How much is Bill Cosby worth now?
| Net Worth: | $300 Million |
|---|---|
| Profession: | Professional Comedian |
| Date of Birth: | July 12, 1937 (age 85) |
| Country: | United States of America |
| Height: | 6 ft (1.83 m) |
About Bill Cosby
Originally born and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, William Henry Cosby Jr. known in the comedy industry as Bill Cosby is a comedian, author and actor. More recently however to the shock of fans and admirers Cosby had been convicted of aggravated indecent assault in 2018. In his early life, he completed his bachelors in science from Temple University Philadelphia. He received his Ph.D. from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and wrote about his Fat Albert character and how it helped in educating children in his dissertation certificate.
On June 30, 2021, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court overturned Cosby’s conviction, citing violations of his due process rights. He was released that same day.
Bill Cosby is famous for his immensely prized and cherished comic career from 1961 to 2018. In between this time, he has been a part of dozens of comic films and sitcoms. He got married to Camille Hanks in 1964 and fathered 5 children.
In the early ’60s, Bill Cosby began his career with stand-up comedy at a local nightclub in San Francisco called Hungry i. This club is famous within the history of comedy, building the careers of many stand-up legends like Ronnie Schell and Lenny Bruce. Cosby’s rise to fame started from here when he got picked up for a starring role in a secret agent adventure television series called I Spy.
After that, he produced his own sitcom called The Bill Cosby Show which ran for two years. He received a lot of praise and fame for his own creation Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids which was an animated comedy series where he voiced several characters including the extremely popular Fat Albert character that he developed during his stand-up comedy days. This character became so famous that a Fat Albert movie came out in the early 2000s to pay homage to the legendary comedian and producer.
He featured in dozens of films and comedy series from the 70’s up to the late ’80s. The Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids show ran for over 13 years before ending in 1985.
His true call of fame however came when he started The Cosby Show which was an American sitcom that ran from 1984 to 1992. It was based around an upper-middle-class African American family and their everyday life in Brooklyn, NY. This sitcom was considered one of the best and highest-rated shows in America for the latter half of the ’80s.
He continued to do other shows from here up to the 2000s but hit sudden decline in the 2010s after being accused by as many as 35 to 50 women of sexual assault. His image as the wholesome comic character changed and even though he denied all kinds of charges, he was proven guilty in three counts of aggravated indecent assault and was sentenced in 2018.
With a comic career spanning over 50 years, Bill Cosby created a fortune estimated to be $300 million. His career featured films, productions, animated series, sitcoms, and a huge number of stand-up acts. It is estimated that he received over $4 million per episode of The Cosby Show because of the immense popularity and attention that it generated in the TV industry, the world over.
His rise to riches started from simple stand-up comedy acts at local bars and nightclubs to making truck loads of money for producing, starring, and writing for his own sitcoms and series. Bill Cosby was an incredibly entertaining and talented comedian and he made an incredible fortune doing it, however, his sexual assault charges overshadow his comedic genius for many, and although he remains incredibly wealthy, can his reputation weather this storm? We are all wondering if/how Bill Cosby can recover and possibly reinvent himself now that he has completed his sentence.
Cosby’s comic personality, his introduction of sarcastic, deadpan comedy in the TV industry was one of the many reasons for his success. His immense dedication to the craft along with his hard work and determination of making it to the top of the industry drove him to become such a gifted and cherished actor and comedian.
He received multiple awards cementing his success in the film and TV industry, his most prized award possessions include the People’s Choice award in 1997 for best actor along with the Golden Globe Award in the ’80s.
Not to mention the Grammies he received for the best comedy album in between ’60s and ’80s along with the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Performance for Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids in 1981. All of these awards were products of his success, and led to even greater riches, and fame for the rising star.
After his successful run from the 60’s up to the ’90s, he continued working for different educational projects for children and even wrote several books and became a very renowned author in fact. This ‘never give up attitude’ that Cosby is known for, led him to huge heights of success and helped him achieve monumental status and a figurehead with no comparison in the comedy genre.
In the 2010s things began to change however when several of his television contracts ended because of the sexual allegations made against him, TV Land ended ties with him. NBC scrapped its plans to develop a brand new sitcom starring him. The Magic Johnson-owned Aspire removed the two series I Spy and The Bill Cosby Show from its lineup. Within a matter of a few years Bill Cosby went from America father figure to possible “serial rapist” with alleged incidents dating back to 1965.
It’s incredible too. This is a man who commanded more respect in the comedy industry than just about anyone else in all of history. Bill Cosby is credited with having inspired an entire generation of stand-up comics as diverse as Eddie Murphy to Joe Rogan and Ray Romano.
Summing-Up
The story of Bill Cosby’s fame, success, and riches is a great motivation for people for multiple reasons. In part it is a motivational story because owing to Bill Cosby’s drive and ‘never quit’ attitude, combined with his obvious comedic genius, he became one of the most successful entertainers of all time. Yet it is also a cautionary tale and a motivation for people who seek success to control their impulses and seek counseling if indeed they are experiencing devious desires.
On June 30, 2021, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court overturned Cosby’s conviction, citing violations of his due process rights.
