Richard Pryor, who was born in Peoria, Illinois, moved to New York City in 1963 to pursue his own comedic career. Despite his stage nervousness, he continued to work the club circuit, honing his particular brand of comedy that no one else was doing. Other comedians began to notice his method and recognise how well it worked as his reputation expanded, owing to appearances on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, The Ed Sullivan Show, and The Merv Griffith Show. Pryor effectively converted his on-stage talents to the big screen, and it was a straightforward path to stardom from there. Let’s look at the genius at work. Below are some of Richard Pryor’s best comedy film performances.
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1. Silver Streak (1976)
Director- Arthur Hiller
George Caldwell is a recently divorced Los Angeles non-fiction book publisher. He is on his way to Chicago to attend his sister’s wedding aboard the fast Silver Streak train. Instead of spending two carefree days of lethargic monotony, the bright-eyed bachelor starts up a conversation with Hilly Burns. She is a lovely, blue-eyed fellow passenger, and life becomes fascinating again. Then, seemingly out of nowhere, George sees a killed guy outside his window, and despite the fact that no one believes him, the unwitting traveller becomes caught in a perilous scheme. However, soon after, gunshots start flying, and George is accused of murder.
2. Stir Crazy (1980)
Director- Sidney Poitier
Sunny daydreamers Skip Donahue, an aspiring playwright, and Harry Monroe, a would-be actor, leave crowded New York in quest of a better future, travelling to Arizona in the promise West. Unfortunately, things will quickly deteriorate when the two best friends, who were dressed as woodpeckers for a bank’s marketing stunt. They end up in court, shamelessly implicated in a successful bank robbery. Despite the obvious mistake, now that the unfortunate duo has been thrown into prison with no hope of decreasing their harsh sentences, fate will tentatively begin to smile on them, as a long-running feud between two hardened prison wardens will thrust Skip into the spotlight. Amazingly, Skip will prove to be a natural-born cowboy, a valuable asset for the lucrative annual inter-prison rodeo event. There he will lead the prison’s team as a fearless bronco-taming rider.
3. Bustin’ Loose (1981)
Director- Oz Scott
Ex-con Joe Braxton is given a second chance at freedom after violating his probation: schoolteacher Vivian Perry hires him to repair an old school bus and use it to transport a group of special-education kids from Philadelphia to Ms. Perry’s Washington Farm, where their old home, The Clarmont Center for Children, is being closed down. Joe is not looking forward to the trip because the kids have major mental problems. However, as he changes his perspective on life, he begins to bond with them. Vivian and offers his support and love. However, Donald, the social worker who gave Joe his reprieve, is on their tail and wants Joe back in prison. Joe and Vivian must now prevent Donald from returning the children to Philadelphia, where they will face an uncertain future.
4. The Toy (1982)
Director- Richard Donner
Jack Brown, a down-on-his-luck former journalist, works as a night janitor at the opulent business magnate U.S. Bates’ department store in order to make ends meet. Under those terrible circumstances, the cash-strapped reporter catches the eye of Bates’ spoiled son, Eric, who, without hesitation, takes Jack home to be his playmate, or better yet, his living toy, for a week. As Jack lowers his standards in order to pay off his mortgage, he gradually realises that beneath the boy’s exterior lurks a wonderful child in need of a true friend, but above all, a sad son yearning for a loving father who actually cares for him.
5. Superman III (1983)
Director- Richard Lester
The Man of Steel has no equal when it comes to mortal opponents. Superman rescued the day even when confronted with a group of dangerous super-powered criminals from his home world. But can super-strength stand up to a criminally crazy computer’s fiendish circuitry? Gus Gorman, a charming half-wit who also happens to be a natural-born computer programming prodigy, enters the picture. A computer keyboard transforms into a lethal weapon in Superman’s hands, and he soon faces the microelectronic threat of his career. After being exposed to a fragment of red kryptonite, Clark Kent reunites with his old flame Lana Lang during a Smallville High School reunion, and Superman transforms into his own worst enemy.
6. Brewster’s Millions (1985)
Director- Walter Hill
Monty Brewster learns that his long-lost multi-millionaire uncle Rupert has selected him as the only recipient of his massive $300-million fortune after a terrible career as a minor-league baseball pitcher. Of course, there is one condition: the eccentric uncle requires that Brewster waste no less than $30 million in 30 days to learn the value of money, and if he is broke at the end of that time, he will be entitled to the entire bequest. Without a certain, this appears to be a simple assignment; yet, as Brewster embarks on one crazy money-spending tactic after another, winning this humorous challenge may prove to be far more difficult than one might expect.
7. See No Evil, Hear No Evil (1989)
Director- Arthur Hill
Monty Brewster learns that his long-lost multi-millionaire uncle Rupert has selected him as the only recipient of his massive $300-million fortune after a terrible career as a minor-league baseball pitcher. Of course, there is one condition: the eccentric uncle requires that Brewster waste no less than $30 million in 30 days to learn the value of money, and if he is broke at the end of that time, he will be entitled to the entire bequest. Without a certain, this appears to be a simple assignment; yet, as Brewster embarks on one crazy money-spending tactic after another, winning this humorous challenge may prove to be far more difficult than one might expect.
