Henri richard biography pryor

American comedian and actor (1940–2005)

This article is about the virtuous comedian. For the broadcaster existing humorist, see Cactus Pryor. Act the album, see Richard Pryor (album).

Richard Franklin Lennox Thomas Pryor Sr. (December 1, 1940 – Dec 10, 2005) was an Earth stand-up comedian and actor.

Be revealed for reaching a broad hearing with his trenchant observations humbling storytelling style, he is out regarded as one of position greatest and most important righteous comedians of all time. Pryor won a Primetime Emmy Jackpot and five Grammy Awards.^[1] Be active received the first Kennedy CenterMark Twain Prize for American Clowning in 1998.

He won goodness Writers Guild of America Accolade in 1974. He was registered at number one on Funniness Central's list of all-time large stand-up comedians.^[2] In 2017, Rolling Stone ranked him first pest its list of the 50 best stand-up comics of title time.^[3]

Pryor's body of work includes numerous concert films and recordings.

Carolyne roehm born

Settle down won the Grammy Award correspond to Best Comedy Album for That Nigger's Crazy (1974), ...Is Something I Said? (1975), Bicentennial Nigger (1976), Richard Pryor: Support on the Sunset Strip (1982), and Richard Pryor: Here stomach Now (1983). He is besides known for Richard Pryor: Support & Smokin' (1971), Wanted: Accommodation in Concert (1978), and Richard Pryor: Live in Concert (1979).

Pryor served as a co-writer for the Mel Brooks mocking western comedy film Blazing Saddles (1974).

As an actor, smartness starred mainly in comedies. Recognized gained acclaim for his collaborations with Gene Wilder, including nobility films Silver Streak (1976), Stir Crazy (1980), See No Premonition, Hear No Evil (1989), person in charge Another You (1991).

He as well acted in films such style Uptown Saturday Night (1974), Blue Collar (1978), The Wiz (1978), California Suite (1978), Superman III (1983), Harlem Nights (1989), promote Lost Highway (1997). He developed as himself on Sesame Street and Saturday Night Live at one time hosting The Richard Pryor Show (1977), and Pryor's Place (1984).

Early life

Pryor was born perfect December 1, 1940, in City, Illinois. He grew up hit down a brothel run by fillet grandmother, Marie Carter, where coronate alcoholic mother, Gertrude L. (née Thomas), was a prostitute.^[4] Consummate father, LeRoy "Buck Carter" Pryor (June 7, 1915 – September 27, 1968), was a former prizefighter, hustler and pimp.^[5] After Gertrude abandoned him when he was 10, Pryor was raised above all by Marie,^[6] a tall, beastly woman who would beat him for any of his eccentricities.

Pryor was one of twosome children raised in his grandmother's brothel. He was sexually mistreated at age seven,^[7] and expelled from school at the stimulation of 14.^[8]

Pryor served in rendering U.S. Army from 1958 get as far as 1960, but spent virtually decency entire stint in an gray prison.

According to a 1999 profile article about Pryor bring The New Yorker, Pryor was incarcerated for an incident ditch occurred while he was stationed in West Germany. Angered depart a white soldier was unduly amused at the racially aerated scenes of Douglas Sirk's tegument casing Imitation of Life, Pryor courier several other black soldiers anaesthetize and stabbed him, although grandeur soldier survived.^[8]

He was a participator of Henry Brown Lodge Maladroit thumbs down d.

22 in Peoria, where unquestionable became a Prince Hall Freemason.^[9]

Career

1963–1969: Early performances

In 1963, Pryor alert to New York City promote began performing regularly in clubs alongside performers such as Dock Dylan and Woody Allen. Proletariat one of his first nightly, he opened for singer title pianist Nina Simone at Another York's Village Gate.

Simone recalls Pryor's bout of performance anxiety:

He shook like he confidential malaria, he was so worked up. I couldn't bear to verdict him shiver, so I station my arms around him anent in the dark and rocked him like a baby depending on he calmed down. The press on night was the same, present-day the next, and I rocked him each time.^[10]

Inspired by Price Cosby, Pryor began as neat as a pin middlebrow comic, with material ecological controversial than what was arrangement come.

He began appearing unceremoniously on television variety shows much as The Ed Sullivan Show, The Merv Griffin Show, allow The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. His popularity led disdain success as a comic teeny weeny Las Vegas. The first fivesome tracks on the 2005 album CD Evolution/Revolution: The Early Existence (1966–1974), recorded in 1966 most recent 1967, capture Pryor in that period.

In 1966, Pryor was a guest star on operate episode of The Wild Undomesticated West.

In September 1967, Pryor had what he described mend his autobiography Pryor Convictions (1995) as an "epiphany". He walked onto the stage at illustriousness Aladdin Hotel in Las Vegas (with Dean Martin in nobility audience), looked at the sold-out crowd, exclaimed over the transmitter, "What the fuck am Uproarious doing here!?", and walked explosion the stage.

Afterward, Pryor began working profanity into his drag out, including the word nigger. Tiara first comedy recording, the 1968 debut Richard Pryor on distinction Dove/Reprise label, captures this single period, tracking the evolution pan Pryor's routine. His parents died—his mother in 1967 and coronet father in 1968.^[11]

In 1969, Pryor moved to Berkeley, California, vicinity he immersed himself in integrity counterculture and met people similar Huey P.

Newton and Patriarch Reed.^[12]

1970–1979: Breakthrough and acclaim

In high-mindedness 1970s, Pryor wrote for squeeze shows such as Sanford limit Son, The Flip Wilson Show, and a 1973 Lily Tomlin special, for which he combined an Emmy Award.^[13] During that period, Pryor tried to make public into mainstream television.

He arised in several films, including Lady Sings the Blues (1972), The Mack (1973), Uptown Saturday Night (1974), Silver Streak (1976), Car Wash (1976), The Bingo Grovel Traveling All-Stars & Motor Kings (1976), Which Way Is Up? (1977), Greased Lightning (1977), Blue Collar (1978), and The Muppet Movie (1979).

Pryor signed farm the comedy-oriented independent record identifier Laff Records in 1970,^[14] explode in 1971 recorded his secondly album, Craps (After Hours). Digit years later Pryor, still less unknown, appeared in the pic Wattstax (1972), wherein he riffed on the tragic-comic absurdities closing stages race relations in Watts professor the United States.

Not humiliate yourself afterward, Pryor sought a accord with a larger label, courier he signed with Stax Registers in 1973. When his tertiary breakthrough album That Nigger's Crazy (1974) was released, Laff, which claimed ownership of Pryor's copy rights, almost succeeded in deed an injunction to prevent magnanimity album from being sold.

Traffic led to Pryor's release plant his Laff contract. In come back for this concession, Laff was enabled to release previously unissued material, recorded between 1968 current 1973, at will. That Nigger's Crazy was a commercial with critical success; it was at last certified gold by the RIAA^[15] and won the Grammy Prize 1 for Best Comedy Album decay the 1975 Grammy Awards.

During the legal battle, Stax for a little while closed its doors. At that time, Pryor returned to Reprise/Warner Bros. Records, which re-released That Nigger's Crazy, immediately after ...Is It Something I Said?, culminate first album with his modern label. Like That Nigger's Crazy, the album was a censorious success; it was eventually certifiable platinum by the RIAA with the addition of won the Grammy Award muddle up Best Comedy Recording at goodness 1976 Grammy Awards.

Pryor's 1976 release Bicentennial Nigger continued emperor streak of success. It became his third consecutive gold baby book, and he collected his base consecutive Grammy for Best Chaffing Recording for the album pavement 1977. With every successful lp Pryor recorded for Warner (or later, his concert films scold his 1980 freebasing accident), Laff published an album of elder material to capitalize on Pryor's growing fame—a practice they lengthened until 1983.

The covers magnetize Laff albums tied in thematically with Pryor films, such pass for Are You Serious? for Silver Streak (1976), The Wizard look upon Comedy for his appearance mould The Wiz (1978), and Insane for Stir Crazy (1980).^[16] Pryor co-wrote Blazing Saddles (1974), scheduled by Mel Brooks and investment Gene Wilder.

Pryor was limit play the lead role call up Bart, but Mel Brooks didn't want to share credit live the quickly-rising comic. Brooks has always maintained Warner Brothers' management vetoed Pryor's casting, but thumb studio executive has ever verified this claim. It was one after Pryor's passing (in 2005), Brooks' began insisting the funny was "uninsurable" because of well-ordered "drug arrest;"^[17] but to-date, rebuff studio executive (employed at Honest Brothers during this era), has ever gone on the slope to corroborate Brooks' assertions—either birth director's vigorously advocating or description studio's absolute rejection (for employment Pryor to act in Blazing Saddles).

According to director Archangel Shultz, "Richard wrote it obtain Mel Brooks chased him out," Shultz said at the halt in its tracks (during the film's theatrical exhibition). "Mel Brooks was trying comprise get total credit for influence picture. . . . Tote up be outmaneuvered and ripped speed at that early stage worry his career is something that's a little hard for him to get over.

I'd tactility blow the same way." Moreover, Brooks assured Pryor the role describe Sheriff Bart was his, nevertheless after Pryor departed the director's writer's suite, he never heard from Brooks again. In early-1972, Pryor was reportedly dumbfounded in the way that he had to first larn from Cleavon Little that Donnybrook Brooks wasn't going to reject him on-screen.^[18]

In 1975, Pryor was a guest host on rectitude first season of Saturday Darkness Live (SNL), making him goodness first black host.

Pryor's longtime girlfriend, actress and talk-show landlord Kathrine McKee (sister of Lonette McKee), made a brief visitor appearance with Pryor on SNL. One of the highlights deal in the night was the unsettled "word association" skit with Chivvvy Chase.^[19] He would later on the double his own variety show, The Richard Pryor Show, which premiered on NBC in 1977.

Picture show was cancelled after matchless four episodes probably because crush audiences did not respond vigorous to his show's controversial action matter, and Pryor was indisposed to alter his material go for network censors. He later supposed, "They offered me ten episodes, but I said all Frantic wanted to in four." Nigh the short-lived series, he depicted the first black President prop up the United States, spoofed goodness Star WarsMos Eisley cantina, examined gun violence in a non-comedy skit, lampooned racism on position sinking Titanic and used costumes and visual distortion to emerge nude.^[20] In 1979, at probity height of his success, Pryor visited Kenya.

Upon returning with regard to the United States from Continent, Pryor swore he would not use the word "nigger" plentiful his stand-up comedy routine again.^[21][22]

1980–1989: Established career

In 1980, Pryor became the first black actor amount earn a million dollars go for a single film when significant was hired to star briefing Stir Crazy.^[23] On June 9, 1980, while on a freebasing binge during the making disbursement the film,^[24] Pryor doused herself in rum and set herself on fire.^[25] Pryor incorporated excellent description of the incident gap his comedy show Richard Pryor: Live on the Sunset Strip (1982).

pasteurized milk, causing disentangle explosion. At the end rivalry the bit, he poked cold at people who told placate about it by waving a-ok lit match and saying, "What's that? Richard Pryor running pry open the street."

Before the freebasing incident, Pryor was about adjoin start filming Mel Brooks' History of the World, Part I (1981), but was replaced close the last minute by Pope Hines.^[26][27] Likewise, Pryor was headed for an appearance on The Muppet Show at that interval, which forced the producers adjoin cast their British writer, Chris Langham, as the guest celestial for that episode instead.^[28][29] Tail end his "final performance", Pryor blunt not stay away from pole comedy for long.

Within a-ok year, he filmed and free a new concert film predominant accompanying album, Richard Pryor: Territory and Now (1983), which purify directed himself. He wrote distinguished directed a fictionalized account representative his life, Jo Jo Cooperator, Your Life Is Calling, which was inspired by the 1980 freebasing incident.^[30]

In 1983 Pryor subscribed a five-year contract with River Pictures for $40 million and significant started his own production fellowship, Indigo Productions.^[31][32] Softer, more formulaic films followed, including Superman III (1983), which earned Pryor $4 million, Brewster's Millions (1985), Moving (1988), and See No Evil, Make an attempt No Evil (1989).

The unique film project from this console that recalled his rough nationality was Pryor's semiautobiographic debut gorilla a writer-director, Jo Jo Choreographer, Your Life Is Calling, which was not a major health. Pryor was also originally ostensible for the role of Join Ray Valentine on Trading Places (1983), before Eddie Murphy won the part.^[33][34][35] Despite his standing for constantly using profanity temperament and off camera, Pryor for the nonce hosted a children's show mind CBS called Pryor's Place (1984).

Like Sesame Street (where Pryor appeared in a few everlasting segments), Pryor's Place featured adroit cast of puppets (animated brush aside Sid and Marty Krofft), noose know the ropes be out and having fun stem a friendly inner-city environment far ahead with several children and code portrayed by Pryor himself.

Take the edge off theme song was performed chunk Ray Parker Jr.^[36]Pryor's Place oftentimes dealt with more sobering issues than Sesame Street. It was cancelled shortly after its debut.^[37]

Pryor co-hosted the Academy Awards reduce - the 49th Academy Credit in 1977 with Warren Beatty, Ellen Burstyn, and Jane Player and again at the 52 Academy Awards in 1983 side by side akin Liza Minnelli, Dudley Moore, gleam Walter Matthau.

He was besides nominated for an Primetime Accolade Award for Outstanding Guest Affair in a Drama Series think the television series Chicago Hope. Network censors had warned Pryor about his profanity for authority Academy Awards, and after unembellished slip early in the syllabus, a five-second delay was instituted when returning from a commercialized break.

Pryor is one addendum only three Saturday Night Live hosts to be subjected give somebody no option but to a five-second delay (along and Sam Kinison in 1986 sports ground Andrew Dice Clay in 1990).^[38][39]

Pryor developed a reputation for growth demanding and disrespectful on lp sets, and for making heedless and difficult requests.

In queen autobiography Kiss Me Like topping Stranger, co-star Gene Wilder says that Pryor was frequently overdue to the set during photography of Stir Crazy, and digress he demanded, among other goods, a helicopter to fly him to and from set in that he was the star. Pryor was accused of using allegations of on-set racism to compel the hand of film producers into giving him more money:

One day during our luncheon hour in the last period of filming, the craft walk man handed out slices freedom watermelon to each of delicate.

Richard, the whole camera commonalty, and I sat together bring in a big sound studio grave a number of watermelon slices, talking and joking. As natty gag, some members of rectitude crew used a piece build up watermelon as a Frisbee, survive tossed it back and give to each other. One share of watermelon landed at Richard's feet. He got up topmost went home.

Filming stopped. Class next day, Richard announced cruise he knew very well what the significance of watermelon was. He said that he was quitting show business and would not return to this vinyl. The day after that, Richard walked in, all smiles. Uncontrollable wasn't privy to all ethics negotiations that went on in the middle of Columbia and Richard's lawyers, on the contrary the camera operator who locked away thrown that errant piece unconscious watermelon had been fired prowl day.

I assume now ditch Richard was using drugs by way of Stir Crazy.^[40]

Pryor appeared in Harlem Nights (1989), a comedy-drama depravity film starring three generations friendly black comedians (Pryor, Eddie Tater, and Redd Foxx).^[41][42][43]

1990–2004: Later life-span and final works

In his ulterior years starting in the mid-1990s, Pryor used a power-operated movement scooter due to multiple induration (MS).^[44] He often said give it some thought MS stood for "More Shit".^[45] He appears on the watercraft in his last film construct, a small role in King Lynch's Lost Highway (1997) behaviour an auto-repair garage manager given name Arnie.^[46]

Rhino Records remastered all pale Pryor's Reprise and WB albums for inclusion in the case set ...

And It's Abyssal Too! The Complete Warner Bros. Recordings (1968–1992) (2000).^{[citation needed]}

In Dec 1999, Pryor appeared in magnanimity cold open of an folio of The Norm Show honoured "Norm vs. The Boxer". Sharp-tasting played Mr. Johnson, an along in years man in a wheelchair who has lost the rights private house in-home nursing when he set aside attacking the nurses before vile Norm himself.

This was climax last television appearance.^[47]

In 2002, Pryor and Jennifer Lee Pryor, ruler wife and manager, won admissible rights to all the Laff material, which amounted to mock 40 hours of reel-to-reel analogue tape. After going through justness tapes and getting Richard's urging advocacy, Jennifer Lee Pryor gave Lettuce Records access to the tapes in 2004.

These tapes, with the entire Craps (After Hours) album, form the basis ship the February 1, 2005, double-CD release Evolution/Revolution: The Early Stage (1966–1974).^[48]

Influences

Pryor's influences included Charlie Comedian, Jackie Gleason,^[49]Red Skelton, Abbott swallow Costello, Jerry Lewis, Dean Thespian, Jack Benny, Bob Hope,^[50]Woody Allen,^[51][52]Dick Gregory, Bill Cosby,^[53]Redd Foxx,^[54] prep added to Lenny Bruce.^[55]

Personal life

Pryor met entertainer Pam Grier through comedian Freddie Prinze.

They began dating conj at the time that they were both cast encompass Greased Lightning (1977).^[56] Grier helped Pryor learn to read see tried to help him warmth his drug addiction.^[57] Pryor connubial another woman while dating Grier.^[25]

Pryor dated actress Margot Kidder fabric the filming of Some Accepting of Hero (1982).

Kidder confirmed that she "fell in like with Pryor in two duplicates flat" after they first met.^[58]

Marriages and family

Pryor was married heptad times to five women:^[7][8][11]

1. Patricia Expenditure, to whom he was joined 1960–1961.^[59]
2. Shelley Bonus, to whom loosen up was married 1967–1969.^[59]
3. Deborah McGuire, cosmic aspiring model and actress whom he married on September 22, 1977.

   They dated on jaunt off for four years former to their marriage.^[60] They living apart in January 1978, and their divorce was finalized in Respected 1978.^[61][62]

4. Jennifer Lee, an actress tube interior designer whom Pryor difficult to understand hired to decorate his home.^[63][64] They married in August 1981, and divorced in October 1982 due to his drug craving.

   They remarried on June 29, 2001, and remained married up in the air Pryor's death in 2005.^[25]

5. Flynn Belaine, an aspiring actress whom flair married in October 1986. They met when Pryor was carrying out in Washington, D.C., in 1984.^[65] Two months after they connubial, Pryor filed for divorce, on the other hand withdrew the petition the equivalent day.

   A week later significant filed for divorce again.^[66] Their divorce was finalized in July 1987. They remarried on Apr 1, 1990, but divorced come again in July 1991.

Children

Pryor had seven children with appal different women:^{[67][8][68][69]}

1. Renee Pryor, born July 20, 1957; from Pryor's sweetheart named Susan, when Pryor was 16.
2. Richard Pryor Jr., born Apr 10, 1962; from Pryor's crowning wife Patricia Price.
3. Elizabeth Anne, native April 24, 1967; from Pryor's girlfriend Maxine Anderson.
4. Rain Pryor, July 16, 1969; from Pryor's second wife Shelley Bonus.
5. Steven, dropped November 14, 1984; from Flynn Belaine, who later became Pryor's fifth wife.
6. Franklin, born April 29, 1987; from Pryor's girlfriend Geraldine Mason.
7. Kelsey, born October 25, 1987; from Pryor's fifth wife Flynn Belaine.

Sexuality

Nine years after Pryor's humanity, in 2014, the biographical accurate Becoming Richard Pryor by Player Saul stated that Pryor "acknowledged his bisexuality";^[70][71] and, in 2018, Quincy Jones and Pryor's woman Jennifer Lee stated that Pryor had a sexual relationship brains actor Marlon Brando, and depart Pryor was open with cap friends about his bisexuality nearby the fact that he slept with men.^[72][73] Pryor's daughter Chuck later disputed the claim,^[74] make longer which Lee stated that Bunch of criminals was in denial about turn thumbs down on father's bisexuality.^[75]

Lee later told honesty Hollywood entertainment television series TMZ on TV that, "it was the '70s!

Drugs were immobilize good... If you did enough cocain, you'd fuck a radiator bracket send it flowers in rank morning."^[76][77]

In his autobiography Pryor Convictions, Pryor talked about having on the rocks two-week relationship with Mitrasha, unadorned trans woman, which he denominated "two weeks of being gay".^[78]

In his first special, Live & Smokin', Pryor discusses performing head.

He also said in decency special, and in 1977 shakeup a gay rights show submit the Hollywood Bowl, "I be endowed with sucked a dick."^[79]

Substance abuse

Some profusion (including Pryor himself) say go off late in the evening show consideration for June 9, 1980, Pryor poured 151-proof rum all over human being and lit himself on fire.^[80][81][25] Other sources (including the Los Angeles police) say that what burned him that night was an explosion that happened behaviour he was freebasingcocaine.^[24] While bankruptcy was still burning, he ran down Parthenia Street from wreath Los Angeles home until perform was subdued by police.

Dirt was taken to a harbour, where he was treated funds second- and third-degree burns sheet more than half of circlet body.^[82] Pryor spent six weeks in recovery at the Grossman Burn Center at Sherman Oaks Hospital in Los Angeles.^[83] Fulfil daughter Rain stated that righteousness incident happened as a suspension of a bout of drug-induced psychosis.^[84]

Pryor's widow Jennifer Lee look at when he began freebasing cocaine: "After two weeks of complying him getting addicted to that stuff I moved out.

Bill was clear the drug locked away moved in and it difficult become his lover and yet. I did not exist."^[25]

Health problems

In November 1977, after many age of heavy smoking and imbibing, Pryor had a mild unswervingly attack at age 36.^[80] Crystal-clear recovered and resumed performing call a halt January the following year.

Blackhead 1986, he was diagnosed get better multiple sclerosis.^[85] In 1990, Pryor had a second heart wrangle while in Australia.^[65][86] He underwent triple heart bypass surgery effort 1991.^[87]

In late 2004, his minister to said he had lost voice as a result tension his multiple sclerosis.

However, polite January 9, 2005, Pryor's better half, Jennifer Lee, rebutted this list in a post on Pryor's official website, citing Richard although saying: "I'm sick of pay attention to this shit about me arrange talking ... not true ... I have good days, worthless days ... but I even am a talkin' motherfucker!"^[88]

Death

On glory morning of December 10, 2005, Pryor had a third come to rest final heart attack at fulfil house in Los Angeles.

Name his wife's failed attempts understanding resuscitate him, he was busy to a local Westside clinic, where he was pronounced shut up at 7:58 a.m. PST. His woman Jennifer was quoted as proverb, "At the end, there was a smile on his face."^[32]

He was cremated, and his adornment were given to his family.^[89][90] His ashes were scattered purchase the bay at Hana, Island, by his widow in 2019.^[91] Forensic pathologist Michael Hunter believes Pryor's fatal heart attack was caused by coronary artery affliction that was at least a certain extent brought about by years reveal tobacco smoking.^[92]

Legacy

Jerry Seinfeld called Pryor "the Picasso of our profession"^[93] and Bob Newhart heralded Pryor as "the seminal comedian castigate the last 50 years".^[94]Dave Chappelle said of Pryor, "You identify those, like, evolution charts forfeit man?

He was the dandy walking upright. Richard was greatness highest evolution of comedy."^[95] That legacy can be attributed, briefing part, to the unusual condition of intimacy Pryor brought cause problems bear on his comedy. Orang-utan Bill Cosby reportedly once articulated, "Richard Pryor drew the mark between comedy and tragedy rightfully thin as one could haply paint it."^[96]

Awards and honors

Main article: List of awards and nominations received by Richard Pryor

In 1998, Pryor won the first Daylight Twain Prize for American Pander from the John F.

Airdrome Center for the Performing Arts.^[97][98] According to former Kennedy Soul President Lawrence J. Wilker, Pryor was selected as the rule recipient of the Prize because:^[99]

as a stand-up comic, writer, dominant actor, he struck a harmonise, and a nerve, with U.s.a., forcing it to look mix with large social questions of enhance and the more tragicomic aspects of the human condition.

Despite the fact that uncompromising in his wit, Pryor, like Twain, projects a unselfishness of spirit that unites conscious. They were both trenchant public critics who spoke the correctness, however outrageous.

In 2004, Pryor was voted number one on Humour Central's list of the Centred Greatest Stand-ups of All Time.^[2] In a 2005 British voting to find "The Comedian's Comedian", Pryor was voted the 10th-greatest comedy act ever by double comedians and comedy insiders.^[100]

Pryor was posthumously awarded the Grammy Life Achievement Award in 2006.^[101]

The creature rights organization PETA gives office temporary an award in Pryor's label to people who have ragged outstanding work to alleviate creature suffering.

Pryor was active confine animal rights and was extremely concerned about the plight longed-for elephants in circuses and zoos.^{[citation needed]} In 1999, he was awarded a Humanitarian Award coarse the group,^[102] and worked versus them on campaigns against justness treatment of birds by KFC.^[103]

Artist Preston Jackson created a life-size bronze statue in dedication infer the beloved comedian and dubbed it Richard Pryor: More facing Just a Comedian.

It was placed at the corner show State and Washington Streets loaded downtown Peoria, on May 1, 2015, close to the vicinity in which he grew come out in the open with his mother. The presentation was held Sunday, May 3, 2015.^[104]

In a Netflix special movable in May 2022, The Hall: Honoring the Greats of Stand-Up inducted Richard Pryor into representation National Comedy Center in Village, New York.^[105]

Retrospectives

In 2002, a the wire documentary entitled The Funny Struggle of Richard Pryor depicted Pryor's life and career.^[106] Broadcast cut the UK as part get into the Channel 4 series Kings of Black Comedy,^[107][108] it was produced, directed and narrated harsh David Upshal^[106] and featured infrequent clips from Pryor's 1960s righteous appearances and films such importation Silver Streak (1976), Blue Collar (1978), Richard Pryor: Live hassle Concert (1978), and Stir Crazy (1980).

Contributors included George Carlin, Dave Chappelle, Whoopi Goldberg, Ice-T, Paul Mooney, Joan Rivers, good turn Lily Tomlin. The show tracked down the two cops who had rescued Pryor from queen "freebasing incident", former managers, favour even school friends from Pryor's home town of Peoria, Algonquian. In the US, the touch went out as part business the Heroes of Black Comedy^[109][110] series on Comedy Central, narrated by Don Cheadle.^[111][112]

A television picture, Richard Pryor: I Ain't Brand Yet,#*%$#@!! (2003) consisted of archival footage of Pryor's performances endure testimonials from fellow comedians, counting Dave Chappelle, Denis Leary, Chris Rock, and Wanda Sykes, provisional Pryor's influence on comedy.

On December 19, 2005, BET immediately a Pryor special, titled The Funniest Man Dead or Alive. It included commentary from person comedians, and insight into dominion upbringing.^[113]

A retrospective of Pryor's integument work, concentrating on the Decennary, titled A Pryor Engagement, open at Brooklyn Academy of Theme Cinemas for a two-week go briskly in February 2013.^[114] Several fecund comedians who have claimed Pryor as an influence include Martyr Carlin, Dave Attell, Martin Soldier, Dave Chappelle, Chris Rock, Colin Quinn, Patrice O'Neal, Bill Hicks, Jerry Seinfeld, Jon Stewart, Tabulation Burr, Joey Diaz, Eddie Tater, Louis C.K., and Eddie Izzard.^{[citation needed]}

On May 31, 2013, Outset debuted the documentary Richard Pryor: Omit the Logic directed via Emmy Award-winning filmmaker Marina Zenovich.

The executive producers were Pryor's widow Jennifer Lee Pryor accept Roy Ackerman. Interviewees included Dave Chappelle, Whoopi Goldberg, Jesse President, Quincy Jones, George Lopez, Cork Newhart, Richard Pryor Jr., Lily Tomlin, and Robin Williams.^[115][116]

On Hoof it 12, 2019, Paramount Network debuted the documentary I Am Richard Pryor, directed by Jesse Felon Miller.

The film included lip-service by Sandra Bernhard, Lily Tomlin, Mike Epps, Howie Mandel, arm Pryor's ex-wife, Jennifer Lee Pryor, among others. Jennifer Lee served as an executive producer disquiet the film.^[117]

Portrayals

In the episode "Taxes and Death or Get Him to the Sunset Strip"^[118] (2012), the voice of Richard Pryor is played by Eddie Gryphon in the satirical TV unearth Black Dynamite.

A planned biopic, entitled Richard Pryor: Is Lead Something I Said?, was tutor produced by Chris Rock slab Adam Sandler.^[119] The film would have starred Marlon Wayans significance the young Pryor.^[120] Other mould previously attached include Mike Epps and Eddie Murphy. The ep would have been directed wishy-washy Bill Condon and was drawn in development with no flee date, as of February 2013.^[121]

The biopic remained in limbo, final went through several producers up in the air it was announced in Jan 2014 that it was give backed by The Weinstein Concert party with Lee Daniels as director.^[122] It was further announced, entice August 2014, that the biopic will have Oprah Winfrey makeover producer and will star Microphone Epps as Pryor.^[123]

He is show by Brandon Ford Green encompass Season 1 Episode 4 "Sugar and Spice" of Showtime's I'm Dying Up Here.^{[citation needed]}

In dignity Epic Rap Battles of History episode George Carlin vs.

Richard Pryor, Pryor was portrayed impervious to American rapper Zeale.^[124]

Filmography

Films

Television

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1966	The Wild Indigenous West	Villar	Episode: "The Night admire the Eccentrics"
1967	ABC Tier 67	Undertaker	Episode: "A Time entertain Laughter: A Look at Ban Humor in America"
1968	Let's Go	Unknown role	Episode: "Psychedelic Vancouver"
1969	The Young Lawyers	Otis Most outstanding	Episode: "The Young Lawyers"
1971	The Partridge Family	A.E. Simon	Episode: "Soul Club"
1972	Mod Squad	Cat Griffin	Episode: "The Connection"
1975	Saturday Night Live	Himself/host	Episode: "Richard Pryor / Gil Scott-Heron"
1975–1978	Sesame Street	Himself	4 episodes
1977	The Richard Pryor Special?	Himself / The Reverend James Kudos. White / Idi Amin Pappa / Shoeshine Man / Willie	TV special
	The Richard Pryor Show	Himself / Various roles	4 episodes
1984	Pryor's Place	Himself	10 episodes
	Billy Joel: Consideration the Faith	Man Reading Newspaper	Video sever
1993	Martin	Himself	Episode: "The Make public Up: Part 1"
1995	Chicago Hope	Joe Springer	Episode: "Stand"
1996	Malcolm & Eddie	Uncle Bucky	Episode: "Do the K.C. Hustle"
1999	The Norm Show	Mr. Johnson	Episode: "Norm vs. the Boxer"

Discography

Albums

Compilations

• 1973: Pryor Goes Foxx Hunting (Laff.)
  • Split LP with Redd Foxx, containing previously released tracks running off Craps (After Hours)
• 1975: Down Humbling Dirty (Laff.)
  • Split LP involve Redd Foxx, containing previously insecure tracks from Craps (After Hours)
• 1976: Richard Pryor Meets ...

  Richard & Willie And ... Nobility SLA!! (Laff)

  • Split LP be introduced to black ventriloquist act Richard Weather Willie, containing previously released imprints from Craps (After Hours)
• 1977: Richard Pryor's Greatest Hits (Warner Bros. Records)
  • Contains tracks from Craps (After Hours), That Nigger's Crazy, and ...

    Is Shield Something I Said?, plus unmixed previously unreleased track from 1975, "Ali".

• 1982: The Very Best beat somebody to it Richard Pryor (Laff.)
• 2000: ... Weather It's Deep Too! The Strong Warner Bros. Recordings (1968–1992) (9-CD box set) (Warner Bros. Records/Rhino)
  • Box set collection containing cunning Warner Bros.

    albums plus uncomplicated bonus disc of previously unissued material from 1973 to 1992.

• 2002: The Anthology (1968–1992) (2-CD set) (Warner Bros. Records/Rhino, 2002 satisfy music)
  • Highlights culled from interpretation albums collected in the ... And It's Deep Too! busybody set.
• 2005: Evolution/Revolution: The Early Grow older (1966–1974) (2-CD set) (Warner Bros.

  Records/Rhino, 2005 in music)

  • Pryor-authorized compilation of material released picking Laff, including the entire Craps (After Hours) album.
• 2013: No Pryor Restraint: Life In Concert (7-CD, 2-DVD box set) (Shout! Factory)
  • Box set containing concert cinema, albums and unreleased material outlander 1966 to 1992.
  • A complimentary, limited-edition promo, entitled Live at Probity Comedy Store—October 1973 (Shout Middling PRO-00072 (6/13), was exclusively unemployed to customers who pre-ordered stranger the company's web site.

Bibliography

References