PARTY FOR RICHARD PRYOR, A (TV)
Summary
A television special honoring Richard Pryor hosted by Eddie Murphy, held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly, California. Highlights include: a performance of “Move On” and “Sex Machine” by James Brown and Murphy; a video presentation detailing Pryor’s early life, intercut with footage of his standup routines and from his autobiographical work “Jojo Dancer Your Life Is Calling”; an appearance by Arsenio Hall; Bobby Womack singing “If You Think You’re Lonely Now”; a guest appearance by Jane Wagner as the Lily Tomlin character “Mrs. Earborne”; an appearance by Cybil Shepherd discussing Pryor’s recovery from heart surgery and continuing struggle against multiple sclerosis; an anecdote about Pryor from Burt Reynolds; the Pointer Sisters performing “Hot Together”; a video message from Ray Charles; Keenen Ivory Wayans making an appearance and presenting more clips of Pryor’s standup routines; a video message from Gene Wilder; Stevie Wonder making an appearance and performing “These Three Words”; an appearance by Loni Anderson, accompanied by clips of Pryor on television talking about his many marriages; an appearance by Chevy Chase; Danny Glover discussing Pryor’s work in film; speeches from Marsha Warfield, Elayne Boosler, Dick Gregory, and Bobcat Goldthwait; an appearance by Louis Gossett Jr.; Rain Pryor performing the song “Fly Away”; Murphy introducing a video presentation about Pryor’s drug habits and attempt to kill himself via immolation; a standup performance by Robert Townsend; performances of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” and “Feels Like Another One” by Patti LaBelle; and a farewell from Murphy and Pryor. Clips of Pryor’s work are interspersed throughout, including: a presidential pressroom sketch from a 1977 episode of “The Richard Pryor Show”; an opening monologue from “The Richard Pryor Show” originally excised by network censors; a clip of Pryor on “Rudy Vallee’s On Broadway Tonight” in 1964, his first television appearance; an appearance on a 1970 episode of “The Merv Griffin Show”; his appearance on a 1970 installment of “The Ed Sullivan Show”; Pryor’s appearance on a 1973 episode of “The Flip Wilson Show”; his appearance on “The Comedy Store 15th Anniversary” in 1988; a clip from the 1973 “Lily Tomlin Special” featuring Pryor and Tomlin; clips of Pryor on “The Tonight Show” in 1986, 1987, and 1988; an excerpt from 1983’s “Richard Pryor Here and Now”; a selection from “Richard Pryor Live on the Sunset Strip” from 1982; a clip of Pryor and Chase in a sketch from a 1975 episode of “Saturday Night Live”; and a montage of clips from Pryor’s film work, such as “Bustin’ Loose,” “Stir Crazy,” “See No Evil Hear No Evil,” “Harlem Nights,” “The Toy,” “Brewster’s Millions,” and “Critical Condition.” Commercials deleted.
Details
- NETWORK: CBS
- DATE: November 23, 1991 9:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 1:34:29
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: B:44548
- GENRE: Specials
- SUBJECT HEADING: Specials; African-American Collection - Comedy
- SERIES RUN: CBS - TV, 1991
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- George Schlatter … Executive Producer, Writer
- Gary Necessary … Producer
- Donn Hoyer … Producer
- Maria S. Schlatter … Producer
- Louis J. Horvitz … Director
- Buz Kohan … Writer
- Eddie Murphy … Host, Performer
- James Brown … Performer
- Bobby Womack … Performer
- Pointer Sisters, The … Performer
- Stevie Wonder … Performer
- Rain Pryor … Performer
- Patti LaBelle … Performer
- Richard Pryor … Guest
- Sugar Ray Leonard … Guest
- Tommy "The Hitman" Hearns … Guest
- George Foreman … Guest
- Arsenio Hall … Guest
- Jane Wagner … Guest
- Cybill Shepherd … Guest
- Burt Reynolds … Guest
- Keenen Ivory Wayans … Guest
- Loni Anderson … Guest
- Chevy Chase … Guest
- Danny Glover … Guest
- Marsha Warfield … Guest
- Elayne Boosler … Guest
- Dick Gregory … Guest
- Bobcat Goldthwait … Guest
- Louis Gossett Jr. … Guest
- Robert Townsend … Guest
- Ray Charles
- Lily Tomlin
- Gene Wilder