Top 19 Fat Albert And The Cosby Kids Characters
Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids was a popular animated television series that was created, produced, and hosted by comedian Bill Cosby. The show, which featured an educational lesson in each episode, premiered in 1972 and ran until 1985.
Cosby’s idea behind its production was to pay a fitting tribute to his childhood. That is perhaps why a major chunk of the show is based on memories of his childhood gang and close friends.
The New York Times reported that Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids “enjoyed enormous success” throughout its run on television. In fact, its success encouraged Cosby to create another animated series, Little Bill, in the late 1990s.
Today, we are going to take a trip down memory lane and reintroduce you to the most popular characters on the show.
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1. Fat Albert Robertson
Voiced by Bill Cosby, Fat Albert is the titular character and main protagonist of the popular television series Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids. The character, which is based on Cosby’s childhood friend Albert Robertson, is the heart and soul of the show, and the conscience of the Junkyard Gang.
As the name suggests, Fat Albert is very obese. However, his weight barely ever stops him from being athletic and enjoying sports to the fullest. Often seen wearing a red pullover and blue pants, he is a bit too wise for people his age and, therefore, is seen working hard to maintain integrity in the gang.
Not only is he seen going out of his way to help people in need but he also goes to the older people in his life to seek advice. What makes him connect to most people who are overweight is the fact that he goes on to show that even they can be agile if they truly want to.
Matter of fact, in one of the episodes, we see him managing to keep up with Harold, who is riding a bicycle.
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2. James “Mushmouth” Mush
Another Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids character to be voiced by Bill Cosby is this slack-jawed simpleton with big lips. James “Mushmouth” Mush, who is always seen wearing a red knit hat with a blue scarf, speaks in virtual Ubbi Dubbi.
He is a member of the Junkyard Gang and is best known for playing a homemade guitar in the Junkyard Band. While he is recognized for his speech impediment, Mushmouth is very easygoing and pleasant in person.
Also, one can count on him in situations of need, which becomes evident as he is always ready to lend a helping hand when the gang is undertaking a project.
One can easily recognize his voice from a fair distance. This is not only because of his speech impediment but also because he is used to adding ‘buh’ at the end of most of his words.
Despite his obvious shortcomings, he comes across as credible courtesy of his strong personality.
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3. “Dumb” Donald Parker
As his name would suggest, Dumb Donald is a simple-minded and dimwitted fellow who talks in a screeching voice. He is Rudy’s best friend who often means well and does all he can to help everyone else around him.
Donald plays the trombone that he made from a pipe and a morning glory horn from a discarded gramophone record player in the Junkyard Band. Voiced by Lou Scheimer, he is always seen sporting a green long-sleeved jersey three sizes too big, and a pink stocking knit cap that covers his entire face except for his eyes and mouth.
Even though his name suggests otherwise, trust Donald to surprise you with his sudden but occasional outbursts of brilliance. Aside from the aforementioned facts, what’s worth mentioning about this character is the fact that he is also based on one of Bill Cosby’s childhood friends.
Needless to say, the series pretty much feels like a tribute to his childhood and the friends he had while growing up.
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4. William “Bill” Cosby
Voiced by Bill Cosby, this character is based on Cosby himself and is the host of the series. A member of the Junkyard Gang and Russell’s older brother, he is a promising athlete who enjoys playing sports.
However, most of his time is spent keeping his little brother out of trouble. Even though he can come across as stubborn from time to time, Bill is often the voice of reason in the gang.
In the Junkyard Band, he can be seen playing homemade drums made from a discarded foot-pedal trash can using spoons for sticks. While he may be the host, young Bill was kept in the background for the better part of the show in order to give the other kids more screen time.
5. Russell Cosby
Well, it’s easy to recognize Russell Cosby for he is always seen wearing winter clothes regardless of the weather. As we mentioned before, he is Bill’s younger brother and is, in fact, based on creator Cosby’s real-life brother.
Since he is the smallest and youngest member of the Junkyard Gang, he is often seen getting into trouble. It is not surprising then that he has a penchant for making snide remarks and blunt observations as well.
Russell frequently criticizes Rudy and even goes on to offend the latter when he is being obnoxious. His catchphrase is “no class”, and he can be seen playing the xylophone in the Junkyard Band.
He made the instrument out of empty cans and a discarded coat rack.
6. “Old Weird” Harold Simmons
“Old Weird” Harold Simmons, who is often referred to as Weird Harold, is a tall, skinny, beady-eyed kid who happens to be the tallest member of the Junkyard Gang. The clumsy lad can be seen wearing a gold dress blazer, a brown sock on one foot, and a red sock on the other at all times.
In the Junkyard Band, he plays the harp made from bedsprings, and on occasion plays a “dressmaker dummy” in the percussion section. Voiced by Gerald Edwards, Harold is not the brightest boy to be around, but what he lacks in intellect he makes up for in heart and common sense.
That is perhaps what tends to make him more practical and down-to-earth as an individual. That being said, you’ll be surprised to learn that “Old Weird” Harold got his nickname because he is 6’9″ and weighs fifty pounds.
If you’ve heard creator Bill Cosby’s stand-up routines, the character is often referred to as his closest friend. However, in the show, he seems to be closer to Fat Albert.
7. Rudy Davis
This member of the Junkyard Gang serves as the primary source of comic relief and character friction in the series. Voiced by Eric Suter, Rudy Davis is a sharp-dressed and smooth-talking lad who often ends up getting himself into trouble courtesy of his over-smartness.
Even though he has a good heart and usually learns lessons from his blunders, his cocky attitude, and dismissive demeanor are often the catalyst for a typical plot’s conflict. Rudy, who is Dumb Donald’s best friend, plays a makeshift banjo in the Junkyard Band.
However, when he is not practicing with the group, he can be seen playing an electric guitar, which is personalized with a big “R”. He always wears an orange flat cap, a fuchsia vest, a pink turtleneck, purple bell-bottom jeans, and boots.
8. Mudfoot Brown
Make way for the elderly vagrant Mudfoot Brown, who is frequently seen giving good advice and life lessons to Junkyard Gang. Yet another character in the series to be voiced by Bill Cosby, this unemployed old man happens to be a close friend of Fat Albert.
What makes him stand out from the rest of the characters in the show is that he uses reverse psychology to get his points across. Mudfoot Brown, who has a knack for telling tall tales, is an extremely kind individual.
However, he can afford to get stern and serious if any of his friends are threatened.
9. The Brown Hornet
The Brown Hornet is the titular character of a show about an African-American superhero whose cartoons are watched regularly by Fat Albert and his beloved pals. In the show, the Brown Hornet can be seen getting the better of his adversaries, and, in the process, providing a ton of valuable and relatable life lessons to both the villain and his ardent viewers.
Needless to say, Fat Albert and the others can be seen implicitly applying his teachings while dealing with complicated situations in every other episode. Voiced again by Bill Cosby, this character serves as a parody of the Green Hornet.
10. Miss Berry
Miss Berry was the original teacher and mentor of the Junkyard Gang. However, she was later replaced by Mrs. Breyfogle. The kids were seen going to a different school in later seasons where their teacher and mentor was Miss Wucher.
All three aforementioned characters were voiced by Jay Scheimer, who was the wife of executive producer Lou Scheimer.
11. Bucky Miller
Voiced by Jan Crawford, Bucky Miller is yet another member of the Junkyard Gang who acquired his nickname from his large buck teeth. The quick and flexible athlete is the second-shortest and quietest member of the gang.
Since he is not very loquacious, not a lot is known about his life. However, what is rather well-known about this friendly dude is the fact that he plays a stovepipe organ in the Junkyard Band, which consists of a discarded piano keyboard and a junked wood-burning stove and pipes.
By the time the final episodes of the series aired, Bucky had grown taller and his voice had become deeper.
12. Stinger
Voiced by Lou Scheimer, Stinger is the Brown Hornet’s “trusty pal”, who happens to be taller than the superhero himself. Even though he is absent-minded, he tries to always be at his boss’ side to help.
Recognized for being overweight, he keeps a mustache and muttonchop sideburns. Stringer is mostly seen wearing pink costumes, except for his red cape and yellow cap. Much like his confident boss, he sports a black domino mask as well.
13. Tweeterbell
Tweeterbell has been voiced by Erika Scheimer and is the Brown Hornet’s second assistant. White all over with wheels for feet, she resembles a small transistor radio. But, she is actually an anthropomorphic robot.
Tweeterbell can be seen wearing a small yellowish-orange cape and an orange knit floppy hat that just loosely sits on top of the corner of her head. Like Stinger and Hornet, she too wears a domino mask.
14. Cluck
Resembling and sounding like Donald Duck from Mickey Mouse, Cluck is a duck who is seen following the Cosby Kids in early episodes of the show but doesn’t make any other appearances post the completion of the first season.
Cluck can be seen in episodes such as The Runt, Playing Hooky, Fish out of the water, and The Hospital.
15. Legal Eagle
Legal Eagle was another show-within-a-show that was watched by the Junkyard Gang. It showcased a crime-fighting cartoon eagle, voiced by Lou Scheimer. Aside from the heroic eagle, one could also see two lazy, klutzy squirrel underlings, named Moe and Gabby, in the show.
Like the Brown Hornet, the moral of each episode would be reflected in the premise of the regular episodes of Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids.
16. Moe and Gabby
Voiced by Jan Crawford and Gerald Edwards, Moe and Gabby were two lazy, klutzy squirrel underlings that were shown to be working with Legal Eagle as police officers.
17. Margene
Margene is a caucasian with short blonde hair and one of Fat Albert’s good friends and classmates. Voiced by Erika Scheimer, she is shown to be running for co-president of the Student Council with Albert.
Together, they top two other candidates. Even though she is a straight-A student, Margene is occasionally seen getting in the wrong company of people, which becomes apparent when she gets hooked on drugs.
Not only that but one also catches her getting innocently involved in a violent cult.
18. The Three River Blockbusters
The Three River Blockbusters happen to be the chief rival of the Junkyard Gang while competing in sports such as baseball and football. The group is infamous for having abandoned their sporting spirit as they ended up stealing the championship in a competition called “buck buck” in the episode ‘Moving’.
One of their members was voiced by Gerald Edwards, who also voiced Weird Harold, and one of them was voiced by Eric Suter, who voiced Rudy. They make an appearance in the film adaptation of the series as well, albeit with different members.
19. Pee Wee
Pee Wee is a small and innocent lad who looks up to Fat Albert and the gang. Even though he is short in stature, he has the ability to kick a football at a long distance.
When the bigger kids are unable to get anything out of a small van, it is the sweet Pee Wee who goes on to retrieve it for them. The gang was not really fond of him before he ended up befriending both Fat Albert and Bill.
