| Began performing a more honest, confessional and profane brand of standup comedy |
| Began performing as nightclub comedian in Peoria's Harold's Club, owned by the most powerful black man in town |
| Began performing for classmates at age 11 |
| Molested in an alley at age six |
| Named after a series of "uncles" (actually pimps); raised in a brothel owned by his grandmother; watched his mother perform "tricks" with white men |
| Performed as professional nightclub drummer from age 7 |
| Set to produce an upcoming biopic based on his life (lensed 2005) |
| Stage acting debut in little theater production of "Rumpelstiltskin" at age 12 |
| Worked in a meat packinghouse |
| Wrote TV scripts for "Sanford and Son," "The Flip Wilson Show" and Lily Tomlin specials and Flip Wilson |
1956 | As a teen, impregnated his girlfriend (who gave birth to his first daughter); subsequently learned that his father had also been having sex with her (date approximate) |
1958 | In West Germany with airborne division of US Army; discharged for slashing another soldier with a switchblade |
1963 | Moved to New York, began performing at "Cafe Wha?" in Greenwich Village |
1964 | First TV appearance, "On Broadway Tonight", a variety show hosted by Rudy Vallee featuring new talent |
1966 | Appeared as standup comic on the Johnny Carson, Merv Griffin and Ed Sullivan shows (date approximate) |
1967 | Film acting debut, "The Busy Body", a comedy directed by William Castle |
1968 | Gained critical notice as Stanley X in the classic youth exploitation film, "Wild in the Streets" |
1969 | Reportedly suffered a nervous breakdown of sorts while performing his popular Bill Cosby-like standup routine onstage at the Aladdin Hotel in Las Vegas; fled the building |
1970 | Moved to Berkeley, CA; began socializing with writers Ishmael Reed and Cecil Brown (date approximate) |
1974 | First film as screenwriter (with Mel Brooks), "Blazing Saddles"; lost promised lead role to Cleavon Little |
1977 | Suffered his first heart attack while dallying with a prostitute |
1978 | Shot up the car of Deboragh McGuire, then his wife, with a gun when she attempted to leave him |
1980 | "Accidentally" set himself on fire while freebasing cocaine; suffered third-degree burns over half his body; later revealed that he began freebasing again three weeks after leaving the hospital; admitted to Barbara Walters in a 1986 interview that the incident was a suicide attempt |
1980 | Started his own production company, Indigo, at Columbia Pictures; put Jim Brown, his best friend at the time, in charge (date approximate) |
1981 | First film as co-producer, "Bustin' Loose" |
1983 | First film as director, "Richard Pryor Here and Now" |
1986 | First diagnosed with multiple sclerosis; went public in 1991 |
1988 | Made an abortive attempt to put together a standup routine |
1990 | Suffered a heart attack on an Australian golf course |
1991 | Underwent triple-bypass heart surgury |
1993 | Received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame |
1995 | Appeared with daughter Rain in episode of CBS medical drama "Chicago Hope" as a patient with multiple sclerosis in November |
1995 | Wrote autobiography "Pryor Convictions" |
2003 | Hosted "Richard Pryor: I Ain't Dead Yet", featured clips of his concert appearances, recordings and diary excerpts as well as his comic pals |
