Description Richard Franklin Lennox Thomas Pryor (December 1, 1940 December 10, 2005) was an American stand-up comedian, social critic, and actor. Pryor was known for uncompromising examinations of racism and topical contemporary issues, which employed colorful vulgarities and profanity, as well as racial epithets. He reached a broad audience with his trenchant observations and storytelling style. He is widely regarded as one of the most important and influential stand-up comedians of all time: Jerry Seinfeld called Pryor 'The Picasso of our profession' and Bob Newhart heralded Pryor as 'the seminal comedian of the last 50 years'.