After the
press release we posted yesterday, we're gratified to have for you very quickly the release info and cover art for
The Cosby Show - Season 1. Ventura Distribution, who is putting this product into the retail channel for their sister company UrbanWorks, has made the first official details available. Let's start with their description:
The Cosby Show depicted a close-knit and prosperous African-American family from New York City. Dr. Heathcliff (OB-GYN) and Clair (attorney) Huxtable were a happily married, dual-profession couple with aspirations of raising their 5 children in an uplifting, positive environment. The Cosby Show appeared on NBC from 1984 to 1992, becoming one of the most popular programs in TV history.
The Cosby Show was an instant smash hit, holding TV's #1 slot for a record 5 consecutive years and stayed in the Top 20 shows for all eight seasons it was on NBC. The Cosby Show's popularity was so intense that it has carried over into the 21st century. In 2005, The Cosby Show is as relevant as it has ever been. The Huxtables are currently viewed in 255 DMAs throughout the United States.
As you probably know by now, the street date is
August 2, 2005. The SRP is $49.99 for a 4-DVD set, with a running time of 575 minutes (24 half-hour episodes). Kadeem Hardison, who later starred in the spin-off
A Different World, is a guest star in an early episode.
Dizzy Gillespie, Blair Underwood, Iman,
Deep Space Nine's Terry Farrell, Tony Orlando, and Lena Horne are also among the guest stars. The cast in 1984-85 debut season was Bill Cosby, Phylicia Rashad, Lisa Bonet, Malcolm-Jamal Warner, Tempestt Bledsoe, and Keshia Knight Pulliam. Sabrina Le Beauf debuted in the tenth episode as eldest daughter Sondra, who had come home from college for Thanksgiving. La Beauf beat out a then-unknown Whitney Houston for that role, and would appear 3 more times that season before becoming a formal member of the cast in the second season. This season was nominated for 8 Emmy Awards, and won for Outstanding Writing in a Comedy Series, Outstanding Directing in a Comedy Series, and for Outstanding Comedy Series.
Below is the cover art provided by Ventura. It doesn't look final yet, noticably lacking the "Season 1" subtitle and the DVD logo we usually expect to see. If something more is provided later, we'll update you of course! For now, here's what we have so far:
