Richard Pryor
Richard Pryor died today of a heart attack at a Los Angeles hospital. He was 65.
One of the most popular Hollywood comedians during the second half of the ’70s, Pryor appeared in several box-office hits, including Silver Streak (1976), in which he was first paired with fellow comedian Gene Wilder; the all-star, omnibus dramatic comedy California Suite (1978), opposite Bill Cosby; and Stir Crazy (1980), also with Wilder.
Among his other films of the period were the urban comedy Car Wash (1976); Which Way Is Up? (1977), in which he played three characters; The Wiz (1978), in the title role; and Wholly Moses! (1980), starring Dudley Moore.
Pryor’s career took a major tumble in the early ’80s, partly because of the actor’s drug problems, which were depicted in the semi-autobiographical drama Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life Is Calling (1986).
In the last 15 years, Richard Pryor made only sporadic film appearances. His last film was David Lynch’s Lost Highway (1997).
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Tags: California Suite, Car Wash, Gene Wilder, Jo Jo Dancer Your Life Is Calling, Lost Highway, Richard Pryor, Silver Streak, Stir Crazy, The Wiz, Wholly Moses!
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