American comedian and actor Richard Pryor was BOTD in 1940. Born in Peoria, Illinois, he was raised in a brothel and endured a turbulent childhood, including abandonment by his parents and sexual abuse. He joined the US Army when he was 18, but spent most of his time in military prison after attacking a white soldier for making racist remarks. In 1963, he moved to New York City, performing stand-up comedy in local clubs alongside the then-unknown performers Bob Dylan and Woody Allen. Successful TV appearances on The Tonight Show led to a successful residency as a stand-up comic in Las Vegas. As his popularity grew, his comedy became edgier, with a liberal use of profanities, including the word “nigger”. He moved to Los Angeles, California in 1969, immersing himself in the counterculture, and writing for TV shows, including a 1973 Lily Tomlin special for which he shared an Emmy Award. He became a national star for a series of comedy albums, including That Nigger’s Crazy, Is It Something I Said? and Bicentennial Nigger. He also had a hit as the co-writer of Mel Brooks’ 1974 comedy film Blazing Saddles, and became the first Black actor in Hollywood to earn $1 million for his starring role in Stir Crazy. Much of his latter career was affected by drug use and a long battle with multiple sclerosis. He died in 2005, aged 65. Pryor was relatively open about his bisexuality, occasionally referring to his experiences with men in stand-up routines. After his death, Pryor’s widow Jennifer confirmed rumours of his affair with Marlon Brando, and his relationships with transgender women. “It was the ’70s!” she said; “Drugs were still good, especially quaaludes. If you did enough cocaine, you’d fuck a radiator and send it flowers in the morning.”