Fat Albert (film)

Fat Albert is a 2004 live-action/animated comedy film based on the Filmation animated series Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids. The film was produced by Davis Entertainment for 20th Century Fox, and stars Kenan Thompson as the title character.

The plot surrounds Fat Albert and the gang leaving the cartoon world and entering the real world in order to help a teenage girl, Doris Robertson (Kyla Pratt), deal with the challenges of being unpopular, and not having any friends except her foster sister. Doris withdrew after the death of her grandfather, Albert Robertson, who was the real-life inspiration for the Fat Albert character. Fat Albert and the gang must show her that she is special and that she can make friends. But if Albert and his friends stay in the real world, they will turn to celluloid dust, and it's up to Bill Cosby to help them get them back into the cartoon world.

Unlike films that meld the cartoon world with the real world while at the same time keeping the cartoon characters two-dimensional, e.g., Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Space Jam, etc., Fat Albert takes a twist and transforms the cartoon characters into three-dimensional humans, who have to come to grips with the differences that exist between their world and the real world.

Fat Albert (disambiguation)

Fat Albert may refer to:

Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids

Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids is an animated series created, produced, and hosted (in live action bookends) 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 (with new episodes being produced on an "on and off" basis during that time frame). The show, based on Cosby's remembrances of his childhood gang, centered on Albert (known for his catchphrase "Hey hey hey!"), and his friends.

The show features an educational lesson in each episode, emphasized by Cosby's live-action segments. In addition, at the end of the early episodes, the gang typically gathers in their North Philadelphia junkyard to play a song on their cobbled-together instruments, summarizing the show's lesson.

Origins

The character Fat Albert first appeared in Cosby's stand-up comedy routine "Buck Buck," as recorded on his 1967 album Revenge. The stories were based upon Cosby's tales about growing up in inner city North Philadelphia. In 1969, Cosby and veteran animator Ken Mundie brought Fat Albert to animation in a one-shot prime-time special entitled Hey, Hey, Hey, It's Fat Albert.

Fat Albert (album)

Fat Albert (1973) is the 15th comedy album by Bill Cosby.

After six years of recalling memories of his childhood friend "Fat Albert" Robertson in his stand-up routines, this would be the final album in which Fat Albert is mentioned.

Two tracks on the album were previously released (and edited differently) on When I Was a Kid: "Fat Albert Got a Hernia" (as "My Hernia") and "My Brother, Russell."

Unlike some of his other albums, the album had more kid-friendly humor on it.

Track listing

All tracks by Bill Cosby

Personnel

Reception

Allmusic link