Robert Townsend

Born 1957 · American actor and director

Robert Townsend is an American actor, director, comedian, and writer. 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.

Robert Townsend, in order

1975 Cooley High: acted · directed by Michael Schultz
1980 Willie & Phil: acted · directed by Paul Mazursky
1984 A Soldier's Story: acted · directed by Norman Jewison
1984 Streets of Fire: acted · directed by Walter Hill
1985 American Flyers: acted · directed by John Badham
1986 Odd Jobs: acted · directed by Mark Story
1986 Ratboy: acted · directed by Sondra Locke
1987 Eddie Murphy Raw: directed · critics 78%, audiences 85% · streaming on fuboTV, Paramount+, Hoopla
1987 Hollywood Shuffle: directed, produced
1989 That's Adequate: acted · directed by Harry Hurwitz
1989 The Mighty Quinn: acted · directed by Carl Schenkel
1991 The Five Heartbeats: directed, wrote, acted
1993 The Meteor Man: directed, wrote, acted
1993 Townsend Television (TV series): acted
1995 The Parent 'Hood (TV series): created
1997 B.A.P.S.: directed
1998 Joseph's Gift: acted · directed by Philippe Mora
1998 Motown Live (TV series): created, acted
1999 Jackie's Back (TV movie): directed
2000 Holiday Heart (TV movie): directed · critics 67%, audiences 92% · streaming on Roku Channel, YouTube (free), Tubi
2000 Little Richard (TV movie): directed
2000 Livin' for Love: The Natalie Cole Story: directed
2000 Up, Up and Away (TV movie): directed, acted
2001 Carmen: A Hip Hopera (TV movie): directed
2002 10,000 Black Men Named George (TV movie): directed
2002 Undercover Brother: acted · directed by Malcolm D. Lee
2003 Black Listed: directed, acted
2008 Phantom Punch: directed
2009 Why We Laugh: Black Comedians on Black Comedy: directed, acted
2011 Los Americans (TV series): produced
2012 In the Hive: directed
2013 Playin' for Love: directed
2014 Bill Cosby 77: directed
2023 Kaleidoscope (TV series): directed