West Coast Connection Forum
Lifestyle => Sports & Entertainment => Topic started by: davida.b. on December 10, 2005, 01:42:01 PM
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LOS ANGELES -
Richard Pryor, the caustic yet perceptive actor-comedian who lived dangerously close to the edge both on stage and off, died Saturday. He was 65.
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Pryor died shortly before 8 a.m. of a heart attack after being taken to a hospital from his home in the San Fernando Valley, said his business manager, Karen Finch. He had been ill for years with multiple sclerosis, a degenerative disease of the nervous system.
"We loved him and will miss you," his ex-wife, Flynn Pryor, said from her Florida home.
Pryor was regarded early in his career as one of the most foul-mouthed comics in the business, but he gained a wide following for his expletive-filled but universal and frequently personal insights into modern life and race relations.
His audacious style influenced an array of stand-up artists, including
Eddie Murphy,
Arsenio Hall and
Damon Wayans, as well as
Robin Williams, David Letterman and others.
A series of hit comedies in the '70s and '80s, as well as filmed versions of his concert performances, helped make him Pryor one of the highest paid stars in Hollywood. He was one of the first black performers to have enough leverage to cut his own Hollywood deals. In 1983, he signed a $40 million, five-year contract with Columbia Pictures.
His films included "Stir Crazy," "Silver Streak," "Which Way Is Up?" and "Richard Pryor Live on the Sunset Strip."
Throughout his career, Pryor focused on racial inequality, once joking as the host of the 1977
Academy Awards that
Harry Belafonte and
Sidney Poitier were the only black members of the Academy.
Pryor once marveled "that I live in racist America and I'm uneducated, yet a lot of people love me and like what I do, and I can make a living from it. You can't do much better than that."
In 1980, he nearly lost his life when he suffered severe burns over 50 percent of his body while freebasing cocaine at his home. An admitted "junkie" at the time, Pryor spent six weeks recovering from the burns and much longer from drug and alcohol dependence.
He battled multiple sclerosis throughout the '90s.
In his last movie, the 1991 bomb "Another You," Pryor's poor health was clearly evident. Pryor made a comeback attempt the following year, returning to standup comedy in clubs and on television while looking thin and frail, and with noticeable speech and movement difficulties.
In 1995, he played an embittered multiple sclerosis patient in an episode of the television series "Chicago Hope." The role earned him an Emmy nomination as best guest actor in a drama series.
"To be diagnosed was the hardest thing because I didn't know what they were talking about," he said. "And the doctor said `Don't worry, in three months you'll know.'
"So I went about my business and then, one day, it jumped me. I couldn't get up. ... Your muscles trick you; they did me."
While Pryor's material sounds modest when compared with some of today's raunchier comedians, it was startling material when first introduced. He never apologized for it.
In his 1977 NBC television series "The Richard Pryor Show," he threatened to cancel his contract with the network after NBC's censors objected to a skit in which Pryor appeared naked save for a flesh-colored loincloth to suggest he was emasculated.
In his later years Pryor mellowed considerably, and his film roles looked more like easy paychecks than artistic endeavors. His robust work gave way to torpid efforts like "Harlem Nights," "Brewster's Millions" and "Hear No Evil, See No Evil."
Pryor was married six times. He and Flynn Pryor had a son, Steven. Previous children included another son, Richard, and daughters Elizabeth, Rain and Renee.
Daughter Rain became an actress. In an interview in 2005, she told the Philadelphia Inquirer that her father always "put his life right out there for you to look at. I took that approach because I saw how well audiences respond to it. I try to make you laugh at life."
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20051210/ap_en_mo/obit_pryor
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DAMN! RIP.
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WOW! RIP To A Legend!
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rip
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RIP :(
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R.I.P.
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R.I.P
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R.I.P. to one comedic great :(
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shit...R.I.P. :(
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RIP To A Legend
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He was practically dead for the past couple fo years anyways. I'm glad he's out of his misery. RIP to one of the greatest comedians ever.
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R.I.P :'(
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yeah i mean he had MS so this is probably better for him
rest in peace.
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R.I.P. to one of the funniest people ever
:'(
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damn... RIP..
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I'm listening to his xxx christmas songs, RIP.
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i just saw it scroll on BET a few mins ago
http://www.bet.com/Entertainment/pryordead.htm?wbc_purpose=Basic&WBCMODE=PresentationUnpublished
RIP the greatest comedian of all time :'(
EDIT: i see its already posted, my bad
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I just found this out 2 minutes ago. :o
Dubcc is quik with the news.
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:'(
The Absolute Greatest ever.....
Thank's 4 being.
Hatesrats 2oo5
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RIP Richard Pryor :'(
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damn.. another legend has passed on RIP
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RIP to one of the best to ever hold a mic
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RIP to the greatest of all time ( Stand up Comedian)
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R.I.P. Pryor was a true legend
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His films included "Stir Crazy," "Silver Streak,"
I have both of these on DVD. Gene Wilder / Richard Pryor were the last great comedy duo. U don't really see anything like that anymore.
R.I.P. He had been "inactive" or whatever for a while already tho, he was in a wheelchair and had all kinda problems it doesn't really come as a shock to me that he died.
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Dayum. What A Loss.
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dam man thats sux he was a funny ass actor man i really did like his movies especially the ones wit that one white guy wit the curly red hair
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R.I.P.
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He was practically dead for the past couple fo years anyways. I'm glad he's out of his misery. RIP to one of the greatest comedians ever.
yeaa, i actually thought he allready was dead... but RIP anyways!
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RIP to the greatest comedian ever
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You mean (JEAN WILDER).RIP Rich,you truly where the best at what you did........(blazing a spliff).
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RIP to a revolutionary..
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His films included "Stir Crazy," "Silver Streak,"
I have both of these on DVD. Gene Wilder / Richard Pryor were the last great comedy duo. U don't really see anything like that anymore.
R.I.P. He had been "inactive" or whatever for a while already tho, he was in a wheelchair and had all kinda problems it doesn't really come as a shock to me that he died.
u really should add "see no evil, hear no evil" to that list, also starring Gene Wilder
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he's in a better place now R.I.P. ...
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RIP Richard Pryor :'(
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George Carlin = funniest comedian alive today
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while im at it.... carlin >>> dangerfield >>> pryor
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Carlin has to be my favorite. I love Pryor, Redd Foxx, old school eddie murphy...but Carlin is captivating even when he's not cracking a joke. I just watched his latest special a few weeks ago. He's starting to look really old, hunched over, shuffling around on stage - but he's still just as pissed as ever. Carlin is a unique guy - its gonna really suck when he croaks.
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funnier than Eddie Murphy and Chris Rock???
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Fuck that. Everybody knooooooooows Chris Rock is the current king of stand up. He needs to come out with some new shit though.
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funnier than Eddie Murphy and Chris Rock???
eddie murphy is like the comedy version of snoop, came out a ball of fire, the next big thing, only to horribly fall off and completly sell out his material and chris rock, i dunno i dont put him ahead of carlin but hes defo ahead of eddie murphy if you ask me. Carlin has been doing it for 40 years strong
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Carlin>Chris Rock
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RIP Richard Pryor :'(
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r.i.p to a legend..."see no evil, hear no evil" was a fucking classic!
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Oh damn! I've seen a couple of shows by him.
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personally i like dave chappelle and mike epps. they are my current favs.
RIP to pryor.
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Is Richard Pryor still alive? If not I'm sicker than he was prior to him dyin'...
RIP