Richard Pryor Net Worth: is synonymous with comedy, and his impact on the entertainment industry is immeasurable.
But have you ever wondered about the financial success that accompanied his legendary career? In this article, we’ll journey through the life and earnings of Richard Pryor, unveiling the secrets behind his net worth.
| Name | Richard Pryor |
|---|---|
| Net Worth | $40 million |
| Date of Birth | Dec 1, 1940 – Dec 10, 2005 (65 years old) |
| Place of Birth | Peoria |
| Profession | Comedian, Actor, Screenwriter, Film Producer, Master of Ceremonies, Writer, Television producer |
| Nationality | United States of America |
Richard Pryor Net Worth
Richard Pryor could be one of the top-paid American actors by 1983. paid $40 million for the house he bought to portray a villainous Henchman for Superman III.
Surprisingly enough, he earned more income than Christopher Reeve, the film’s lead. His estimated net worth of his of $40 million.
Richard Pryor Early life
Pryor was born in Peoria, Illinois, on the 1st of December in 1940. His maternal grandmother, Marie Carter, owned a brothel in which his drunk mother, Gertrude L., was a prostitute.
LeRoy “Buck Carter” Pryor was his father. He was an ex-boxer hustler, pimp, and hustler who was alive from June 7 to September 27 the year 1968.
Pryor was mostly raised by Marie who was a tall, angry woman who used to hit him with a whip for his oddities following the time Gertrude dropped him after the age of ten was reached. Pryor was raised in the brothel of his grandmother, one of four children.
At seven years old at the time, he was abused sexually at age seven, and by the age of 14 at the time, he was kicked out of school. He was Prince Hall Freemason at the local lodge during his time in Peoria.
Pryor was a member of his time in the United States Army from 1958 until 1960 and spent the majority of his time in a military prison.
imprisoned over an incident that took place during his time in West Germany, according to the 1999 article that appeared in The New Yorker.
Pryor as well as several other black soldiers became furious when a white soldier seemed overly thrilled by the controversial racial content of Douglas Sirk’s movie Imitation of Life, and they beat him and attacked the soldier, but not fatally.
Richard Pryor Biography
Richard Franklin Lennox Thomas Pryor was born on the 1st of December 1940 in Peoria, Illinois USA, and passed away on the 10th of December in Los Angeles, California, USA. was a comedian, actor satirist, and film director.
Richard Pryor was a winner of five Grammy Awards, two American Academy of Humour Awards, an Emmy Award, the Kennedy Center Mark Twain Prize for American Humour, and the Writers Guild of America Award.
| Full Name | Richard Pryor |
|---|---|
| Relationship status | Married |
| Sexuality | Straight |
| Current Wife of Richard Pryor | Jennifer Lee |
| Ex-girlfriends or ex-wives | Patricia Price, Shelley R. Bonus, Deborah McGuire, Flynn Belaine |
| Father | Buck Carter |
| Mother | Gertrude |
| Son | Richard Pryor Jr, Stephen Michael Pryor, Franklin Pryor |
| Daughter | Renee Pryor, Elizabeth Ann, Kelsey Pryor |
In addition, he was on his list on Comedy Central as the all-time most popular stand-up comedian.
Most definitely, all of those awards added to Richard Pryor’s wealth. Pryor was involved in the industry of entertainment between 1963 and 1997.
How rich was Richard Pryor? major sources of his net worth included acting and writing. According to estimates her net worth of his was around $40 million.
Richard Pryor Movies
“Stir” Crazy (1980): Pryor joined forces with Gene Wilder in this prison comedy classic, performing hilarious sketches about everything from race issues to food in prison.
Silver Streak (1976): Pryor co-starred alongside Gene Wilder again in this comical comedy that revolves around a man who is witness to a murder on a train.
Which Way Is Up? (1977): Pryor wrote, directed, and starred in this semi-autobiographical comedy about a struggling black man trying to make it in America.
Bustin’ Loose (1981): Pryor plays a parole officer who goes undercover at the club to find an illegal drug ring.
See No Evil, Hear No Evil (1989): Pryor and Gene Wilder reunite for one last time in this comedic about two blind and deaf men who witness the commission of a crime.
Lady Sings the Blues (1972): Pryor plays the drug addict and troubled pianist Lenny Bruce in this biographical drama.
Blue Collar (1978): Pryor appears in this witty comedy about three autoworkers planning an armed theft.
Car Wash (1976): Pryor is a tiny part of this comedy that centers around the auto wash that takes place in Los Angeles.
Superman III (1983): Pryor is a con artist who joins forces alongside Richard Lester to take down Superman.
Brewster’s Millions (1985): Pryor stars in this comedy about the man who receives $300 million and a contract that states he won’t spend it all in 30 days.
Family and childhood
On the 1st of December in 1940 Richard Pryor was born. His hometown was Peoria, Illinois. His introduction to the world appears to have been a struggle. Gertrude L. Thomas and LeRoy Pryor were his parents.
Sagittarius the zodiac of his birth. On the other hand, his father was a bartender and boxer. In World War II, he was a soldier as a soldier.
The actor grew up in the brothel of his grandmother she also ran. Lawrence D. Keys is his brother. His ethnicity is unknown and his nationality is American.
Pryor died from an attack of the heart on the 10th of December of 2005 in the Los Angeles area hospital.
Richar was a class clown when in elementary school. He discovered his talents as an actor in his adolescent days. When he turned fourteen, he was kicked out of his school.
Professional life and career
Richard Pryor was cast in Juliette Whittaker’s production Rumpelstiltskin due to his outstanding acting skills.
She is also the director of an organization that serves the region. She believed in his potential and continued to encourage his efforts throughout the years.
He was forced to work in various fields after being dismissed from school before he joined the military in the year 1958. Despite his age, he was permitted to be in the army for two years.
dismissed because there was an altercation with a soldier. was not only an actor-comedian and performer but also an animal rights advocate. was the founder of Pryor’s Planet, an animal welfare group.
Career of comedian
In addition, following his first divorce, the celebrity seeks out a job as an entertainer. a worked as a stand-up comic in cities such as East St. Louis and Pittsburgh in which he appeared at African-American clubs.
His Broadway debut with the show “On Broadway Tonight.” is a part of “The Merv Griffin Show” as well as “The Ed Sullivan Show” as an actor.
He was also a character in “The Busy Body” (1967) as well as “Wild in the Streets” (1968). (1968). In 1968, he released his first comedy album named after his name.
A toured extensively as a popular comedian. In a brief time, they performed as Bobby Darin’s opener in The Flamingo Hotel located in Las Vegas.
A career in the film industry
Surprisingly enough, he stopped doing stand-up comedy after a few years because he got bored with the restrictions and limitations imposed on his work.
He also was a part of sitcoms like The Flip Wilson Show and Sanford and Son, both with the comic Redd Foxx.
In the end, he started working within the industry of film too. He wrote the screenplay for the western comedy Blazing Saddles with Mel Brooks (1974).
He was a wildly successful actor as a film actor at the end of the 70s. In the box office smash Silver Streak (1976), featuring Gene Wilder and Jill Clayburgh the actor was a popular fan. In the film “Greased Lightning,” he was also the first stock car racing African-American winner (1977).
Pryor and Wilder were also in the well-known crime film Stir Crazy (1980). Sidney Poitier directed the film. The film was a smash at the box office and earned over $100 million. “Richard Pryor: Live in Concert” was his third movie (1979).
Return to the workforce
His return to comedy stand-up and performing followed several years of recovering from multiple incidents. He was featured in a range of films that included “Some Kind of Hero” (1982) and “The Toy” (1982).
Similar to his work “Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life Is Calling” was inspired by his own story (1986). Despite being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis and his continued appearances in films like “Critical Condition” (1987), “See No Evil, Hear No Evil,” and Harlem Nights.
The writer also composed Pryor Convictions: and Other Life Sentences. It was an autobiography. He also appeared on “Chicago Hope.” “Lost Highway” was his most recent film.
Nominations and Awards
Richard Pryor is a candidate to become a successful actor and comedic actor. His part as a supporting actor for” Billie Holiday “Billie Holiday” film “Lady Sings the Blues” (1972) with Diana Ross, might gain his acclaim.
The film’s director, a.k.a “The Lily Tomlin Show,” the gifted performer earned the first Emmy Award nomination (great writing accomplishment in comedy and variety).
In addition, he was awarded the very first Emmy (for the most creative writing in comedy or diversity) in his third collaboration Lily Tomlin: the comedy special Lily Tomlin (1973).
His third comedy album which came out in 1974, earned him the Grammy Award for Best Comedy Recording. He became the first person to win the Kennedy Center’s Mark Twain Prize for American Humor.
He also won two Grammy Awards for Best Comedy Recording after his return performance. The first came in the year 1981, for Rev.Du Rite The second one was on the night of his death in 1982 with Live on the Sunset Strip.
Richard Pryor married
Richard Pryor, the comedic legend, was well-known for his turbulent private life, which included 7 marriages with 5 women. Here’s a closer review of his marriage story:
- Patricia Price (1960-1961): Pryor’s first marriage was to Patricia Price in 1960. But, it was a brief affair and dissolution took place within one year.
- Shelley Bonus (1967-1969): After a few years, Pryor married singer Shelley Bonus in the year 1967. Their marriage lasted for two years, before ending with divorce.
- Deborah McGuire (1977-1978): A 1977, Pryor was married to model and actress Deborah McGuire. Their relationship was not smooth and ended with a divorce after just one year.
- Jennifer Lee (1981-1982, 2001-2005): Pryor’s most lasting union was with the actor and designer Jennifer Lee. They got married in 1981. However, they divorced a year later because of Pryor’s addiction dependency, and rekindled their love and back together in the year 2001. They remained in love until the passing of Pryor in 2005.
- Flynn Belanie (1986-1987, 1990-1991): Between his two marriages to Jennifer Lee, Pryor was married twice to model Flynn Belanie. The first marriage lasted for just an entire month, in the summer of 1986. They briefly tied the knot later in 1990, but the couple separated in 1991.
In addition to these formal marriages, Pryor had numerous other important relationships and had eight children in total. His chaotic and complex life as a single parent became the subject of his comedic work and humor, bringing layers of rawness as well as vulnerability to his performance.
Although Richard Pryor’s reputation as a revolutionary comedian remains unique, his marital story is a story of a lifetime searching for stability and love amid personal struggles and artistic brilliance.
Conclusion
In the world of comedy, Richard Pryor is a legend whose influence continues to resonate. Beyond the laughter, his net worth was a testament to his immense talent a hard work. From his humble beginnings to his peak earnings, Pryor journey is a story of perseverance transformative power of humor.
As we bid farewell to this exploration, we’re reminded of the laughter and inspiration he brought to our lives. His legacy remains intact, and his impact on comedy is immeasurable.