Richard Pryor Biography,Cause Of Death, Gay,On fire,Awards

Richard Pryor Biography

Richard Pryor born Richard Franklin Lennox Thomas Pryor was an American stand-up comedian, actor, and social critic. He was popularly known for openly criticizing racism and engaging in conversations on topical contemporary issues which employed vulgarities and profanity, as well as racial stereotypes. He catapulted to fame with the use of his trenchant observations and unique storytelling abilities and because of this he is considered as one of the greatest and most influential stand-up comedians of all time.

Richard Pryor Age At Death

Pryor was born on December 1, 1940 in Peoria,Illinois and met his death on December 10, 2005, exactly nine days after his 65th birthday.

Richard Pryor Cause Of Death| How and when did he die?

Pryor suffered a heart attack in Los Angeles. He was rushed to a local hospital after his wife’s attempts to resuscitate him failed and he was pronounced dead at 7:58 a.m. His widow Jennifer Pryor was quoted as saying, “At the end, there was a smile on his face.” He was then cremated, and his ashes given back to his family. Forensic pathologist Michael Hunter believes Pryor’s fatal heart attack was caused by coronary artery disease that was at least partially brought about by continued years of tobacco smoking.

Richard Pryor Stand Up|Richard Pryor Comedy

In 1963, Pryor relocated to New York City and began performing stand up comedy specials in night clubs alongside performers such as Bob Dylan and Woody Allen. On one of his first nights, he opened the stage for renowned singer and pianist Nina Simone at New York’s Village Gate. Inspired by Bill Cosby, Pryor began as a middlebrow comic, with material far less controversial than what was to come far much later in his career. In just a matter of time, he began appearing regularly on television shows such as The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson,The Ed Sullivan Show as well as The Merv Griffin Show.

His prowess led to a success career as a comic in Las Vegas. The first five tracks on the 2005 compilation CD Evolution/Revolution: The Early Years (1966–1974) recorded in 1966 and 1967, capture Pryor at his all time high.

Gene Wilder Richard Pryor| Gene Wilder And Richard Pryor Movies

Richard worked with Gene Wilder on the set of the film ‘Kiss Me Like a Stranger’ by Gene Wilder. On the set of the film, Pryor developed a reputation for being demanding and disrespectful, and for making selfish and difficult requests. Gene Wilder once said in an interview that Pryor was frequently late to the set during filming of ‘Stir Crazy’, and that he once demanded a helicopter to fly him to and from the set with the claims that he was the star. He was also accused of using allegations of on-set racism to force the hand of film producers into giving him more money. This made it hard for the duo to work as a team.

Richard Pryor Wives | Richard Pryor’s Relationships

Pryor was married seven times to five women; twice to one woman. He married Patricia Price in 1960 and they divorced the following year. in 1967, he married Shelley Bonus,divorced after two years of marriage. On September 22, 1977, Pryor married Deborah McGuire, but divorced the following year. in August 1981, he married Jennifer Lee, divorcing her in October 1982, but remarried on June 29, 2001, and remained married until he met his death.
Before remarrying Mrs. Jennifer Lee, Pryor married Flynn Belaine in October 1986. They were divorced in July 1987, but remarried on April 1, 1990. They divorced again in July 1991, and that is when he decided to settle with Mrs. Jennifer Lee.

Richard Pryor Children

Pryor had seven children with six different women. Pryor and then girlfriend Susan gave birth to Renee Pryor, who was born on February 13, 1957, when Pryor was 16.
Pryor and his first wife, Patricia Price sired Richard Pryor Jr., who was born on July 31, 1962.  Pryor and girlfriend Maxine Anderson gave birth to Elizabeth Ann, who was born in April 28, 1967. Rain Pryor,born in July 16, 1969, was the child of Pryor and his second wife, Shelley Bonus.
Pryor and Flynn Belaine, who later became his fifth wife, gave birth to Steven, born August 1, 1984. Franklin, Pryor’s sixth child who was born in April 11, 1987, was the child of Pryor and actress/model Geraldine Mason. Kelsey, born October 25, 1987, was the last born child of Pryor and his fifth wife, Flynn Belaine.

Richard Pryor Gay

There were rumors that Pryor was bisexual and in 2018, Quincy Jones and Jennifer Lee claimed that Pryor at one point had had a sexual relations with Marlon Brando, and that Pryor was open about his bisexuality with his close friends. Pryor’s daughter Rain however later disputed the claims of him being gay.

In his autobiography, Pryor admitted to having a two-week sexual relationship with a transvestite, which he termed as “two weeks of being gay”.

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Richard Pryor Fire | Richard Pryor Burn

During the making of the film Stir Crazy, in the evening of June 9, 1980, and after days of freebasing cocaine, Pryor poured 151-proof rum all over himself and went ahead to light himself on fire. While ablaze, he ran down Parthenia Street from his Los Angeles home, until being subdued by police. He was taken to a hospital and treated for second- and third-degree burns covering more than half of his body. Pryor spent six weeks in recovery at the Grossman Burn Center at Sherman Oaks Hospital. His daughter, Rain, stated that the incident happened as a result of a drug-induced psychosis.

Richard Pryor Biopic

Pryor’s planned biopic, entitled ‘Richard Pryor: Is It Something I Said?’, was to be produced by Chris Rock and Adam Sandler. The film was to initially star Marlon Wayans as the young Pryor, with features from Mike Epps and Eddie Murphy. The film was to be directed by Bill Condon and was still in development with no release date, as of February 2013.

The biopic remained in paper, going through several producers until it was announced in January 2014 that it was being backed by The Weinstein Company featuring Lee Daniels as director. Upon further discussions,It was announced, in August 2014, that the biopic will feature Oprah Winfrey as producer and will star Mike Epps as Pryor

Richard Pryor Awards

In 1998, Pryor won the first Mark Twain Prize for American Humor from the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. In 2004, Pryor was voted number one on Comedy Central’s list of the 100 Greatest Stand-ups of All Time. In a 2005 British poll to find “The Comedian’s Comedian”, Pryor was voted the 10th-greatest comedy act ever by fellow comedians and comedy insiders.
Pryor was posthumously awarded the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2006.

Richard Pryor Movies

1967: The Busy Body as Whittaker
1968: Wild in the Streets as Stanley X
1969: Uncle Tom’s Fairy Tales
1970: Carter’s Army as Pvt. Jonathan Crunk
1970: The Phynx as Himself
1971: You’ve Got to Walk It Like You Talk It or You’ll Lose That Beat as Wino
1971: Live & Smokin’ as Himself
1971: Dynamite Chicken as Himself
1972: Lady Sings the Blues as Piano Man
1973: The Mack as Slim
1973: Some Call It Loving as Jeff
1973: Hit! as Mike Willmer
1973: Wattstax as Himself
1974: Uptown Saturday Night as Sharp Eye Washington
1975: The Lion Roars Again as Himself
1976: Adiós Amigo as Sam Spade
1976: The Bingo Long Traveling All-Stars & Motor Kings as Charlie Snow, All-Star (RF)
1976: Car Wash as Daddy Rich
1976: Silver Streak as Grover
1977: Greased Lightning as Wendell Scott
1977: Which Way Is Up? as Leroy Jones / Rufus Jones / Reverend Lenox Thomas
1978: Blue Collar as Zeke
1978: The Wiz as The Wiz (Herman Smith)
1978: California Suite as Dr. Chauncey Gump
1979: Richard Pryor: Live in Concert as Himself
1979: The Muppet Movie as Balloon Vendor (cameo)
1980: Wholly Moses! as Pharaoh
1980: In God We Tru$t as G.O.D.
1980: Stir Crazy as Harry Monroe
1981: Bustin’ Loose as Joe Braxton
1982: Some Kind of Hero as Eddie Keller
1982: Richard Pryor: Live on the Sunset Strip as Himself
1982: The Toy as Jack Brown
1983: Superman III as Gus Gorman
1983: Richard Pryor: Here and Now as Himself
1983: Motown 25 as Himself
1985: Brewster’s Millions as Montgomery Brewster
1986: Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life Is Calling as Jo Jo Dancer / Alter Ego
1987: Critical Condition as Kevin Lenahan / Dr. Eddie Slattery
1988: Moving as Arlo Pear
1989: See No Evil, Hear No Evil as Wallace ‘Wally’ Karue
1989: Harlem Nights as Sugar Ray
1991: Another You as Eddie Dash
1991: The Three Muscatels as Narrator / Wino / Bartender
1993: Martin The Break Up: Part 1 as himself
1994: A Century of Cinema as himself
1996: Mad Dog Time as Jimmy the Grave Digger
1996: Malcolm & Eddie (Season 1, episode, Do the K.C. Hustle) as Uncle Bucky
1997: Lost Highway as Arnie
1999: The Norm Show (cameo in opening of season 2, episode 11) as Mr. Johnson
2000: Me, Myself & Irene as Stand-Up Comedian on TV (uncredited)
2003: Bitter Jester as Himself
2003: I Ain’t Dead Yet, #* %$@!! (archive footage)
2005: Richard Pryor: The Funniest Man Dead Or Alive (archive footage)
2009: Black Dynamite (archive footage)
2013: Richard Pryor: Omit the Logic as Himself (archive footage)

Richard Pryor Albums

1968: Richard Pryor (Dove/Reprise)
1971: Craps (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: Are You Serious ??? (Laff)
1976: Rev. Du Rite (Laff)
1976: Holy Smoke! (Laff)
1976: Bicentennial Nigger (Reprise)
1976: Insane (Laff)
1976: L.A. Jail (Tiger Lily)
1977: Who Me? I’m Not Him (Laff)
1977: Richard Pryor Live (World Sound Records)
1978: The Wizard of Comedy (Laff)
1978: Black Ben The Blacksmith (Laff)
1978: Wanted: Live in Concert (2-LP set) (Warner Bros. Records); Others
1979: Outrageous (Laff)
1982: Richard Pryor: Live on the Sunset Strip (Warner Bros. Records)
1982: Supernigger (Laff)
1983: Here and Now (Warner Bros. Records)
1983: Richard Pryor Live! (picture disc) (Phoenix/Audiofidelity)
1983: Blackjack (LP, Album, RE) (Laff Records)