RICHARD PRYOR
Name: Richard Pryor
Born: 1 December 1940 Peoria, Illinois, U.S.
Died: 10 December 2005 Encino, California, U.S.
Richard Franklin Lennox Thomas Pryor III (December 1, 1940 - December 10, 2005)
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 language,
vulgarities, and racial epithets such as "nigger", "honky," "cracker," and "motherfucker."
He reached a broad audience with his trenchant observations, although public
opinion of 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 Comedy
Central.
Name: Richard Pryor
Born: 1 December 1940 Peoria, Illinois, U.S.
Died: 10 December 2005 Encino, California, U.S.
Richard Franklin Lennox Thomas Pryor III (December 1, 1940 - December 10, 2005)
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 language,
vulgarities, and racial epithets such as "nigger", "honky," "cracker," and "motherfucker."
He reached a broad audience with his trenchant observations, although public
opinion of 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 Comedy
Central.