Quoting:
IMHO, Richard Pryor was the funniest comedian in the 70s and the first part of the 80s. Eddie Murphy was funniest in the mid 80s. But sadly, people will only remember Pryor as "that actor that got Parkinson's". Murphy has damaged his legacy by joining ex-SNL regulars who failed with cheaply made kiddie films. But, believe me, they were Da Bomb with or without the foul language. Other opinions?
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"48 Hours" came out in 1982, and "Delerious" came out in 1983, so Murphy was a force in the early 80's too.  I think Eddie Murphy's peak years were probably 1981 to 1986.  

When he did "Eddie Murphy: Raw" in 1986, he jumped the shark.  1987's "Beverly Hills Cop II" was OK, but his comedy was getting tiring.  He came back with one good foul mouthed Murphesque type movie in 1988, "Coming to America", but that was it.

I think Murphy's routine just got old and tired really quick.  He always had that same stchick and it just got really tiring.  Plus as the 80's were coming to a close in 1988 and 1989, the decade was rapidly going out of style.  Murphy was so synonmous with the decade, like Mr. T and Michael Jackson, that he didn't have the power to trancsend it like say Madonna did.  So he went out of style.  

Quoting:
IMHO, Richard Pryor was the funniest comedian in the 70s and the first part of the 80s. Eddie Murphy was funniest in the mid 80s. But sadly, people will only remember Pryor as "that actor that got Parkinson's".
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Richard Pryor has Multiple Sclerosis not Parkinson's Disease...and he's in such bad shape these days because the disability is so advanced that he can barely function. It just goes to show you...no one is immortal.

Absolutely Vile

Quoting:
I think that both of these two were much better actors than stand-up comics. End Quote

And Bill Cosby is the opposite. His stage stuff is much funnier than his TV show(s).

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And Bill Cosby is the opposite. His stage stuff is much funnier than his TV show(s).
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Bill Cosby just came to our area last week (?) but we didn't go to see him.  :'(  We have too many other irons in the fire.


Cat

Quoting:


"48 Hours" came out in 1982, and "Delerious" came out in 1983, so Murphy was a force in the early 80's too.  I think Eddie Murphy's peak years were probably 1981 to 1986.  

When he did "Eddie Murphy: Raw" in 1986, he jumped the shark.  1987's "Beverly Hills Cop II" was OK, but his comedy was getting tiring.  He came back with one good foul mouthed Murphesque type movie in 1988, "Coming to America", but that was it.

I think Murphy's routine just got old and tired really quick.  He always had that same stchick and it just got really tiring.  Plus as the 80's were coming to a close in 1988 and 1989, the decade was rapidly going out of style.  Murphy was so synonmous with the decade, like Mr. T and Michael Jackson, that he didn't have the power to trancsend it like say Madonna did.  So he went out of style.  
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I agree with Paul_S.

Anyway...

In the early-mid 90's, Eddie Murphy did a funny cartoon character (voice) in Disney's Mulan. IMO, he's done nothing worth anything since. His Shrek character was just a repeat of his Mulan character. Whatever he had, he lost a long time ago. I wish he would stop littering the theatres with trash like "The Klumpps", "I Spy", "Pluto Nash", etc. :P :P

Richard Pryor was the best for his style and his time, but his time as a comedian has been long past. Fortunately, his legacy remains available in video and dvd.

Bill Cosby is my fave from these particular three and he's still at it! He is a great humanitarian as well. :)