Richard Franklin Lennox Thomas Pryor III was an American comedian, actor, and writer.Pryor was a storyteller known for unflinching examinations of racism and customs in modern life, and was well-known for his frequent use of colorful, vulgar and profane language and racial epithets. He reached a broad audience with his trenchant observations, although public opinion about his act was often divided. He is commonly regarded as one of the most important stand-up comedians of his time: Jerry Seinfeld called Pryor "The Picasso of our profession"; Whoopi Goldberg cited him as her biggest influence, stating "The major influence was Richard - I want to say those things he's saying." Bob Newhart has called Pryor "the seminal comedian of the last 50 years."His body of work includes such concert movies and recordings as Richard Pryor: Live and Smokin' (1971), That Nigger's Crazy (1974), ...Is It Something I Said? (1975), Bicentennial Nigger (1976), Richard Pryor: Live in Concert (1979), Richard Pryor: Live on the Sunset Strip (1982) and Richard Pryor: Here and Now. He also starred in numerous films as an actor, usually in comedies such as Silver Streak, but occasionally in dramatic roles, such as Paul Schrader's film Blue Collar and epic roles like Gus Gorman from Superman III (1983). He also collaborated on many projects with actor Gene Wilder. He won an Emmy Award in 1973, and five Grammy Awards in 1974, 1975, 1976, 1981, and 1982. In 1974, he also won two American Academy of Humor awards and the Writers Guild of America Award. In 2004, Pryor was voted the greatest stand-up act of all time by the cable television network Comedy Central.
Has admitted the fire that nearly killed him while free-basing cocaine in the early 1980s was in fact a suicide attempt. His management created the "accident" lie for the press in hopes of protecting him.
Awarded The First Annual Kennedy Center Mark Twain Prize.
Served with U.S. army, 1958-1960.
Reunited with fourth wife, Jennifer Lee Pryor.
Mother, Gertude, died when Pryor was 27 years old.
Children: Renee, Richard Jr, Elizabeth, Rain, Stephen, Kelsey and Franklin (Mason Pryor ).
Father, Buck Carter (aka LeRoy Pryor), was a bartender, boxer and WWII veteran, who died in 1968 when Richard was 28.
Claimed to have seen the film The Man in the Glass Booth 40 times. His future wife Jennifer Lee Pryor had a role in the film.
Father of Rain Pryor.
In 2002, Sheridan Road, on the south side of Peoria, was renamed Richard Pryor Place.
Pryor was originally slated to play Bart in Blazing Saddles . Due to Pryors background and controversial stand-up routines, Mel Brooks couldnt secure financing for the project. Brooks made Pryor a co-writer, and Cleavon Little played Bart.
Was originally considered for the role of Billy Ray Valentine on Trading Places , before Eddie Murphy ultimately won the part.
Chosen as #1 in Comedy Centrals 100 Greatest Stand-Ups of All Time. (April 2004).
Suffered from multiple sclerosis from 1986 until his death in 2005.
Former father-in-law Herbert Bonis managed Danny Kaye for 35 years.
Remarried two of his ex-wives.
Though he made four films with Gene Wilder , the two comic actors were never as close as many thought, according to the Gene Wilders autobiography.
Eddie Murphy pointed to Pryor as his role model and inspiration to become a comedian himself.
In 1990, he suffered a massive heart attack and underwent triple bypass surgery.
One of his limo drivers was Freddy Soto , who later went became a stand-up comedian. He also died in 2005.
Appeared in Superman III , the only film in the series in which Lex Luthor does not appear. However, he did eventually get to work with an on-screen Lex Luthor, by appearing in See No Evil, Hear No Evil with Kevin Spacey.
Was originally to co-star with Gene Wilder in Hanky Panky but backed out. His part went to Gilda Radner.
Admitted that he did Superman III and The Toy purely for the money.
He passed away only 9 days after his 65th birthday.
Suffered a mild heart attack in November 1977.
At 16, he was expelled from Central High School for punching his science teacher.
He was expelled from a Catholic grammar school in Peoria, Illinois, when the nuns found out his grandmother owned a string of brothels.
He was invited to a private screening of Animal House by director John Landis , who wanted Pryors opinion about the scene at the black roadhouse. Landis and the films backers were concerned that it would be offensive to black audiences. Pryor laughed out loud, and told them that it should definitely be kept in the movie.
He is a second cousin, once removed, of rapper and actor Ludacris. Richards maternal great-grandparents, William A. Craig and Nancy, were also Ludacriss maternal great-great-grandparents.
Inducted into the International Mustache Hall of Fame in 2017 in the category Film & Television.
Was friends with Bill Cosby , and Redd Foxx.
[on his job as a boxing gym sparring partner]: I always had to fight the,guys who looked like they just killed their parents.
I had some great things and I had some bad things. The best and the,worst. In other words, I had a life.
Everyone carries around his own monsters.
[on the free-basing incident which set him on fire] When you are running,down the street. . . . and you are on fire, people will get out of your,way.
I met the President. We in trouble.
Black people got to look at themselves honestly, the same as white,people did. And the stuff I talked about helped them do that. They,loved it. Probably some sort of relief to both races that they could,finally be honest about their shit.
The reason people use a crucifix against vampires is because vampires are allergic to bullshit.
The reason people use a crucifix against vampires is that vampires are allergic to bull shit.
I was kicked out of school because of my attitude. I was not assimilating. So I went to work, taking any jobs I could get.
There was a time in my life when I thought I had everything - millions of dollars, mansions, cars, nice clothes, beautiful women, and every other materialistic thing you can imagine. Now I struggle for peace.
I believe in the institution of marriage, and I intend to keep trying till I get it right.
Marriage is really tough because you have to deal with feelings. . . and lawyers.
The black groups that boycott certain films would do better to get the money together to make the films they want to see, or stay in church and leave us to our work.
