Directed credits
2
Emerging
Beginning to build directing work.
Director
Richard Pryor
Acting
Career Snapshot
ExplainedThese indicators come from TMDB. They are relative signals, not review ratings.
TMDB popularity
2.1
Low visibility
TMDB internal trend index. Higher usually means more searches and page activity now.
Directed movies: 2Directed series: 0All crew credits: 13
TMDB ID: 9309
IMDb ID: nm0001640
Known for: Acting
Born: December 1, 1940
Died: December 10, 2005
Age: 65
Place of birth: Peoria, Illinois, USA
Gender: Male
Adult content flag: No
Career span: 1948 - 2025
Years active: 78
Average TMDB rating: 6.43
Wikidata: Q294912
Also known as
Richard Franklin Lennox Thomas Pryor • Ρίτσαρντ Πραιορ • Річард Прайор • ریچارد پرایور • ریچارد پرایر
Frequent jobs
Director (2)Writer (6)Creator (2)Original Film Writer (1)Screenplay (1)Story (1)
Biography
Richard Franklin Lennox Thomas Pryor was an American stand-up comedian, actor, film director, social critic, satirist, writer, and MC. Pryor was known for uncompromising examinations of racism and topical contemporary issues, which employed colorful vulgarities, and profanity, as well as racial epithets. He reached a broad audience with his trenchant observations and storytelling style. He is widely regarded as one of the most important and influential stand-up comedians of all time: receiving praise from notable comedians such as Jerry Seinfeld, Bob Newhart, and Bill Cosby. His body of work includes the concert movies and recordings starting in the 70s and spanning three decades. He also starred in numerous films as an actor, in both comedic and dramatic roles. He collaborated on many projects with actor Gene Wilder and actor/comedian/writer Paul Mooney. Pryor won an Emmy Award (1973), and five Grammy Awards (1974, 1975, 1976, 1981, and 1982). In 1974, he also won two American Academy of Humor awards and the Writers Guild of America Award. The first ever Kennedy Center Mark Twain Prize for American Humor was presented to him in 1998. Pryor is listed at Number 1 on Comedy Central's list of all-time greatest stand-up comedians.
Photos
Movies
Directed Movies
Movies directed by Richard Pryor.
Movies
Top Rated Movies
Highest rated movies linked with Richard Pryor.
7.5
Lost Highway
as Arnie
1997 Movie
7.4
Richard Pryor: Live in Concert
Writer
1979 Movie
7.4
Richard Pryor: Live on the Sunset Strip
Writer
1982 Movie
7.3
Blue Collar
as Ezekiel 'Zeke' Brown
1978 Movie
7.2
Blazing Saddles
Screenplay
1974 Movie
7.2
The Muppet Movie
as Balloon Vendor
1979 Movie
6.8
See No Evil, Hear No Evil
as Wallace 'Wally' Karue
1989 Movie
6.7
Silver Streak
as Grover Muldoon
1976 Movie
6.6
Me, Myself & Irene
as Stand-Up Comedian on TV (archive footage) (uncredited)
2000 Movie
6.6
Brewster's Millions
as Montgomery Brewster
1985 Movie
6.6
Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank
Original Film Writer
2022 Movie
6.5
Stir Crazy
as Harry Monroe
1980 Movie
Series
Top Rated Series
Highest rated series linked with Richard Pryor.
Movies
Most Popular Movies
Most viewed movie titles linked with Richard Pryor.
7.2
Blazing Saddles
Screenplay
1974 Movie
7.5
Lost Highway
as Arnie
1997 Movie
6.6
Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank
Original Film Writer
2022 Movie
5.5
Superman III
as August 'Gus' Gorman
1983 Movie
6.5
Stir Crazy
as Harry Monroe
1980 Movie
6.1
The Wiz
as The Wiz
1978 Movie
5.5
Critical Condition
as Eddie Lenahan/Dr. Kevin Slattery
1987 Movie
6.6
Me, Myself & Irene
as Stand-Up Comedian on TV (archive footage) (uncredited)
2000 Movie
7.2
The Muppet Movie
as Balloon Vendor
1979 Movie
6.4
Breakdown: 1975
as Self (archive footage)
2025 Movie
6.1
Harlem Nights
as Sugar Ray
1989 Movie
6.8
See No Evil, Hear No Evil
as Wallace 'Wally' Karue
1989 Movie
Series
Most Popular Series
Most viewed series linked with Richard Pryor.
7.0
Saturday Night Live
as Self - Host • 1 eps
1975 Series
7.5
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
as Self • 7 eps
1962 Series
5.4
The Mike Douglas Show
as Self - Co-Host • 2 eps
1961 Series
7.2
Chicago Hope
as Joe Springer • 1 eps
1994 Series
6.2
The Merv Griffin Show
as Self • 10 eps
1962 Series
7.6
Martin
as Richard Pryor • 1 eps
1992 Series
6.8
The Partridge Family
as A.E. Simon • 1 eps
1970 Series
6.8
The Ed Sullivan Show
as Self • 1 eps
1948 Series
6.7
Dinah!
as Self • 1 eps
1974 Series
6.8
The Norm Show
1 eps
1999 Series
4.7
Kraft Music Hall
as Self • 1 eps
1958 Series
5.0
Legends
as G.O.D. (archive footage) (uncredited) • 1 eps
2006 Series
Movies
Other Crew Work in Movies
Additional movie credits for Richard Pryor.
6.6
Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank
Original Film Writer
2022 Movie
7.4
Richard Pryor: Live on the Sunset Strip
Writer
1982 Movie
6.1
Bustin' Loose
Story
1981 Movie
7.4
Richard Pryor: Live in Concert
Writer
1979 Movie
7.0
The Richard Pryor Special?
Writer
1977 Movie
7.2
Blazing Saddles
Screenplay
1974 Movie
Lily
Writer
1973 Movie
6.4
Richard Pryor: Live and Smokin'
Writer
1971 Movie
Uncle Tom's Fairy Tales
Writer
1969 Movie
Series
Other Crew Work in Series
Additional series credits for Richard Pryor.
Movies
Acting Appearances in Movies
Movie cast credits for Richard Pryor.
6.4
Breakdown: 1975
as Self (archive footage)
2025 Movie
6.8
I'm Chevy Chase and You're Not
as Self (archive footage)
2025 Movie
7.8
John Candy: I Like Me
as Self - Actor (archive footage)
2025 Movie
6.2
Outstanding: A Comedy Revolution
as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
2024 Movie
7.2
Remembering Gene Wilder
as Self (archive footage)
2024 Movie
Zeitgeist: Requiem
as Self (archive footage)
2024 Movie
Betye Saar: Drifting Toward Twilight
2023 Movie
6.3
The Hall: Honoring the Greats of Stand-Up
as Self (archive footage)
2022 Movie
10.0
The Last Days of Richard Pryor
as Himself
2020 Movie
6.9
I Am Richard Pryor
as Self - Actor and Comedian (archive footage)
2019 Movie
6.2
Richard Pryor: Icon
as Self (archive footage)
2014 Movie
8.2
Mel Brooks: Make a Noise
as Self (archive footage)
2013 Movie
Series
Acting Appearances in Series
Series cast credits for Richard Pryor.
Stand-Up: The Laughing Therapy
as Self (archive footage) • 1 eps
2024 Series
8.2
Dark Side of Comedy
as Self (Archive Footage) • 1 eps
2022 Series
5.7
Superstar
as Self (archive footage) • 1 eps
2021 Series
7.7
The Comedy Store
as Self (archive footage) • 5 eps
2020 Series
5.0
Legends
as G.O.D. (archive footage) (uncredited) • 1 eps
2006 Series
6.8
The Norm Show
1 eps
1999 Series
7.2
Chicago Hope
as Joe Springer • 1 eps
1994 Series
7.6
Martin
as Richard Pryor • 1 eps
1992 Series
5.0
Pryor's Place
as Richard Pryor • 13 eps
1984 Series
6.3
The Richard Pryor Show
as Host • 5 eps
1977 Series
7.0
Saturday Night Live
as Self - Host • 1 eps
1975 Series
6.7
Dinah!
as Self • 1 eps
1974 Series