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Richard Pryor

Comedy history · 16 facts, each from at least two of 11 independent sources · last reviewed 2026-10-17

Richard Pryor was a groundbreaking black comedian whose full name was Richard Franklin Lennox Thomas Pryor III.1,2,3,4,5 In 1998 he became the first person to receive the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor.5,6 He died on December 10, 2005.3,4

Early Life and Influences

Pryor was expelled from school when he was 14 years old.4,6 Bill Cosby was among the comedians who influenced his work.6,7

Career

During a 1969 performance at the Aladdin in Las Vegas, Pryor left the stage partway through the show.6,8 He put out a comedy album called That Nigger's Crazy.5,9,10 In 1979 he made a trip to Kenya.6,11

Addiction and Burn Accident

Pryor had a long struggle with freebase cocaine addiction.4,8 On one occasion, after freebasing the drug, he set himself ablaze.1,6,9,12,13,14,15 The fire left him with third-degree burns covering roughly half of his body.1,6

Autobiography and Legacy

Pryor told his own story in an autobiography, Pryor Convictions.4,8,11 Later comedians, including Chris Rock and Eddie Murphy, have cited him as an inspiration.7,9

Sources

  1. BBC NEWS | Entertainment | Comedian Richard Pryor dead at 65 (bbc.co.uk)
  2. Richard Pryor (richardpryor.com) · archived copy
  3. The Official Biography of Richard Pryor (richardpryor.com)
  4. How Richard Pryor became the most radical comedian in America | British GQ | British GQ (gq-magazine.co.uk)
  5. A Pryor Love - The New Yorker (newyorker.com) · archived copy
  6. The Official Biography of Richard Pryor (richardpryor.com)
  7. Richard Pryor - Comedic Influences - Biography (biography.com) · archived copy
  8. No.1525: Richard Pryor (utexas.edu)
  9. The demons that drove Richard Pryor to make us laugh - BBC News (bbc.co.uk)
  10. Richard Pryor Grammy Awards and Nominations, Song & Bio (grammy.com)
  11. Opinion | The N-wordand Richard Pryor - The New York Times (nytimes.com) · archived copy
  12. The Complicated Friendship of Comedy Duo Richard Pryor and Gene Wilder (biography.com)
  13. Mel Brooks Wrote A Key Role In History Of The World, Part I With Richard Pryor In Mind (slashfilm.com)
  14. Trading Places Was Originally Developed for Gene Wilder (phillymag.com)
  15. An Oral History of Trading Places - Business Insider (businessinsider.com)

Updated November 12, 2026.

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