by Stacy Calvert

Created on: October 21, 2009

To say that Richard Pryor was a complex, conflicted man would be an understatement. While many consider him a comic genius who changed the art of stand-up comedy forever, others think only of his often self-destructive, sometimes abusive behavior upon hearing his name.

His early upbringing in Peoria, Illinois shaped the man that he was, for better or worse. It was also fodder for the no-holds-barred, adults-only material for which the comedian was best known. Pryor's infamous childhood home, a brothel in what is now an industrial neighborhood in Peoria, exposed him to people and events that most only read about, or see in movies.

Although he adopted a Bill Cosby-esque persona after moving to New York, with some social commentary thrown in a la Dick Gregory, Pryor eventually found it necessary to use his own voice. Disgusted with the racism he experienced, and with show business in general, he let loose and began using profanity in his act. His comedy now had more of a "street" feel to it - one that was truer to his roots. He moved to Berkeley, California, and got to know people like Black Panther co-founder Huey P. Newton. The merging of this radical new political influence and his own street cred helped solidify the image of Richard Pryor that we know today.

Having fine-tuned this new style, Pryor began appearing in films as well. He garnered attention, not to mention an Oscar nomination, for his role with Diana Ross in 1972's "Lady Sings the Blues", a biopic about singer Billie Holiday. Within a few years, Pryor's dance card was full; he acted in a string of blockbusters, including "Stir Crazy" and "Silver Streak", both with Gene Wilder. He also co-wrote the award-winning "Blazing Saddles" with Mel Brooks. Though Brooks wanted Pryor to play the lead role of Sheriff Bart, studio heads weren't comfortable with the idea, and instead cast Cleavon Little.

In 1979, two years after starring in TV's short-lived, controversial "The Richard Pryor Show", Pryor visited Africa. The trip was a bit of an awakening for him, and he vowed to never use the "N word" in his act again. The next decade ushered in yet another turning point for Pryor - he was now able to snag multi-million-dollar, long-term studio contracts. He acted in a string of family movies, including "The Toy", "Brewster's Millions", and "Superman III", just a few years after he burned a good deal of his body in an infamous cocaine freebasing incident.

Sadly, Richard Pryor was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in 1986. Although he became wheelchair-bound, Pryor continued to act on TV and film, including David Lynch's surreal "Lost Highway" in 1997. In 2001, he re-married ex-wife Jennifer Lee. The two devoted a great deal of time and effort to animal rights issues, and PETA established an activism award in Richard's name.

Pryor's life, which ended after a heart attack in 2005, was marked by incredible highs and lows. A bittersweet combination of passion, abuse, brilliance, and self-destruction, his legacy is that of either a foul-mouthed drug addict, or a charismatic genius. The battle over how to honor him in his own hometown of Peoria is a reflection of this; some wanted a grand monument in a conspicuous place in the city, while others felt he didn't merit any kind of honoring at all. In the end, Pryor was recognized with the re-dedication of an obscure street in his name, and a tribute at the beginning of every show in a local comedy club.

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