maybe one go arrived this comedian was famous for crossing the line both on
famous for crossing the line both on
famous for crossing the line both on stage and in his personal life welcome
stage and in his personal life welcome
stage and in his personal life welcome to watchmojo.com and today we’re taking
to watchmojo.com and today we’re taking
to watchmojo.com and today we’re taking a look at the life and career of Richard
a look at the life and career of Richard
a look at the life and career of Richard Pryor Richard Pryor was born Richard
Pryor Richard Pryor was born Richard
Pryor Richard Pryor was born Richard Franklin Lenox Thomas Pryor the third on
Franklin Lenox Thomas Pryor the third on
Franklin Lenox Thomas Pryor the third on December 1st 1940 in Peoria Illinois an
December 1st 1940 in Peoria Illinois an
December 1st 1940 in Peoria Illinois an only child
only child
only child Pryor’s early years were spent living in
Pryor’s early years were spent living in
Pryor’s early years were spent living in his grandmother’s brothel where his
his grandmother’s brothel where his
his grandmother’s brothel where his mother was a prostitute abandoned by his
mother was a prostitute abandoned by his
mother was a prostitute abandoned by his mother at age 10 his tumultuous
mother at age 10 his tumultuous
mother at age 10 his tumultuous childhood was filled with abuse as a
childhood was filled with abuse as a
childhood was filled with abuse as a student he was a class clown who
student he was a class clown who
student he was a class clown who frequently disrupted fellow students
frequently disrupted fellow students
frequently disrupted fellow students with his antics one teacher gave him the
with his antics one teacher gave him the
with his antics one teacher gave him the opportunity to perform his rudimentary
opportunity to perform his rudimentary
opportunity to perform his rudimentary stand-up routine for his classmates once
stand-up routine for his classmates once
stand-up routine for his classmates once a week in exchange for his good behavior
a week in exchange for his good behavior
a week in exchange for his good behavior this was Pryor’s first taste at
this was Pryor’s first taste at
this was Pryor’s first taste at performing comedy by 1963 he had moved
performing comedy by 1963 he had moved
performing comedy by 1963 he had moved to New York City and had begun
to New York City and had begun
to New York City and had begun performing his routines in nightclubs in
performing his routines in nightclubs in
performing his routines in nightclubs in the early days of a stand-up career
the early days of a stand-up career
the early days of a stand-up career prior emulated the comedy of his idol
prior emulated the comedy of his idol
prior emulated the comedy of his idol Bill Cosby his clean-cut humor
Bill Cosby his clean-cut humor
Bill Cosby his clean-cut humor entertained New York audiences and even
entertained New York audiences and even
entertained New York audiences and even won him a few appearances on television
won him a few appearances on television
won him a few appearances on television variety shows I get self-conscious as a
variety shows I get self-conscious as a
variety shows I get self-conscious as a voice in the back of my head says how’s
voice in the back of my head says how’s
voice in the back of my head says how’s your breath
right I get crazy you know because
right I get crazy you know because there’s nothing worse than walking up to
there’s nothing worse than walking up to
there’s nothing worse than walking up to a lady saying hi his popularity grew and
a lady saying hi his popularity grew and
a lady saying hi his popularity grew and he eventually started performing in Las
he eventually started performing in Las
he eventually started performing in Las Vegas
Vegas
Vegas however by 1967 Pryor decided he no
however by 1967 Pryor decided he no
however by 1967 Pryor decided he no longer wanted to be compared to Cosby in
longer wanted to be compared to Cosby in
longer wanted to be compared to Cosby in an episode that Pryor referred to as his
an episode that Pryor referred to as his
an episode that Pryor referred to as his Epiphany the comedian walked off stage
Epiphany the comedian walked off stage
Epiphany the comedian walked off stage in front of a sold-out Vegas audience it
in front of a sold-out Vegas audience it
in front of a sold-out Vegas audience it was at this time Pryor began including
was at this time Pryor began including
was at this time Pryor began including profanity in his routine this era of his
profanity in his routine this era of his
profanity in his routine this era of his comedy can be heard on the comics
comedy can be heard on the comics
comedy can be heard on the comics self-titled debut album which was
self-titled debut album which was
self-titled debut album which was released in 1968 fine super nigger with
released in 1968 fine super nigger with
released in 1968 fine super nigger with his x-ray vision that enables him to see
his x-ray vision that enables him to see
his x-ray vision that enables him to see through everything except whitey shortly
through everything except whitey shortly
through everything except whitey shortly thereafter Pryor took a break from his
thereafter Pryor took a break from his
thereafter Pryor took a break from his career and moved to California there he
career and moved to California there he
career and moved to California there he spent his time people watching and
spent his time people watching and
spent his time people watching and learning more about the area’s
learning more about the area’s
learning more about the area’s counterculture and black community it
counterculture and black community it
counterculture and black community it was this keen sense of observation that
was this keen sense of observation that
was this keen sense of observation that truly set Pryor apart from his peers in
truly set Pryor apart from his peers in
truly set Pryor apart from his peers in 1970 he was back on stage with a new
1970 he was back on stage with a new
1970 he was back on stage with a new persona marking a complete departure
persona marking a complete departure
persona marking a complete departure from his early work the street tough
from his early work the street tough
from his early work the street tough comedian cursed and provided sharp
comedian cursed and provided sharp
comedian cursed and provided sharp social commentary on issues facing
social commentary on issues facing
social commentary on issues facing african-americans priors physical humor
african-americans priors physical humor
african-americans priors physical humor was also a significant part of his act
was also a significant part of his act
was also a significant part of his act as he used it to personified different
as he used it to personified different
as he used it to personified different black characters white cats in Vegas I
black characters white cats in Vegas I
black characters white cats in Vegas I was in Las Vegas right they gambled
was in Las Vegas right they gambled
was in Las Vegas right they gambled different you know very quiet like 2000
different you know very quiet like 2000
different you know very quiet like 2000 on the 5 oops I missed gosh do is you
on the 5 oops I missed gosh do is you
on the 5 oops I missed gosh do is you know niggas be talking about
in fact Pryor is recognized as the first
in fact Pryor is recognized as the first african-american comedian to openly
african-american comedian to openly
african-american comedian to openly address integrated audiences this
address integrated audiences this
address integrated audiences this candidness help lead to his mainstream
candidness help lead to his mainstream
candidness help lead to his mainstream success in the early 1970s and he went
success in the early 1970s and he went
success in the early 1970s and he went on to release a number of successful
on to release a number of successful
on to release a number of successful comedy albums in the years that followed
comedy albums in the years that followed
comedy albums in the years that followed the next years were spent honing his
the next years were spent honing his
the next years were spent honing his craft and writing for popular television
craft and writing for popular television
craft and writing for popular television shows such as Sanford and Son by 1977 he
shows such as Sanford and Son by 1977 he
shows such as Sanford and Son by 1977 he was given his own comedy variety show
was given his own comedy variety show
was given his own comedy variety show however due to its controversial content
however due to its controversial content
however due to its controversial content it only lasted seven episodes good
it only lasted seven episodes good
it only lasted seven episodes good evening ladies and gentlemen my name is
evening ladies and gentlemen my name is
evening ladies and gentlemen my name is Richard Pryor due to technical
Richard Pryor due to technical
Richard Pryor due to technical difficulties we cannot continue to bring
difficulties we cannot continue to bring
difficulties we cannot continue to bring you the audio portion of the Richard
you the audio portion of the Richard
you the audio portion of the Richard Pryor show however I am an NBC spokesman
Pryor show however I am an NBC spokesman
Pryor show however I am an NBC spokesman and I will be happy to tell you what mr.
and I will be happy to tell you what mr.
and I will be happy to tell you what mr. Pryor is saying I will now read from
Pryor is saying I will now read from
Pryor is saying I will now read from tonight’s network approved scripts gosh
tonight’s network approved scripts gosh
tonight’s network approved scripts gosh I’m just pleased as punch to be
I’m just pleased as punch to be
I’m just pleased as punch to be continuing on as part of the NBC pension
continuing on as part of the NBC pension
continuing on as part of the NBC pension they truly understand me oh so fair by
they truly understand me oh so fair by
they truly understand me oh so fair by 1983 however he had toned down his
1983 however he had toned down his
1983 however he had toned down his language and comedy
prior appeared in a number of popular
prior appeared in a number of popular films in the 1970s and 80s
films in the 1970s and 80s
films in the 1970s and 80s these included the 1976 film Silver
these included the 1976 film Silver
these included the 1976 film Silver Streak which saw his first collaboration
Streak which saw his first collaboration
Streak which saw his first collaboration with Gene Wilder the 1978 film
with Gene Wilder the 1978 film
with Gene Wilder the 1978 film adaptation of The Wiz an
adaptation of The Wiz an
adaptation of The Wiz an african-american retelling of The Wizard
african-american retelling of The Wizard
african-american retelling of The Wizard of Oz 1983 Superman 3 which earned prior
of Oz 1983 Superman 3 which earned prior
of Oz 1983 Superman 3 which earned prior four million dollars and 1989 s Harlem
four million dollars and 1989 s Harlem
four million dollars and 1989 s Harlem Nights which is famous for featuring
Nights which is famous for featuring
Nights which is famous for featuring three generations of black comedians
three generations of black comedians
three generations of black comedians what throughout his career prior was
what throughout his career prior was
what throughout his career prior was preceded by his reputation for being
preceded by his reputation for being
preceded by his reputation for being difficult to work with because of this
difficult to work with because of this
difficult to work with because of this and his well-established drug use he
and his well-established drug use he
and his well-established drug use he lost many big film roles in the 1980s in
lost many big film roles in the 1980s in
lost many big film roles in the 1980s in his personal life Pryor was married
his personal life Pryor was married
his personal life Pryor was married seven times to five different women with
seven times to five different women with
seven times to five different women with whom he’d fathered six children
whom he’d fathered six children
whom he’d fathered six children he was also plagued with health issues
he was also plagued with health issues
he was also plagued with health issues throughout the later part of his career
throughout the later part of his career
throughout the later part of his career including two heart attacks and multiple
including two heart attacks and multiple
including two heart attacks and multiple sclerosis he died of heart failure on
sclerosis he died of heart failure on
sclerosis he died of heart failure on December 10 2005 considered one of the
December 10 2005 considered one of the
December 10 2005 considered one of the most influential comedians in American
most influential comedians in American
most influential comedians in American history Pryor’s reputation and Diras
history Pryor’s reputation and Diras
history Pryor’s reputation and Diras even after his death to this day his
even after his death to this day his
even after his death to this day his stand-up sets continued to shock
stand-up sets continued to shock
stand-up sets continued to shock audiences and are still considered ahead
audiences and are still considered ahead
audiences and are still considered ahead of their time I know I do something
of their time I know I do something
of their time I know I do something because there’s too many white folks
because there’s too many white folks
because there’s too many white folks paying attention to me the mark of a
paying attention to me the mark of a
paying attention to me the mark of a successful comedian is admiration by his
successful comedian is admiration by his
successful comedian is admiration by his colleagues and Richard Pryor has
colleagues and Richard Pryor has
colleagues and Richard Pryor has inspired generations of comics with his
inspired generations of comics with his
inspired generations of comics with his radical humor and widespread popularity
radical humor and widespread popularity
radical humor and widespread popularity since you love me so much I remember
since you love me so much I remember
since you love me so much I remember this one let’s strike the match like
this one let’s strike the match like
this one let’s strike the match like this what’s that Richard Pryor running
this what’s that Richard Pryor running
this what’s that Richard Pryor running dynasty
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