Robert Townsend
OF THE PARENT ‘HOOD
A: Robert Townsend’s career is a vast iceberg, and for most people, “The Parent ‘Hood” is the tip.
His story has become a bit of a Hollywood legend: he came to L.A. from Chicago to get into the acting biz, but when faced with the limited — and stereotypical — options available to young Black actors, he decided to start making his own movies.
He self-financed “Hollywood Shuffle” (1987), a parody film that turned a mirror back on Hollywood itself and became both a critically beloved hit and an indie landmark. It launched his career as what Hollywood likes to call a multi-hyphenate, in his case, a producer-director-writer-actor — not always in that order. And he’s continued that way since, with more and more emphasis on behind-the-camera work.
“Hollywood Shuffle” led to more features, where he earned loads more critical acclaim behind and in front of the camera, but only modest fame.
He turned his hand to sitcoms with “The Parent ‘Hood,” which aired on the WB Network from 1995 to 1999. This is where most people — people who aren’t as plugged into the Hollywood scene or indie films — came to know him.
His entrepreneurial and activist spirit then led him to seek yet another new challenge, serving as president and CEO of a whole TV network: the Black Family Channel. It only existed briefly, from 2004 to 2007, but made a mark as a family-friendly alternative to cablers like BET.
Most of his work since then has been behind the camera as a prolific director and occasional film producer. Again, those roles have often coincided, such as in the 2009 documentary feature “Why We Laugh: Black Comedians on Black Comedy.” He also did the full multi-hyphen in 2013, producing, directing, writing and starring in the family-friendly drama “Playin’ for Love,” about a high school basketball coach trying to turn his team around.