Hollywood Shuffle

Brief Synopsis
Cast & Crew
Robert Townsend
Michael Laviolette
Tony Edwards
Myra J
Michael Colyar
Craigus R Johnson
Film Details
Technical Specs
Synopsis
An aspiring African-American actor tries to fight against stereotyping.
Director

Robert Townsend
Cast
Michael Laviolette
Tony Edwards
Myra J
Michael Colyar
Craigus R Johnson
Kim Wayans
Verda Bridges
Charles R Edwards
Starletta Dupois
Tamra Naggar
Steve James
Brad Sanders
Keenen Ivory Wayans
Richard Cummings
E J Murray Jr.
Anne-marie Johnson
Lisa Mende

Damon Wayans
Tammy Kaitz
Angela Teek
Sean Michael Flynn
Kathleen Clark
Larry Cortinas
Beverly Brown
Rusty Cundieff
Franklyn Ajaye
Shirley Ann Jenkins
Donald Douglass
Marc Figueroa
Christopher Jackson
Paul Mooney
Nancy Scher
Grand L Bush
Nancy Cheryll Davis
Jesse Aragon
Dom Irrera
Roy Fegan
Robert Shafer
Jimmy Woodard

Robert Townsend
Gregory Alexander
Don Reed
Eugene Robert Glazer
Lydia Nicole
Ludie Washington
Stephen Adrianson
Sena Ayn Black
Wren T Brown
Brad Laven
David Mcknight
Kim Genelle
Greg Nave Hartwell
Steven Fertig
Eddie Murphy
Howard Allen
Mark Westover
Peter Krug
Helen Martin
Omar W Hester
Richard Mcgregor
Toni Livingston
Conni Marie Brazelton
John Witherspoon
Nick Stewart
Le Tari
Lorrie Marlow
Michael Conn
Bobby Mcgee
Carl Craig
Bobby Mardis
Jake Blackschmidt
Sarah Kaite Coughlan
Jesse Kitten
Crew
Andre Allen
Nathaniel Bellamy
Megan Branman
Peter Chaikin
Alicia Craft
Carl Craig
Carl Craig
Richard Cummings
Peter Deming
Roxanne Disanto
Donald Douglass
Melba Katzman Farquhar
Deborah Fleming
Deborah Fleming
W O Garrett
Jeffrey J. Haboush
Udi Harpaz
Udi Harpaz
Don Hayashi
Randy Honaker
Eileen Horta
Sam Horta
Dom Irrera
Gregory Jacobs
Steve James
Mark Karen
Gary Krivacek
Michael Laviolette
Warner Leighton
Kojo Lewis
Kerry Lyn Mckissick
Mike Perricone
Tara Posey
Tara Posey
Patrice Rushen
Patrice Rushen
Greg P. Russell
William Shaffer
Paul Slaughter
Randal S Thomas
Alix Townsend
Robert Townsend
Robert Townsend
Keenen Ivory Wayans
Margaret Webb
Kerry Dean Williams
Videos
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Hosted Intro
Film Details
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Articles
Hollywood Shuffle
After raising cash, taking out loans and using credit cards, he spent two years putting together a movie that would challenge assertions that a movie written and directed by a black man wouldn't play to a wide audience.
Hollywood Shuffle (1987) skewers everything about Hollywood's attitudes inside and out. From the idea that characters for black performers are limited to the most demeaning stereotypes to the idea that there is only room for one black star in a picture. In this case, Eddie Murphy (in one scene, dozens of black actors all waiting to audition for a part, act like Eddie Murphy since that's what the producers are looking for).
The way the story unfolds--Townsend's character looking for work as an actor while fantasizing about himself in various genres within of the cinematic world--it allows Townsend and his fellow cast members a wide latitude into absurdist comedy. In one fantasy, white teachers instruct black actors how to "act" like black people, or at least, like the stereotypes of black people seen on the silver screen. In another, two black critics review the movies like Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert but without the pretense of looking for anything besides entertainment and emotional satisfaction. And in the movie's reality, Townsend's character is often told to be "more black" or "more like Eddie Murphy." And it's all very funny. It's also, sadly, very true. Townsend and Wayans weren't pulling ideas out of thin air for the story or skits. They were pulling from real experiences. Townsend lamented in several interviews that he actually had been told to be "more black" for a movie or show or commercial and then had white directors elaborate on what that meant. Yes, really.
After Hollywood Shuffle was released, it made over $5 million against a budget of just a little over $100,000. That's an impressive ratio but one that probably would have been a lot more impressive with full studio support from the initial budget to the distribution and marketing. And Townsend was able to parlay the film's success into a long running career as a director in Hollywood. But when you watch it again, even all these years later, the jokes hold up because, unfortunately, most of it is still sadly relevant.
Directed by Robert Townsend
Written by Robert Townsend, Keenen Ivory Wayans, Dom Irrera (uncredited)
Produced by Robert Townsend, Carl Craig, Richard Cummings Jr.
Music by Udi Harpaz, Patrice Rushen
Cinematography by Peter Deming
Film Editing by W.O. Garrett
Casting By Jaki Brown, Toni Livingston
Production Design by Melba Katzman Farquhar
Art Direction by Melba Katzman Farquhar
Costume Design by Andre Allen
Cast: Robert Townsend (Bobby Taylor / Jasper / Speed / Sam Ace / Rambro), Craigus R. Johnson (Stevie Taylor), Helen Martin (Bobby's Grandmother), Starletta DuPois (Bobby's Mother), Marc Figueroa (Sitcom Father / Client #2), Sarah Kaite Coughlan (Sitcom Girlfriend / Rehearsing Actress), Sean Michal Flynn (Sitcom Boyfriend), Brad Sanders (Batty Boy), David McKnight (Uncle Ray), Keenen Ivory Wayans (Donald / Jheri Curl)
By Greg Ferrara

Hollywood Shuffle
Quotes
Trivia
Miscellaneous Notes
Released in United States 1990
Released in United States April 24, 1987
Released in United States November 1987
Released in United States on Video May 1988
Released in United States Spring March 20, 1987
Shown at London Film Festival November 1987.
Began shooting June 6, 1986.
Released in United States 1990 (Shown at AFI/Los Angeles International Film Festival (Black Independent Cinema Now) April 19 - May 3, 1990.)
Released in United States Spring March 20, 1987
Released in United States April 24, 1987 (Los Angeles)
Released in United States on Video May 1988
Released in United States November 1987 (Shown at London Film Festival November 1987.)