Becoming Richard Pryor
Page 66
Uncle Tom’s Fairy Tales shown to, 234–35
‘Craps’ (After Hours) (album), 237–41, 249, 312, 529n238
Culbertson, John T., 34–36, 500n36
Curtis, Tony, 156, 245
Daisy club, Beverly Hills, CA, 155–57, 171, 245
Daniels, John, 215
Daniels, Lee, 478
Darin, Bobby, 157, 159–62, 160, 165, 167, 245, 519n159
throws party for RP, 160–61
Davidson, John, 154, 158, 159
Davis, Ossie, 393
Davis, Sammy, Jr., 347, 466
praises RP, 343
Queen Booking as agent, 329
as RP idol, 112, 342
RP seeks out as young comedian, 112
witnesses RP’s abusive behavior, 348
Davis, Tiny, 56
Day, Doris, 50
Day, Robert, 104
DeBlasio, Ron, 305
as RP’s agent, 305–6, 314, 327–28, 329, 334, 338, 339, 472
RP’s firing of, 349–50
Decatur, IL, 9
black political organizations in, 10
demimonde of, 11, 13
drinking of “canned heat” in, 16
as “dry” town, 16
Great Depression in, 18
Pryor family in, 7–19
speakeasies in, 16
status of blacks in, 8–9, 11–12, 18
vigilante justice in, 9–10
Decatur Herald, xv, 11, 17
Decatur Review, 13
Dee, Sandra, 161
Def Comedy Jam (TV show), 330
De Niro, Robert, 418
Diamond Lil (Peoria madam), 18, 23, 24
Diggers Creative Society, 212, 525n212
Diltz, Henry, 201–3, 524–25n201
domestic abuse
RP and, 33, 220, 280, 287, 297–98, 310, 348, 349
RP’s father and, 32, 220
RP’s grandmother and, 12–13, 14, 495n13
Douglas, Mike, 47, 78, 341–45, 347. See also Mike Douglas Show, The
Downey, Robert, Sr., 235
Dr. Dre, 292
Drexler, Rosalyn, 322
Drozen, Louis and David, 237
Dutchman (Jones), 136–37
Dylan, Bob, 128–29
Dynamite Chicken (film), 312
Eagle, Joe, 52
Eagle, Roxy, 51–52
East St. Louis, Missouri, 108, 112
Eastwood, Clint, 474
Easy Rider (film), 274
Ebersol, Dick, 361–62, 430–31, 435
Ebony magazine, 166, 259
Belafonte interview, 168
Franklin profile in, 351
photo of RP, 155, 156
RP apologizes to fans in, 366
RP interviews, 170–71, 182, 467
RP profile in, 525n218
Eckstine, Billy, 153
Ed Sullivan Show, The
RP as no-show, 182, 523n183
RP on, 141, 143, 178
Efron, Marshall, 250
Eisenhower, Dwight D., 31
Elks Club, Peoria, IL, 103
Ellison, Bob, 427
El Teatro Campesino theater group, 407
Elwood, Phil, 249
Entratter, Jack, 167
Esquire magazine, interview with Claude Brown, 256
Eye Body performance art, 117
Falk, Peter, 157
Famous Door tavern, Peoria, IL, 30, 31, 32, 42–44, 44, 45, 51, 58, 432, 504n63
Farley, Alan, 244, 255, 267, 530n244
recordings of RP by, xi–xii, 248–49, 257–58, 259, 530n244
as RP’s Berkeley roommate, xi, 248–50, 253, 257
Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill! (film), 218
Feliciano, José, 178
Felton, David, 467–68, 470
film industry (aka Hollywood). See also specific films; studios
“baby moguls,” 396–97
bankable formulas, 309
black actors and, 231–32
blaxploitation films, 288, 363, 365, 394
Blazing Saddles formula, 282
Blazing Saddles spiking of RP as Black Bart and, 307–8
dissidents in, 392–97
evolution of, 1976 to 1989, 476–77, 561n476
exploitation films and, 218
genre films, 477
independent filmmaking and, 218, 219
integration and, 364
“New Hollywood” (1970s), xvi, 274–75, 405, 417, 486, 533n275
overhaul of, 1970s, 273–74
racism and, 220
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, 51–5
2, 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
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