Fat Albert

Fat Albert and friends are playing their favorite game, buck-buck, on their home turf: a North Philly junkyard. At the same time, in the real world, a teenager named Doris is watching "Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids" reruns on television. The unhappy, lonely teen begins to cry, and as her tears fall onto the remote control, Fat Albert hears Doris. The big guy with the big heart stops what he is doing and dives headlong through the television screen- and into the real world- to help her. His friends, Rudy, Mushmouth, Bill, Bucky, Old Weird Harold and Dumb Donald, follow shortly thereafter. Fat Albert, the ultimate problem solver, is determined to help Doris, even if she insists that she doesn't need his assistance. But as Fat Albert slowly brings Doris out of her shell, he undergoes some big changes of his own. For one thing, he and his friends are fading. The more time that they spend in the "real world," the more their brightly colored outfits fade and their old abilities change. They need to figure out why this is happening. Even more significantly, Fat Albert has discovered love, courtesy of Doris' foster sister, a lovely high school student named Lauri. More surprises await Fat Albert and his friends in their new world, including Fat Albert meeting his "creator," Bill Cosby. But as Fat Albert deals with his new feelings and challenges- and races to complete his mission and return to his world before he fades from existence- one thing is certain: while they do their thing, they're all gonna have a good time!

Fat Albert, Doris, Rudy, Mushmouth, Bill, Bucky, Old Weird Harold, Dumb Donald, Lauri, Reggie, Arthur, Coach Gillespie, Heather, Becky, Salesman, Basketball Player, Kid, Mrs. Forchick, Camera Salesman, Two Women, Little Girl, Emmitt, DJ, Dad, Danielle, Russell, Mr. Mudfoot, Lead Teen, Three Other Teens, Announcer, The Kid, Bill Cosby

This feature film is based on the Filmation Associates TV series "Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids."

Combined live action and animation. The film starts in animation; the characters then walk out of the cartoon and into the real world of live action. The film ends in the animated world.

Omar Benson Miller was originally to star as Fat Albert in early 2002, and Forest Whitaker was to direct. However, those plans fell apart due to a reported "conflict of visions" between Whitaker and Bill Cosby, who created the characters. When Zwick became the new director, the filmmakers returned to Kenan Thompson, who reportedly had screen-tested the first time around with Whitaker. Cosby said he approved of changes that Zwick made to update the story: "Lines that I thought were hilarious... he changed them, and my wife said they're funnier now."

Release date shown is that of the film's premiere at Temple University in Philadelphia. Cosby, a Philadelphia native, attended the city's public schools, and has a bachelor's degree from Temple University. The film is based both on Cosby's comedy routines and the classic animated series. Cosby plays himself in a cameo.

General release date was December 25, 2004.