What is Richard Pryor Net Worth?
| Net Worth: | $40 million |
|---|---|
| Source of Wealth: | Stand-up Comedian and Actor |
| Date of Birth: | June 7th, 1915 |
| Country of Origin: | United States |
| Last Updated: | 2024 |
Richard Pryor Net Worth: Richard Pryor was a stand-up comedian and actor with an estimated net worth of $40 million. He was very active in the movie industry until the time he suffered from the illness that took his life.
He was often referred to as among the most influential & finest stand-up comedians of all time.
The American author, actor, and stand-up comedian Richard Pryor were able to make a net worth of about $40 million before his death.
Early Life
LeRoy “Buck Carter” Pryor, who was a former boxer, hustler, & pimp, and Gertrude L. (née Thomas), who worked as a sex worker in a brothel, gave birth to Richard Pryor in Illinois’s Peoria, on December 1, 1940. His mother, Gertrude, was an alcoholic, and the brothel she worked in while Richard was a child was run by his grandmother, Marie Carter.
His father was born on June 7, 1915, and died on September 27, 1968.
Pryor was mostly raised by a tall, angry lady called Marie. She would usually beat him up for any wrong thing he did when Gertrude, his mother, left him when he was ten years old. Richard was one of the four kids raised by his brother and his grandmother. He experienced sexual abuse and was expelled from school at the ages of seven and fourteen, respectively. He joined a local lodge in Peoria and became the Prince Hall Freemason of the lodge.
Richard served in the United States Army between 1958 and 1960. However, he spent the majority of that time imprisoned. Pryor was imprisoned, according to a 1999 profile of him in The New Yorker, for an event that happened when he was stationed in West Germany.
Career
After arriving in New York City in 1963 and beginning his career as a club performer, Richard soon began making television appearances on series including “The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson,” “The Ed Sullivan Show,” and “The Merv Griffin Show.” “Richard Pryor,” his debut comedy album, was released in 1968 after he became famous in Las Vegas.
He moved to California’s Berkeley the next year, where he contributed to “Lily,” the 1973 one-hour specials “The Lily Tomlin Show,” “Sanford and Son,” and “The Flip Wilson Show.” He made his cinematic breakthrough in 1967 with “The Busy Body,” and subsequently starred in movies like “The Muppet Movie” (1979),” “The Wiz,” “Uptown Saturday Night,” “The Mack,” “Lady Sings the Blues,” and “Wild in the Streets.”
In 1970, he signed a deal with Laff Records, then in 1973, he switched to the larger company Stax Records. Brooks’s original intention was for Pryor to play the role of the main character in the 1974 comedy “Blazing Saddles,” which Pryor co-wrote, but the production company wouldn’t insure him. Richard became the 1st black person to host “Saturday Night Live” in history in the year 1975.
Richard Pryor net worth is estimated to be $40 million as of 2024.
Career Highlights
- 1968 – release of debut comedy album “Richard Pryor.”
- 1974 – release of his 3rd comedy album.
- 1980 – starred in the movie, “Stir Crazy.”
- 1983 – signs 5-year contract with Columbia Pictures
- 2002 – wins a Lawsuit to obtain lawful rights to certain “Laff material.”
Personal Life
The Comedian Freddie Prinze, to whom Pryor was married from 1960 to 1961, introduced him to actress Pam Grier. He was married to Shelley Bonus from 1967 to 1969. He married Deborah McGuire, an upcoming actress & model, on September 12, 1977. Before they finally married, they had a four-year, on-and-off relationship.
However, they were a year later, in August 1978, after they had separated in January 1978. Pryor employed interior designer and actress Jennifer Lee to decorate his house.
They fell in love and got married. But they separated a year later, in October 1982, because of Pryor’s drug problem.
Richard married Flynn Belaine, a would-be actress, in October 1986. They met in 1984 while Pryor was performing in Washington, D.C. Pryor sought divorce two months after their wedding but later dropped the suit. He re-filed for divorce a week later. In July 1987, their divorce became legally binding. On April 1, 1990, they got remarried, but they got divorced again in July 1991.
Pryor later remarried Jennifer Lee on June 29, 2001, and they stayed together until Pryor passed away in 2005. He was brought to a nearby hospital on December 10, 2005, and died at 7:58 a.m. PST. He had seven kids from 6 different women.
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Awards & Achievements
In 1975, “Blazing Saddles” earned him a Writers Guild of America Award for “Best Comedy Written Directly for the Film.” And in 1981, “Bustin’ Loose” earned him an Image Award for Best Actor Performance in a Motion Film.
In 1994, “Mo’ Funny: Black Comedy in America” won a CableACE Entertainment/Cultural Documentary or Informational Program Award.
The 1993 American Comedy Awards, the 1996 NAACP Image Awards, and the 1997 New York Comedy Festival presented Richard Pryor with a Lifetime Achievement Award in Comedy.
Richard was the 1st person to receive the Mark Twain Award for American Comedy from the Kennedy Center in 1998.
He worked with People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals in 1999 and was given a humanitarian award for his efforts (PETA).
In 2006, the Grammys presented him with a Lifetime Achievement Award posthumously.
Richard Pryor Net worth
Richard Pryor net worth is estimated to be $40 million. The American author, actor, and stand-up comedian Richard Pryor made alot before his death.
He is often referred to as among the most influential & finest stand-up comedians of all time.
Charity
The late, great comedian Richard Pryor would undoubtedly make fun of his philanthropic legacy if he was still alive. Jennifer Lee Pryor, his widow, said in 2012 that she was collaborating with a charity to begin a new initiative to raise funds to enable local communities in popular tourist spots to control stray animal populations humanely. The fund’s name is The International Animal Spay and Neuter Legacy Fund of Richard Pryor!
Real Estate
Sherwood Forest was the home of Richard Pryor. The 2.2-acre mansion has four bedrooms, four bathrooms, a gym, a pool house, a guest house, a dancing studio for professionals, a playhouse for kids, and a kennel. House in Los Angeles, California, worth $2.5 million
Richard Pryor’s net worth is estimated to be about $40 million. this is inclusive of his wealth in real estate
Vehicle Collection
Richard owns a 1981 Mercedes-Benz 280CE. Lot #51 – The famous comedian & actor was the original owner of this black-on-black 1981 Mercedes-Benz 280CE. It has an automatic transmission and a 6-cylinder engine, both in fine working order.
Notable Richard Pryor’s Quotes
Life Lessons to Learn From Richard Pryor’s Success
Since we had the chance to discuss Richard Pryor’s career and personal life in-depth, we reached some significant conclusions that can help you and your line of work.
1. Generous
He was a very generous man. He always tries as much as possible to help the less privileged. The community’s people love him for caring and helping out wherever he can.
2. Focus
Pryor never allowed his unstable relationship to get in the way of his career. He always managed to maintain his commitment to his work, so he acquired a net worth of $40 million.
3. Talents
The American author, actor, and stand-up comedian Richard Pryor are incredibly talented. He had a remarkable gift for public speaking, which helped him become well-known. He does his work naturally without overthinking what to say on stage.
Frequently Asked Questions – Richard Pryor’s Net Worth
What ailments did Richard suffer from?
Richard had multiple sclerosis, a degenerative nerve system condition, for many years. Quincy Jones, a music producer, called Pryor a true pioneer in his field. In a statement, Jones referred to him as “the Charlie Parker of comedy, a master of telling the truth who affected every comedian that came after him.”
What was the thing that put Richard in a wheelchair?
Richard, the comedian, was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis four years before he began using a wheelchair in 1990. He died in 2005 after having a heart attack.
How many times did Richard marry?
Richard and Brando both had numerous marriages. According to People, Pryor married about seven times to 5 different women & had seven kids. Brando, who passed away in 2004, had three marriages and had at least eleven kids before he died. He talked about his sexuality publicly.
Who inherited Richard Pryor’s entire fortune?
According to reports, Jennifer kept the marriage a secret from Pryor’s kids. Pryor then changed his trust, appointing her as the primary beneficiary, giving her the authority to manage his entire intellectual property, including his name & image rights and earnings from his performances and comedy albums.
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Final Remarks
Richard Pryor broke all the rules of comedy at a time when most of it was bland and observational and burst onto the scene with his obscene and offensive remarks. Because he had no prior acting experience, Pryor’s narrative and timing were unmatched, earning him significant roles in influential Hollywood films like Blue Collar & Superman III. He was nicknamed the “next Bill Cosby,” but that was more than just a compliment.
As of 2024, Richard Pryor net worth is estimated to be $40 million.