I know that all the Cosby Kids were based on children Bill Cosby knew growing up in Philly. Does anybody have a link to any photographs of the real persons the characters were based on, Fat Albert in particular?
Thank you in advance!
Cheers!
Sincerely, Steve B.
Russell of course appeared as himself in the Fat Albert movie, at the end when they were all old. I had also seen Russell on Oprah Winfrey once, with Bill.
As far as I know, Weird Harold has been the only other friend I've ever heard Bill refer to. He did it once in a pudding commercial. I think he may have referred to Albert once, but Harold and Rudy are the only two he has ever mentioned, and even then, the Harold reference was very minimal.
Bill had three brothers. I have always speculated that Harold was another brother as well.
Thanks for the info, Richard.
Didn't Bill mention a childhood companion nicknamed: "Fat Albert" once or twice while doing his "stand-up" throughout the years?
Cheers!
Well, Fat Albert was based on Cosby's childhood friend, Albert Robertson, who I couldn't find a picture of him at all. It appears he was mentioned in the movie. Russell Cosby did portray himself as the elderly Russell.
Again, all emphasis seems to be solely on Weird Harold. This seems to lead to the assumption that other than Bill and Russell, Albert and Harold were the only two based on real people. The rest were made up. Again, my assumption.
So the only characters that were based on real people include: Bill Cosby himself and his friends from the past: Russell, Albert and Harold. All the others were fictitious?
On a side note, weren't Bill and Russell siblings in real life?
Cheers!
Yes, Russell is Bill's younger brother, as shown in the cartoon.
Bill referred to Russell in pudding commercials and he has appeared on Oprah with Russell as well. That is the real Russell seen in the Fat Albert movie when all the older gang get together at Albert's grave.
The only ones Bill has ever referred to are Russell, Albert and briefly, Harold. My assumption is the others must not be based on real persons. He has clearly kept any information about any of the real gang to an absolute minimum.
Bill has three brothers. I've often wondered if some of the other kids were based on another brother.
I've also wondered why the name Rudy made it into the 80s Cosby Show for Keshia Knight Pulliam, suspecting there was a real Rudy in his youth somewhere.
Thanks for the info, Richard.
I agree. Perhaps some of the other "Cosby Kids" were based on other youngsters Bill interacted with when he was a child/teenager.
Maybe he did know somebody named Rudy "back in the day", as well.
Cheers!