CineScope
Robert Townsend picture

Robert Townsend

Acting
Known For

68 Years Old

Robert Townsend (born February 6, 1957) is an American actor, director, comedian, and writer. Townsend is best known for directing the films Hollywood Shuffle (1987), Eddie Murphy Raw (1987), The Meteor Man (1993), The Five Heartbeats (1991) and various other films and stand-up specials. He is especially known for his eponymous self-titled character, Robert Peterson as the starring role as on The WB sitcom The Parent 'Hood (1995–1999), a series which he created and of which directed select episodes. Townsend is also known for his role as Donald "Duck" Matthews in his 1991 film The Five Heartbeats. He later wrote, directed and produced Making The Five Heartbeats (2018), a documentary film about the production process and behind the scenes insight into creating the film. Townsend is also known for his production company Townsend Entertainment which has produced films Playin' for Love, In the Hive and more. During the 1980s and early–1990s, Townsend gained national exposure through his stand-up comedy routines and appearances on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. Townsend has worked with talent including Halle Berry, Morgan Freeman, Chris Tucker, Beyoncé, Denzel Washington and many more.

Born

Chicago, Illinois, USA on 6th February 1957

All Credits

The Bear Image
The Bear
Emmanuel Adamu
M*A*S*H Image
M*A*S*H
Patient
Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child Image
Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child
Rumpelstiltskin (voice)
Amazing Stories Image
Amazing Stories
Billy Burliss
Hollywood Squares Image
Hollywood Squares
Black Lightning Image
Black Lightning
Dr. Napier Frank
No Image
The Carol Burnett Show
Before Image
Before
The Parent 'Hood Image
The Parent 'Hood
Robert Peterson
The Warriors Image
The Warriors
Baseball Fury (uncredited)
No Image
Black in the 80s
Self
Streets of Fire Image
Streets of Fire
The Sorels - Lester
Undercover Brother Image
Undercover Brother
Mr. UB
I'm Gonna Git You Sucka Image
I'm Gonna Git You Sucka
Minor Role (uncredited)
Scooby-Doo! Music of the Vampire Image
Scooby-Doo! Music of the Vampire
Vampire Actor #1 (voice)
A Soldier's Story Image
A Soldier's Story
Corporal Ellis
The Meteor Man Image
The Meteor Man
Jefferson Reed
The Mighty Quinn Image
The Mighty Quinn
Maubee
The Five Heartbeats Image
The Five Heartbeats
Duck
Cooley High Image
Cooley High
Basketball Player in Gym Class
American Flyers Image
American Flyers
Jerome
Up, Up, and Away Image
Up, Up, and Away
Jim Marshall / Bronze Eagle
The Legend of Dolemite! Bigger & Badder Image
The Legend of Dolemite! Bigger & Badder
Self
Jackie's Back! Image
Jackie's Back!
Robert Townsend
Willie & Phil Image
Willie & Phil
Thin Boy
Ratboy Image
Ratboy
Manny
Hollywood Shuffle Image
Hollywood Shuffle
Bobby Taylor
Odd Jobs Image
Odd Jobs
Dwight
The Monkey Hustle Image
The Monkey Hustle
Musician
Why We Laugh: Black Comedians on Black Comedy Image
Why We Laugh: Black Comedians on Black Comedy
Self
I Was a Teenage Faust Image
I Was a Teenage Faust
Mr. Five
Senior Trip Image
Senior Trip
Randy
Richard Pryor: I Ain't Dead Yet, #*%$#@!! Image
Richard Pryor: I Ain't Dead Yet, #*%$#@!!
Self
Edge of Outside Image
Edge of Outside
Bobby Taylor (archive footage)
That's Adequate Image
That's Adequate
Standup Comic
Love Songs Image
Love Songs
Champ
Playin' for Love Image
Playin' for Love
Coach Banks
Taxman Image
Taxman
Peyton Cody
Book of Love: The Definitive Reason Why Men Are Dogs Image
Book of Love: The Definitive Reason Why Men Are Dogs
Joseph's Gift Image
Joseph's Gift
James Saunders
In Love with an Older Woman Image
In Love with an Older Woman
James
Uptown Comedy Express Image
Uptown Comedy Express
Of Boys and Men Image
Of Boys and Men
Holden Cole
Robert Townsend: Partners in Crime: Vol. 1 Image
Robert Townsend: Partners in Crime: Vol. 1
A Walk with Charles Burnett Image
A Walk with Charles Burnett
Self
Sidney Poitier: One Bright Light Image
Sidney Poitier: One Bright Light
Robert Townsend: Partners in Crime: Vol. 3 Image
Robert Townsend: Partners in Crime: Vol. 3
Robert Townsend: Partners in Crime: Vol. 2 Image
Robert Townsend: Partners in Crime: Vol. 2
Directors on Directing Image
Directors on Directing
Self
Black Listed Image
Black Listed
Alan Chambers
Women at West Point Image
Women at West Point
Russell Baker
Mercenary II: Thick & Thin Image
Mercenary II: Thick & Thin
Charlie Love
Stuart Hall: Representation & the Media Image
Stuart Hall: Representation & the Media
Archive Footage (Hollywood Shuffle)
Robert Townsend: Partners in Crime: Vol. 4 Image
Robert Townsend: Partners in Crime: Vol. 4
Rodney Dangerfield: It's Not Easy Bein' Me Image
Rodney Dangerfield: It's Not Easy Bein' Me
Self
Robin Harris: One Night Stand Image
Robin Harris: One Night Stand
Bum #3
No Image
Tao of The Golden Mask