Synopsis

When a lonely teenager's tears fall onto her television remote, Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids leap out of their animated Philadelphia world and into modern-day reality. Unable to return until the next broadcast, the gang tries to help her make friends while adjusting to unfamiliar technology, school life, and the emotional complications of existing outside their cartoon universe.

Factoids & Trivia

• The film is a live-action adaptation of the animated television series Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids, which originally ran from 1972 to 1985.

• The story treats the movie as a continuation of the cartoon. The characters leave their television world and discover that the real world has changed significantly since their original era.

• Pre-production began as early as 1993, but the project stalled when the producers could not find a studio willing to make it. Development resumed in 2001 before encountering further delays.

• An open casting call was held in New York and Los Angeles for the title role. After the search did not produce the desired result, the part was offered to Kenan Thompson.

• Forest Whitaker was initially attached to direct but later left the project because of creative differences.

• The film was released theatrically in the United States on December 25, 2004. It was produced on a reported $45 million budget and earned approximately $48.6 million worldwide.

• A cameo by Denise Richards as a store saleswoman appeared in the original trailer but was removed from the finished film.

• Several character names and references draw on Bill Cosby's earlier stand-up material and personal experiences, including the name Doris and the "Buck, Buck" routine.