Robert Townsend

DirectorActorProducerWriterCrew Feb 6 (age 69) Chicago, Illinois, USA 1972–2026 (54 year career)

6.2 avg rating

Biography

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 episo…

Known For

Film

The Warriors

Baseball Fury (uncredited)

Film

Black Lightning

Director

Film

Power Book IV: Force

Director

Film

Streets of Fire

The Sorels - Lester

Film

Eddie Murphy Raw

Director

Film

Kaleidoscope

Director

Film

Scooby-Doo! Music of the Vampire

Vampire Actor #1 (voice)

Film

The Wonder Years

Director

Filmography

Acting (60)

Movies (48)

A Walk with Charles Burnett

2019

as Self

Playin' for Love

2015

as Coach Banks

5.0

Scooby-Doo! Music of the Vampire

2012

as Vampire Actor #1 (voice)

7.7

Directors on Directing

2009

as Self

Why We Laugh: Black Comedians on Black Comedy

as Self

Of Boys and Men

as Holden Cole

Tao of The Golden Mask

2007

Black Listed

2003

as Alan Chambers

2.5

Richard Pryor: I Ain't Dead Yet, #*%$#@!!

as Self

Undercover Brother

as Mr. UB

I Was a Teenage Faust

2002

as Mr. Five

5.5

Book of Love: The Definitive Reason Why Men Are Dogs

2002

10.0

Up, Up, and Away

2000

as Jim Marshall / Bronze Eagle

5.6

Sidney Poitier: One Bright Light

Love Songs

as Champ

Jackie's Back!

as Robert Townsend

Joseph's Gift

as James Saunders

Mercenary II: Thick & Thin

as Charlie Love

Taxman

as Peyton Cody

Stuart Hall: Representation & the Media

1997

as Archive Footage (Hollywood Shuffle)

8.0

The Legend of Dolemite! Bigger & Badder

1994

as Self

The Meteor Man

as Jefferson Reed

The Five Heartbeats

as Duck

Robin Harris: One Night Stand

1990

as Bum #3

The Mighty Quinn

as Maubee

That's Adequate

as Standup Comic

Robert Townsend: Partners in Crime: Vol. 3

1989

Robert Townsend: Partners in Crime: Vol. 4

1989

I'm Gonna Git You Sucka

1988

as Minor Role (uncredited)

6.4

Nelson Mandela 70th Birthday Tribute

1988

as Self

6.0

Robert Townsend: Partners in Crime: Vol. 2

1988

Hollywood Shuffle

1987

as Bobby Taylor

6.4

Uptown Comedy Express

1987

Robert Townsend: Partners in Crime: Vol. 1

Ratboy

as Manny

Odd Jobs

as Dwight

Rodney Dangerfield: It's Not Easy Bein' Me

as Self

American Flyers

as Jerome

A Soldier's Story

as Corporal Ellis

Streets of Fire

as The Sorels - Lester

6.9

In Love with an Older Woman

as James

Senior Trip

as Randy

Willie & Phil

as Thin Boy

The Warriors

as Baseball Fury (uncredited)

7.7

Women at West Point

1979

as Russell Baker

The Monkey Hustle

1976

as Musician

5.6

Cooley High

1975

as Basketball Player in Gym Class

6.9

Mahogany

1975

as Extra (uncredited)

5.8

Television (12)

Mel Brooks: The 99 Year Old Man!

2026

as Self - Comedian & Filmmaker

Before

as Jackson

The Bear

as Emmanuel Adamu

Black Lightning

as Dr. Napier Frank

Black in the 80s

as Self

Hollywood Squares

as Self - Panelist

Motown Live

as Self - Host

Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child

1995

as Rumpelstiltskin (voice)

6.0

The Parent 'Hood

1995

as Robert Peterson

7.3

The Carol Burnett Show

Amazing Stories

as Billy Burliss

M*A*S*H

as Patient

Crew (57)

Movies (47)

Ms. Pat: Y'all Wanna Hear Something Crazy?

2022

Director

5.9

A Walk with Charles Burnett

2019

Director

Making The Five Heartbeats

2018

Director

Making The Five Heartbeats

2018

Producer

Playin' for Love

Director

Playin' for Love

Producer

Playin' for Love

Writer

Bill Cosby: Far From Finished

2013

Director

7.0

Bill Cosby: Far From Finished

Thanks

In the Hive

Director

Why We Laugh: Black Comedians on Black Comedy

2009

Director

8.0

Diary of a Single Mom

Director

Phantom Punch

Director

Of Boys and Men

Producer

Black Listed

Director

10,000 Black Men Named George

Director

Carmen: A Hip Hopera

Director

Holiday Heart

Director

Up, Up, and Away

Director

Little Richard

Director

Livin' for Love: The Natalie Cole Story

Director

Love Songs

Director

Jackie's Back!

Director

From Behind Closed Doors

1999

Director

B.A.P.S

Director

The Meteor Man

Director

The Meteor Man

Producer

The Meteor Man

Screenplay

The Five Heartbeats

Director

The Five Heartbeats

Producer

The Five Heartbeats

Writer

Robert Townsend: Partners in Crime: Vol. 3

1989

Director

Robert Townsend: Partners in Crime: Vol. 3

1989

Executive Producer

Robert Townsend: Partners in Crime: Vol. 3

1989

Writer

Robert Townsend: Partners in Crime: Vol. 4

1989

Director

Robert Townsend: Partners in Crime: Vol. 4

1989

Executive Producer

Robert Townsend: Partners in Crime: Vol. 4

1989

Writer

Robert Townsend: Partners in Crime: Vol. 2

1988

Director

Robert Townsend: Partners in Crime: Vol. 2

1988

Writer

Eddie Murphy Raw

Director

Hollywood Shuffle

Director

Hollywood Shuffle

Producer

Hollywood Shuffle

Writer

Uptown Comedy Express

1987

Writer

Robert Townsend: Partners in Crime: Vol. 1

1987

Director

Robert Townsend: Partners in Crime: Vol. 1

1987

Writer

Rodney Dangerfield: It's Not Easy Bein' Me

1986

Writer

8.1

Television (10)

Poppa's House

Director

Kaleidoscope

Director

Power Book IV: Force

Director

The Wonder Years

Director

Colin in Black and White

Director

Black Lightning

Director

Love Is___

Director

South of Nowhere

Director

The Parent 'Hood

Director

The Parent 'Hood

Producer