Richard Pryor has passed away....

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Richard Pryor, the caustic yet perceptive actor-comedian who lived dangerously close to the edge both on stage and off, has died, his ex-wife said Saturday. He was 65.

Pryor died of a heart attack at his home in the San Fernando Valley sometime late Friday or early Saturday, Flyn Pryor said. He had been ill for years with multiple sclerosis, a degenerative disease of the nervous system.

The comedian was regarded early in his career as one of the most foul-mouthed comics in the business, but he gained a wide following for his expletive-filled but universal and frequently personal insights into modern life and race relations.

His audacious style influenced an array of stand-up artists, including Eddie Murphy, Arsenio Hall and Damon Wayans, as well as Robin Williams, David Letterman and others.

A series of hit comedies in the '70s and '80s, as well as filmed versions of his concert performances, helped make him Pryor one of the highest paid stars in Hollywood. He was one of the first black performers to have enough leverage to cut his own Hollywood deals. In 1983, he signed a $40 million, five-year contract with Columbia Pictures.

His films included "Stir Crazy," "Silver Streak," "Which Way Is Up?" and "Richard Pryor Live on the Sunset Strip."

Copyright 2005 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

One of the greatest comedians ever. He will surely be missed. :sad:

for once, I was able to beat singersp to a news story :cool:

the mans was a living legend and ahead of his time similar to george carlin. may his soul rest in piece.

Damn it man.. he was hilarious!

RIP!

Ya I just saw that on CNN. Dam that sucks, that guy was sooooo funny! RIP...

Wow, that is sad, easily one of the five funniest people to ever live ... He has been missed since his disease took over his life ... and he will be missed more ... time to go out and rent some of his stand-up, it is about as good as it gets.

RIP, I feel for his family.

Hey he was a seriously funny man, I think the best way to remember him is by listening to one of his concerts, pure genius. :cry: RIP

That guy was hilarious. Hear No Evil, See No Evil with him and Gene Wilder is still one of my favorite movies of all time.