The University of Massachusetts Amherst
Robert S. Cox Special Collections & University Archives Research Center
CredoResearch digital collections in Credo

Cosby, Bill, 1937-

(Not fully processed)

Bill Cosby Radio Program Collection

1968 Jan-Jul
12 phonograph records .3 linear feet
Call no.: MS 981

“The Bill Cosby Radio Program” was a daily syndicated radio series of roughly 5-minute comedy inserts by Cosby and produced by Frank Buxton (who also served as the show’s announcer and comedic “straight man”). Along with sound man Gene Twombly, Cosby and Buxton improvised the episodes, which were syndicated to more than 200 top-40 radio stations around the nation on transcription discs by The Coca-Cola Company and distributed by McCann-Erikson (Coke’s ad agency). The show marked the beginning of Cosby’s long association with Coca-Cola and was the debut of many characters from Cosby’s comedy.

This collection features twelve radio broadcast transcription discs (one 12-inch disc and eleven 16-inch discs) of “The Bill Cosby Radio Program” containing programs #21-130 (1968 Jan 29-Jun 24) and programs #141-145 (1968 Jul 15). The disc labels contain the original program description and art.

Gift of Jerry Reed, June 2017.

Subjects

African American comediansBuxton, FrankCoca-Cola CompanyCosby, Bill, 1937-Radio comediesRadio programs

Types of material

Phonograph records
Restrictions: SCUA does not currently have the appropriate media to play these records.