Richard Pryor, born December 1, 1940 in Peoria, Illinois, is an especially apt choice for the first Kennedy Center Mark Twain Humor Prize. His irreverent comedic style shares with Twain the very attributes that made his work so attractive to everyone, regardless of age.

The Mark Twain Prize for American Humor is an American award presented by the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. annually since 1998, except for the years 2020 and 2021.

Those there to honor Pryor included Chris Rock, Robin Williams, Whoopi Goldberg, Chevy Chase, Tim Allen, Danny Glover, Damon Wayans, Kris Kristofferson, Rich...

The Mark Twain Prize for American Humor recognizes individuals who have had an impact on American society in ways similar to the distinguished 19th-century novelist and essayist Samuel Clemens, colloquially known as Mark Twain.

The Mark Twain Prize: Richard Pryor: With Richard Pryor, Tim Allen, Richard Belzer, Ruth Brown.

Pryor was born on December 1, 1940, in Peoria, Illinois.He grew up in a brothel run by his grandmother, Marie Carter, where his alcoholic mother, Gertrude L. (née Thomas), was a prostitute. [4] His father, LeRoy "Buck Carter" Pryor (June 7, 1915 – September 27, 1968), was a former boxer, hustler and pimp. [5] After Gertrude abandoned him when he was 10, Pryor was raised primarily by Marie ...

Oct 22, 1998 · Pryor received the first Kennedy Center Mark Twain Prize for Humor at a sold-out celebration of his 40 years of influence on American humor. Severely disabled by multiple sclerosis and...

Dec 1, 2017 · Richard Pryor is considered by many to be the greatest stand-up comedian of all time. Yet the indelible mark Pryor made on the world of comedy only tells part of his story.

Oct 21, 1998 · Comedian Richard Pryor, born the son of a Peoria brothel and pool-hall keeper 58 years ago in December, was honored Tuesday in Washington as the first recipient of the John F. Kennedy Center for...

Oct 23, 2019 · The Twain Prize’s first recipient, Richard Pryor, shares this distinction with Twain and Chappelle, along with a storytelling style that’s intertwined with his notoriety.