Synopsis
In this light-hearted comedy, Bill Cosby played the role of Chet Kincaid, physical education teacher at a Los Angeles high school, bachelor, and average cool guy trying to earn a living and helping people out along the way. The Bill Cosby Show was humorous but not a laugh-out-loud sitcom. The show entertained with intelligent character studies and plausible, real-life situations, conveyed in the classic Cosby style.
The show ran for two seasons, 52 episodes in all. While only a modest critical success, The Bill Cosby Show was a ratings hit, finishing eleventh in its first season.
With the high school as the setting of most episodes, story lines comprise: life lessons, students and fellow teachers, family drama, a coach's purview, and a few challenging forays as a substitute teacher of algebra or English. Cosby was lauded for using some previously unknown African-American performers such as Lillian Randolph (as Kincaid's mother) and Rex Ingram. Well known guest stars appear as well; including Henry Fonda and veteran comedians Mantan Moreland and Moms Mabley as Kincaid's married—and feuding—uncle and aunt.
The show's horn-centric and groovy theme song, "Hikky Burr," was written by Cosby and Quincy Jones, with Cosby providing the vocals. A new version of the theme was recorded for later seasons.
Notably, the show did not use a laugh track, which at the time was unique for a half-hour situation comedy. According to commentary on the show's Season 1 DVD, Cosby and NBC were at odds over his refusal to include a laugh track in the show. Cosby felt that viewers were intelligent enough to find the humor themselves, without being prompted. While a few comedy-dramas already aired without laugh tracks, few sitcoms went without and those that did had studio audiences.
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