About
Richard Pryor, born December 1, 1940, in Peoria, Illinois, and died December 10, 2005, in Los Angeles, was an American stand-up comedian and actor. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential comedians of all time, ranked #1 by Comedy Central in 2004. He won five Grammy Awards for his comedy albums, including 'That Nigger's Crazy' (1975) and 'Live on the Sunset Strip' (1983), as well as an Emmy Award in 1973. He co-wrote the screenplay for 'Blazing Saddles' (1974) and appeared in nearly 50 films, including 'Stir Crazy' (1980). His concert film 'Richard Pryor: Live in Concert' (1979) was the first of its kind. Diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, he retired in the early 1990s.
* 1940-12-01 — † 2005-12-10
Major works
- That Nigger's Crazy (1975)comedy album
- ...Is It Something I Said? (1976)comedy album
- Bicentennial Nigger (1977)comedy album
- Live on the Sunset Strip (1983)comedy album
- Richard Pryor: Live in Concert (1979)concert film
Key milestones
- 1973Won an Emmy Award for writing for the Lily Tomlin special 'Lily'.
- 1998Received the inaugural Mark Twain Prize for American Humor at the Kennedy Center.
- 2006Received a posthumous Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.
Themes
African American experienceSocial critiqueRaw languageAutobiographyAddiction and redemption
Sources: kennedy-center.org · televisionacademy.com · britannica.com