Cosby,along with Michael Zagor and Ed. Weinberger(who would go on to produced "The Mary Tyler Moore Show", "Taxi",and "Amen"),"The Bill Cosby Show",ran for more than two seasons for NBC-TV from September 14,1969 until August 31,1971,producing 51 episodes. Not only this show was brilliant in its own right,but it was Nominated for 4 Prime-Time Emmys in 1970,including one for Cosby,who was nominated for Best Actor in Comedic Role,along with Quincy Jones who was nominated for Best Original Score for a Television Series(who wrote and composed the theme score). "The Bill Cosby Show" starred Cosby as high school physical education teacher and coach Chet Kincaid. The setting was a school in a lower-middle class neighborhood of suburban Los Angeles. His relationships with family,students,and fellow teachers were emphasized,giving free reign to Cosby's gentle sense of humor and philosophy,which made this series stand-out from other comedies that premiered in the late 1960's and throughout the early 1970's.

His family life with his mother Rose(season one by Lillian Randolph,and second two by Beah Richards),his brother Brian(Lee Weaver)and his sister-in-law Verna(Olga James),were part of the program as his professional with the school principal Mr. Langford(Sid McCoy);the guidance counselor,Mrs.Peterson(Joyce Bulifant),and the suppose of a lot of kids,which came to him for guidance and some wisdom. This show also had a lot of special guest stars who were on board this series: One episode I do recall featured Cosby's co-star from "I Spy" Robert Culp. The others featured British actress Elsa Lanchester,and Henry Fonda. This series hasn't been seen since it was originally broadcast. During the mid-1980's and early 1990's,CBN Cable Network(Christian Broadcasting Network)reaired this series it its entirely. Most recently,the show has been resurrected on DVD.