Robert Townsend
Birthday:
Birthplace:
Not Available
After seriously pursuing a baseball career, African American actor/writer/director Robert Townsend decided upon a life in show business. An alumnus of Illinois State University and Hunter College, Townsend worked as a stand-up comic, and with such organizations as Second City, the Negro Ensemble Theater and the Experimental Black Actor's Guild. In films from 1975, Townsend satirically encapsulated his frustrating experiences as a black performer in a white-dominated Hollywood with his first directorial effort, Hollywood Shuffle (1987), a labor of love which was largely financed with credit cards and chutzpah. He went on to direct the popular concert film Eddie Murphy Raw (1987), then tripled as actor, director and writer on The Five Heartbeats (1991) and Meteor Man (1993). Attempting to transfer his style and personality to the small screen, Townsend came up with the 1993 Fox Network variety weekly Townsend Television, which despite laudatory reviews folded after three months. Robert Townsend had better luck as star and co-executive producer of the WB network's The Parent 'Hood, a distressingly conventional 1995 sitcom which somehow caught on with its target audience.
Photos
Highest Rated Movies
Filmography
MOVIES
RATING | TITLE | CREDIT | BOX OFFICE | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|---|
No Score Yet | Ms. Pat: Y'all Wanna Hear Something Crazy? |
|
— | 2022 |
No Score Yet | Making The Five Heartbeats |
|
— | 2018 |
No Score Yet | Playin' for Love |
|
— | 2015 |
No Score Yet | Bill Cosby: Far From Finished |
|
— | 2013 |
No Score Yet | In The Hive |
|
— | 2012 |
No Score Yet | Why We Laugh: Black Comedians on Black Comedy |
|
— | 2009 |
No Score Yet | Phantom Punch |
|
— | 2008 |
No Score Yet | 11.04.08: The Day Of Change |
|
— | 2008 |
No Score Yet | Of Boys and Men |
|
— | 2007 |
No Score Yet | The Robin Harris Story: We Don't Die, We Multiply |
|
— | 2006 |
No Score Yet | Black Listed |
|
— | 2003 |
No Score Yet | I Was a Teenage Faust |
|
— | 2002 |
78% | Undercover Brother |
|
$38.3M | 2002 |
No Score Yet | 10,000 Black Men Named George |
|
— | 2002 |
No Score Yet | Book of Love: The Definitive Reason Why Men Are Dogs |
|
— | 2002 |
50% | Carmen: A Hip Hopera |
|
— | 2001 |
60% | Holiday Heart |
|
— | 2000 |
No Score Yet | Little Richard |
|
— | 2000 |
No Score Yet | Up, Up, and Away! |
|
— | 2000 |
No Score Yet | Livin' for Love: The Natalie Cole Story |
|
— | 2000 |
No Score Yet | Jackie's Back |
|
— | 1999 |
No Score Yet | The Taxman |
|
— | 1999 |
No Score Yet | Love Songs |
|
— | 1999 |
No Score Yet | Joseph's Gift |
|
— | 1999 |
15% | B.A.P.S. |
|
— | 1997 |
No Score Yet | Thick and Thin |
|
— | 1997 |
25% | The Meteor Man |
|
— | 1993 |
39% | The Five Heartbeats |
|
— | 1991 |
No Score Yet | Uptown Comedy Express |
|
— | 1989 |
No Score Yet | That's Adequate |
|
— | 1989 |
88% | The Mighty Quinn |
|
— | 1989 |
81% | Eddie Murphy Raw |
|
— | 1987 |
No Score Yet | Rodney Dangerfield: It's Not Easy Being Me |
|
— | 1987 |
25% | Ratboy |
|
— | 1986 |
No Score Yet | Odd Jobs |
|
— | 1986 |
65% | American Flyers |
|
— | 1985 |
92% | A Soldier's Story |
|
— | 1984 |
67% | Streets of Fire |
|
— | 1984 |
85% | Hollywood Shuffle |
|
— | 1982 |
No Score Yet | In Love with an Older Woman |
|
— | 1982 |
No Score Yet | Senior Trip |
|
— | 1981 |
No Score Yet | Willie & Phil |
|
— | 1980 |
85% | Cooley High |
|
— | 1975 |
TV
RATING | TITLE | CREDIT | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
No Score Yet |
The Last O.G.
2018-2021
|
|
|
92% |
Black Lightning
2018-2021
|
|
|
No Score Yet |
South of Nowhere
2005-2008
|
|
|
No Score Yet |
Soul Food
2000-2004
|
|
|
No Score Yet |
The Parent 'Hood
1995-1999
|
|
|
No Score Yet |
M*A*S*H
1972-1983
|
|
|
60% |
Townsend Television
1993
|
|
|
Quotes from Robert Townsend's Characters
No quotes approved yet.