Robert Townsend

Biography

Robert Townsend is an American actor and director who has also worked as a comedian and writer. Born in Chicago in 1957, he studied improv at the Second City workshop and later studied in New York at the Negro Ensemble Company. During the 1980s he became known nationally for stand-up comedy and guest spots on The Tonight Show. After an uncredited role in Cooley High (1975), he appeared in A Soldier's Story (1984), played a supporting role in American Flyers (1985), and took a substantial part in The Mighty Quinn (1989). He wrote, directed, and produced the satire Hollywood Shuffle (1987), and went on to direct and star in The Five Heartbeats (1991). On television he created and starred in The Parent 'Hood, which ran from 1995 to 1999, and made the variety shows Robert Townsend and His Partners in Crime and Townsend Television. He received a 2013 Ovation Award nomination for the musical Next to Normal.

69years old

Turns 70 on February 6in 128 days

Born February 6, 1957Chicago
Star sign: AquariusThe sign runs January 20 to February 18

Movie Career

Films: 12
Career span: 37 years1975 to 2012

Genres

Comedy58%, 7 films
Drama50%, 6 films
Action33%, 4 films
Crime25%, 3 films
Fantasy25%, 3 films

First and latest

Did you know?!

Behind the camera
Townsend wrote, directed and produced Hollywood Shuffle in 1987. The satire drew on the obstacles African-American actors face in the film industry, and its success helped him establish himself.
Behind the camera
Townsend directed the stand-up comedy performance Eddie Murphy Raw, which came out in theaters in 1987 and proved very popular.
First role
Townsend appeared briefly and without credit in Cooley High, a 1975 movie. He has said the film changed his life because he felt it showed people like him in a true-to-life way.

Robert Townsend movies on Netflix

Scooby-Doo! Music of the Vampire2012IMDb rating 6.3as Vampire Actor #1 (voice)
Undercover Brother2002IMDb rating 5.9as Mr. UB
Up, Up, and Away2000IMDb rating 5.5as Jim Marshall / Bronze Eagle
The Legend of Dolemite! Bigger & Badder1994IMDb rating 6.3as Himself
The Meteor Man1993IMDb rating 5.3as Jefferson Reed
The Five Heartbeats1991IMDb rating 7.6as Duck
The Mighty Quinn1989IMDb rating 6.0as Maubee
Hollywood Shuffle1987IMDb rating 6.9as Bobby Taylor / Jasper / Speed / Sam Ace / Rambro
American Flyers1985IMDb rating 6.5as Jerome
A Soldier's Story1984IMDb rating 7.2as Corporal Ellis
Streets of Fire1984IMDb rating 6.7as Lester - The Sorels
Cooley High1975IMDb rating 7.1as Basketball Player in Gym Class

Best known for

The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.

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The Meteor Man1993 Action, Comedy, Fantasyas Jefferson Reed
IMDb rating 5.39.5K votes
Hollywood Shuffle1987 Comedyas Bobby Taylor / Jasper / Speed / Sam Ace / Rambro
IMDb rating 6.97.3K votes
The Five Heartbeats1991as Duck
IMDb rating 7.65.6K votes
A Soldier's Story1984as Corporal Ellis
IMDb rating 7.213K votes
Up, Up, and Away2000as Jim Marshall / Bronze Eagle
IMDb rating 5.52.5K votes
Undercover Brother2002as Mr. UB
IMDb rating 5.938K votes
American Flyers1985as Jerome
IMDb rating 6.57.4K votes
Streets of Fire1984as Lester - The Sorels
IMDb rating 6.728K votes

Most often with

Two actors appear in three of them each. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.

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Eddie Griffin

John Witherspoon

Denzel Washington

Art Evans

Bobby McGeeRoy Fegan

Films together

Eddie Griffin3 films together, 1993 to 2002
Eddie Griffin's page
- Undercover Brother2002IMDb rating 5.9Townsend as Mr. UBGriffin as Undercover Brother / Anton Jackson
- The Legend of Dolemite! Bigger & Badder1994IMDb rating 6.3Townsend as HimselfGriffin as Himself
- The Meteor Man1993IMDb rating 5.3Townsend as Jefferson ReedGriffin as Michael
John Witherspoon3 films together, 1987 to 1993
John Witherspoon's page
- The Meteor Man1993IMDb rating 5.3Townsend as Jefferson ReedWitherspoon as Clarence James Carter III
- The Five Heartbeats1991IMDb rating 7.6Townsend as DuckWitherspoon as Wild Rudy
- Hollywood Shuffle1987IMDb rating 6.9Townsend as Bobby Taylor / Jasper / Speed / Sam Ace / RambroWitherspoon as Mr. Jones
Denzel Washington2 films together, 1984 to 1989
Denzel Washington's page
- The Mighty Quinn1989IMDb rating 6.0Townsend as MaubeeWashington as Xavier Quinn
- A Soldier's Story1984IMDb rating 7.2Townsend as Corporal EllisWashington as Private First Class Peterson
Art Evans2 films together, 1984 to 1989
Art Evans's page
- The Mighty Quinn1989IMDb rating 6.0Townsend as MaubeeEvans as Jump Jones
- A Soldier's Story1984IMDb rating 7.2Townsend as Corporal EllisEvans as Private Wilkie
Bobby McGee2 films together, 1991 to 1993
Bobby McGee's page
- The Meteor Man1993IMDb rating 5.3Townsend as Jefferson ReedMcGee as Uzi, Golden Lord Gunman
- The Five Heartbeats1991IMDb rating 7.6Townsend as DuckMcGee as Leon
Roy Fegan2 films together, 1991 to 1993
Roy Fegan's page
- The Meteor Man1993IMDb rating 5.3Townsend as Jefferson ReedFegan as Simon, Golden Lord Chief
- The Five Heartbeats1991IMDb rating 7.6Townsend as DuckFegan as Bird

Box office

What Robert Townsend's films earned in cinemas worldwide.

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Combined worldwide box office

$112 million

8 of the 12 films have a worldwide figure.

8Worldwide figure
1US gross only
2Never in cinemas
1Figure not found

Top grosser

Undercover Brother2002Mr. UB$41.6 million

Highest grossing

The eight biggest films earned 100% of the total. The bars are drawn to scale.

1
Undercover Brother2002as Mr. UB
$42M37.0% of the total
2
A Soldier's Story1984as Corporal Ellis
$22M19.4% of the total
3
The Mighty Quinn1989as Maubee
$13M11.8% of the total
4
Cooley High1975as Basketball Player in Gym Class
$13M11.6% of the total
5
Streets of Fire1984as Lester - The Sorels
$8.1M7.2% of the total
6
The Meteor Man1993as Jefferson Reed
$8.0M7.1% of the total
7
Hollywood Shuffle1987as Bobby Taylor / Jasper / Speed / Sam Ace / Rambro
$5.2M4.7% of the total
8
American Flyers1985as Jerome
$1.4M1.2% of the total