Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids is an animated series created, produced, and hosted by comedian Bill Cosby, who also lent his voice to a number of characters, including Fat Albert himself. Filmation was the production company for the series. The show premiered in 1972 and ran until 1985. The show, based on Cosby's remembrances of his childhood gang, centered on Albert, and his friends. The show always had an educational lesson emphasized by Cosby's live-action segments, and in early episodes the gang would usually gather in their North Philadelphia junkyard to play a rock song on their cobbled-together instruments at the end of the show.
Episodes
Lying
Edward tells stories about wrestling with alligators. Fat Albert and the gang realize that Edward has been lying to them about everything and gets caught at the end.
The Runt
Fat Albert and the Gang meet a guy named Pee Wee who's very small that he feels left out of everything. The Gang and Pee Wee learned that It's not your size that matters but being who you are that counts.
Creativity
The origin of the Junkyard Band. The gang tries doing odd jobs for money but they only made enough money to buy a broken drumstick but then they realize they could make their own instruments. Fat Albert makes an instrument out of an old radiator, a funnel, and a big potato bag. Bill makes a set of drums out of trash cans as well as turning old tin cans into chimes for Russell. Weird Harold turns a bed frame into a harp. Dumb Donald creates a trombone out of pipes and a horn from a grammaphone. Mushmouth takes an old bird cage and makes his own guitar. Bucky puts big pipes together to make an organ.
Fish Out Of Water
The Gang goes to Camp Green Lane for the Summer meeting people that are different from them. Fat Albert and the gang learned meeting new people is cool.
Moving
Fat Albert recieves news that he's moving away and the gang kicked him out of the club. The Cosby Kids missed Fat Albert so much that all they wanted was their friend back. Fat Albert moved around the corner in his neighborhood.
Playing Hookey
Fat Albert and the Gang think school is nothing but a waist of time so they decide to play hookey the next day. Dumb Donald told the gang he was going to school and thought he was joking but got made fun of and kept walking. Fat Albert and his friends had so much playing hookey knowing they wouldn't get caught.Later on that evening the Junkyard Gang met two homeless bums who didn't go to school telling them that if they didn't finish their education you won't be able to read and write letters. The Gang decide to stay in school realizing it's cool.
The Hospital
Russell has a physical with the school doctor and learns he needs to have a tonsilectomy. In the process, it is discovered that Bill needs one, too. Thinking the operation will take their lives away, they give all their favorite posessions to their friends, only to find that they will pull through. They also find out that they will get ice cream afterwards and learn that it won't be so bad after all.
Begging Benny
Fat Albert's Cousin Benny comes to visit and mistreats all his friends. In the long run he learns what a real friend is all about.
The Hero
The Gang looks up to Scrap Iron because he's cool then gets them busted and realize he's not a hero.
The Prankster
Otis becomes the coolest kid on the block with his pranks that he doesn't care who he hurts.
Four Eyes
Heywood is the clumsiest person who can't see anything. Once Heywood got his glasses, the gang wanted to be just like him.
The Tomboy
A new Girl named Penny comes to town and tags along with Fat Albert and the Gang playing sports with them.
Stagefright
Fat Albert and the Gang perform in front of an audience and get stage fright. The Gang realized that It's Important to speak up when you're in front of others.
Top Cast
Bill Cosby
Bill Cosby
Bill Cosby
Fat Albert Robertson
Erika Scheimer
Lou Scheimer
Dumb Donald
Eric Suter
Rudy Davis
Jan Crawford
Russell Cosby
Bill Cosby
Mushmouth
Jan Crawford
Bucky
Gerald Edwards
Weird Harold
