Robert Townsend Biography (1957-)

Born February 6, 1957, in Chicago, IL; son of Robert and Shirley (maiden name, Jenkins) Townsend. Addresses: Office: Creative Artists Agency, 9830Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills, CA 90212-1825.

Gender: Male
Occupation: Actor, director, producer, writer
Birth Details: February 6, 1957; Chicago, Illinois

Famous Works

CREDITS
Film Appearances
Cooley High, American International, 1975
(Uncredited) Musician, Monkey Hustle, 1977
Thin Boy, Willie & Phil, 1980
Lester, Streets of Fire, Universal, 1983
Corporal Ellis, Soldier's Story, Columbia, 1983
Jerome, American Flyers, Warner Bros., 1985
Dwight, Odd Jobs, TriStar, 1986
Manny Espanoza, Ratboy, Warner Bros., 1986
Bobby Taylor, Jasper, Speed, and Sam Ace, Hollywood Shuffle, Samuel Goldwyn, 1987
(Uncredited) I'm Gonna Git You Sucka, 1988
Standup comic, That's Adequate, 1989
Maubee, The Mighty Quinn, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)/United Artists, 1989
Duck, The Five Heartbeats, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1991
Jefferson Reed, The Meteor Man (also known as Meteor Man: An Urban Fairy Tale), MGM, 1993
Thompson, Joseph's Gift, 1998
Peyton Cody, The Taxman, Phaedra Cinema, 1999
Book of Love, Artisan Entertainment, 2000
Film Director
(And producer) Hollywood Shuffle, Samuel Goldwyn, 1987
Eddie Murphy: Raw, 1987
(And executive producer) The Five Heartbeats, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1991
The Meteor Man (also known as Meteor Man: An Urban Fairy Tale), MGM, 1993
B*A*P*S (also known as B.A.P.S), 1997
Fraternity Boys, 1999
Television Appearances
Movies
Baker, The Bounty Man, ABC, 1972
Russell Baker, Women at West Point, CBS, 1979
Randy, Senior Trip!, CBS, 1981
James, In Love with an Older Woman, CBS, 1982
Charlie Love, Mercenary II: Thick & Thin, 1997
Champ, Love Songs, Showtime, 1999
Jackie's Back! (also known as Jackie's Back: Portrait of a Diva), Lifetime, 1999
Jim/bronze eagle, Up, Up and Away, The Disney Channel, 2000
Mr. Five, I Was a Teenage Faust, 2001
Series
The Great American Dream Machine, 1971
Skit characters, The Carol Burnett Show, 1991
Host, Townsend Television (also known as The Robert Townsend Variety Show), Fox, 1993
Robert Peterson, The Parent `Hood, The WB, 1995
Episodic
Patient, "Bombshells," M*A*S*H, 1982
Rotating host, The Late Show, Fox, 1986
Also appeared in Another Page, PBS.
Specials
"Rodney Dangerfield: It's Not Easy Bein' Me," On Location, HBO, 1986
"Robert Townsend and His Partners in Crime," HBO Comedy Hour, HBO,1987

"Uptown Comedy Express," On Location, HBO, 1987
That's What Friends Are For: AIDS Concert '88, Showtime, 1988
"Take No Prisoners: Robert Townsend and His Partners in Crime II," HBOComedy Hour, HBO, 1988
Host, Freedomfest: Nelson Mandela's 70th Birthday Celebration, Fox, 1988
"The Mutiny Has Just Begun: Robert Townsend and His Partners in Crime III," HBO Comedy Hour, HBO, 1989
"Playing the Nutroll: Robert Townsend and His Partners in Crime IV," HBO Comedy Hour, HBO, 1989
All-Star Tribute to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, NBC, 1989
16th Annual Black Filmmakers Hall of Fame, syndicated, 1989
Motown 30: What's Goin' On!, CBS, 1990
Cutting Edge with Maria Shriver, NBC, 1990
A Party For Richard Pryor, CBS, 1991
Go Party!, Disney, 1991
A Comedy Salute to Michael Jordan (also known as Los Angeles and Chicago Salute to Michael Jordan), NBC, 1991
Celebrate the Soul of American Music, syndicated, 1991
Host, Ray Charles: 50 Years in Music, Uh-Huh!, Fox, 1991
Host, The Movie Awards, CBS, 1991
Magic Johnson's All-Star Slam 'N Jam, syndicated, 1992
The Issue Is Race, PBS, 1992
Comic Relief V, HBO, 1992
Back to School '92 (also known as Education First!), CBS, 1992
Laughing Matters (also known as Funny Business), Showtime,1993
Count on Me, PBS, 1993
Host, Met Life Presents the Apollo Theatre Hall of Fame, NBC, 1994
Co-host, An Evening of Stars: A Celebration of Educational Excellence, syndicated, 2001
Miniseries
Dr. Barry Sullivan, Bliss, 1995
Host (volume 2: Route 66), Great Drives, PBS, 1996
Awards Presentations
The 2nd Annual American Comedy Awards, ABC, 1988
The 20th Annual NAACP Image Awards, NBC, 1988
MTV's 1989 Video Music Awards, MTV, 1989
The 22nd Annual NAACP Image Awards, NBC, 1990
The 24th Annual NAACP Image Awards, NBC, 1992
Television Director
Movies
Love Songs, 1999
Jackie's Back (also known as Jackie's Back: Portrait of a Diva), Showtime, 1999
The 20th Century: From behind Closed Doors, 1999
Up, Up, and Away!, The Disney Channel, 2000
Little Richard, NBC, 2000
Livin' for Love: The Natalie Cole Story (also known as The Natalie Cole Story), 2000
Holiday Heart, 2000
Carmen: A Hip Hopera, 2001
10,000 Black Men Named George, 2001
Series
The Parent `Hood, The WB, 1995
Specials
"Robert Townsend and His Partners in Crime," HBO Comedy Hour, HBO,1987
"The Mutiny Has Just Begun: Robert Townsend and His Partners in Crime III," HBO Comedy Hour, HBO, 1989
"Playing the Nutroll: Robert Townsend and His Partners in Crime IV," HBO Comedy Hour, HBO, 1989
Townsend Television (also known as The Robert Townsend VarietyShow), Fox, 1993
Television Executive Producer
Specials
"Robert Townsend and His Partners in Crime," HBO Comedy Hour, HBO,1987
"Take No Prisoners: Robert Townsend and His Partners in Crime II," HBOComedy Hour, HBO, 1988
"The Mutiny Has Just Begun: Robert Townsend and His Partners in Crime III," HBO Comedy Hour, HBO, 1989
"Playing the Nutroll: Robert Townsend and His Partners in Crime IV," HBO Comedy Hour, HBO, 1989
Townsend Television (also known as The Robert Townsend VarietyShow), Fox, 1993
Stage Appearances
(New York debut) Calvin, Take It from the Top, Henry Street Settlement, 1979
Charley Soul, Bones, Riverside Church, New York City, 1980
WRITINGS
Screenplays
(With Keenan Ivory Wayans) Hollywood Shuffle, Samuel Goldwyn, 1987
(With Wayans) The Five Heartbeats, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1991
The Meteor Man (also known as Meteor Man: An Urban Fairy Tale), MGM, 1993
Television Specials
"Take No Prisoners: Robert Townsend and His Partners in Crime II," HBOComedy Hour, HBO, 1988
"The Mutiny Has Just Begun: Robert Townsend and His Partners in Crime III," HBO Comedy Hour, HBO, 1989
"Playing the Nutroll: Robert Townsend and His Partners in Crime IV," HBO Comedy Hour, HBO, 1989
Television Series
Townsend Television (also known as The Robert Townsend VarietyShow), Fox, 1993

Further Reference

OTHER SOURCES

Periodicals

Hollywood Reporter, January 26, 1988, pp. S27-28
Interview, February, 1991, pp. 75-76

User Contributions:

Comment about this article, ask questions, or add new information about this topic:

forum