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01
Admitted that the fire that nearly killed him while freebasing cocaine on June 9, 1980 was a suicide attempt, not an accident as initially reported.
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02
Suffered from multiple sclerosis from 1986 until his death in 2005.
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03
Invited to a private screening of National Lampoon’s Animal House 1978 by director John Landis, who wanted Pryor’s opinion about the scene at the black roadhouse; Pryor laughed and said it should stay.
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04
Expelled from a Catholic grammar school in Peoria, Illinois when nuns discovered his grandmother owned a string of brothels.
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05
Despite making four films with Gene Wilder, the two were never as close as many thought, according to Wilder’s autobiography.
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06
Originally slated to play Bart in Blazing Saddles 1974, but Mel Brooks could not secure financing due to Pryor’s background; Brooks made him a co-writer instead.
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07
Remarried two ex-wives: Flynn Belaine 1990 and Jennifer Lee Pryor 2001, though his adult children claimed he was unaware of the latter marriage.
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08
Served in the United States Army from 1958 to 1960 but spent most of that time in an army prison for beating and stabbing a white soldier who laughed at racially charged scenes in Imitation of Life 1959.
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09
Cited as an influence by prolific comedians including George Carlin, Dave Attell, Martin Lawrence, Dave Chappelle, Chris Rock, Colin Quinn, Patrice O’Neal, Bill Hicks, Sam Kinison, Bill Burr, Louis C.K., Jerry Seinfeld, Jon Stewart, Eddie Murphy, Eddie Griffin, and Eddie Izzard.
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10
Considered for the role of Billy Ray Valentine in Trading Places 1983 before Eddie Murphy won the role.
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11
Suffered a massive heart attack and underwent triple bypass surgery in 1990.
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12
Admitted that he did Superman III 1983 and The Toy 1982 purely for the money.
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13
Eddie Murphy pointed to Pryor as his role model and inspiration to become a comedian.
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14
Father, Buck Pryor aka LeRoy Carter, was a bartender, boxer, and World War II veteran who died when Richard was 28.
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15
Had an affair with Margot Kidder while working on Some Kind of Hero 1982; they later worked together in Superman III 1983.
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16
First black person to host Saturday Night Live 1975.
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17
Chosen as #1 in Comedy Central’s 100 Greatest Stand-Ups of All Time.
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18
Claimed to have seen the film The Man in the Glass Booth 1975 40 times; his future wife Jennifer Lee Pryor had a role in that film.
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19
Awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6438 Hollywood Boulevard on May 20, 1993.
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20
Appeared in four films selected for the National Film Registry: Wattstax 1973, Uptown Saturday Night 1974, Richard Pryor: Live in Concert 1979, and The Muppet Movie 1979; also co-wrote Blazing Saddles 1974, which is in the registry.
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21
Won the first Mark Twain Prize for American Humor in 1998.
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22
One of his limousine drivers was Freddy Soto, who later became a stand-up comedian and also died in 2005.
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23
Hated Uncle Tom’s Fairy Tales 1969 so much that he destroyed as much of the original negatives as he could.
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24
Considered for Eddie Murphy’s roles in 48 Hrs. 1982, Trading Places 1983, and Beverly Hills Cop 1984.
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25
Father of seven children: Renee, Richard Jr., Elizabeth, Rain, Stephen, Kelsey, and Franklin.
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26
At age 16, expelled from Central High School for punching his science teacher.
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27
Second cousin, once removed, of rapper and actor Ludacris through maternal great-grandparents.
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28
In 2002, Sheridan Road on the south side of Peoria was renamed Richard Pryor Place.
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29
In 2018, Quincy Jones and Jennifer Lee Pryor claimed Pryor had a sexual relationship with Marlon Brando, and that he was open about his bisexuality; Pryor’s daughter Rain disputed the claim, and in his autobiography Pryor admitted to a two-week sexual relationship with a transvestite.
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30
Mother, Gertrude Thomas, died when Pryor was 27 years old.
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31
Starred with Gene Wilder in four movies: Silver Streak 1976, Stir Crazy 1980, See No Evil, Hear No Evil 1989, and Another You 1991.
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32
Friends with Bill Cosby and Redd Foxx.
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33
Suffered a mild heart attack in November 1977; died nine days after his 65th birthday.
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34
Missed out on roles in History of the World: Part I 1981 and The Cotton Club 1984 due to his freebasing accident and asking price, respectively; both roles went to Gregory Hines.
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35
Voted the 10th-greatest comedy act ever in a 2005 British poll of comedians and comedy insiders.
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36
Due to star in The Sting II 1983 with Lily Tomlin, but both dropped out.
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37
Labelled the black Lenny Bruce; developed his act in nightclubs and from 1966 became a star on TV, records, and in Las Vegas.
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38
Scheduled to appear on Chris Langham 1981 but unable due to his freebasing suicide attempt on June 9, 1980; staff writer Chris Langham substituted.
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39
Posthumously inducted into the International Mustache Hall of Fame in the category Film and Television 2017.
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40
Former father-in-law Herbert Bonis managed Danny Kaye for 35 years.
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41
Appeared in Superman III 1983, the only movie in the series without Lex Luthor; later worked with Lex Luthor actor Kevin Spacey in See No Evil, Hear No Evil 1989.
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42
Plans for a sequel to Stir Crazy never materialized despite its success.
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43
Bet Rick James $100,000 that Eddie Murphy could not sing; James worked with Murphy on his debut album, which included the hit single Party All the Time.
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44
Originally going to star in A Fine Mess 1986 opposite Burt Reynolds.
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45
Going to star in Bird 1988 when the project was at Paramount Pictures.
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46
Cremated at Hollywood Forever Cemetery; his family sprinkled his ashes into a bay in Hana, Hawaii.
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47
Underwent involuntary vasectomy in 1995, believed by friends to have worsened his multiple sclerosis; he reportedly said afterward that his dick would not get hard.
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48
Mike Johansen’s personal favorite comic.
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49
In the late 1970s, director Sidney Lumet reportedly hoped to cast Pryor as Malcolm X in a biopic.
