RICHARD PRYOR | $40 MILLION (NOTE: DECEASED)

Richard Pryor has earned the recognition of being one of the most influential stand-up comedians today. He rose to fame at a time when the comedy scene was heavily commercialized and conservatively packaged. Pryor stood out from the rest with his legendary wit and vulgar jokes. To his credit, Pryor’s brand of storytelling was never before seen during his time and was his ticket to success. He did several comedy specials and records, which would gain him several Emmy and Grammy Awards.

With his established popularity in the comedy scene, he would land major Hollywood roles in movies such as Silver Streak, The Muppet Show, Stir Crazy, and Superman III. Pryor’s Hollywood success is simply remarkable as he was one of the most highly paid talents during his era. In 2005 when he passed, he left a legacy of a unique type of comedy for generations to come and was estimated to have a net worth of $40 million.