Title
Honoring Bill Cosby.
Body
WHEREAS, William Henry Cosby was born on July 12, 1937 in Germantown. He was the oldest of three boys raised by William Sr. and Anna; and
WHEREAS, As a young boy, Bill was immediately drawn to the comedy radio shows of his time, including Jack Benny, Jimmy Durante, and Fred Allen. By the 5th grade, Cosby was entertaining classmates and teachers alike with his stand up comedy; and
WHEREAS, In 1956, unable to juggle the demands of working and being a star athlete, Cosby dropped out of Germantown High and, following in the footsteps of his father, joined the Navy. His time in the Navy would lead him to realize the importance of an education, and after earning his GED while in the Navy, Cosby won a track and field scholarship to Temple University, the beginning of a forty year love affair with the school; and
WHEREAS, Cosby's comedy career soared while studying at Temple. It began as he was tending bar at The Cellar in Philadelphia, telling jokes to his customers. The jokes were usually based on everyday events. Two years later, Cosby had secured his own gig in Greenwich Village in New York, ultimately leading to a contract with the William Morris Agency, the first of many comedy albums and shows in Las Vegas, Chicago and other major cities; and
WHEREAS, In 1965, Cosby landed a starring role in the NBC series I Spy for which he won three Emmy Awards. Bill dabbled in both television and film over the next few years, and found enormous success with his critically acclaimed animated series Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids. Bill also starred in a number of movies, thrusting him into the limelight as a major comedic talent; and
WHEREAS, Bill spent much of the 70's earning advanced degrees in education at the University of Massachusetts, culminating in his being awarded a doctorate of education in 1977. He also became a popular pitchman for a number of products, including Coca- Cola and Kodak; and
WHEREAS, In 1984, The Cos...
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