ArtistInfo

Richard Pryor

1940-2005 US, Peoria, Illinois
Spoken Word
A.k.a. Richard Franklin Lennox Thomas Pryor III Oilwell

Richard Franklin Lennox Thomas Pryor (December 1, 1940 – December 10, 2005) was an American stand-up comedian, social critic, and actor. He is currently listed at Number 1 on Comedy Central's list of all-time greatest stand-up comedians. 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: Jerry Seinfeld called Pryor "The Picasso of our profession" and Bob Newhart heralded Pryor as "the seminal comedian of the last 50 years". This legacy can be attributed, in part, to the unusual degree of intim