Richard Pryor wass born on December 1st in 1940.
Pryor's father was a pimp, his mother a prostitute and his grandmother ran the brothel where he was raised.
Pryor began his comedy career in the 1960s,. Ironically, he begin as a clean comic (refraining from cursing) in his acts.
He often served as an opening act for artists for Nina Simone and Bob Dylan. He used these performances to develop his edge and distinct comedic style.
Pryor moved to California in the 1970s. While there, he won his first Emmy, with Lily Tomlin and numerous Grammys for comedy albums and began to appear in films.
During the 1980s, he became the first Black actor to earn $1M for a single film, Stir Crazy with Gene Wilder.
In 1988, he received the first ever Mark Twain Prize for American humor
Pryor was very open about his drug problems and mutiple marriages.
Pryor died in December 2005, at age 65.