Richard Pryor

**Richard Franklin Lennox Thomas Pryor Sr.** (December 1, 1940 - December 10, 2005) was an American comedian, actor and writer. Pryor performed in movies, on television and as a stand-up comedian. He won an Emmy Award in 1973. He won 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. He was nominated for the BAFTA Award for Best Screenplay for his work on _Blazing Saddles_. The first ever Kennedy Center Mark Twain Prize for American Humor was given to him in 1998. Pryor is listed at Number 1 on Comedy Central's list of all-time greatest stand-up comedians. In 1980, Pryor became the first black actor to earn a million dollars for a single movie when he was hired to star in _Stir Crazy_.

## Death

Pryor died of a heart attack caused by coronary artery disease and multiple sclerosis in Encino, Los Angeles, California. He was awarded the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2006, a year after his death.

A biographical movie based on the life of Pryor is being produced by Lee Daniels and Oprah Winfrey. It will star Mike Epps as Pryor.

## Personal life

Pryor was born in Peoria, Illinois into an African-American family.

### Health problems

Pryor had a mild heart attack in November 1977. He was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 1986. In 1990, Pryor had a second and more severe heart attack. He had triple heart bypass surgery. By the early 1990s, he needed to use a wheelchair because of his multiple sclerosis.

### The freebasing incident

On June 9, 1980, during the making of the movie _Bustin' Loose_, Pryor set himself on fire. He was freebasing cocaine while drinking 151-proof rum. He ran down Parthenia Street from his Northridge, California, home, on fire, until stopped by police. He was taken to the hospital. Burns covered more than half of his body. Pryor spent six weeks in recovery at the Grossman Burn Center at Sherman Oaks Hospital.

### Marriages and relationships

Pryor was married seven times to five different women:
1. Patricia Price (1960–1961, divorced) with one child named Richard Pryor Jr.
1. Shelly Bonis (1967–1969, divorced) with one child named Rain Pryor
1. Deborah McGuire (September 22, 1977 – 1979, divorced)
1. Jennifer Lee (August 1981 – October 1982, divorced)
1. Flynn Belaine (October 1986 – July 1987, divorced) with son Steven (born before the marriage) and daughter Kelsey (before divorce finalized)
1. Flynn Belaine (April 1, 1990 – July 1991, divorced)
1. Jennifer Lee (June 29, 2001 – December 10, 2005, his death)

All of his wives, except Belaine, said there was domestic violence. Most of these times were connected to Pryor's drug use.

He had six children: Richard Jr., Elizabeth, Rain, Steven, Franklin and Kelsey.

### Albums

- Official canon
- 1968 - _Richard Pryor_ (Dove/Reprise)
- 1971 - _Craps (After Hours)_ (Laff Records, reissued 1993 by Loose Cannon/Island)
- 1974 - _That Nigger's Crazy_, (Partee/Stax, reissued 1975 by Reprise)
- 1975 - _...Is It Something I Said?_, (Reprise, reissued 1991 on CD by Warner Archives)
- 1976 - _Holy Smoke!_, (Laff)
- 1976 - _Bicentennial Nigger_, (Reprise)
- 1976 - _L.A. Jail_, (Tiger Lily)
- 1977 - _Are You Serious ???_, (Laff)
- 1977 - _Who Me? I'm Not Him_, (Laff)
- 1978 - _Black Ben The Blacksmith_, (Laff)
- 1978 - _The Wizard of Comedy_, (Laff)
- 1978 - _Wanted: Live in Concert_ (2-LP set), (Warner Bros. Records);Others
- 1979 - _Outrageous_, (Laff)
- 1980 - _Insane_, (Laff)
- 1981 - _Rev. Du Rite_, (Laff)
- 1982 - _Richard Pryor Live!_ (picture disc), (Phoenix/Audiofidelity)
- 1982 - _Richard Pryor: Live on the Sunset Strip_ (Warner Bros. Records)
- 1983 - _Here and Now_, (Warner Bros. Records)
- 1983 - _Supernigger_, (Laff)

## Filmography

- 1967 - _The Busy Body_
- 1968 - _Uncle Tom's Fairy Tales_
- 1968 - _Wild in the Streets_
- 1970 - _Black Brigade_
- 1970 - _The Phynx_
- 1971 - _You've Got to Walk It Like You Talk It or You'll Lose That Beat_
- 1972 - _Dynamite Chicken_
- 1972 - _Lady Sings the Blues_
- 1973 - _The Mack_
- 1973 - _Wattstax_
- 1973 - _Hit!_
- 1973 - _Some Call It Loving_
- 1974 - _Uptown Saturday Night_
- 1975 - _The Lion Roars Again_
- 1976 - _Adios Amigo_
- 1976 - _Car Wash_
- 1976 - _The Bingo Long Traveling All-Stars & Motor Kings_
- 1976 - _Silver Streak_
- 1977 - _Which Way Is Up?_
- 1977 - _Greased Lightning_
- 1978 - _Blue Collar_
- 1978 - _The Wiz_
- 1978 - _California Suite_
- 1979 - _Richard Pryor: Live in Concert_
- 1979 - _The Muppet Movie_ - (cameo)
- 1980 - _Wholly Moses_
- 1980 - _In God We Tru$t_
- 1980 - _Stir Crazy_
- 1981 - _Bustin' Loose_
- 1982 - _Richard Pryor: Live on the Sunset Strip_
- 1982 - _Some Kind of Hero_
- 1982 - _The Toy_
- 1983 - _Superman III_
- 1983 - _Richard Pryor: Here and Now_
- 1983 - _Motown 25_
- 1985 - _Live & Smokin_'
- 1986 - _Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life Is Calling_
- 1987 - _Critical Condition_
- 1988 - _Moving_
- 1989 - _See No Evil, Hear No Evil_
- 1989 - _Harlem Nights_
- 1991 - _The Three Muscatels_
- 1991 - _Another You_
- 1994 - _A Century of Cinema_
- 1996 - _Mad Dog Time_
- 1997 - _Lost Highway_
- 1999 - _The Norm Show_ - (Cameo in Opening of Season 2, Episode 11)
- 2003 - _Bitter Jester_
- 2003 - _I Ain't Dead Yet, #*%$@!!_
- 2005 - _Richard Pryor: The Funniest Man Dead Or Alive_ (BET Special)
- 2009 - _Black Dynamite_ - Cameo via archive footage

## Infobox (comedian awards)

- **child**: yes
- **emmyawards**: **Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing in a Comedy Series, Writing in Variety or Music**
 1974 _Lily (1973 special), Lily_
- **grammyawards**: **Best Comedy Album**
 1975 _That Nigger's Crazy_
 1976 _...Is It Something I Said?_
 1977 _Bicentennial Nigger_
 1982 _Rev. Du Rite_
 1983 _Richard Pryor: Live on the Sunset Strip, Live on the Sunset Strip_
- **americancomedyawards**: **Lifetime Achievement Award in Comedy** 1993


## Infobox (comedian)

- **name**: Richard Pryor
- **image**: Richard Pryor (1986) (cropped).jpg
- **imagesize**: 220px
- **caption**: Richard Pryor, February 1986
- **birth name**: Richard Franklin Lennox Thomas Pryor Sr.
- **birth place**: Peoria, Illinois, United States, U.S.
- **death place**: Encino, California, U.S.
- **death cause**: myocardial infarction, Heart attack
- **nationality**: United States, American
- **medium**: Stand-up comedy, Stand-up, movie, television
- **active**: 1958–1999
- **genre**: Satire, Observational comedy, Black comedy, Improvisational comedy, Character comedy
- **subject**: Racism, Race relations, American politics, African-American culture, Human sexuality, Self-deprecation, Everyday life, Recreational drug use
- **influences**: Lenny Bruce, Jack Benny, Jonathan Winters, Bill Cosby, Dick Gregory, Redd Foxx, Paul Mooney (comedian), Paul Mooney
- **influenced**: George Carlin, Martin Lawrence, George Lopez, Denis Leary, Margaret Cho, Eddie Izzard, Dave Chappelle, Chris Rock, Eddie Murphy, Whoopi Goldberg, Robin Williams, Lewis Black Colin Quinn, Bernie Mac, Joe Rogan, Chris Tucker, Louis C.K., Patton Oswalt Artie Lange, Jon Stewart,Richard Lewis (comedian), Richard Lewis, and Jim Norton (comedian), Jim Norton
- **notable work**: **Himself** in _Richard Pryor: Live in Concert_ and _Richard Pryor: Live on the Sunset Strip_
 **Daddy Rich** in _Car Wash (film), Car Wash_

**Wally Karue** in _See No Evil, Hear No Evil_

**Harry Monroe** in _Stir Crazy (film), Stir Crazy_
 **Gus Gorman** in _Superman III_
- **spouse**: Patricia Price (1960–1961; divorced) 1 child
 Shelley R. Bonis (1968–1969; divorced) 1 child
 Deborah Mcguire, Deborah McGuire
(1977–1978; divorced)
 Jennifer Lee (1979–1982; divorced)
 Flynn Belaine (1986–1987; divorced) 2 children
 Flynn Belaine (1990–1991; divorced)
 Jennifer Lee (2001–2005; widow)
- **website**: [http://richardpryor.com/ RichardPryor.com]