Richard Pryor

Richard Franklin Lenox Thomas Pryor (born December 1, 1940 in Peoria, Illinois) is an American comedian and actor.

Mainstream success

In 1969 Pryor moved to Berkeley, California, where he immersed himself in the counterculture and rubbed elbows with the likes of Huey P. Newton and Ishmael Reed. He signed with the comedy-centric independent record label Laff Records in 1970 and recorded his second album, Craps (After Hours). Not long afterward, Pryor sought to get a deal with a larger label, and after a protracted period of time, signed with Stax Records. His third, breakthrough album, That Nigger's Crazy, was released in 1974 and was almost sued out of existence by Laff, who claimed ownership of Pryor's recording rights. Negotiations led to Pryor being released from his Laff contract in exchange for the small label being allowed to release previously unissued material recorded between 1968 and 1973 at their leisure.

Related Topics:
1969 - Berkeley, California - Counterculture - Huey P. Newton - Ishmael Reed - Laff Records - 1970 - Craps (After Hours) - Stax Records - That Nigger's Crazy - 1974

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During the legal battle, Stax briefly closed its doors. Pryor then resigned with Reprise/Warner Bros., who immediately rereleased That Nigger's Crazy on the heels of his first album under his new Reprise/Warner Bros. deal, ...Is It Something I Said?. With every successful album Pryor recorded for Warner Bros. (or later, his concert films and his 1980 free-basing accident), Laff would turn around and rush out a hastily-compiled, badly packaged album of old material to capitalize on Pryor's growing fame - a process the label would undertake until 1983.

Related Topics:
Reprise - Warner Bros. - That Nigger's Crazy - ...Is It Something I Said? - 1980 - Free-basing

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Comfortably successful and into the zenith of his career, Pryor visited Africa in 1979. Upon returning to the United States, Pryor swore he would never use the "N" word in his stand-up comedy routine again. (His favorite epithet, "motherfucker", remains a term of endearment on his official website to this day.)

Related Topics:
Africa - 1979 - Motherfucker

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Pryor appeared in several popular films including Lady Sings The Blues, The Mack, Uptown Saturday Night, Silver Streak, Which Way Is Up?, Car Wash, The Toy, Superman III, Brewster's Millions, Stir Crazy, Moving, See No Evil, Hear No Evil and Blue Collar. In four of his films, he co-starred with Gene Wilder. He also co-wrote Blazing Saddles directed by Mel Brooks and starring Gene Wilder. Pryor was to play the sheriff in "Blazing Saddles", but the film's producers were unsettled by his vulgarity and Mel Brooks chose Cleavon Little instead.

Related Topics:
Lady Sings The Blues - The Mack - Uptown Saturday Night - Silver Streak - Which Way Is Up? - Car Wash - The Toy - Superman III - Brewster's Millions - Stir Crazy - Moving - See No Evil, Hear No Evil - Blue Collar - Gene Wilder - Blazing Saddles - Cleavon Little

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