Robert Townsend: movies and TV shows
Robert Townsend has 121 credits in the archive: 96 films and 25 TV series, from 1972 to 2026. Highest rated: Power Book IV: Force (8.3/10).
Career timeline
1972 – 2026 · busiest year: 1987 (10 credits)
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Full filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Type | Rating | Age then |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Mel Brooks: The 99 Year Old Man! | Self - Comedian & Filmmaker | TV | 7.9 | 69 |
| 2026 | AFI Life Achievement Award: A Tribute to Eddie Murphy | Self | Film | 6.0 | 69 |
| 2024 | Before | Jackson | TV | 6.4 | 67 |
| 2024 | Poppa's House | TV | 5.5 | 67 | |
| 2023 | Kaleidoscope | TV | 6.8 | 66 | |
| 2022 | The Bear | Emmanuel Adamu | TV | 8.1 | 65 |
| 2022 | Power Book IV: Force | TV | 8.3 | 65 | |
| 2022 | Ms. Pat: Y'all Wanna Hear Something Crazy? | Film | 5.8 | 65 | |
| 2021 | The Wonder Years | TV | 7.0 | 64 | |
| 2021 | Colin in Black and White | TV | 6.5 | 64 | |
| 2019 | A Walk with Charles Burnett | Self | Film | — | 62 |
| 2019 | A Walk with Charles Burnett | Film | — | 62 | |
| 2018 | Black Lightning | Dr. Napier Frank | TV | 6.9 | 61 |
| 2018 | Black Lightning | TV | 6.9 | 61 | |
| 2018 | Love Is___ | TV | 6.3 | 61 | |
| 2018 | Making The Five Heartbeats | Film | — | 61 | |
| 2018 | Making The Five Heartbeats | Film | — | 61 | |
| 2015 | Playin' for Love | Coach Banks | Film | 5.0 | 58 |
| 2015 | Playin' for Love | Film | 5.0 | 58 | |
| 2015 | Playin' for Love | Film | 5.0 | 58 | |
| 2015 | Playin' for Love | Film | 5.0 | 58 | |
| 2013 | Bill Cosby: Far From Finished | Film | 7.0 | 56 | |
| 2013 | Bill Cosby: Far From Finished | Film | 7.0 | 56 | |
| 2012 | Scooby-Doo! Music of the Vampire | Vampire Actor #1 (voice) | Film | 7.7 | 55 |
| 2012 | In the Hive | Film | 4.8 | 55 | |
| 2009 | Diary of a Single Mom | Film | 4.0 | 52 | |
| 2009 | Why We Laugh: Black Comedians on Black Comedy | Self | Film | 8.0 | 52 |
| 2009 | Why We Laugh: Black Comedians on Black Comedy | Film | 8.0 | 52 | |
| 2009 | Directors on Directing | Self | Film | — | 52 |
| 2008 | Of Boys and Men | Holden Cole | Film | 7.7 | 51 |
| 2008 | Of Boys and Men | Film | 7.7 | 51 | |
| 2008 | Phantom Punch | Film | 5.3 | 51 | |
| 2007 | Tao of The Golden Mask | Film | — | 50 | |
| 2005 | South of Nowhere | TV | 7.3 | 48 | |
| 2005 | Black in the 80s | Self | TV | — | 48 |
| 2003 | Richard Pryor: I Ain't Dead Yet, #*%$#@!! | Self | Film | 7.8 | 46 |
| 2003 | Black Listed | Alan Chambers | Film | 4.0 | 46 |
| 2003 | Black Listed | Film | 4.0 | 46 | |
| 2002 | Undercover Brother | Mr. UB | Film | 5.9 | 45 |
| 2002 | I Was a Teenage Faust | Mr. Five | Film | 6.7 | 45 |
| 2002 | 10,000 Black Men Named George | Film | 3.9 | 45 | |
| 2002 | Book of Love: The Definitive Reason Why Men Are Dogs | Film | 9.5 | 45 | |
| 2001 | Carmen: A Hip Hopera | Film | 6.4 | 44 | |
| 2000 | Holiday Heart | Film | 7.0 | 43 | |
| 2000 | Sidney Poitier: One Bright Light | Film | 6.7 | 43 | |
| 2000 | Up, Up, and Away | Jim Marshall / Bronze Eagle | Film | 5.5 | 43 |
| 2000 | Up, Up, and Away | Film | 5.5 | 43 | |
| 2000 | Little Richard | Film | 6.6 | 43 | |
| 2000 | Livin' for Love: The Natalie Cole Story | Film | 7.6 | 43 | |
| 1999 | Jackie's Back! | Robert Townsend | Film | 6.9 | 42 |
| 1999 | Jackie's Back! | Film | 6.9 | 42 | |
| 1999 | Love Songs | Champ | Film | 8.7 | 42 |
| 1999 | Love Songs | Film | 8.7 | 42 | |
| 1999 | Mercenary II: Thick & Thin | Charlie Love | Film | 5.5 | 42 |
| 1999 | Taxman | Peyton Cody | Film | 4.2 | 42 |
| 1999 | Joseph's Gift | James Saunders | Film | 7.0 | 42 |
| 1999 | From Behind Closed Doors | Film | 10.0 | 42 | |
| 1998 | Hollywood Squares | Self - Panelist | TV | 7.6 | 41 |
| 1998 | Motown Live | Self - Host | TV | 1.0 | 41 |
| 1997 | B.A.P.S | Film | 5.4 | 40 | |
| 1997 | Stuart Hall: Representation & the Media | Archive Footage (Hollywood Shuffle) | Film | 8.0 | 40 |
| 1996 | Great Drives | Self - Host | TV | — | 39 |
| 1995 | Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child | Rumpelstiltskin (voice) | TV | 6.3 | 38 |
| 1995 | The Parent 'Hood | Robert Peterson | TV | 7.3 | 38 |
| 1995 | The Parent 'Hood | TV | 7.3 | 38 | |
| 1995 | The Parent 'Hood | TV | 7.3 | 38 | |
| 1995 | The Parent 'Hood | TV | 7.3 | 38 | |
| 1994 | The Legend of Dolemite! Bigger & Badder | Self | Film | 7.0 | 37 |
| 1993 | The Meteor Man | Jefferson Reed | Film | 5.8 | 36 |
| 1993 | The Meteor Man | Film | 5.8 | 36 | |
| 1993 | The Meteor Man | Film | 5.8 | 36 | |
| 1993 | The Meteor Man | Film | 5.8 | 36 | |
| 1991 | The Carol Burnett Show | TV | 7.3 | 34 | |
| 1991 | The Five Heartbeats | Duck | Film | 7.3 | 34 |
| 1991 | The Five Heartbeats | Film | 7.3 | 34 | |
| 1991 | The Five Heartbeats | Film | 7.3 | 34 | |
| 1991 | The Five Heartbeats | Film | 7.3 | 34 | |
| 1990 | Robin Harris: One Night Stand | Bum #3 | Film | — | 33 |
| 1989 | The Mighty Quinn | Maubee | Film | 6.0 | 32 |
| 1989 | That's Adequate | Standup Comic | Film | 4.1 | 32 |
| 1989 | Robert Townsend: Partners in Crime: Vol. 4 | Film | — | 32 | |
| 1989 | Robert Townsend: Partners in Crime: Vol. 4 | Film | — | 32 | |
| 1989 | Robert Townsend: Partners in Crime: Vol. 4 | Film | — | 32 | |
| 1989 | Robert Townsend: Partners in Crime: Vol. 4 | Film | — | 32 | |
| 1989 | Robert Townsend: Partners in Crime: Vol. 3 | Film | — | 32 | |
| 1989 | Robert Townsend: Partners in Crime: Vol. 3 | Film | — | 32 | |
| 1989 | Robert Townsend: Partners in Crime: Vol. 3 | Film | — | 32 | |
| 1989 | Robert Townsend: Partners in Crime: Vol. 3 | Film | — | 32 | |
| 1988 | I'm Gonna Git You Sucka | Minor Role (uncredited) | Film | 6.4 | 31 |
| 1988 | Nelson Mandela 70th Birthday Tribute | Self | Film | 6.5 | 31 |
| 1988 | Robert Townsend: Partners in Crime: Vol. 2 | Film | — | 31 | |
| 1988 | Robert Townsend: Partners in Crime: Vol. 2 | Film | — | 31 | |
| 1988 | Robert Townsend: Partners in Crime: Vol. 2 | Film | — | 31 | |
| 1987 | Eddie Murphy Raw | Film | 7.3 | 30 | |
| 1987 | Hollywood Shuffle | Bobby Taylor | Film | 6.5 | 30 |
| 1987 | Hollywood Shuffle | Film | 6.5 | 30 | |
| 1987 | Hollywood Shuffle | Film | 6.5 | 30 | |
| 1987 | Hollywood Shuffle | Film | 6.5 | 30 | |
| 1987 | Uptown Comedy Express | Film | 7.0 | 30 | |
| 1987 | Uptown Comedy Express | Film | 7.0 | 30 | |
| 1987 | Robert Townsend: Partners in Crime: Vol. 1 | Film | — | 30 | |
| 1987 | Robert Townsend: Partners in Crime: Vol. 1 | Film | — | 30 | |
| 1987 | Robert Townsend: Partners in Crime: Vol. 1 | Film | — | 30 | |
| 1986 | Ratboy | Manny | Film | 3.9 | 29 |
| 1986 | Odd Jobs | Dwight | Film | 4.4 | 29 |
| 1986 | Rodney Dangerfield: It's Not Easy Bein' Me | Self | Film | 7.9 | 29 |
| 1986 | Rodney Dangerfield: It's Not Easy Bein' Me | Film | 7.9 | 29 | |
| 1985 | Amazing Stories | Billy Burliss | TV | 7.5 | 28 |
| 1985 | American Flyers | Jerome | Film | 6.2 | 28 |
| 1984 | Streets of Fire | The Sorels - Lester | Film | 6.9 | 27 |
| 1984 | A Soldier's Story | Corporal Ellis | Film | 6.8 | 27 |
| 1982 | In Love with an Older Woman | James | Film | 6.0 | 25 |
| 1981 | Senior Trip | Randy | Film | 4.1 | 24 |
| 1980 | Willie & Phil | Thin Boy | Film | 4.6 | 23 |
| 1979 | The Warriors | Baseball Fury (uncredited) | Film | 7.7 | 22 |
| 1979 | Women at West Point | Russell Baker | Film | 8.0 | 22 |
| 1976 | The Monkey Hustle | Musician | Film | 5.7 | 19 |
| 1975 | Mahogany | Extra (uncredited) | Film | 5.9 | 18 |
| 1975 | Cooley High | Basketball Player in Gym Class | Film | 7.0 | 18 |
| 1972 | M*A*S*H | Patient | TV | 7.9 | 15 |
| Townsend Television | TV | 7.0 | — |