European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - June 19, 1980, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 20 the stars and stripes thursday june 19. 1980 modern living Richardp Ryors storm career by Vernon Scott United press International median Richard Pryor s 39 years have Beena contrast of professional Triumph and personal disaster material wealth and private  near fatal Accident june 9, when he suffered third degree Burns Over so percent of his body was yet another chapter in Pryor s Stormy personal and Public life As a Star of movies television nightclubs and record albums. Given Only one in three chances of surviving the severe Burns Pryor was recovering slowly his chances improved. Circumstances of the Accident Wen Mill clouded by controversy. Police said they overheard Pryor Tell doctors he had accidentally ignited Fri base a volatile and Smo Kable form of cocaine and Ether. Pryor s lawyer later claimed the near lethal Flash tire was caused by naming rum. Pryor is no stranger to dope. He freely admitted using drugs Early in his career when he was Lorn Between succeeding As a Black comedian playing to White audiences and gambling with innovative Black humor for racially mixed crowds. He last made headlines in Hollywood less than two years ago in an altercation with his third wife near their expensive Home in an exclusive neighbourhood of the Sanfernando Valley. Married and divorced three times most recently from Deborah Denise in 1978, Pryor was charge with firing a gun and ramming his car into another vehicle occupied by two of his wife s friends on new year s eve. In november 1978. He pleaded no contest to a Mise Meanor charge of malicious mischief. The gun charge was dropped. He was fined 5500 in Superior court of Rcd to see psychiatric help and to donate 480 hours to Community service or serve four months in jail. In the fall of 1977 he accused Abc of censoring his hour Long comedy variety series which sur ired Only four weeks on the network. The comedian whose humor runs largely to racial an social situations had planned to open his first show fac ing the camera apparently nude with an optical Blu covering his genital area. Abc refused. Pryor called a press conference to show what had been snipped by network censors. There Fol Lowed a series of charges and counter charges which ended in cancellation of the Richard Pryor show by Mutual consent. Pryor served 10 a s in jail and was placed on three years probation in 147-1 after pleading guilty to failing Tofile a Federal income lax return. Or his troubles. L r or remained one of the honest most original comedians in shows business his career seemingly unaffected by personal travails. Even As he confronts the slow and painful processes of skin grafts and plastic surgery to repair the Burn dam age two of his new motion pictures await release. U Holly mines and stir Craty. In the past decide Pryor has been absorbed by show business Black establishment starring in comedies for respected directors most recently for Sidney Poitier instr crat. With Diana Ross As Billie Holiday in 1972 film lady sings the blues. Pryor races his original popularity and Swift Riseto Fame to Bis scathing attacks on racial themes biting satire on the Black experience in contemporary America. His wit is Best expressed in three grammy winning albums that Nigger s crazy was it something 1 said and Bicentennial  in a time when racial slurs even in comedy were anathema in american society Pryor used the word Nigger in his club act and on record. Unlike Many top comedians Pryor refused to employ gag writers for his club act and concerts. Not Long ago he said everything i do is my own. Don t have any writers but myself. To write comedy you have to meditate and go Over your own life to find the humor. A lot of my material is based on my own experience. I m a Nigger so that s where it comes  s roots go Back to Peoria. Iii. He got his first taste of show business Ai a 7-year-old drummer with the House band in Peoria s famous door cabaret a favorite haunt of Pearl Bailey Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington. It was t until he was 12, and played in Rumpelstiltskin at the local Community Center that Pryor tried acting. Young Pryor racked balls at his Grandfather s billiard parlor and drove trucks for his father s construction firm while attending Peoria s Central High school. He earned letters in football and basketball. Entertainer Pryor. Penchant Tor controversy he served in the army from 1958 through 1960 an shortly after his discharge found a Job As emcee in a Small Canadian  mid decade Pryor was combining Impromptu monologues with his own hilarious painstakingly written material on the de Sullivan show and on guest spots with Merv Griffin and Johnny Carson. Pryor s penchant for controversy first surfaced during Las vegas appearance for predominantly White audiences. He walked off in the Middle of performance leaving the audience gaping it an empty stage. He resented doing White oriented jokes for White audiences saying i was lying to myself about what i Wai doing. I was false. It was  Pryor who admitted being on dope at the time decided to base his act on Black material for mixed audiences even though he was told by advisors it would not  Pryor rewrote his nightclub act and began attracting audiences with his controversial social comment Materi Al packing clubs and Heaters on concert appearance wherever he appeared. His big movie breakthrough came in 1972 As the piano Man with Diana Ross in lady sings the blues followed by hit and Uptown saturday night. Pryor applied his writing ability in other Fields turning out television scripts for Sanard and son the flip Wil son show and a pair of Lily Tomlin specials. He also collaborated with Mel Brooks on the blazing saddles screenplay. In 1974 he received the american writers Guild award and the american humor award for blazing saddles. It was during this period that his albums sold inthe millions. Pryor s marital woes continued As his career soared. In1975 he captured the Nara award As comedian of the year and the record world s award for comedy album of the year. He also found time to Star in two movies Adios Amigos and Bingo Long and the travel in All stars. Pryor particularly liked his role in Bingo Long in which he played a member of an All Black travelling base Ball team in which his character tried to break into the then All White major leagues by trying to convince scout she was really a cuban. Pryor s movie roles and prestige grew with subsequent roles in which Way is up. Blue Collar greased Light ing. Car Wash and Silver Sleat. In addition to wholly Moses and stir crazy to be released this year. Pryor completed a starring role with Cicely Tyson in the to movie. Family dream. No recovering in the Sherman Oaks Hospital Burn Center Pryor has come to still another Cross roads in his life. The Best Medicine Richard has going for him is his determination to gel  said or. Richard Grossman.  " 1 want to live. I m going to make it i hat determination makes our Job easier. Richard is making Good  it May be months before Pryor is Able to work again. But according to his Friend Jim Brown the actor an former footballer Pryor is taking walks ii the Hospital corridors telling jokes and anxious to gel on with his life