Little Richard (2000) (TV)

Director:

Robert Townsend

Writers (WGA):

Bill Kerby (written by) and
Daniel Taplitz (written by)

Release Date:

20 February 2000 (USA)

Genre:

Biography | Drama | Music

Plot:

The story of Little Richard, from his poor Southern upbringing to dealing with the trials and tribulations of being a black singer in the 50's, to his born-again phase & brief "retirement" from rock and roll. |

Plot Keywords:

Singer | Intimate | American South | Contract | Musician

Awards:

Nominated for Primetime Emmy. Another 1 nomination

Cast

Leon	...	Little Richard
Jenifer Lewis	...	Muh Penniman
Carl Lumbly	...	Bud Penniman
Tamala Jones	...	Lucille
Mel Jackson	...	Bump Blackwell
Garrett Morris	...	Carl Rainey
Anthony Lee
Lahmard J. Tate		(as Lahmard Tate)
Alimi Ballard
Anthony Griffith
JoNell Kennedy		(as Jonell Kennedy)
Michael Mantell	...	Art Rupe
Reynaldo Rey
William James Jones	...	Billy Wright
Warren G.	...	Studio Musician
Gregory Gast	...	Pat Boone
Michael Ralph
Karen Bankhead
Robert Littman	...	Don Arden
Ski Carr		(as Louie Ski Carr)
Ali Woodson		(as Ali Ollie Woodson)
Tariq Akoni	...	Buster Douglas
Johnny Britt	...	Clifford Burke
Ty Hodges	...	Young Richard (as Eric 'Ty' Hodges II)
Deandre Dupois	...	Youngest Richard
Shandra Olds-Whitlow	...	Youngest Peggie
Elliott Pinkney-Ball	...	Youngest Robert (as Elliot Pinkney-Ball)
Brian Wiltshire	...	Young Marquette
V.P. Oliver	...	Young Robert
Fhelycia Howe	...	Youngest Silvia
Tressa Thomas	...	Ruth Brown
Conroe Brooks	...	Sam Cooke
Devika Parikh	...	Silvia Penniman
Robbie Gee	...	Boss Man (as Robert Gee)
Jennifer Lee	...	Waitress
Bobby McGee	...	Musician #1
Biff Yeager	...	Farm Hand
Roscoe Freeman	...	Henry Nash
Virginia Watson	...	Mrs. Clemens
Ion Overman	...	Drunk Girl
Don Dowe	...	Cop
Enya Flack	...	Leroy's Girl
Claudia Jordan	...	Sexy lady
Sharlene Rochard	...	Party Girl #1
Mike Kimmel	...	The Businessman
D'Wayne Gardner	...	Sailor
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Erick Carrillo	...	Swing dancer
Gichi Gamba	...	Musician
Paul Moncrief	...	Fan
Erin Powers	...	Sailor's Girlfriend
Forest Robin	...	Swing dancer
Kenny Young	...	Lee Diamond (as Kenneth M. Young)
MarLee Candell	...	Teeny Bopper (uncredited)
Emily Johnson	...	Featured Dancer (uncredited)
Shirley Levi	...	Sexy Girl (uncredited)
Courtney McLaughlin	...	Stage Dancer (uncredited)

Directed by
Robert Townsend

Writing credits (WGA)
Bill Kerby		(written by) and
Daniel Taplitz		(written by)

Produced by
John Davis	....	executive producer
J. Todd Harris	....	executive producer
Little Richard	....	executive producer
Iain Paterson	....	producer

Original Music by
Velton Ray Bunch

Cinematography by
Edward J. Pei

Film Editing by
Sabrina Plisco		(as Sabrina Plisco-Morris)
Marcelo Sansevieri

Casting by
Brian Chavanne

Production Design by
Michael Novotny

Art Direction by
Daniel Novotny

Set Decoration by
Richard Reams

Costume Design by
Tracey White

Makeup Department
Deena Adair	....	key hair stylist
Debra Denson	....	assistant makeup artist
Laini Thompson	....	makeup department head
Julia L. Walker	....	hair stylist: Leon (as Julia Walker)

Production Management
Rick Blumenthal	....	production manager
Bryan Gawron	....	post-production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Jeff Kay	....	second assistant director
Richard Peter Schroer	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Curtis Baruth	....	construction coordinator
Belen Burditte	....	art department coordinator
Tom Shaw Jr.	....	property master

Sound Department
Gary Alexander	....	supervising sound re-recording mixer
Dennis Fuller	....	boom operator
Robert L. Harman	....	sound re-recording mixer
Rick Hart	....	sound re-recording mixer
Joseph Melody	....	sound supervisor (as Joe Melody)
Ken Segal	....	production sound mixer
Russell Williams II	....	sound recordist (as Russell Williams)

Visual Effects by
Eric Grenaudier	....	digital compositor
Kenya Hadley	....	visual effects digital technician (2000)
Frank Lawas	....	video assist
Victor Scalise	....	visual effects editor
Peter V. Ware	....	visual effects producer
Darrin Wehser	....	digital artist

Stunts
Bryan Counts	....	stunts
Zack Duhame	....	stunts
Zach Hudson	....	stunt double
Zach Hudson	....	utility stunts
Alan Oliney	....	stunts
Dana Reed	....	stunts
Eddie Yansick	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Stephen B. Abrams	....	best boy grip
Rick Davidson	....	Steadicam operator
Jason C. Fitzgerald	....	best boy electric
Andy Graham	....	camera operator
Christopher Haifley	....	second assistant camera (as Chris Haifley)
Gerry O'Malley	....	Steadicam operator
Vince Rodriguez	....	key grip
James Sprattley	....	first assistant camera
Michael Weaver	....	chief lighting technician (as Mike Weaver)

Casting Department
Sasha Adkinson	....	extras casting (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Perri Kimono	....	costume supervisor
Philip Maldonado	....	costumer
Sybil Mosely	....	assistant costume designer

Editorial Department
J.R. Benson	....	color timer
Scott Burnette	....	assistant editor
Titus Y.H. Chong	....	post-production assistant
Dana B. Wilson	....	first assistant editor: avid

Music Department
Richard F.W. Davis	....	music editor
Eric Hester	....	assistant to composer
David Sibley	....	music supervisor
Greg Townley	....	scoring mixer

Transportation Department
Mike Painter	....	transportation coordinator (as Michael A. Painter)
Paul Jones	....	driver (uncredited)

Other crew
G. Tyler Clancy	....	assistant to director
Russell Clark	....	choreographer
Sam M. Cobb	....	production medic
Angie Lee Cobbs	....	assistant: Mr. Paterson
Lori Goldbach	....	first assistant accountant
Bill Greenfield	....	production assistant
Jo McIllece	....	production coordinator
Murray Miller	....	location manager
Johnston H. Moore	....	assistant production coordinator
Trudy Ramirez	....	script supervisor (as Trudy G. Ramirez)
Robert Schroer	....	production assistant
Matt G. Sheets	....	production assistant
Susan Slattery	....	production accountant
Corey C. Witte	....	assistant to producer

Production Companies

• Davis Entertainment
• Fox Television Studios

Distributors

• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (2000) (USA) (TV) (original airing)

Special Effects

• Stargate Films (visual effects)
• Ultimate Effects

Other Companies

• Central Casting  extras casting
• Echo Sound Services  sound editing
• Elizabeth Bardsley & Associates  script annotation
• Four Media Company  digital post-production
• Image Laboratories  film processing

Also Known As:

The Little Richard Story (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

120 min | Germany:86 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Filming Locations:

Ambassador Hotel - 3400 Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Davis Entertainment

Quotes:

Little Richard: [improvising on the piano] A-wop-bop-a-loo-bop-a-good-hot-damn! Tutti frutti! Good booty! Tutti frutti! Good booty! Tutti frutti! Good booty! Tutti frutti! Good booty! If it don't fit, don't force it! If you grease it, make it easy!
Bump Blackwell: We have *got* to record that!
Little Richard: What?
Bump Blackwell: Yeah that! *That* is a hit!
Little Richard: You're kidding me.
Bump Blackwell: No, no, no, no, I mean, we gotta clean up the lyrics though. That's a... that's a definite. Dorothy, get in here!
Little Richard: But wait a second. Bump...
Bump Blackwell: This is gonna be...! Dorothy!
[Dorothy runs in]
Bump Blackwell: C'mere! Quick! Get in here!
[...]

I am what I am.

It is fitting on a musical Sunday to get your heart a pumping, and no one can do that better than Little Richard. The man could sing the drawers off the ladies and defined rock and roll.

Look to Leon to provide a definitive characterization, as he has done so with David Ruffin in The Temptations and Jackie Wilson in Mr. Rock 'n' Roll: The Alan Freed Story.

This was a fascinating biopic as we saw Little Richard struggle with his father, with his church and with himself over just who he was. He won the battle and there is no one else that has his voice or his style.