Richard Pryor

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December 1, 1940

December 10, 2005 (age 65) in Encino, Los Angeles, California, USA
Buried at Forest Lawn Hollywood Hills, 6300 Forest Lawn Drive, Los Angeles, California.

Richard Franklin Lennox Thomas Pryor III

Jennifer Lee (June 2001 - 10 December 2005) (his death)

Flynn Belaine (1 April 1990 - 1991) (divorced)

Flynn Belaine (10 October 1986 - January 1987) (divorced)

Jennifer Lee (16 August 1981 - October 1982) (divorced)

Deborah McGuire (22 September 1977 - 2 October 1978) (divorced)

Shelley R. Bonus (13 January 1968 - 1969) (divorced) 1 child

Patricia Price (1960 - 1961) (divorced) 1 child

Dated actress Pam Grier in the 1970s.

Racism, race relations, United States politics, African-American culture, human sexuality, self-deprecation, everyday life, recreational drug use

Actor

1999 The Norm Show (TV series)

1997 Lost Highway

1996 Malcolm & Eddie (TV series)

1996 Mad Dog Time

1995 Chicago Hope (TV series)

1991 Another You

1991 The Three Muscatels

1989 Harlem Nights

1989 See No Evil, Hear No Evil

1988 Moving

1987 Critical Condition

1986 Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life Is Calling

1985 Brewster's Millions

1983 Superman III

1982 The Toy

1982 Some Kind of Hero

1981 Bustin' Loose

1980 Stir Crazy

1980 In God We Tru$t

1980 Wholly Moses!

1979 The Muppet Movie

1978 California Suite

1978 The Wiz

1978 Blue Collar

1977 Which Way Is Up?

1977 Greased Lightning

1976 Silver Streak

1976 Car Wash

1976 The Bingo Long Traveling All-Stars & Motor Kings

1976 Adiós Amigo

1974 Uptown Saturday Night

1973 Some Call It Loving

1973 Hit!

1973 The Mack

1972 Lady Sings the Blues

1972 The Mod Squad (TV series)

1971 You've Got to Walk It Like You Talk It or You'll Lose That Beat

1971 The Partridge Family (TV series)

1970 Carter's Army (TV movie)

1969 The Young Lawyers (TV series)

1968 Wild in the Streets

1968 Uncle Tom's Fairy Tales

1967 ABC Stage 67 (TV series)

1967 The Busy Body

1966 The Wild Wild West (TV series)

Writer

2004 Pryor Offenses (TV movie) (story)

1999 The Mark Twain Prize: Richard Pryor (TV movie) (uncredited)

1986 Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life Is Calling (written by)

1983 Richard Pryor... Here and Now (documentary) (writer)

1982 Richard Pryor Live on the Sunset Strip (documentary) (writer)

1981 Bustin' Loose (story)

1979 Richard Pryor: Live in Concert (documentary) (writer)

1977 The Richard Pryor Show (TV series)

1977 The Richard Pryor Special? (TV movie) (writer)

1974 Blazing Saddles (screenplay)

1973 Lily (TV movie) (writer)

1972 Sanford and Son (TV series)

1971 Richard Pryor: Live and Smokin' (documentary) (writer)

1970 Flip (TV series)

Producer

2004 Pryor Offenses (TV movie) (executive producer)

1993 Mo' Funny: Black Comedy in America (TV documentary) (co-executive producer)

1986 Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life Is Calling (producer)

1982 Richard Pryor Live on the Sunset Strip (documentary) (producer)

1981 Bustin' Loose (producer)

1977 The Richard Pryor Show (TV series) (executive producer)

Director

1986 Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life Is Calling

1983 Richard Pryor... Here and Now (documentary)

Appearances

2003 Bitter Jester (documentary)

2001 E! True Hollywood Story (TV series documentary)

1999 The Mark Twain Prize: Richard Pryor (TV movie)

1998 Sam Kinison: Why Did We Laugh? (TV documentary)

1996 Biography (TV series documentary)

1996 The 10th Annual American Comedy Awards (TV movie)

1996 27th NAACP Image Awards (TV special)

1996 The Blackberry Inn (TV series)

1995 Showbiz Today (TV series)

1995 Who Makes You Laugh? (TV special)

1994 The Second Annual Comedy Hall of Fame (TV special)

1994 Apollo Theatre Hall of Fame (TV documentary)

1994 A Century of Cinema (documentary)

1994 BET's Comicview Awards (TV special)

1993 Apollo Theatre Hall of Fame (TV special)

1993 Martin (TV series)

1993 Soul Train Comedy Awards (TV movie)

1992 The Comedy Store's 20th Birthday (TV movie)

1991 A Party for Richard Pryor (TV special)

1990 Sammy Davis, Jr. 60th Anniversary Celebration (TV special)

1979-1986 The Barbara Walters Special (TV series)

1983-1986 Ebony/Jet Showcase (TV series)

1984 Pryor's Place (TV series)

1973-1984 The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (TV series)

1983 Richard Pryor... Here and Now (documentary)

1983 Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever (TV documentary)

1983 The 55th Annual Academy Awards (TV special)

1983 On Location: The Comedy Store's 11th Anniversary Show (TV movie)

1983 The 9th Annual People's Choice Awards

1983 The Making of 'Superman III' (TV documentary)

1971-1982 Sesame Street (TV series)

1982 Hollywood: The Gift of Laughter (TV documentary)

1982 Richard Pryor Live on the Sunset Strip (documentary)

1981 The 53rd Annual Academy Awards (TV special)

1979-1980 Good Morning America (TV series)

1979 Hot Hero Sandwich (TV series)

1979 The 21st Annual Grammy Awards (TV special)

1979 Richard Pryor: Live in Concert (documentary)

1977 The Richard Pryor Show (TV series)

1977 The Richard Pryor Special? (TV movie)

1977 The David Steinberg Show (TV series)

1977 The 49th Annual Academy Awards (TV special)

1977 The 19th Annual Grammy Awards (TV special)

1973-1977 Soul Train (TV series documentary)

1975 Saturday Night Live (TV series)

1965-1975 The Mike Douglas Show (TV series)

1975 The Lion Roars Again (documentary short)(uncredited)

1972-1974 The Midnight Special (TV series)

1973-1974 Flip (TV series)

1973 Lily (TV movie)

1973 Wattstax (documentary)

1973 Black Omnibus (TV series)

1971 Richard Pryor: Live and Smokin' (documentary)

1971 Dynamite Chicken

1965-1970 The Ed Sullivan Show (TV series)

1970 The David Frost Show (TV series)

1970 The Phynx

1968 The Mod Squad (TV series)

1968 The Joey Bishop Show (TV series)

1968 The Pat Boone Show (TV series)

1967 Away We Go (TV series)

1966 The Kraft Summer Music Hall (TV series)

1964 On Broadway Tonight (TV series)

American Comedy Awards

1993 Won Lifetime Achievement Award in Comedy

BAFTA Awards

1975 Nominated BAFTA Film Award Best Screenplay for: Blazing Saddles (1974).

CableACE Awards

1994 Won CableACE Entertainment/Cultural Documentary or Informational Special for: Mo' Funny: Black Comedy in America (1993) (TV).

Daytime Emmy Awards

1985 Nominated Daytime Emmy Outstanding Performer in a Children's Program for: "Pryor's Place" (1984).

Emmy Awards

1996 Nominated Emmy Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series for: "Chicago Hope" (1994). For episode "Stand". For playing "Joe Springer".

1983 Nominated Emmy Outstanding Individual Performance in a Variety or Music Program for: Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever (1983) (TV).

1974 Won Emmy Best Writing in Comedy-Variety, Variety or Music for: Lily (1973) (TV).

Image Awards

1996 Won Lifetime Achievement Award

1996 Nominated Image Award Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series for: "Chicago Hope" (1994).

New York Comedy Festival

1997 Won Lifetime Achievement Award

Walk of Fame

Star on the Walk of Fame Motion Picture At 6440 Hollywood Blvd.

Writers Guild of America

1975 Won WGA Award (Screen) Best Comedy Written Directly for the Screen for: Blazing Saddles (1974).

1974 Nominated WGA Award (TV) Best Written Variety Script for: Lily (1973) (TV).

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Born the son of a prostitute and pimp, Richard Pryor was raised in his grandmother's brothel. He was molested twice, first at age six by a neighbor, and later on by a priest. To help escape his troubles, he became a frequent moviegoer. He was expelled from school at age fourteen, and after a series of menial jobs he joined the army in 1958. On returning to civilian life in 1960, he worked as a musician and singer in nightclubs and discovered his comic abilities.

He earned fame as a writer on the TV series The Flip Wilson Show (1970) and Sanford and Son (1972). By then also established as a caustic stand-up comedian famed for his profane language, he became a screen actor in films such as The Mack (1973) and Uptown Saturday Night (1974). By the mid-1970s he had co-written the hit comedy Blazing Saddles (1974) and attracted attention for hosting Saturday Night Live (1975) and for his short-lived but brilliant turn on the TV series The Richard Pryor Show (1977).

Having shown dramatic abilities in Lady Sings the Blues (1972) and Blue Collar (1978), the 1980s saw him become a box-office success in Stir Crazy (1980) and Superman III (1983). He wrote and directed the autobiographical film Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life Is Calling (1986), but his drug abuse and ill health slowed him down. Although he was once known for being the most viviously funny and politically astute of U.S. comics, his final years were spent in a series of medical emergencies after he was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis; divorces (he was married seven times, twice to the same woman, and divorced six times); and supporting roles in Lost Highway (1997) and the TV series The Norm Show (1999).

Everyone carries around his own monsters.

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.

Served with U.S. army, 1958-1960.

In 1990, he suffered a massive heart attack and underwent triple bypass surgery.

Salary

Superman III (1983) $4,000,000

Car Wash (1976) 25,000