Robert Townsend
Townsend in 2018
Born	(1957-02-06)February 6, 1957 (age 68) Chicago,Illinois, U.S.
Education	Illinois State University
Alma mater	Austin High School
Occupations	Actor comedian film director writer
Years active	1974–present
Notable work	Hollywood Shuffle The Five Heartbeats The Parent 'Hood
Spouse	Cheri Jones ​ ​ (m. 1990; div. 2001)​
Children	3, includingSkye
Website	roberttownsend.com

Robert Townsend (born February 6, 1957) is an American actor, director, comedian, and writer.^[1][2] Townsend is best known for directing the filmsHollywood Shuffle (1987),Eddie Murphy Raw (1987),The Five Heartbeats (1991) and various other films and stand-up specials. He is especially known for his portrayal ofThe WB's sitcomThe Parent 'Hood 's main character Robert Peterson, the series he created and directed select episodes of ran from 1995 to 1999. He later wrote, directed and producedMaking 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 companyTownsend Entertainment which has produced filmsPlayin' for Love,^[3]In the Hive and more. During the 1980s and early–1990s, Townsend gained national exposure through hisstand-up comedy routines and appearances onThe Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. Townsend has worked with talent includingHalle Berry,Morgan Freeman,Chris Tucker,Beyoncé,Denzel Washington,Ayo Edebiri, and many more.^[4]

Townsend was born inChicago, the second of four children to Shirley (née Jenkins) and Robert Townsend.^[5] His mother ended up raising him and his three siblings as asingle parent. Growing up on the city's west side, Townsend attendedAustin High School; graduating in 1975.^[6] He became interested inacting as a teenager. During a reading ofSophocles'Oedipus Rex inhigh school, Townsend captured the attention of Chicago's X Bag Theatre, The Experimental Black Actors Guild. Townsend later auditioned for parts at Chicago's Experimental Black Actors' Guild and performed in local plays studying at the famedSecond City comedy workshop forimprovisation in 1974. Townsend had a briefuncredited role in the 1975 movieCooley High, but says the film "changed his life" for what he perceived as its true-to-life portrayal of people like him.^[7]

After high school, Townsend enrolled atIllinois State University, studied a year and later moved toNew York to study at theNegro Ensemble Company. Townsend's mother believed that he should complete hiscollege education, but he felt that college took time away from his passion for acting, and he soon dropped out of school to pursue his acting career full-time.

Townsend auditioned to be part ofSaturday Night Live's 1980–1981 cast, but was rejected in favor ofEddie Murphy. In 1982, Townsend appeared as one of the main characters in thePBS seriesAnother Page, produced byKentucky Educational Television that taught literacy to adults through serialized stories. Townsend later appeared in small parts in films likeA Soldier's Story (1984), directed byNorman Jewison, and after its success garnered much more substantial parts in films likeThe Mighty Quinn (1989) withDenzel Washington.^[8]

In 1987, Townsend wrote, directed and producedHollywood Shuffle, a satire based on the hardships and obstacles that African-American actors undergo in the film industry. The success of his first project helped him establish himself in the industry.^[4][9] Another of his films wasThe Five Heartbeats based on 1960s R&B male groups and the tribulations of themusic industry. Townsend created and produced two televisionvariety shows—theCableACE award–winningRobert Townsend and His Partners in Crime forHBO, and theFox Television variety showTownsend Television (1993). He also created and starred in theWB Network'ssitcomThe Parent 'Hood which originally ran from January 1995 to July 1999. In 2018, Townsend also directed 2 episodes for the B.E.T. SeriesAmerican Soul which began airing in 2019. The show is aboutDon Cornelius andSoul Train. Townsend wasprogramming director at theBlack Family Channel, but the network folded in 2007. Townsend created The Robert Townsend Foundation, anonprofit organization whose mission is to introduce and help new unsigned filmmakers.

Townsend directed the 2001 TV movie,Livin' for Love: The Natalie Cole Story for which Cole won theNAACP Image Award as Outstanding Actress in a Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special. Townsend also directed two television movies in 2001 and 2002 respectively,Carmen: A Hip Hopera and10,000 Black Men Named George. In 2013, Townsend was nominated for anOvation Award in the category of "Lead Actor in a Musical" for his role as Dan in the La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts production ofNext to Normal.^[10]

Townsend was married to Cheri Jones^[11] from September 15, 1990, to August 9, 2001.^[12] They have three children, includingSkye Townsend.^[4]

Direct-to-video

• Black Listed (2003) (Also writer)
• Bill Cosby 77 (2014) (Unreleased)

Acting roles

TV special

TV movies

Miniseries

Acting roles

• Alexander, George (December 18, 2007).Why We Make Movies: Black Filmmakers Talk About the Magic of Cinema. Harlem Moon.ISBN 978-0-3074-1959-0.
• Collier, Aldore (June 1, 1991)."Robert Townsend: a new kind of Hollywood dreamer".Ebony.XLVI (8):102–106. RetrievedJune 30, 2022.
• Rogers, Brent. "Robert Townsend Article in Perspectives".Sustaining Digital History. 12 November 2007.

• Official website
• Robert Townsend atIMDb

• 1957 births
• Living people
• American male film actors
• American male television actors
• Male actors from Chicago
• African-American film directors
• Film directors from Illinois
• American television directors
• African-American television directors
• Film producers from Illinois
• African-American television producers
• Television producers from Illinois
• African-American screenwriters
• Screenwriters from Illinois
• Comedians from Chicago
• 20th-century American comedians
• 21st-century American comedians
• USC School of Cinematic Arts faculty
• 20th-century African-American male actors
• 20th-century American male actors
• 21st-century African-American male actors
• 21st-century American male actors
• Austin Community Academy High School alumni
• American male comedians
• African-American male comedians
• African-American comedians

• Articles with short description
• Short description is different from Wikidata
• Articles with hCards
• Official website different in Wikidata and Wikipedia