Net Worth Ranker
What Is Richard Pryor’s Net Worth?
At the time of his death in 2005, Richard Pryor, the iconic American comedian, actor, and writer, had a net worth of $40 million. Adjusting for inflation, this is equivalent to approximately $50 million in today’s dollars. His wealth was derived from a multifaceted career that encompassed album sales, stand-up tour revenues, and earnings from his successful film and television ventures.
Sources of Richard Pryor’s $40 Million Net Worth
Richard Pryor’s financial success stemmed from various sources, including album sales, tour ticket sales, and film and television salaries. He was a groundbreaking comedian whose fearless and often controversial material resonated with audiences. His stand-up specials, such as “…Is It Something I Said?” (1975) and “Richard Pryor: Live on the Sunset Strip” (1982), sold millions of copies, contributing significantly to his wealth. Pryor released more than 20 comedy albums over the course of his career.
Pryor’s transition into Hollywood comedies also played a vital role in his financial success. He frequently collaborated with Gene Wilder in films like “Stir Crazy” (1980) and “See No Evil, Hear No Evil” (1989), which were box office hits. His film career began with appearances in movies like “The Busy Body” (1967) and “Lady Sings the Blues” (1972), leading to more prominent roles in “The Mack” (1973), “Uptown Saturday Night” (1974), “The Wiz” (1978), and “The Muppet Movie” (1979). He even wrote for shows like “Sanford and Son” before creating his own sketch comedy series, “The Richard Pryor Show,” in 1977.
In 1980, Pryor achieved a milestone by becoming the first black actor to earn $1 million for a film role in “Stir Crazy.” His earnings continued to rise, and in 1983, he signed a five-year, $40 million contract with Columbia Pictures. Simultaneously, he launched his own production company, Indigo Productions. In that same year, he earned $4 million for his role in “Superman III,” which is equivalent to approximately $10 million today. This made him one of the highest-paid actors globally during that period. The success of films like “Bustin’ Loose” (1981) and “Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life Is Calling” (1986), which he also wrote, directed, and produced, added further to his wealth.
Richard Pryor’s Real Estate and Possessions
In 1974, Richard Pryor purchased a 2.2-acre estate located at 17267 Parthenia St in Northridge, California. This property became infamous in 1980 when Pryor, under the influence of cocaine, doused himself with rum and set himself on fire, resulting in severe burns over more than 50% of his body. The main mansion on the property was destroyed in the 1994 Northridge Earthquake. In March 2024, NFL player Rashard Mendenhall listed the home for sale at $4.2 million, having purchased it for $2.5 million in 2017. While specific details about Richard Pryor’s car collection are not available, it is known that he enjoyed the finer things in life. As a successful comedian and actor, he likely owned a number of luxury vehicles. However, no precise models or years are documented in the available resources. Additionally, there are no specific records of Richard Pryor owning a private jet. His mode of transportation for personal and professional trips remains unspecified in the provided information.
Richard Pryor’s Early Career and Rise to Fame
Richard Franklin Lennox Thomas Pryor was born on December 1, 1940, in Peoria, Illinois. His early life was marked by hardship, as he was raised in his grandmother’s brothel after his mother, Gertrude, abandoned him when he was 10 years old. His father, LeRoy, was a hustler and former boxer. Pryor’s grandmother, Marie, was known for her violent tendencies, and he was also molested by a teenage neighbor at age 6 and sexually abused by a preacher. Pryor was expelled from school at age 14 and joined the U.S. Army in 1958, where he spent most of his time in an army prison after an incident involving a white soldier.
In 1963, Pryor moved to New York City and began performing in clubs, quickly gaining recognition and appearing on television shows like “The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson,” “The Ed Sullivan Show,” and “The Merv Griffin Show.” He achieved success in Las Vegas and released his first comedy album, “Richard Pryor,” in 1968. In 1969, he relocated to Berkeley, California, and wrote for “The Flip Wilson Show” and “Sanford and Son,” as well as “The Lily Tomlin Show” and “Lily.”
Pryor’s career also extended to writing for the comedy film “Blazing Saddles” in 1974, although he was not cast in the lead role due to insurance concerns. In 1975, he made history as the first black person to host “Saturday Night Live.” His five-year, $40 million deal with Columbia Pictures in 1983 further solidified his financial standing, leading to the formation of his production company, Indigo Productions.
Legal Battles and Estate Issues Following Richard Pryor’s Death
Following Richard Pryor’s death on December 10, 2005, at the age of 65, his estate, estimated to be worth $40 million, became the subject of legal disputes among his children and his widow, Jennifer Lee Pryor. Pryor’s children were reportedly unaware that Jennifer had married Richard a second time, and they were displeased to learn that he had named Jennifer as his primary beneficiary and given her control of his intellectual property.
In 2006, some of his children filed a lawsuit against Jennifer, with Elizabeth accusing her of “elder abuse, fraud, forgery, and taking advantage of Richard’s weakened mental and physical state.” The probate court sided with Jennifer, and Elizabeth appealed to the California Court of Appeals, alleging that the marriage should be annulled due to fraud. However, the court ruled in Jennifer’s favor. In 2014, Richard Jr. sent Jennifer a cease-and-desist letter accusing her of exploiting his father’s physical and mental decline to gain rights to his intellectual property, and he has since feuded with her over the casting of actors in a Pryor biopic.
Richard Pryor’s Awards and Recognitions
Richard Pryor received numerous awards and honors throughout his career. He was nominated for four Primetime Emmy Awards, winning Best Writing in Comedy-Variety, Variety or Music for “Lily” in 1974. Posthumously, he received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Grammys in 2006. He earned 10 Best Comedy Recording nominations, winning the prize five times. Pryor was also honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award in Comedy at the 1993 American Comedy Awards. Additional accolades include Lifetime Achievement Awards at the 1997 New York Comedy Festival and the 1996 NAACP Image Awards; he also won an Image Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture for “Bustin’ Loose” in 1981. Pryor won a Writers Guild of America Award for Best Comedy Written Directly for the Screen for “Blazing Saddles” in 1975 and a CableACE Award for Entertainment/Cultural Documentary or Informational Special for “Mo’ Funny: Black Comedy in America” in 1994.
Pryor received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1993, and in 1998, he was the first-ever recipient of the Kennedy Center’s Mark Twain Prize for American Humor. He was ranked #1 on Comedy Central’s 2004 list of the 100 Greatest Stand-ups of All Time, and in 2015, a bronze statue in his likeness was created near the Peoria neighborhood where he grew up. In 1999, he received a Humanitarian Award for his work with People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA).
Richard Pryor’s Personal Life and Relationships
Richard Pryor was married seven times, and he married two of his five wives twice. He was married to Patricia Price from 1961 to 1966, and they had a son, Richard Jr., in July 1962. He then married Shelley R. Bonus in 1968, and they had a daughter, Rain, in July 1969. Richard and Shelley divorced that year, and he wed Deborah McGuire in 1977. After they split in 1978, he married Jennifer Lee in 1981; they divorced in 1982, then remarried in 2001, and they remained together until Pryor’s death. He was also married to Flynn Belaine from 1986 to 1987 and 1990 to 1991, and they had two children, Steven (born August 1984) and Kelsey (born October 1987). Richard had a daughter, Elizabeth Ann (born April 1967), with Maxine Anderson and a son, Franklin (born April 1987) with Geraldine Mason, and he dated “Greased Lightning” co-star Pam Grier in the late 1970s and “Some Kind of Hero” co-star Margot Kidder in the early 1980s.
Richard Pryor’s Health Issues and Death
Richard Pryor faced numerous health challenges throughout his life. He was arrested for drunk driving in 1978 and sentenced to five months in jail. In June 1980, he poured rum on himself and set himself on fire, resulting in second and third-degree burns on over 50% of his body. He spent six weeks at Sherman Oaks Hospital’s Grossman Burn Center. Pryor later admitted that the incident was a suicide attempt. A heavy smoker and drinker, he had a mild heart attack in 1977, another in 1990, and underwent triple bypass surgery in 1991. He was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 1986 and eventually used a mobility scooter.
Richard Pryor suffered his third heart attack on December 10, 2005, and passed away at the age of 65. He was cremated, and in 2019, his widow, Jennifer, spread his ashes in Hana, Hawaii. His legacy as one of the greatest and most influential comedians of all time endures.
