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Little Richard: King and Queen of Rock 'n' Roll

10.0 89 mins Music   Documentary   2023
BBC   Minnow Films  
Director(s): James House

Little Richard can stake a claim on having invented rock 'n' roll. A black artist who grew up in the segregated south of the United States, Richard Penniman broke down barriers and took 1950s America by storm. The Beatles and The Rolling Stones supported him and drew inspiration from his musicianship and stagecraft. He went on to influence artists as diverse as David Bowie, Elton John, Michael Jackson and Prince. Yet Little Richard spent years feeling his contribution to music had been overlooked in favour of white rock 'n' roll stars like Elvis Presley and Pat Boone. On top of that, the inner conflict between his religious beliefs and the music style he pioneered – as well as his battles with his own sexuality – led him to quit rock 'n' roll not just once, but twice.

Casts of Little Richard: King and Queen of Rock 'n' Roll

Little Richard

as Self (Archival Footage)

Big Freedia

as Self

Keith Richards

as Self

Nile Rodgers

as Self

Ringo Starr

as Self

Ron Jones

as Self

Charles White

as Self

Bobby Rush

as Self

Pat Boone

as Self

Sir Lady Java

as Self

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