Richard Franklin Lennox Thomas Pryor III was born on December 1, 1940, in Peoria, Illinois. This African-American comedian, actor and writer told stories that attracted a wide audience, but his acerbic and sometimes trenchant examinations of race and customs in the modern world divided public opinion of his act. His first professional performance came at the age of seven, when he played drums at a local nightclub. He grew up in his grandmother’s brothel, where his mother, Gertrude, worked as a prostitute. His father, Leroy, was a boxer, bartender and World War II veteran. From 1958-1960, Pryor served in the … Continue reading →