ABC News will debut a new two-hour documentary next week on the trailblazing career and legacy of Richard Pryor. From being raised in a brothel, to his rise up the comedy ranks, The Last Days of Richard Pryor offers a peak inside the late comedian’s world, as told by those close to him.
The documentary explores Pryor’s personal life (including his seven marriages), and his unabashed comedic style “that showcased the world of black America through the lens of stand-up comedy.” The program includes never-before-scene excerpts from Pryor’s sit down with Barbara Walters where he opened up about his “complicated childhood” and the driving force behind his success.
The doc also features interviews with the comic legend’s widow, Jennifer Pryor, along with Mike Epps, actor Tim Reid, Pryor’s former bodyguard, Rashan Kahn, and other comedians and actors who worked with him.
Pryor rose to fame in the ’70s and ’80s, and became among the most successful comedians in the genre laying the groundwork for the likes of Chris Rock, Tracy Morgan, Dave Chappelle, Martin Lawrence, Epps, and more. Pryor battled multiple scleroris for the last two decades of his life. He died in 2005 after suffering multiple heart attacks.
The Last Days of Richard Pryor debuts on Thursday, January 16, at 9:00 p.m. EST on ABC.
Watch the trailer below.