Early Life
Townsend was born in Chicago, Illinois, the son of Shirley (née Jenkins) and Ed Townsend. Raised by a single mother with four children, Townsend became an actor, comedian, writer, producer, director, and network programming CEO. He has two daughters: Sierra and Skylar (Skye Townsend), both entertainers. He has a son named Isiah.
During a reading of Sophocles' Oedipus Rex at school, Robert captured the class and effortlessly transformed into a character which captured the attention of Chicago’s X Bag Theatre, The Experimental Black Actors Guild. His start began at the Improvisation, a renowned comedy club, launching his career as a comedian.
Read more about this topic: Robert Townsend (actor)
Famous quotes containing the words early and/or life:
“At the earliest ending of winter,
In March, a scrawny cry from outside
Seemed like a sound in his mind.
He knew that he heard it,
A bird’s cry, at daylight or before,
In the early March wind.”
—Wallace Stevens (1879–1955)
“The life of mind is best and pleasantest for man, since mind more than anything else is man. This life therefore is also the happiest.”
—Aristotle (384–323 B.C.)