Becoming Richard Pryor (91 page)

RP’s ambitions, 210, 212, 259, 270, 312, 399

RP’s dominance, 474

RP’s rise in, xiii, 226, 245

Fink, Walter, 75–76

Flack, Roberta, 351

Flamingo Hotel, Las Vegas, 162

Flip Wilson Show, The
, 273

Fonda, Jane, 147, 255

Foxx, Redd

at Aladdin hotel’s Bagdad Room, 176, 177, 180

blue humor and, 115, 177, 180, 484

Chitlin Circuit and, 111, 168, 411

“coke Olympics” with RP, 216

Los Angeles club owned by, 215, 216, 217, 236, 238

at premiere of
Wattstax
, 312

prime-time TV debut, 168, 169

RP and, 154, 169, 177, 216, 217, 236, 361, 411, 484

Franklin, Aretha, 329, 466

Franklin, David, 350–53, 362, 368, 392, 395, 415, 428, 449

RP gives Rolls-Royce to, 415

Frazier, Joe, 343

Freedland, Nat, 195

Free-Lance Pallbearers, The
(Reed), 256

Frey, John, 221–22, 223

Friedan, Betty, 22

Friedberg, Martin Harvey, 120

Friedman, Budd, 122, 123, 514n121

Friedman, Silver, 123

Fritz the Cat
(film), 549–50n394

Furie, Sidney, 279, 299, 308–9, 310

Gabor, Zsa Zsa, 312

Gallin, Sandy, 178, 273

pistol-whip incident, 213

RP in Sullivan no-show and, 182, 523n183

as RP’s agent, 148, 154, 157, 167, 212

Garland, Judy, 120

Garry, Charles, 222–23

Gaslight, 244

Gaye, Marvin, 257, 367

gay rights

RP and, 440–46

“Star-Spangled Night for Rights” concert, 439–46,
441
, 556n442

General Artists Corporation, 143

as RP manager, 143, 148

Gentry, Bobbie, 178

Get Your Ass in the Water and Swim Like Me
(Jackson), 285

Gladys Knight and the Pips, 329

“Good Golly Miss Molly” (song), 457, 558n457

Good Times
magazine, 256

Gordy, Barry, 269, 275, 279–80, 305, 366, 486

Gormé, Eydie, 167

Gossett, Lou, Jr., 242, 243

Gottlieb, Carl, 403, 404–7, 410

Greased Lightning
(film), 393–94, 395, 397, 399–403, 463

publicity tour, 429–30

Great American Dream Machine, The
(TV show), 250, 251, 531n251

Great Depression, 27

“Black Monday” and start of, 17–18

Green, Al, 324

Greenwich Village, 244.
See also specific clubs

atmosphere and activities (1963), 117

comedy circuit, 117–18

Cosby in, 114

drug use in, 117

hootenanny scene, 117

RP arrives in (1963), 116

RP in, 117–19, 129, 130, 135, 151, 163

underground culture, 1960s, xv–xvi

Gregory, Dick, 168, 170, 216

Grier, Pam, 400–401

RP’s relationship with, 401, 404,
405
, 406–7, 416–17, 428, 429, 452

Grier, Rosey, 231

Griffin, Merv, 141, 143, 148–51,
150
, 154.
See also Merv Griffin Show, The

Improv comics and, 151

Grubbs, Cecil, 26, 446

Grussemeyer, Michael, 51–52, 54

Guerrero, Ed, 363

Guinness, Alec, 408

Gunn, Moses, 231, 232

Haley, Alex, 358

Hamilton, Forrest,
315

Hampton, Fred, 507n80

Hank’s Place (the Villa), outside of Peoria, IL, 94, 103

Hansberry, Lorraine, 128

Hansen, Hank, 94

Hanson, Jack, 155, 157

Hanson, Sally, 155

Harlem Globetrotters, 53

“Harlem Sweeties” (Hughes), 413

Harold’s Club, 95–99,
97
, 103, 115, 159, 486

closing of, 104

Harp, Hillis, 446

Harp, Wilbur, 94, 442–43, 445–46, 558n457

Harris, James B., 157, 318, 486

Haskell, Molly, 390, 423

Hayes, Isaac, 301, 304, 312

Heitman, Patricia, 265–66, 269,
275
, 275–76, 317, 326–27, 472

affair with Billy Dee Williams, 309, 368

ending of relationship with RP, 347–49

leaves RP, 298

in Marseilles with RP and evens score, 309–10

returns to RP, 305

RP’s abuse of, 280, 287, 297–98, 310, 348, 349

Henry, Buck, 116–17

Herald Dispatch
, 12

Herald Tribune
, 120

Heyman, Burt, 120

Higgins, Colin, 385–86, 387

Hiller, Arthur, 386, 388, 486

Hit!
(film), 299–300, 308–11

Holiday, Billie, 276.
See also Lady Sings the Blues

Hollywood Bowl

King memorial benefit, and RP controversy, 193–94, 211, 523n194

“Star-Spangled Night for Rights” concert and RP controversy, 439–46,
441
, 556n442

Hollywood Reporter, The
, 179, 180, 310–11, 394

Hooks, Robert, 231, 232

Hope, Bob, 100, 415

Hotel St. George, 453

Howlin’ Wolf, 213

Hughes, Langston, 254, 413, 415

Hughes brothers (directors), 292

hungry i, San Francisco, 152

Hurston, Zora Neale, 254

Ice Cube, 292

“If I Didn’t Care” (song), 28

“If I Were a Carpenter” (song), 160

Imitation of Life
(film), 89, 507n89

Improv comedy club, 120, 513n121

Live and Smokin’
(filmed Improv show), 252–53Mi

Merv Griffin and, 151

Michael Blum at, 252

RP at, 120–23,
122
, 252, 286, 431, 514n121

Ink Spots, 28

Inner Voices, 334

Ipcress File, The
(film), 279

Is It Something I Said?
(album), 373–75

Grammy won by, 384

Jackson, Bruce, 285

Jackson, Maynard, 351

Jackson, Michael, 148

Jackson Five, 367

Jacobson, Mark, 175

Jaglom, Henry, 120, 121, 122, 123–26, 135, 165, 217, 518n148

RP drops acid with, 147–48, 518n148

Jaws
(film), 403

Jay-Z, 292

Jet
magazine, 144, 437

RP interview and message to Deboragh McGuire in, 449, 450

Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life Is Calling
(film), 475, 477–78

Jolson, Al, 352, 386, 389

Jones, James Earl, 131, 283, 381, 393

Bingo Long
film and, 367, 370, 373

Jones, LeRoi (Amiri Baraka), 482

RP and black politics of, 136–38

Which Way Is Up?
character named after, 406, 552n406

Jones, Quincy, 453

J.T
. (TV movie), 320

Julien, Max, 289, 290, 291, 292, 293, 295, 305, 486

Kael, Pauline, 219, 381, 470, 475–76, 527n219

Kaiserslautern, Germany, 84–85

KALW (radio station), xi, xii

Kanellis, Dick, 177, 180

Kaye, Danny, 221

Keitel, Harvey, 418–23,
420
,
425
, 425

Kennedy, Robert F., 211

Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, 328–29

Khan, Rashon, 473

King, James, 103–4

King, Martin Luther, Jr., 126, 168

assassination, 193

memorial benefit, Hollywood Bowl and RP controversy, 193–94, 211, 524n194

Kings of Comedy
tour, 330

Kirby, George, 168

Kirk, Roland, 254

KLAC radio, 194

Kotto, Yaphet, 418, 419,
420
, 421–22,
425
, 425

KPFA radio, 248

“The Button Down Mind of Russell Oswald” (RP’s sound collage), 267

Farley at, 244

RP at, xii, 267, 268, 269

Kraft Summer Music Hall
(TV show), 154, 157–59,
158
, 162, 165, 178

Krantz, Steve, 394, 462–63, 549–50n394

Krassner, Paul, 252

Kulchur
magazine, 137

Lady Sings the Blues
(film), 274, 275

Berry Gordy approaches RP for role in, 269–70

bit part expanded by RP, 274, 276–80, 391

box office totals, 382

place in RP’s career, 477–78, 486

premiere, 306

reviews of RP in, 306

Laff Records, 237, 529n238

LaRue, Lash, 37–38, 50, 281

La Scala restaurant, Los Angeles, 157

Las Vegas

Bobby Darin in, 160

the Flamingo, 162

RP playing in, 160–63, 167, 175–80,
176

RP returns (1968), 179

RP’s crisis in, Aladdin hotel (1967), 175–80, 181, 182–83, 194, 332, 339, 472, 523n180

RP’s first meltdown in, 167

Lawrence, Steve, 167

Leather Boys, The
(film), 279

Lee, Christopher, 440

Lee, Jennifer.
See
Pryor, Jennifer Lee

Lee, Spike, 478

Legrand, Michel, 347

LeTourneau, Robert, 22

Let’s Do It Again
(film), 382

“Let’s Stay Together” (song), 324

Lewis, Jerry, xvi, 60–61, 115, 149, 161, 411, 484, 504n60

Life and Loves of Mr. Jiveass Nigger, The
(Brown), 255

Lily
(TV special), 322–24.
See also
Tomlin, Lily

Lily Tomlin Show, The
(TV special), 320–22.
See also
Tomlin, Lily

Lincoln Center, 329

Lipton, Peggy, 265

Little, Cleavon, 307–8, 538n308

Little Beaver (film character), 49

Little Big Man
(film), 477

Little Richard, 457, 558n457

Living Room club, 129–30

Lockers dance group, 442, 446

Lopez, George, 482

Lorton Correctional Complex, RP performance at, 333–35

Los Angeles.
See also
specific clubs and locations

Baldwin Hills, 155, 537n302

Beverly Hills, 155

black-oriented clubs, 215–16

counterculture in, 188–89, 192

Laurel Canyon, 188

“love in,” 192

RP and Heitman’s cottage at Yamashiro, 280–81, 290, 297–98, 305, 317, 347

RP leaves for Berkeley (Feb. 1971), 244, 530n244

RP moves to (1966), 154

RP residences in, 155, 159, 172–73, 188, 233, 241–42, 276, 280–81, 347–48

RP returns from Berkeley (Sept. 1971), 273

Sylmar Earthquake, 243–44

Watts, 192, 301–2, 304

Los Angeles Free Press
, 192, 195, 236

Los Angeles Times
, 215, 236, 305, 306, 312, 313, 320, 327, 367, 384, 393, 462, 474

account of RP’s burning, 474, 560n474

RP at the Hollywood Bowl and, 444, 445

RP interview, 177

Louisiana, MS, 100

Lucas, George, 477

Lumet, Sidney, 453

Mabley, Moms, 111, 168, 169

Mac, Bernie, 482

Mack, The
(film), 232, 274, 275, 288–97, 307, 477

Macon, GA, 368, 373

Madison, GA, 399–400

MADtv
(TV show), 330

Mahogany
(film), 382

Malcolm X, 138, 257

Mamas and the Papas, 178

Manchild in the Promised Land
(Brown), 256

Mandrake’s, 237, 253–54, 264, 267

RP’s onstage farewell to Bay Area, 268, 269

Marchese, Robert, 197, 198, 200–201, 213

Markham, Pigmeat, 111, 168, 169

Markley, Joe, 18

Marseilles, France, 309–10

Martin, Dean, 177

Marx, Groucho, 161, 162

Maverick’s Flat, 215, 216, 237

McCarthy, Kevin, 157

McDonald, Country Joe, 254

McGee, Barbara (half-sister), 92, 93, 101, 107,
190

McKee, Lonette,
409

Mean Streets
(film), 477

Meat Joy
(performance), 123

Memmoli, George, 421

Mersky, Kres, 456–57, 558n456

Merv Griffin Show, The
(TV show), 170, 200,

innovative programming on, 150–51

RP and Jerry Lewis on, 161

RP and Redd Foxx on, 154

RP “fish-out-of-water” routines, 149, 170

RP as regular on and stage persona, 143, 148–51,
150
, 154, 159, 161, 163, 200

RP’s mother attends, 227

RP’s “Rumpelstiltskin” performed on, 141, 143, 162, 200

Meyer, Russ, 218

Michaels, Lorne, 322, 326, 361–63, 375, 379

Mike Douglas Show, The
(TV show)

RP as cohost, 341–47, 363

RP on, 47

RP’s family members on, 78, 342, 343, 346–47

Mister Kelly’s nightclub, 193, 223, 235–36

Mitchell, Elvis, xiii

Mitchell, Martha, 342

Mitchum, Robert, 215

Mod Squad
(TV show), 230, 538n308

Moffitt, John, 412–13, 431–32, 434, 437, 455

Mondo Topless
(film), 218

Monroe, Marilyn, 241, 352

Monty Python (comedy group), 384

Mooney, Paul, 289

background, 214

collaboration with RP, 214–15, 217–18, 374, 484

collaboration with RP,
The Richard Pryor Show
, 431, 455, 459

collaboration with RP,
The Richard Pryor Special?
, 412, 413

Dark Twain name for RP, 484

friendship with RP, 214–15, 220, 305

meets RP, 214

on RP’s act, 216

RP’s home with Shelley as “House of Pain,” 220

Shelley Pryor and, 233

SNL and RP, 362, 363, 376, 379–80

Wild in the Streets
and, 219–20

Moore, Mary, 253, 254

Morris, Garrett, 376

Mother Jones
, 410

Motown Pictures, 269, 275, 367, 382

Motown Productions, 280

Mount, Thom, 352–53, 395–96, 412, 419, 486

“Mumbles” (song), 347

Mumbo Jumbo
(Reed), 256

Murphy, Arthur, 462, 463

Murphy, Eddie, 477, 482

Murray, Jim, 177

Myron, Cynthia Dagnal, 182–83

NAACP, 10, 336–37, 462

Nashville
(film), 394

NBC.
See also Richard Pryor Show, The
;
Richard Pryor Special?, The

Burbank studios, 430, 452

programming deals with RP, 408, 412, 415, 427–28

RP and censorship, 430, 435–37, 438, 453, 457, 556n438

RP and SNL, 362–63, 375, 379

RP meltdown and legal suit, 361

RP prime-time special, 412–15

RP series, 427–39,
434
,
439
, 448, 452, 454–62,
460