Bill Cosby Biography

Bill Cosby’s humor centers on the human condition, family relationships, and the evolving roles of men and women. Without resorting to gimmickry or low-brow humor, Cosby has touched generations of Americans with his unique brand of comic brilliance.

Back by popular demand, Bill Cosby’s last performance in Huntsville left patrons in stitches. Whether he is sharing his thoughts on married life, the battle of the sexes or the challenges of parents and kids, Bill Cosby always delivers his wit and wisdom with a dose of humor and relevance. Don’t miss the chance to spend some time with one of America’s all time favorite comic legends.

Bill Cosby is, by any standards, one of the most influential stars in America today. Without resorting to gimmickry or lowbrow humor, Bill Cosby’s comedy has a point of reference and respect for the trappings and traditions of the great American humorists such as Charlie Chaplin, Will Rogers, W.C. Fields and Groucho Marx.

Bill Cosby points out the humor in our lives, and in doing so, he touches our hearts. Because of this, his appeal is not restricted to any specific group. His Chaplinesque qualities combined with an earthy innocence have endeared him to people from all walks of life.

William Henry “Bill” Cosby, Jr., Ed.D. (born July 12, 1937) is an American comedian, actor, television producer, activist, and luminary. A veteran stand-up performer, he got his start at various clubs, then landed a vanguard role in the 1960s action show I Spy. He later starred in his own series, The Bill Cosby Show, in the late 1960s. He was one of the major characters on the children’s television show for its first two seasons, and created the humorous educational cartoon series Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids, about a group of young friends growing up in the city. Cosby also acted in numerous films, although none has received the acclaim of his television work.

During the 1980s, Cosby produced and starred in what is considered one of the decade’s defining sitcoms, The Cosby Show, which aired from 1984 to 1992. The sitcom featured an upper-middle class African-American family without resorting to the kinds of stereotypes previously seen among African-Americans in prime-time television. While some argued that The Cosby Show ignored the issues of racial inequity still prevalent in society, many agreed that it showcased positive role models.

Cosby was active in showbusiness in the 1990s, starring in Cosby, which first aired in 1996, and hosting Kids Say the Darndest Things, which began in 1998, as well as making more movies. He has also continued appearing on the stand-up circuit. His material consists mainly of anecdotal tales, often dealing with his upbringing and raising his own family, and he is known for having a clean, family-friendly routine.

His good-natured, fatherly image has made him a popular personality and earned him the nickname of “America’s Dad,” and he has also been a sought-after spokesman for products like Jell-O Pudding, Kodak film, Coca-Cola, and the defunct retail chain Service Merchandise.

Cosby met his wife Camille while he was performing stand-up in Washington, D.C., in the early 1960s, and she was a student at the University of Maryland. They married on 25 January 1964, and had five children: daughters Erika Ranee, Erinn Chalene, Ensa Camille, and Evin Harrah, and son Ennis William. His son Ennis was shot to death while changing a flat tire on the side of a Los Angeles freeway on 16 January 1997.

In early 1997, fans were startled when a 22-year-old woman, Autumn Jackson, tried to extort $40 million from Cosby, claiming he was her biological father. He admitted to having a one-time fling with Jackson’s mother and had provided money to the family until Jackson turned 18, though he disputed the paternity claim from the start. She was found guilty of extortion and sentenced to 26 months in prison; two accomplices were sentenced to five years and three months. The convictions were overturned in June 1999 on a technicality. The case was retried later, and the convictions were returned.

On 8 November 2006, the media reported that Cosby had settled a lawsuit with a woman alleging he had sexually assaulted her. The woman claimed that Cosby assaulted her at his mansion in Cheltenham in early 2004 after giving her some blue pills. The woman said the pills had rendered her semiconscious, and that the comedian molested her. She said she awoke to find her bra undone and her clothes in disarray. In and around the same time reports 12 women alleging that they were sexually assaulted by Cosby surfaced, but none of the complainants elected to proceed with criminal charges.

Cosby is an active alumni supporter of his Alma Mater, Temple University, and in particular their men’s basketball team, whose games Cosby frequently attends (particularly during the team’s glory days under coach John Chaney, who is a close friend of Cosby).

Cosby is a huge Philadelphia Eagles fan. Recently, when both the Eagles’ starting and backup quarterbacks were injured, Cosby sent some of his old football gear to head coach Andy Reid, joking he was ready to play if needed.

Cosby also attends many public events, such as the 100th Millrose Games at Madison Square Garden in New York on February 2, 2007. Cosby enjoys cigars, a hobby he picked up from Groucho Marx, one of his comedy influences. Cosby is also a noted pen collector, and often frequents several well-known fountain pen stores; he is the spokesperson for Fountain Pen Hospital. Cosby maintains a home in Shelburne, Massachusetts. Bill Cosby also has been hosting the Los Angeles Playboy Jazz Festival since 1979.

In recent years, the popular comedian has been parodied on several television cartoons such as The Simpsons, Family Guy and The Boondocks. Bill Cosby has become extensively parodied in the unusual internet phenomenon House of Cosbys, a series of 5 minute episodes posted on You Tube that chronicle the main character, Mitchell, and his residence filled with cloned Cosbys, each unique in their own, peculiar way.

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Heath Ledger new Pictures

He’s been making girls drool since his Australian acting debut and it didn’t take long for North America to catch the Heath Ledger bug either.

The handsome, curly-haired Australian Heath Ledger was introduced to American audiences as the young star of the Fox adventure series “Roar” (1997) and quickly rose through the ranks to become one of the busiest leading men of his generation, earning particular acclaim for his dramatic turn as a conflicted, closted homosexual ranch hand in the bittersweet drama “Brokeback Mountain” (2005).

Heath Andrew Ledger is an Academy Award-nominated Australian film actor, Ledger starred in the Hollywood movie 10 Things I Hate About You and also had the lead role in the acclaimed Australian movie Two Hands, directed by Gregor Jordan. Since then he has starred in The Patriot, A Knight’s Tale, Ned Kelly, The Sin Eater AkA The Order, and The Brothers Grimm. In 2005, Ledger received a “Best Actor in a Drama” Golden Globe nomination for his acclaimed performance in Brokeback Mountain, in which he plays Wyoming ranch hand Ennis Del Mar, who has a love affair with aspiring rodeo rider Jack Twist, played by Jake Gyllenhaal.

Ledger received “Best Actor of 2005″ awards for Brokeback Mountain from both the New York Film Critics Circle and the San Francisco Film Critics Circle. He was also nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance. In the same year, Ledger played a fictionalized version of Giacomo Casanova in Casanova. The film, a romantic comedy which co-starred Sienna Miller, drew mixed reviews from critics and failed to find a significant audience among general moviegoers, though it fared better on DVD.

In 2006, Ledger was invited to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. In Spring 2006, it was announced that Ledger would portray Bob Dylan in the film I’m Not There. Although not actually playing Dylan himself, Ledger along with several other actors will portray different sides of the singer.

On July 21, 2006, Ledger was officially confirmed to play iconic comic book villain The Joker in The Dark Knight, the sequel to the 2005 film Batman Begins, opposite fellow I’m Not There star Christian Bale. The film is due in 2008. In 2006, Ledger directed three music videos: “Cause an Effect” and “Seduction Is Evil (She’s Hot)” for Australian hip-hop artist N’fa, as well as “Morning Yearning” for Ben Harper.

Music Ledger started a record company with singer Ben Harper. His first step in the music business was directing Harper’s video “Morning Yearning”. He has directed and produced Australian artist N’Fa’s work, including his video “Seduction is Evil”.

Ledger had a relationship with Naomi Watts, whom he met in 2002 during the filming of Ned Kelly. They started dating in August 2002. The couple ended their relationship in April 2004. Previously, he had dated actresses Lisa Zane and Heather Graham.

Ledger was engaged to actress Michelle Williams, whom he met on the set of Brokeback Mountain. They have a daughter, Matilda Rose, who was born on October 28, 2005. The child’s godparents are Ledger’s Brokeback costar Jake Gyllenhaal and Williams’ Dawson’s Creek castmate Busy Phillips.

Ledger and his family divided their time between Brooklyn, Los Angeles, and Sydney. Ledger sold his Australian residence in Bronte, New South Wales, for A$7 million.

In August 2007, Us Weekly reported that Ledger and Williams ended their relationship because of their busy schedule. Neither Ledger nor Williams has confirmed the rumor at the time of this writing. On September 4, 2007, Williams’ father, Larry, confirmed to Sydney Daily Telegraph that Ledger & Williams have indeed split.

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