RIP
Comedy legend
Richard Pryor died of a heart attack Saturday morning at a Los Angeles hospital. He was 65. Pryor, who was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 1986, first gained fame as a profane stand-up performer whose edgy, freewheeling style and personal take on racial inequality influenced an entire generation of comedians, including
Eddie Murphy,
Chris Rock and
Robin Williams. In the '70s and '80s, he starred in hit films such as
Stir Crazy and
Silver Streak in addition to writing for TV shows and movies like
Sanford and Son and
Blazing Saddles. In the early '80s, he also battled drug addiction, which he referenced onstage and in his autobiographical film,
Jo Jo Dancer,
Your Life Is Calling.
