All about Richard Pryor's fire incident: Details about his sad life story
Richard Pryor wore so many hats when he was still alive. He was a notorious American actor, writer and comedian who was referred to as the greatest of all time. However, things started going downhill after his substance use, which left him with severe burns. Find out more about Richard Pryor’s fire incident and life story.
Source: Instagram
The California Suite actor passed away on the 10th of April 2005 after a heart attack. Medical practitioners believe his coronary heart disease emanated from years of smoking, drinking and taking narcotics. He left behind seven children.
Richard’s profile summary and bio
| Full name | Richard Franklin Lennox Thomas Pryor Sr |
| Gender | Male |
| Date of birth | 1 December 1940 |
| Place of birth | Peoria, Illinois, USA |
| Date of death | 10 December 2005 |
| Zodiac sign | Sagittarius |
| Nationality | American |
| Ethnicity | Black |
| Sexuality | Heterosexual |
| Eye colour | Black |
| Hair colour | Black |
| Net worth | Approximately $40 million |
| Children | Richard Jr, Rain, Kelsey, Stephen, Elizabeth, Renee, Franklin |
| Social media | InstagramTwitter |
Richard Pryor's age
Richard was born in Peoria, Illinois, on the 1st of December 1940. How old was Richard Pryor when he died? He was 65 years old at the time of his death.
What was Richard Pryor’s cause of death?
He died after a heart attack, which was not his first. Before the one that took his life, he suffered two heart attacks, believed to have resulted from his unhealthy lifestyle.
Primarily, his years of smoking are said to have caused him coronary heart disease. He took his last breath in a hospital in Los Angeles.
Why did Richard set himself on fire?
He attempted to commit suicide by setting himself ablaze after freebasing narcotics. His aunt and bodyguard were in his home, and when they tried to help him, he ran out of the house. He sustained severe burns on 50% of his body.
Who was Richard Pryor when he died?
Richard left this world a celebrated actor, writer and comedian who captivated audiences in the United States with his talents. He was regarded as one of the greatest stand-up comedians of all time. His industry colleague, Damon Wayans, said this about him,
“There are many kinds of comedians – the observational humorist, the impressionist, the character creator, the physical comedian, the self-deprecator, and the dirty-joke teller. Richard Pryor was so brilliant that he could incorporate all these styles at once.”
When was Richard Pryor diagnosed with Parkinson's?
Source: Getty Images
He was diagnosed with Parkinson's in 1986. This disease attacks the central nervous system, causing a loss of balance, slow movement and stiffness. Although the symptoms were mild at first, he could no longer walk and drive by 1994.
Richard Pryor’s movies
During his career, Richard worked on Hollywood’s best movies as an actor, writer and producer. Below are his movie credits:
- 1997: Lost High Way as Arnie
- 1991: Another You as Eddie Dash
- 1989: Harlem Nights as Sugar Ray
- 1989: See No Evil, Hear No Evil as Wally
- 1982: The Toy as Jack Brown
- 1982: Some Kind of Hero as Eddie Keller
- 1981: Bustin’ Loose as Joe Braxton
- 1980: Stir Crazy as Harry Monroe
- 1978: California Suite as Dr. Chauncey Gump
How much money did Richard Pryor have when he died?
His career in the industry spanned more than two decades. As such, he accumulated a fitting monetary value for his expertise in his various occupations. What was Richard Pryor’s net worth? According to Celebrity Networth, he was worth $40 million when he died.
Richard Pryor’s spouse and family
Richard was married to Jennifer Lee from 1981 to 1982, but they divorced after a year of marriage. The former couple exchanged wedding vows again in 2001 and remained married till Richard's death.
Jennifer is a famous American actress and producer known for her roles in Bold Native (2010), The Wild Party (1975) and Act of Vengeance (1974). Like her late husband, she was also in the entertainment industry for decades.
Richard Pryor’s children
The comic legend left behind seven children who have built names for themselves in various career endeavours.
Richard Pryor Jr
Source: Getty Images
Richard Jr followed in his father's footsteps with his acting and writing career. The actor, born on the 10th of April 1962, is famous for starring in Silent Bark, Bustin’ Loose and The Colour Purple. He authored a memoir in 2019 titled In A Pryor Life, where he shares his experiences about growing up as the son of Richard Pryor.
Rain Pryor
Source: Getty Images
Rain is the best-known child of Richard Pryor. She is an award-winning actress, producer, author, dynamic speaker, and singer. Her IMDb profile shows she has over 25 acting credits in TV movies, series and short stories.
Elizabeth Pryor
Pryor's daughter is an associate professor at Smith College, focusing on African-American activism in the 19th century. Her teaching is centered around questioning race and racism in the US and how the history of previously enslaved people is remembered.
Franklin Pryor
Franklin Matthew Pryor is Richard's youngest son. He made his stand-up comedy debut in 2007 and mentioned that his mother persuaded him to take a career path similar to his father's.
Richard Pryor's fire incident shows how detrimental substance abuse is to a person’s life. After years of entertaining US audiences and contributing his acting talents to Hollywood’s film industry, he sadly passed away.
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Source: Briefly News
