Longtime comedian, writer and actor Paul Mooney has died apparently due to a heart attack. He was 79. Mooney is best known for his long stint writing for Richard Pryor, including for performances such as Live on the Sunset Strip, and JoJo Dancer, Your Life is Calling, and Pryor’s hosting of Saturday Night Live. He was the head writer of The Richard Pryor Show and Pryor’s Place. He had also written for Chappelle’s Show, Sanford and Son, Good Times and In Living Color.
As far as acting, he played Sam Cooke in the movie The Buddy Holly Story, as well as Junebug is Spike Lee’s Bamboozled, and was a guest star of many appearances on Chappelle’s Show. He also appeared in Which Way is Up?, Hollywood Shuffle and Bustin’ Loose.