Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids

Did You Know?

• The theme song "Gonna Have a Good Time" was performed by Michael Gray with background vocals by Kim Carnes and Edward Fournier.
• A cover of the theme by Dig appeared on the 1995 tribute album Saturday Morning: Cartoons' Greatest Hits.
• The song's chorus was sampled in Fatboy Slim's 1998 hit "Praise You".

Origins and history

The character Fat Albert first appeared in Bill Cosby's stand-up comedy routine "Buck Buck," recorded on his 1967 album Revenge, drawing from his tales of growing up in inner city North Philadelphia. In 1969, Cosby and animator Ken Mundie produced a prime-time special titled Hey, Hey, Hey, It's Fat Albert, which aired on NBC as a hybrid of live action and animation. The music for the special was written and performed by Herbie Hancock and released on the album Fat Albert Rotunda. For the animated portion, Ken Mundie relied on former Disney artist Amby Paliwoda, who created the characters and painted a group portrait that appeared on the front page of TV Guide. NBC initially rejected a Saturday morning series as too educational, so Cosby and Filmation Associates took the property to CBS. The character images were primarily created by artist Randy Hollar with assistance from Michelle McKinney under Ken Brown's direction. Two new characters, James "Mushmouth" Mush and Bucky Miller, replaced Nolan and Weasel from the pilot, while six other main cast members returned. Retitled Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids, the series premiered on September 9, 1972, on CBS. Production lasted 12 years, though not continuously, and it spent another season in first-run syndication (1984–85). Three prime-time holiday specials (Halloween, Christmas, and Easter) were also produced. The series contained an adult laugh track, which was eliminated during the final season, and was later rerun on NBC Saturday mornings and on the USA Network in 1989.

Characters

Fat Albert Robertson, voiced by Bill Cosby with singing voice by Michael Gray, is based on Cosby's childhood friend Albert Robertson. He is the main character and conscience of the Junkyard Gang, athletic despite his obesity, and wears a burnt orange shirt (later red) and blue pants. He plays a bagpipe-accordion made from a funnel, radiator, and airbag in the Junkyard Band. James "Mushmouth" Mush, also voiced by Cosby, is a simpleton with big lips who wears a red knit hat and blue scarf and speaks in Ubbi Dubbi; he plays a homemade electric bass guitar. "Dumb" Donald Parker, voiced by Lou Scheimer, is a lanky, dimwitted character who wears a green long-sleeved jersey and a pink stocking knit cap covering his face except eyes and mouth; he plays a trombone made from plumbers' pipe and a phonograph horn. William "Bill" Cosby, voiced by himself, is a character based on the comedian and serves as host; he plays homemade drums made from a foot-pedal trash can using metal spoons. He often tries to keep his little brother Russell out of trouble and is a voice of reason in the gang.

Educational lessons and songs

Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids was praised for its educational value, a reputation bolstered by creator Bill Cosby's doctorate in education. Each show began with Cosby delivering a playful warning to viewers. Throughout the series, the Junkyard Gang tackled a wide range of childhood challenges, from lighthearted topics like stage fright and hygiene to heavier issues such as racism, child abuse, drug use, and death. Most episodes concluded with the group singing a song related to that day's lesson, a format similar to other Filmation cartoons. This musical segment was later removed during the Brown Hornet and Legal Eagle era. In syndication, pre-1979 episodes often had their songs replaced with a Brown Hornet segment, as in "Shuttered Window," which used a robot teacher's story to address death. The show remains notable for its exceptionally long run on Saturday morning television.

Availability

As of 2013, Fat Albert aired Saturday mornings on Retro Television Network and TheCoolTV, and weekdays and weekends on Bounce TV, as well as on Sky Angel services and World Harvest Television. By July 2015, it was no longer on Bounce TV's lineup; the cancellation may have been related to the Bill Cosby sexual assault allegations, though it is unclear. Bounce TV re-added the series in March 2017 after returning reruns of The Cosby Show in December 2016, but removed it again in late April 2018. As of 2025, there are seldom attempts to re-air the program. During the mid-1980s, Thorn EMI Video released several VHS volumes under its "Children's Matinee" line, each typically containing three episodes. Additional volumes were released later by Video Treasures, including the three holiday specials. In 2002, Time Life distributed 11 volumes on VHS and DVD through mail-order, each containing two episodes (DVD releases had a bonus third episode, character profiles, and a Brown Hornet segment). The episodes were from the 1972–76 seasons, with one from the 1979 New Fat Albert season; some were edited versions using later re-broadcasts or alternate prints. The 11th volume included the Christmas and Halloween specials. These were the only DVD releases in original NTSC format; future releases used PAL prints.