Funny, bold, sharp, and controversial. What other word could best describe Richard Pryor, perhaps besides, legendary?
The American stand-up comedian and actor had a solid body of work throughout his career span. Considered as one of the greatest comics in America, he also lived a very eventful personal life.
By the time of his death, Richard Pryor net worth reached a quite fantastic number.
Do you want to know some facts about his wealth and income? Read on to find out facts about Richard Pryor net worth and other truths behind his work.
| Summary table | |
| Stage Namewire | Richard Pryor |
| Legal Name | Richard Franklin Lennox Thomas Pryor |
| Date of Birth | December 1, 1940 |
| Gender | Male |
| Height | 5′10 3/32″ (1,78 m) |
| Net worth | $40 million |
| Salary / earning / income per year | $ 6,47 million |
| Profession | Stand-up comedian, actor, and writer |
| Nationality | American |
Familiar With Richard Pryor
Before discussing Richard Pryor net worth, let’s take a quick look at the comedian’s profile.
- Legal Name & Stage Name: Born as Richard Franklin Lennox Thomas Pryor, the star of Superman III was known better by his stage name, Richard Prayor.
- Date of Birth: Richard Pryor’s date of birth was December 1, 1940.
- Gender & Height: The African American comedian was a 5′10 3/32″ (1,78 m) male.
- Nationality: Growing up in Peoria, Illinois, Richard Pryor is a U.S. citizen.
Famous for
The son of Gertrude L. and LeRoy Pryor was known best for his work as a comedian, actor, and writer. He had a particular storytelling method, which was supported by his razor-sharp observation.
Richard Pryor had been performing as a stand-up comedian both on live stages and recorded performances. His filmography was including Richard Pryor: Live & Smokin’ (1971), … Is It Something I Said? (1975), Silver Streak (1976), Blue Colar (1978), and many more. He also wrote for several television shows and even won awards for his writings.
Even towards the end of his life, he never stopped working and performing. His productive career was bearing fruit in Richar Pryor net worth.
Life Story
Although he was known as a funny person, Richard Pryor had a pretty devastating childhood. He was the son of an alcoholic prostitute mother and a pimp, hustler, and former boxer father. Richard Pryor spent his childhood in his grandmother’s brothel, where his mother and father were employed. He witnessed how his mother was beaten several times by his father.
After Richard Pryor turned 5, his mother left him and his family, then permanently abandoned him 5 years later. He then continued growing up on a roller-coaster childhood and adolescence, until he moved to New York City in his 20s to start his career. Richard Pryor net worth later proved how he had turned his life upside down since his early days.
- Education
Despite the fantastic amount of Richard Pryer net worth, he was not doing really well in formal education. By the age of 14 when he was in eighth grade, he was ousted from his school. Ather his mother left, he was raised by a mean brutal woman who often beat him. Richard Pryor was also sexually abused when he was 7 years old.
The harsh condition of his living situation didn’t make him an alienated kid in his class. He often entertained his friends in front of the class by doing a stand-up routine. This routine was also the reason why he was asked to leave school permanently by one of the teachers.
- Personal life
Richard Pryor had a quite intricate personal life. Coming from a broken home family, he was also came into other broken home situations. He was married seven times to five women and had six children with six different women.
There was a dispute over Richard Pryor net worth after his death. Towards the end of his life, all the controls of his intellectual properties was bestowed on only one person. Jennifer Lee, his ex-wife whom he re-married until the end of his life, was the primary beneficiary of Richard Pryor income. This resulted in years of feud between Jennifer Lee and the rest of his children for years.
Career
Richard Pryor net worth was mostly came from his contract as comedian, writer, and actor with prominent producers. Here are a few works that he had done throughout his career.
- Richard Pryor Albums
His stand-up discography was produced by major recording label in America, no wonder Richard Pryor net worth was above several comedian in his era. His label was including Reprise Records (Richard Pryor, …Is It Something I Said), Laff Records (Are You Serious???, Holy Smoke!), and Warner Bross Records (Wanted: Live in Concert, Richar Pryor: Live on the Sunset Strip).
- Richard Pryor Movies
Besides acting in some television shows, Richard Pryor was also known as a movie actor. He starred mostly in comedy and spoof films like Wholly Mosses! (1980), and often time in drama and action films (Lady Sings The Blues, Lost Highway). Some of his albums and performances had won him multiple Emmy and Grammy Awards. These awards were both for his acting and writing works.
Richard Pryor Net worth
Although mainly known for his work in entertainment industries, there are several sources of income that contributes to Richard Pryor net worth. Let’s take a look at it one by one.
- Richard Pryor Net Worth from Businesses
Despite coming from an entreprenerial family who owned a brothel business, Richard Pryor was not interested in heading in the same direction. He was only interested in the show business, which was the biggest contributor of Richard Pryor’s income even after his life. Up until 2010s, there are a few portrayals in biopics and TV shows that earned his beneficiary part of Richard Pryor net worth.
- Richard Pryor Net Worth from Real Estate
In 1974, Richard Pryor bought a house in California which modelled after Mission-style homes. In this very house, Richard Pryor once famously lit himself on fier in 1980. In 2017, the house was bought by Rashard Mendenhall, a former sport player turned into a TV writer. The property which once added to Richard Pryor net worth was purchased for $2.5 million.
- Vehicles
Richard Pryor net worth had definitely come from a few cars that he owned. It is not clear what type of cars that he had. One that for sure he owned in 1978 was a Mercedes, with which he once chased his wife and her girlfriends after a party one night.
- Richard Pryor Net Worth is $40 million, but How Much Did He Make per Year?
On average, he earned $ 6,47 million income annually from his work in the entertainment industry.
- How Does Richard Pryor Make Money?
Richard Pryor net worth was generated mostly by his works as a comedian, writer, and actor. The total amount of Richard Pryor wealth, compared to other African-American who now still works in showbiz, was relatively standard but might be considered high for someone from his era.
Recent Activities
On December 10, 2005, Richard Pryor passed away just 9 days after he turned 65. Having had struggled with drug addiction and a few illnesses for almost half of his life, he died of a heart attack in Los Angeles. The comedian was accompanied by his wife, Jennifer Lee during his final years.
Although he had long gone, his works still inspire generations of comedians up until now. He was named as one of the pioneers of progressive African-American stand-up comedians in the 1960s. His materials on racial politics are considered groundbreaking at that time.
Richard Pryor net worth was not only in the number of dollars, but also in the number of African-American comedians who were inspired to carry on the legacy.