The Carolyn Jackson Collection, no. 18 - Interview with Richard Pryor

Duration: 0:05:33

Year Published: 1976

Format: 16mm

Sound: sound

Description: Austin television personality Carolyn Jackson interviews Richard Pryor about his current film, Silver Streak. They discuss Pryor’s natural talent and his mastery of the craft of the comedy routine. Pryor talks about finding his inspiration in real life and overheard stories, and emphasises the value of recalling what gets good reactions from audiences and understanding the course of action needed when a routine is not well received. Pryor claims to have always known that he wanted to make people laugh, but he did not start pursuing it professionally until he was twenty. He refutes certain aspects of his biography brought up by Jackson, such as his early drum performances, and time spent playing basketball and football. Carolyn Jackson was on the air in Austin as a daytime lifestyle show host during the late 1960s and 1970s. She began her broadcast career when she joined KTBC in 1968 as the host of Women’s World, which was later renamed The Carolyn Jackson Show. In the late 1970s, Jackson moved the show to KTVV (now NBC affiliate KXAN.) These excerpts represent a small sample of Jackson’s work. The bulk of her collection is made up of interviews with Texas personalities or from Hollywood film release press junkets, but the collection also includes feature stories, outtakes, and behind the scenes clips.