Sony Movie Channel Pays Tribute to the "Genius of Richard Pryor" With RICHARD PRYOR LIVE ON THE SUNSET STRIP and RICHARD PRYOR HERE AND NOW, on Friday, Jan. 9 at 10 p.m. ET

CULVER CITY, Calif., Dec. 22, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Sony Movie Channel (SMC) celebrates the "Genius of Richard Pryor" with a Friday block highlighting two of his most famous films, on January 9, at 10 p.m. ET. The night begins with the career-defining hit RICHARD PRYOR LIVE ON THE SUNSET STRIP, as the comedian delivers a groundbreaking set that is simultaneously heartfelt, honest, and hilarious. Then, RICHARD PRYOR HERE AND NOW immediately follows. This half documentary half stand up film features Pryor discussing race, drugs, and meeting President Reagan, live from the Saenger Theater in New Orleans.

SMC honors one of Hollywood's most acclaimed leading men, with a Tommy Lee Jones two-pack on Tuesday, January 13, at 10 p.m. ET. Jones directs and stars as a surly rancher on a dangerous quest for retribution in the 2005 crime drama THE THREE BURIALS OF MELQUIADES ESTRADA, with Barry Pepper and Dwight Yoakam. Then, Jones' Detective Robicheaux brings a Louisiana town's past sins to light in IN THE ELECTRIC MIST, starring John Goodman and Peter Sarsgaard.

The channel presents a month of classic Hollywood favorites in The Recline, every Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET. The month includes Gregory Peck as a hard-nosed Sheriff in I WALK THE LINE, and the big-rig actioner WHITE LINE FEVER with Jan-Michael Vincent (January 7); Giuliano Gemma in Spaghetti Western standouts A PISTOL FOR RINGO and THE RETURN OF RINGO (January 14); Old West icon Randolph Scott in SANTA FE and THE STRANGER WORE A GUN, with Lee Marvin (January 21); and a block dedicated to effects wizard Ray Harryhausen, featuring JASON AND THE ARGONAUTS and SINBAD AND THE EYE OF THE TIGER, with Jane Seymour (January 28).

Then, settle in for a legendary evening of "Star-Driven Westerns," as part of the Friday Features block, on January 16, at 8 p.m. ET. Brothers' bonds are shaken when a beautiful woman comes to town in the Oscar®-winning war drama LEGENDS OF THE FALL, starring Brad Pitt, Anthony Hopkins and Aidan Quinn. GERONIMO: AN AMERICAN LEGEND follows, as the Apache chief takes on the U.S. government in this historical drama starring Wes Studi, Gene Hackman and Robert Duvall.

And "Sundays in HD" puts the spotlight on four more visual masterpieces, every weekend at 7 p.m. ET. Ron Perlman searches for his missing sister in the surreal fantasy THE CITY OF LOST CHILDREN (January 4); Peter O'Toole leads a desert revolution in the seven-time Oscar® winner LAWRENCE OF ARABIA, with Omar Sharif (January 11); Judy Davis makes false allegations in A PASSAGE TO INDIA (January 18); and Texas teens come of age in Peter Bogdanovich's THE LAST PICTURE SHOW, starring Jeff Bridges, Cybill Shepherd, and Ellen Burstyn (January 25).

JANUARY PROGRAMMING PRIME TIME HIGHLIGHTS  (All Times Eastern)
Mandays (movies guys like)

Monday, January 5 – CHOP-SOCKY
10 p.m. & 1:10 a.m. – SECRET RIVALS (1976)
11:35 p.m. & 2:45 a.m. – SECRET RIVALS 2 (1977)

Monday, January 12 – MUSCLES FROM BRUSSELS
8:10 p.m. & 12 a.m. – THE HARD CORPS (2006)
10 p.m. & 1:50 a.m. – 6 BULLETS (2012)

Monday, January 19 – SPORTS SPOOFS
10 p.m. & 1:25 a.m. – DIVISION III: FOOTBALL'S FINEST (2011)
11:45 p.m. & 3:10 a.m. – BALLS OUT: GARY THE TENNIS COACH (2009)

Monday, January 26 – CUBA GOODING, JR.
8:10 p.m. & 11:45 p.m. – TICKING CLOCK (2011)
10 p.m. & 1:35 a.m. – HERO WANTED (2008)

Take Two Tuesdays (two movies – one theme)

Tuesday, January 6 – GRIDIRON DRAMA
8 p.m. & 11:40 p.m. – RUDY (1993)
10 p.m. & 1:40 a.m. – BRIAN'S SONG (2001)

Tuesday, January 13 – TOMMY LEE JONES
10 p.m. & 2 a.m. – THE THREE BURIALS OF MELQUIADES ESTRADA (2005)
12:10 a.m. & 4:10 a.m. – IN THE ELECTRIC MIST (2009)

Tuesday, January 20 – MODERN CRIME
10 p.m. & 1:50 a.m. – WE OWN THE NIGHT (2007)
12 a.m. & 3:50 a.m. – LEVITY (2003)

Tuesday, January 27 – UNHINGED '80s COMEDIES
10 p.m. & 1:45 a.m. – USED CARS (1980)
12 a.m. & 3:45 a.m. – NEIGHBORS (1981)

The Recline (classics)

Wednesday, January 7 – RURAL '70s
8 p.m. & 11:30 p.m. – I WALK THE LINE (1970)
9:50 p.m. & 1:15 a.m. – WHITE LINE FEVER (1975)

Wednesday, January 14 – RINGO SERIES
8 p.m. & 11:25 p.m. – A PISTOL FOR RINGO (1965)
9:45 p.m. & 1:10 a.m. – THE RETURN OF RINGO (1965)

Wednesday, January 21 – RANDOLPH SCOTT
8 p.m. & 11:05 p.m. – SANTA FE (1951)
9:35 p.m. & 12:40 a.m. – THE STRANGER WORE A GUN (1953)

Wednesday, January 28 – RAY HARRYHAUSEN CLASSICS
8 p.m. & 11:45 p.m. – JASON AND THE ARGONAUTS (1963)
9:50 p.m. & 1:30 a.m. – SINBAD AND THE EYE OF THE TIGER (1977)

Killer Thursdays (horror and suspense)

Thursday, January 1 – SLASHERS
10 p.m. & 1:10 a.m. – HOSTEL: PART III (2011)
11:30 p.m. & 2:40 a.m. – BOOGEYMAN 3 (2009)

Thursday, January 8 – SEXY THRILLS
10 p.m. & 1:25 a.m. – ZOMBIE STRIPPERS (2008)
11:45 p.m. & 3:10 a.m. – CANDY STRIPERS (2006)

Thursday, January 15 – INDOOR SUSPENSE
10 p.m. & 1:20 a.m. – IDENTITY (2003)
11:40 p.m. & 3 a.m. – THE KILLING JAR (2010)

Thursday, January 22 – RACE AGAINST TIME
10 p.m. & 1:25 a.m. – UNTHINKABLE (2010)
11:45 p.m. & 3:05 a.m. – THE NET 2.0 (2006)

Thursday, January 29 – WILD THINGS SERIES
10 p.m. & 1:20 a.m. – WILD THINGS: DIAMONDS IN THE ROUGH (2005)
11:35 p.m. & 3 a.m. – WILD THINGS: FOURSOME (2010)

Friday Features (popular hits)

Friday, January 2 – MOUNTAIN ADVENTURES
8 p.m. & 1:30 a.m. – VERTICAL LIMIT (2000)
10:15 p.m. & 3:45 a.m. – INTO THIN AIR: DEATH ON EVEREST (1997)
11:50 p.m. & 5:25 a.m. – DEEP WINTER (2009)

Friday, January 9 – GENIUS OF RICHARD PRYOR
10 p.m. & 1:15 a.m. – RICHARD PRYOR LIVE ON THE SUNSET STRIP (1982)
11:30 p.m. & 2:45 a.m. – RICHARD PRYOR HERE AND NOW (1983)

Friday, January 16 – STAR-DRIVEN WESTERNS
8 p.m. & 12:15 a.m. – GERONIMO: AN AMERICAN LEGEND (1993)
10 p.m. & 2:15 a.m. – LEGENDS OF THE FALL (1994)

Friday, January 23 – LOOKING TO GET LUCKY
10 p.m. & 1:15 a.m. – COUGAR HUNTING (2011)
11:40 p.m. & 2:50 a.m. – HARDBODIES (1984)

Friday, January 30 – COCKNEY CRIME
10 p.m. & 1:45 a.m. – SNATCH (2000)
11:50 p.m. & 3:40 a.m. – LAYER CAKE (2005)

SUNDAYS IN HD

Sunday, January 4
7 p.m. & 9 p.m. – THE CITY OF LOST CHILDREN (1995)

Sunday, January 11
7 p.m. & 10:45 p.m. – LAWRENCE OF ARABIA (1962)

Sunday, January 18
7 p.m. & 9:45 p.m. – A PASSAGE TO INDIA (1984)

Sunday, January 25
7 p.m. & 9:15 p.m. – THE LAST PICTURE SHOW (1971)

For a complete schedule of films and times, visit www.Sonymoviechannel.com/schedule.

In addition to airing these films on the dates noted above, some of the movies mentioned are scheduled for further broadcasts throughout the month. (See listings for further details.)

About Sony Movie Channel
Sony Movie Channel is the first U.S. multi-platform television network from Sony Pictures Television created specifically for the Hollywood movie fan. Offering uncut, uncensored theatrical releases in stunning high definition, Sony Movie Channel showcases titles from Sony Pictures' vast library including award-winning features, cult favorites, family comedies and gripping dramas. Sony Movie Channel is available on DISH Network, DIRECTV, AT&T U-Verse, Verizon FiOS, CenturyLink and Suddenlink. For more information, visit SonyMovieChannel.com, Facebook and/or Twitter @SonyMovieCh.

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