“What I am saying could be profane,” Richard Pryor as soon as stated, “however it's additionally profound.” Comedy nerds agree, with lists from everybody from Comedy Central to Rolling Stone rating Pryor as the highest slapstick comedian of all time. Listed here are 15 tidbits of trivia in regards to the man who deserves to have his face carved within the Comedy Mount Rushmore.
He and George Carlin guest-starred on a summer time selection collection.
Earlier than both comedian grew to become a countercultural icon, Pryor and Carlin appeared collectively on the Kraft Summer season Music Corridor with squeaky-clean host John Davidson.
He received an Emmy writing for Lily Tomlin.
Pryor wrote and acted on Lily Tomlin’s 1973 comedy particular and earned himself a writing Emmy for his hassle.
He could have had an affair with Marlon Brando.
Although Richard wasn’t round to substantiate the story, producer Quincy Jones put the story on the market that Pryor and Brando had a dalliance. Pryor’s widow, Jennifer Lee, confirmed the story: “It was the ’70s! Medicine have been nonetheless good, particularly Quaaludes. For those who did sufficient cocaine, you’d f*** a radiator and ship it flowers within the morning.”
Saturday Night time Reside had to make use of a tape delay when Pryor hosted throughout its first season.
“When Richard Pryor hosted, NBC wished a five-second delay as a result of they thought Pryor may say one thing filthy,” remembers comedy supervisor Bernie Brillstein. “We ended up with a three-second delay, I believe.” That was at the least a compromise — Lorne Michaels claims to have resigned when NBC advised him “you possibly can’t have Pryor.” It was one in every of a number of Lorne “resignations” in these days, however he acquired Pryor as host.
He stopped utilizing the n-word after a go to to Kenya, a choice he talks about in Richard Pryor: Reside on the Sundown Strip.
After three weeks in Africa, Pryor realized he'd not solely not stated the phrase for his total go to, however he hadn't even thought it. It made him suppose, “Oh my God, I have been unsuitable,” vowing to by no means name a Black man by that title ever once more.
He was the primary black actor to earn $1 million for a single movie.
Pryor reteamed with Gene Wilder for Stir Loopy, incomes a cool million for the gig. In a couple of years, he’d make $4 million for his supporting position in Superman III — greater than Christopher Reeve acquired to put on the cape.
His final movie look was in David Lynch’s Misplaced Freeway.
Pryor battled MS towards the tip of his life, utilizing a motorized scooter to get round. His final position ever was this transient cameo in, of all issues, a David Lynch weirdfest.
