Personal Info
Known For:
Acting
Birthday:
December 1, 1940
Place of Birth:
Peoria, Illinois, USA
Social Media
Richard Pryor
Biography
Richard Franklin Lennox Thomas Pryor was an American stand-up comedian, actor, film director, social critic, satirist, writer, and MC. Pryor was known for uncompromising examinations of racism and topical contemporary issues, which employed colorful vulgarities, and profanity, as well as racial epithets. He reached a broad audience with his trenchant observations and storytelling style. He is widely regarded as one of the most important and influential stand-up comedians of all time: receiving praise from notable comedians such as Jerry Seinfeld, Bob Newhart, and Bill Cosby. His body of work includes the concert movies and recordings starting in the 70s and spanning three decades. He also starred in numerous films as an actor, in both comedic and dramatic roles. He collaborated on many projects with actor Gene Wilder and actor/comedian/writer Paul Mooney. Pryor won an Emmy Award (1973), and five Grammy Awards (1974, 1975, 1976, 1981, and 1982). In 1974, he also won two American Academy of Humor awards and the Writers Guild of America Award. The first ever Kennedy Center Mark Twain Prize for American Humor was presented to him in 1998. Pryor is listed at Number 1 on Comedy Central's list of all-time greatest stand-up comedians.
Known For
Filmography
| Year | Movie | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Breakdown: 1975 | Self (archive footage) |
| 2025 | John Candy: I Like Me | Self - Actor (archive footage) |
| 2025 | I'm Chevy Chase and You're Not | Self (archive footage) |
| 2024 | Remembering Gene Wilder | Self (archive footage) |
| 2024 | Zeitgeist: Requiem | Self (archive footage) |
| 2024 | Outstanding: A Comedy Revolution | Self (archive footage) (uncredited) |
| 2023 | Betye Saar: Drifting Toward Twilight | |
| 2022 | The Hall: Honoring the Greats of Stand-Up | Self (archive footage) |
| 2020 | The Last Days of Richard Pryor | Himself |
| 2019 | I Am Richard Pryor | Self - Actor and Comedian (archive footage) |
| 2014 | Richard Pryor: Icon | Self (archive footage) |
| 2013 | Mel Brooks: Make a Noise | Self (archive footage) |
| 2013 | Richard Pryor: Omit the Logic | Self (archive footage) |
| 2008 | Black and White Trypps Number Four | |
| 2007 | Cutting Edge Comedians of the '60s & '70s | Self (archive footage) |
| 2006 | The N Word | Self (archive footage) |
| 2003 | Richard Pryor: I Ain't Dead Yet, #*%$#@!! | Self (archive footage) |
| 2003 | 101 Most Shocking Moments in Entertainment | Self (archive footage) |
| 2001 | A Huey P. Newton Story | Self (archive footage) (uncredited) |
| 2000 | Me, Myself & Irene | Stand-Up Comedian on TV (archive footage) (uncredited) |
| 1999 | Sam Kinison: Why Did We Laugh? | Self |
| 1997 | Lost Highway | Arnie |
| 1997 | Afro Promo | Self (archive footage) |
| 1997 | Blacks and Jews | Self |
| 1996 | Mad Dog Time | Jimmy the Gravedigger |
| 1994 | But... Seriously | Self (archive footage) |
| 1991 | Another You | Eddie Dash |
| 1991 | The Three Muscatels | Narrator / Wino / Bartender |
| 1990 | Sammy Davis, Jr. 60th Anniversary Celebration | Self |
| 1989 | See No Evil, Hear No Evil | Wallace 'Wally' Karue |
| 1989 | Harlem Nights | Sugar Ray |
| 1988 | Moving | Arlo Pear |
| 1987 | Critical Condition | Eddie Lenahan/Dr. Kevin Slattery |
| 1986 | Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life Is Calling | Jo Jo Dancer / Alter Ego |
| 1986 | TV's Funniest Comedians - 14 Stars Do Classic Routines | Self |
| 1985 | Brewster's Millions | Montgomery Brewster |
| 1985 | The Making of 'Superman III' | Self |
| 1983 | Richard Pryor: Here and Now | Self |
| 1983 | Superman III | August 'Gus' Gorman |
| 1983 | Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever | Self |
| 1982 | Richard Pryor: Live on the Sunset Strip | Self |
| 1982 | The Toy | Jack Brown |
| 1982 | Some Kind of Hero | Cpl. Eddie Keller / Ted Segal |
| 1981 | Bustin' Loose | Joe Braxton |
| 1980 | Stir Crazy | Harry Monroe |
| 1980 | Wholly Moses | Pharaoh |
| 1980 | In God We Tru$t | G.O.D. |
| 1979 | Richard Pryor: Live in Concert | Self |
| 1979 | The Muppet Movie | Balloon Vendor |
| 1979 | A Walking Tour of Sesame Street | Self (archive footage) (uncredited) |
| 1978 | The Wiz | The Wiz |
| 1978 | California Suite | Dr. Chauncey Gump |
| 1978 | Blue Collar | Ezekiel 'Zeke' Brown |
| 1977 | Which Way Is Up? | Leroy Jones / Rufus Jones / Rev. Lenox Thomas |
| 1977 | Greased Lightning | Wendell Scott |
| 1977 | The Richard Pryor Special? | Self / Various |
| 1977 | The Richard Pryor show Volume 2 | Self |
| 1976 | Silver Streak | Grover Muldoon |
| 1976 | The Bingo Long Traveling All-Stars & Motor Kings | Charlie Snow |
| 1976 | Car Wash | Daddy Rich |
| 1975 | Carter's Army | Pvt. Jonathan Crunk |
| 1975 | Adiós Amigo | Sam Spade |
| 1975 | The Lion Roars Again | Self |
| 1974 | Uptown Saturday Night | Sharp Eye Washington |
| 1974 | Flip Wilson... Of Course | Self |
| 1973 | Wattstax | Self |
| 1973 | The Mack | Slim |
| 1973 | Hit! | Mike Willmer |
| 1973 | Some Call It Loving | Jeff |
| 1973 | Juke and Opal | Juke |
| 1973 | Lily | |
| 1972 | Lady Sings the Blues | Piano Man |
| 1971 | Richard Pryor: Live and Smokin' | Self |
| 1971 | Dynamite Chicken | Self |
| 1971 | You've Got To Walk It Like You Talk It or You'll Lose That Beat | Wino |
| 1970 | The Phynx | Richard Pryor |
| 1969 | Uncle Tom's Fairy Tales | |
| 1969 | The Young Lawyers | Otis Tucker |
| 1968 | Wild in the Streets | Stanley X |
| 1967 | The Busy Body | Whittaker |
| Untitled Joan Rivers Documentary | Self (archive footage) |
| Year | TV Show | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Stand-Up: The Laughing Therapy | Self (archive footage) |
| 2022 | Dark Side of Comedy | Self (Archive Footage) |
| 2021 | Superstar | Self (archive footage) |
| 2020 | The Comedy Store | Self (archive footage) |
| 2012 | I Am | Self |
| 2006 | Legends | G.O.D. (archive footage) (uncredited) |
| 1999 | The Norm Show | |
| 1994 | Chicago Hope | Joe Springer |
| 1992 | Martin | Richard Pryor |
| 1984 | Pryor's Place | Richard Pryor |
| 1977 | The Richard Pryor Show | Host |
| 1975 | Saturday Night Live | Self - Host |
| 1974 | Dinah! | Self |
| 1972 | The Midnight Special | Host |
| 1970 | The Young Lawyers | |
| 1970 | The Flip Wilson Show | Self |
| 1970 | The Partridge Family | A.E. Simon |
| 1962 | The Merv Griffin Show | Self |
| 1962 | The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson | Self |
| 1961 | The Mike Douglas Show | Self - Co-Host |
| 1958 | Kraft Music Hall | Self |
| 1948 | The Ed Sullivan Show | Self |