It’s been more than 50 years since Robert Townsend started acting, but the West Side native still discusses his early experiences with plenty of details and delight.
As an eager teenager, he took acting classes at the John Robert Powers modeling school downtown. He also worked with the Experimental Black Actors Guild – known as X-BAG – on the South Side. But performing on the West Side with the LaMont Zeno Theatre, of the Better Boys Foundation, was especially educational, he said.
“That’s where it all began for me,” said the legendary filmmaker, 68, who now lives in Los Angeles. “My heart is still in the West Side.”
This weekend, Townsend will give back to the city by hosting a pop-up film festival, which benefits the West Side branch of the NAACP and The Answer Inc. Autism Awareness and Support Agency in Hillside. On Saturday, he will teach a master class, host a game night and show screenings of “The Spook Who Sat by the Door” and “The Five Heartbeats” at Columbia College Chicago.
On Sunday, he will present a sold-out comedy showcase at The Comedy Bar, as well as sold-out screenings of “The Meteor Man” and the episode he directed of “Power Book IV: Force” at the Chicago Cultural Center.
The festival is supported in part by the local Creative Cypher entertainment company and the city’s Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events.
The event falls during a busy season for Townsend, who is working on a new film and pitching a new TV series. This winter, he will also return to the city to film season 5 of “The Bear” as a cast member and to direct an episode of the final season of “The Chi.” Though passionate about his future work, Townsend is also reflecting on his past through his one-man show “Living the Shuffle,” which he recently performed in St. Louis. And he is working on a memoir.
“You would not believe the life I’ve had,” he said. “It’s been quite a journey.”
While Townsend had many happy times in Chicago, he also recalls more difficult memories.
“Some are scary, like the day my bike got stolen,” he said. “And the day I ran into a gang initiation and had a gun to my head, and the only thing that saved me was that I played basketball with the right guy.”
Growing up on the West Side, Townsend was instructed by his mother to avoid gangs by running straight home from what is now Helen M. Hefferan STEM School.
“All I did was watch TV, and [my family] nicknamed me TV Guide,” he said. “ I knew everything about television. I was even watching the foreign French films on PBS.”
That exposure shaped Townsend, a film buff who can easily rattle off some of his favorite classic movies: Alexander Hall’s 1941 comedy, “Here Comes Mr. Jordan”; Sidney Lumet’s 1976 satire, “Network,” and Elia Kazan’s 1957 drama, “A Face in the Crowd.”
He said Kazan’s films gave him hope.
“His movies made me believe the underdog could win,” Townsend said.
Townsend made his entrée into film when he was cast as an extra in Berry Gordy’s “Mahogany” by Pemon Rami, a prominent Chicago theater director and movie casting director. On the set of the 1975 film, Townsend learned how to do a convincing impression of Billy Dee Williams, who co-starred with Diana Ross. That same year, Rami cast Townsend in a bit part in Michael Schultz’s “Cooley High.”
In 1987, Townsend garnered success with “Hollywood Shuffle,” which he directed, produced and financed. From there, he built a noteworthy career as both a director and actor. His most popular films include “The Five Heartbeats,” “The Meteor Man” and “B*A*P*S.” He also developed and starred in the “The Parent ‘Hood” sitcom.
As a veteran of the industry, Townsend has navigated the ups and downs of the market. He said he is not concerned about the cancellation of Black TV shows, including “South Side,” “Rap S***”, “The Wonder Years” and “Poppa’s House,” in recent years. (Townsend has directed episodes of the latter two.)
“It’s always changing and evolving,” he said. “I don’t worry about any of that because there’s more opportunities for actors of color than there’s ever been.”
And when it comes to Black films, he said he is heartened by director Ryan Coogler’s success with “Sinners” and the “Black Panther” movies.
But Townsend said he is not motivated by money.
“There’s satisfaction knowing that I’ve created a story that I’m proud of,” he said. “And I’m kind of hardheaded. I will do a little indie film in a second because I’m not always chasing the big blockbuster. I just want to tell great stories. If it’s quality, the word will always spread.”
Townsend said he also enjoys contributing to the projects of others, such as “The Bear,” in which he plays Sydney (Ayo Edebiri)’s father, Emmanuel.
“It’s well-written, well-directed, and it’s just a fun set,” he said.
Chicagoans may see Townsend doing theater again; he said he wants to bring “Living the Shuffle” to the city.
“I’ve had a few discussions with Steppenwolf,” he said. “We’ll see if that happens.”
Townsend said he is impressed with the city’s current Black theater scene; he praised Steppenwolf Artistic Director Glenn Davis’ success with “Purpose.” He also commended “Purpose” star Harry Lennix for developing the Lillian Marcie Center, a performing arts complex planned for Bronzeville.
Townsend also applauded the ongoing work of Black Ensemble Theater founder Jackie Taylor, who will be his Bid Whist partner during his game night on Saturday.
“The next wave of talent is coming out of Chicago, but we need to have those mechanisms in place so that they can study and develop their craft,” Townsend said. “Eventually they’re going to make it to New York and Hollywood, but a lot of the talent is here.”