
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 episodes. Townsend is also known for his role as Donald "Duck" Matthews in his 1991 film The Five Heartbeats. He later wrote, directed and produced Making 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 company Townsend Entertainment which has produced films Playin' for Love, In the Hive and more. 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. Townsend has worked with talent including Halle Berry, Morgan Freeman, Chris Tucker, Beyoncé, Denzel Washington and many more.

Power Book IV: Force

Why We Laugh: Black Comedians on Black Comedy

Love Songs

The Parent 'Hood

Eddie Murphy Raw

The Five Heartbeats

South of Nowhere

Livin' for Love: The Natalie Cole Story

The Wonder Years

Bill Cosby: Far From Finished

ブラックライトニング

カレイドスコープ

Holiday Heart

Colin in Black and White

Jackie's Back!

Hollywood Shuffle

Little Richard

Love Is___

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

Carmen: A Hip Hopera

The Meteor Man

Poppa's House

Up, Up, and Away

Phantom Punch

B.A.P.S

Playin' for Love

In the Hive

Diary of a Single Mom

10,000 Black Men Named George

Black Listed

From Behind Closed Doors

Robert Townsend: Partners in Crime: Vol. 2

Robert Townsend: Partners in Crime: Vol. 1

Robert Townsend: Partners in Crime: Vol. 3

Robert Townsend: Partners in Crime: Vol. 4

Making The Five Heartbeats

A Walk with Charles Burnett

Book of Love: The Definitive Reason Why Men Are Dogs

一流シェフのファミリーレストラン

Rodney Dangerfield: It's Not Easy Bein' Me

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

Why We Laugh: Black Comedians on Black Comedy

Love Songs

Stuart Hall: Representation & the Media

M*A*S*H

Of Boys and Men

Scooby-Doo! Music of the Vampire

ウォリアーズ

Amazing Stories

The Parent 'Hood

Hollywood Squares

The Five Heartbeats

ブラックライトニング

Cooley High

ストリート・オブ・ファイヤー

Mel Brooks: The 99 Year Old Man!

ソルジャー・ストーリー

Jackie's Back!

Hollywood Shuffle

ビフォア

I'm Gonna Git You Sucka

American Flyers

The Mighty Quinn

Sidney Poitier: One Bright Light

Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child

アンダーカバー・ブラザー

Mahogany

The Meteor Man

The Monkey Hustle

Up, Up, and Away

I Was a Teenage Faust

Playin' for Love

Mercenary II: Thick & Thin

Willie & Phil

In Love with an Older Woman

Odd Jobs

Senior Trip

Taxman

Ratboy

That's Adequate

Black Listed

Directors on Directing

Uptown Comedy Express

Robert Townsend: Partners in Crime: Vol. 2

Robin Harris: One Night Stand

Robert Townsend: Partners in Crime: Vol. 1

Robert Townsend: Partners in Crime: Vol. 4

Robert Townsend: Partners in Crime: Vol. 3

The Legend of Dolemite! Bigger & Badder

A Walk with Charles Burnett

Joseph's Gift

Women at West Point

Black in the 80s