| Bill Cosby: Himself | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Bill Cosby |
| Produced by | Bill Cosby James B. Herring |
| Written by | Bill Cosby |
| Starring | Bill Cosby |
| Music by | Bill Cosby Stu Gardner |
| Distributed by | 20th Century Fox |
| Release date(s) | May 20, 1983 |
| Running time | 105 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Bill Cosby: Himself is a 1983 stand-up comedy film featuring the comedic routines of Bill Cosby. Filmed before a live audience at the Hamilton Place Theatre, in Hamilton, Ontario, Cosby gives the audience his comedic views ranging from marriage to parenthood. The film also showcases Cosby's trademark conversational style of stand-up comedy; for most of the performance, Cosby is seated at the center of the stage, only getting up to emphasize a joke.
Many of the comedic routines presented in this stand-up were the precursors to Cosby's successful sitcom The Cosby Show. An album of the same name was also released on Motown Records.
Nearly all of the movie concerns the trials and tribulations of raising children, frequently illustrated with anecdotes involving his own family. Occasionally he compares these with stories from his childhood. Other topics include grandparents, going to the dentist, and people who drink too much or take drugs. Also he talks about his childhood dreams and memories with his parents and or kids, making jokes along the way