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Richard Pryor

Richard Pryor

Actor and writer, also producer and director · Died December 10, 2005, aged 65 · Peoria, Illinois, USA

Primetime Emmy winner · BAFTA Award nominee · 2 other major award bodies

Richard Franklin Lennox Thomas Pryor III (December 1, 1940 – December 10, 2005) 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.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
December 1, 1940
Died
December 10, 2005 (aged 65)
From
Peoria, Illinois, USA
Works as
Actor and writer, also producer and director
Titles
41 on MovieCove · 59 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Official site (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 155 days to Oct 26Down 13% in 30 days

What are Richard Pryor's films like?

Across their 36 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Self and Bonds.

Genres

Comedy19 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 46th percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Action6 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 49th percentile
: browse their Action movies
Documentary3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 85th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Documentary movies
Biography2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 70th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Biography movies
Crime2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 82nd percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Crime movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Self
25%
Bonds
21%
Morality
17%
Power
14%
Survival
11%
Society
10%
Ideas
3%
Identity8 titles, browse their movies with this themeFriendship9 titles, browse their movies with this themeSelf-worth6 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds5 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival6 titles, browse their movies with this themeAmbition5 titles, browse their movies with this themeDeception5 titles, browse their movies with this themeAddiction3 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 36 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Light: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their light movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 25 · Serious 6 · Dark 5

Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

A split, not a type: Grounded 21 · Stylized 8 · Heightened 7

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 14 · Charged 17 · Intense 5

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 12 · Shifting 18 · Whiplash 6

Funny: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their funny movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 2 · Some laughs 8 · Funny 26

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 13 · Even-paced 20 · Relentless 3

Casual: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their casual movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 25 · Engaged 10 · Full focus 1

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 33 · Open-ended 2 · Ambiguous 1

Roles they play

30 analyzed roles

Usually the Trickster: 9 of 30 analyzed roles.

Trickster
9 of 30
Hero
9 of 30
Ally
4 of 30
Shadow
3 of 30
Mentor
2 of 30
Shapeshifter
2 of 30
Threshold guardian
1 of 30
Show the 30 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Joyful
20
Absurd
16
Tense
17
Warm
9
Melancholic
6
Other
28

How their films linger

Feel-good19 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun17 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful10 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet8 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 5 with a twist

  • Happy16
  • Bittersweet12
  • Tragic2
  • Ambiguous4
  • Cyclical2

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Richard Pryor's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 25 of their 41 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (13).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Richard Pryor's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

59 credits, 41 with a MovieCove page; 51 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Betye Saar: Drifting Toward Twilight (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2023)

    Actor

  • Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank(2022)

    Original Film Writer

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films

  • Black and White Trypps Number Four (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    Actor

  • Legends (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    Show 1 episode · as G.O.D. (archive footage) (uncredited)

  • Saturday Night Live: 25th Anniversary Special (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)

    as (archive footage)

  • The Norm Show(1999)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all shows

  • Lost Highway(1997)

    as Arnie

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films

  • Mad Dog Time(1996)

    as Jimmy the Gravedigger

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films

  • Chicago Hope (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    Show 1 episode · as Joe Springer

  • Martin(1992)

    Show 1 episode · as Richard Pryor

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all shows

  • The Three Muscatels (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)

    as Narrator / Wino / Bartender

  • Another You(1991)

    as Eddie Dash

    Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all films

  • Harlem Nights(1989)

    as Sugar Ray

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • See No Evil, Hear No Evil(1989)

    as Wallace 'Wally' Karue

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films

  • Moving(1988)

    as Arlo Pear

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films

  • Critical Condition(1987)

    as Eddie Lenahan/Dr. Kevin Slattery

    Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all films

  • Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life Is Calling(1986)

    Director · Producer · Screenplay · as Jo Jo Dancer / Alter Ego

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • Brewster's Millions(1985)

    as Montgomery Brewster

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • Pryor's Place (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)

    Show 13 episodes · Creator · as Richard Pryor

  • Richard Pryor... Here and Now(1983)

    Director · Writer · as Self

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films

  • Superman III(1983)

    as August 'Gus' Gorman

    Midcredits score: 11th percentile of all films

  • The Toy(1982)

    as Jack Brown

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films

  • Some Kind of Hero(1982)

    as Cpl. Eddie Keller / Ted Segal

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films

  • Richard Pryor: Live on the Sunset Strip(1982)

    Producer · Writer · as Self

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films

  • Bustin' Loose(1981)

    Producer · Story · as Joe Braxton

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • Stir Crazy(1980)

    as Harry Monroe

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films

  • In God We Trust (or Gimme That Prime Time Religion)(1980)

    as G.O.D.

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films

  • Wholly Moses!(1980)

    as Pharaoh

    Midcredits score: 15th percentile of all films

  • The Muppet Movie(1979)

    as Balloon Vendor

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films

  • Richard Pryor: Live in Concert (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)

    Writer · as Self

  • The Wiz(1978)

    as The Wiz

    Midcredits score: 52nd percentile of all films

  • California Suite(1978)

    as Dr. Chauncey Gump

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films

  • Blue Collar(1978)

    as Ezekiel 'Zeke' Brown

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films

  • Which Way Is Up?(1977)

    as Leroy Jones / Rufus Jones / Rev. Lenox Thomas

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

  • The Richard Pryor Show (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)

    Show 5 episodes · Creator · as Host

  • Greased Lightning(1977)

    as Wendell Scott

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films

  • The Richard Pryor Special?(1977)

    Writer · as Self / Various

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all films

  • Silver Streak(1976)

    as Grover Muldoon

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films

  • Car Wash(1976)

    as Daddy Rich

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films

  • The Bingo Long Traveling All-Stars & Motor Kings(1976)

    as Charlie Snow

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films

  • Adiós Amigo(1975)

    as Sam Spade

    Midcredits score: 6th percentile of all films

  • Carter's Army (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1975)

    as Pvt. Jonathan Crunk

  • Uptown Saturday Night(1974)

    as Sharp Eye Washington

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films

  • Blazing Saddles(1974)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films

  • Juke and Opal (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    as Juke

  • Some Call It Loving (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    as Jeff

  • Lily (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    Writer · Actor

  • Hit!(1973)

    as Mike Willmer

    Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all films

  • The Mack(1973)

    as Slim

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films

  • Lady Sings the Blues(1972)

    as Piano Man

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films

  • You've Got To Walk It Like You Talk It or You'll Lose That Beat (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1971)

    as Wino

  • Richard Pryor: Live and Smokin' (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1971)

    Writer · as Self

  • The Partridge Family(1970)

    Show 1 episode · as A.E. Simon

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all shows

  • The Young Lawyers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1970)

    Show 24 episodes · Actor

  • The Phynx(1970)

    as Richard Pryor

    Midcredits score: 11th percentile of all films

  • The Young Lawyers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1969)

    as Otis Tucker

  • Uncle Tom's Fairy Tales (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1969)

    Writer · Actor

  • Wild in the Streets(1968)

    as Stanley X

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films

  • The Busy Body(1967)

    as Whittaker

    Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all films

Career shape

Star power in the 99th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 59 titles from 1967 to 2023; peak year 1977.

Biggest box office

Blazing Saddles (1974)

$120M worldwide

Highest rated

Blazing Saddles (1974)

Midcredits 94th

Most popular right now

Lost Highway (1997)

Film career

19672023

Peak 1977 · fewer prominent film roles lately. Top draw in 21 MovieCove titles. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting52 of 59: 46 only acting, 6 with another role · typical Midcredits score50thDirecting2 of 59: 0 only directing, 2 with another roleWriting11 of 59: 5 only writing, 6 with another role · typical Midcredits score85thProducing3 of 59: 0 only producing, 3 with another roleOther crew2 of 59: 0 only other crew, 2 with another role

59 titles, 8 with more than one role — acting and writing overlap on 4 of them.

By decade

1960s4 · 4 acting · 1 crew1970s27 · 23 acting · 6 crew1980s16 · 14 acting · 5 crew1990s8 · acting2000s2 · acting2020s2 · 1 acting · 1 crew

Billing

usually 2nd · top billed in 41% of 29 roles
687883

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.

Awards

a Primetime Emmy and 7 other major awards from 18 major nominations, 1973–2006.

WinNomination
  1. 2006
    • Grammy Award, won · Lifetime Achievement Award
  2. 1996
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series
  3. 1985
    • Grammy Award, nominated · Best Comedy Recording
  4. 1983
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Individual Performance in a Variety or Music Program
    • +1 other major body · 1 win
      • Grammy Award, won · Best Comedy Recording
  5. 1982
    • Grammy Award, won · Best Comedy Recording
  6. 1981
    • Grammy Award, nominated · Best Comedy Recording
  7. 1980
    • Grammy Award, nominated · Best Comedy Recording
  8. 1979
    • Grammy Award, nominated · Best Comedy Recording
Show 6 earlier years
  1. 1978
    • Grammy Award, nominated · Best Comedy Recording
  2. 1977
    • Grammy Award, won · Best Comedy Recording
  3. 1976
    • Grammy Award, won · Best Comedy Recording
  4. 1975
    • BAFTA Award, nominated · Best Screenplay
    • +2 other major bodies · 2 wins
      • Writers Guild Award, won · Best Comedy Written Directly for the Screen
      • Grammy Award, won · Best Comedy Recording
  5. 1974
    • Primetime Emmy, won · Best Writing in Comedy-Variety, Variety or Music
    • +1 other major body · 1 nomination
      • Writers Guild Award, nominated · Best Written Variety Script
  6. 1973
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Writing Achievement in Comedy, Variety or Music

Major bodies only: the Oscars, Primetime Emmys, Golden Globes, BAFTAs and Screen Actors Guild Awards are named; Cannes, Venice, the Berlinale, Sundance, the directors', writers' and producers' guilds, the Grammys, Critics Choice and the Independent Spirit Awards count as other major bodies. Festival and regional prizes are not counted. Source: IMDb.

How do Richard Pryor's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 54th percentile, the median of all 38; across their 36 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 59th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

59thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 36

Approval · how many liked their films

52ndpercentile
Typical film, the median of 36

Reach · how many have seen their films

71stpercentile
Typical film, the median of 36

Midcredits score across 41 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up11
  • 50th to 74th11
  • 25th to 49th13
  • Below 25th6

Shape of the crowd

17 of their 41 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved5
  • Cult Classic1
  • Crowd Pleaser17
  • Broadly Agreed4
  • Mixed14

Most divisive · actor

The Wiz (1978)

73rd percentile spread · 26% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

The Muppet Movie (1979)

Midcredits 95th · 82% liked

Reviewers score the acting 71/100 in their films, across 33 reviewed titles; fans 80, detractors 47. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Richard Pryor's work okay for kids?

Across up to 14 MovieCove titles with content scores, profanity runs heavier than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore11 titles13–67 · median 39 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity14 titles23–69 · median 36 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity13 titles24–90 · median 64 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs11 titles29–51 · median 39 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense10 titles8–62 · median 34 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does Richard Pryor work with?

People who share at least 2 of Richard Pryor's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Gene Wilder shares the most, 5.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers

Mixed roles