Bill Cosby By: Dylan Cejas
Childhood Born at 3:00 am on July 12, 1937, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was born at Germantown Hospital. His parents were high schools sweethearts. He was the first of four sons. His brothers were James, Russell, and Robert.
Family Life Bill Cosby’s family was part of the lower middle class. His parents had very little money, his father was a welder but because jobs were slow, he made very little money. Bill’s younger brother James died in 1945 from a rheumatic fever. His dad finally joined the U.S. Navy while his mother worked cleaning houses.
Education Bill dropped out of high school to go into the Navy. After his tour of duty, he earned his equivalency diploma through a correspondence course, and his quick legs got him into Temple University on a track-and-field scholarship when he was 23. He later dropped out to pursue show business. His early stand-up started with nightclub routines about "Fat Albert" and "Old Weird Harold".
Accomplishments 33 awards in comedian, actor, and producer The Bill Cosby Show His comedy records earned him eight Grammy awards. He appeared in numerous commercials and on children's shows such as Sesame Street and Electric Company
Awards 1969: Received his third Man of the Year award from Harvard University's performance group the Hasty Pudding Theatricals 1991: Induction into the Television Hall of Fame 1998: Received the Kennedy Center Honor 2002: The Presidential Medal of Freedom for his contributions to television 2003: The Bob Hope Humanitarian Award 2005: In a British poll to find the Comedian's Comedian, he was voted among the top-50 comedy acts ever by fellow comedians and comedy insiders 2009: Presented with the 12th annual Mark Twain Prize for American Humor 2011: Made an honorary Chief Petty Officer in the United States Navy