Richard Franklin Lennox Thomas Pryor (December 1, 1940 - December 10, 2005) was an American stand-up comedian and actor. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest and most influential comedians of all time, known for reaching a broad audience with his trenchant observations and storytelling style. Pryor won a Primetime Emmy Award and five Grammy Awards.
He received the first Kennedy Center Mark Twain Prize for American Humor in 1998. Pryor's body of work includes numerous concert films and recordings. He is also known for Richard Pryor: Live & Smokin' (1971), Wanted: Live in Concert (1978), and Richard Pryor: Live in Concert (1979). As an actor, he starred mainly in comedies.
Pryor was born on December 1, 1940, in Peoria, Illinois. His mother, Gertrude L. Thomas, was a prostitute, while his father, LeRoy “Buck Carter” Pryor, held multiple roles as a bartender, boxer, and veteran of World War II. This unconventional and troubled household created a challenging environment for Pryor’s upbringing.
Raised primarily by his grandmother in her brothel, he was exposed to adult situations at an early age, forging a complex relationship with the world around him. Pryor’s tumultuous childhood experience provided abundant, albeit harsh, material that would later define his groundbreaking comedic style.
Richard Pryor in 1977
Early Career
Richard Pryor started performing comedy in the early 1960s, a pivotal period marking the transformation of American entertainment. He began his journey in unspectacular local clubs but eventually transitioned to performing in New York City, one of the world’s leading entertainment hubs.
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During his early career, Pryor’s comedic style was heavily influenced by the work of Bill Cosby, initially characterized by a clean and non-controversial delivery. However, Pryor soon became disillusioned with this approach, realizing that it did not represent his authentic voice or experiences.
Feeling constrained by a style that shied away from the realities he knew, Pryor underwent a personal and professional metamorphosis. He shifted to a more candid and confrontational form of humor that genuinely reflected his personal stories and the social issues of the day. This transition was both a risk and a revelation, as it involved delving into themes that were both controversial and intimately personal, such as race, politics, and his own life experiences.
The "Epiphany"
In September 1967, Pryor had what he described in his autobiography Pryor Convictions (1995) as an "epiphany". He walked onto the stage at the Aladdin Hotel in Las Vegas (with Dean Martin in the audience), looked at the sold-out crowd, exclaimed over the microphone, "What the **** am I doing here!?", and walked off the stage.
Afterward, Pryor began working profanity into his act, including the word nigger. His first comedy recording, the 1968 debut Richard Pryor on the Dove/Reprise label, captures this particular period, tracking the evolution of Pryor's routine. In 1969, Pryor moved to Berkeley, California, where he immersed himself in the counterculture and met people like Huey P.
Newton and Ishmael Reed. That Nigger's Crazy (1974) was released, Laff, which claimed ownership of Pryor's recording rights, almost succeeded in getting an injunction to prevent the album from being sold. Negotiations led to Pryor's release from his Laff contract.
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Pryor co-wrote Blazing Saddles (1974), directed by Mel Brooks and starring Gene Wilder. Pryor was to play the lead role of Bart, but Mel Brooks didn't want to share credit with the quickly-rising comic. Brooks has always maintained Warner Brothers' executives vetoed Pryor's casting, but no studio executive has ever corroborated this claim.
In 1975, Pryor was a guest host on the first season of Saturday Night Live (SNL), making him the first black host. One of the highlights of the night was the controversial "word association" skit with Chevy Chase.
Richard Pryor on Saturday Night Live
Rise to Fame
The 1970s proved to be a groundbreaking decade for Richard Pryor, propelling him into the spotlight as a preeminent figure in comedy. His career during this period was marked by the release of several successful stand-up comedy albums. Among these, “That Nigger’s Crazy” and “Bicentennial Nigger” stood out, both winning Grammy Awards.
These albums were not just comedic performances; they were transformative pieces of social commentary delivered with a raw honesty that audiences found both shocking and refreshing. Pryor’s distinctive approach combined elements of personal vulnerability with acute social criticism. This powerful mix resonated profoundly with audiences, establishing him as an influential voice in the realm of stand-up comedy and popular culture.
He used humor as a tool for exploring complex and often uncomfortable subjects, effectively breaking down social barriers and initiating conversations that were long overdue. His ability to blend genuine humor with insightful observations carved out a legacy that would influence future generations of comedians.
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Controversies and Transformations
With every successful album Pryor recorded for Warner (or later, his concert films and his 1980 freebasing accident), Laff published an album of older material to capitalize on Pryor's growing fame-a practice they continued until 1983. In 1979, at the height of his success, Pryor visited Kenya.
In one of his 19980s routines, and in his autobiography, Pryor Convictions and Other Life Sentences, he recounted how a trip to Zimbabwe inspired him to cut the N-word out of his vocabulary. “There are no niggers here,” he wrote. “The people here, they still have their self-respect, their pride.”
On June 9, 1980, while on a freebasing binge during the making of the film,[23] Pryor doused himself in rum and set himself on fire. Pryor incorporated a description of the incident into his comedy show Richard Pryor: Live on the Sunset Strip (1982). He joked that the event was caused by dunking a cookie into a glass of low-fat and pasteurized milk, causing an explosion.
At the end of the bit, he poked fun at people who told jokes about it by waving a lit match and saying, "What's that?
Mafia Nightclub | Richard Pryor: Live On The Sunset Strip (1982) | Now Comedy
Film and Television
Richard Pryor’s success extended beyond the stand-up stage into the domains of film and television, further amplifying his reach and impact. He became a prominent figure in Hollywood, acting in movies such as “Silver Streak”, where his performance was both critically acclaimed and commercially successful.
In another hit movie, “Stir Crazy”, Pryor teamed up with Gene Wilder, and the duo’s chemistry was widely celebrated, earning them a place in comedic film history. Pryor’s talent was not confined to performing alone; he also showcased his skills as a writer. He contributed to the writing of television shows like “Sanford and Son”, a popular series that contributed to shaping African American representation in media.
Additionally, he worked on the screenplay for “Blazing Saddles,” a groundbreaking comedy film known for its satirical take on racism and its status as a classic in the genre. Pryor’s involvement in these projects underscored his multifaceted talents and his ability to influence both the comedic and critical aspects of entertainment.
Richard Pryor in "Stir Crazy" with Gene Wilder
Later Years and Death
In 1986, Pryor announced that he suffered from multiple sclerosis. In his later years, Richard Pryor was confined to a wheelchair due to multiple sclerosis. He continued to make occasional film appearances, pairing with Wilder one last time in the unsuccessful 1991 comedy, Another You (in which his physical deterioration was noted by many critics).
Richard Pryor, the groundbreaking comedian and actor whose uncensored, taboo-shattering style continues to influence comedy today, died on Saturday at his home in Encino, California. While the cause of death was cardiac arrest, Pryor had been suffering from the degenerative effects of multiple sclerosis for nearly 20 years. He had turned 65 on December 1.
He was brought to the hospital after his wife's attempts to resuscitate him failed. "He was my treasure," Jennifer Pryor said in a telephone interview. "His comedy is unparalleled. They say that you are not a comic unless you imitate Richard Pryor.
Legacy and Influence
Richard Pryor passed away on December 10, 2005, but his influence on the world of comedy and beyond remains profound and enduring. He is credited with paving the way for future comedians, particularly those seeking to challenge societal norms through humor and storytelling.
By fearlessly addressing taboo subjects and sharing his life with unflinching honesty, Pryor established a comedic style that was unprecedented in its depth and honesty. His work continues to be studied and celebrated, serving as a template for aspiring comedians and established artists alike.
Pryor’s legacy is visible in the continued evolution of comedy that challenges audiences and pushes cultural boundaries. His ability to seamlessly integrate humor with insightful social commentary has had a lasting impact on American culture, encouraging audiences to reflect on personal and societal issues with curiosity and openness. Richard Pryor’s life and work remind us of the power of comedy as a medium not just for entertainment but for change.
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