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Little Richard

Little Richard

Actor, also producer · Died May 9, 2020, aged 87 · Macon, Georgia, USA

Richard Wayne Penniman (December 5, 1932 - May 9, 2020), better known as Little Richard, was a flamboyant and groundbreaking American singer, songwriter and musician. Little Richard was a pioneering influence on the birth of Rock 'n' Roll.

Biography from TMDB.

Born
December 5, 1932
Died
May 9, 2020 (aged 87)
From
Macon, Georgia, USA
Works as
Actor, also producer
Titles
22 on MovieCove · 38 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 156 days to Oct 27Down 9% in 30 days

What are Little Richard's films like?

Across their 9 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Self.

Genres

Comedy5 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 11th percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Biography2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 84th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Biography movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Bonds
28%
Self
21%
Society
20%
Morality
16%
Power
6%
Ideas
6%
Survival
4%
Identity3 titles, browse their movies with this themeRedemption3 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love2 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds3 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity2 titles, browse their movies with this themeLegacy2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 9 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Light: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their light movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 7 · Serious 1 · Dark 1

Grounded: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their grounded movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 7 · Stylized 2 · Heightened 0

Gentle: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their gentle movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 6 · Charged 3 · Intense 0

Steady: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their steady movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 5 · Shifting 4 · Whiplash 0

Some laughs: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their some laughs movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 3 · Some laughs 3 · Funny 3

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

A split, not a type: Slow burn 5 · Even-paced 3 · Relentless 1

Casual: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their casual movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 7 · Engaged 2 · Full focus 0

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 8 · Open-ended 1 · Ambiguous 0

Roles they play

2 analyzed roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Absurd
4
Joyful
4
Warm
4
Contemplative
2
Hopeful
2
Other
6

How their films linger

Fun4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end

  • Happy6
  • Bittersweet3

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Little Richard's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 14 of their 22 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (5).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Little Richard's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

38 credits, 22 with a MovieCove page; 70 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Beatles '64(2024)

    Songs · as Self (archive footage)

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films

  • High Card's Bluff (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2023)

    Songs

  • Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Live - Feelin' Alright (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)

    Actor

  • Celebrity Duets (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    Show 9 episodes · Actor

  • Best Week Ever (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • James Brown: Soul Survivor (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    Actor

  • Las Vegas(2003)

    Show 1 episode · as Little Richard

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all shows

  • The Trumpet of the Swan(2001)

    Songs

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films

  • Little Richard(2000)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films

  • E! True Hollywood Story (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    Show Actor

  • Rudy Coby: Ridiculously Dangerous (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    as Lounge Lizard (voice)

  • The Late Shift(1995)

    as Little Richard

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films

  • The Drew Carey Show(1995)

    Show 1 episode · as Little Richard

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all shows

  • The Magic School Bus(1994)

    Show 52 episodes · Theme Song Performance

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all shows

  • Food Rocks (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    Songs · as Richard (uncredited)

  • The Pickle(1993)

    as President

    Midcredits score: 11th percentile of all films

  • WWE Monday Night RAW(1993)

    Show 1 episode · as Little Richard

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all shows

  • The Naked Truth(1992)

    as Airborne Mustard Lover

    Midcredits score: 6th percentile of all films

  • Hearts Afire(1992)

    Show 1 episode · as Little Richard

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all shows

  • Martin(1992)

    Show 1 episode · as The Exterminator

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all shows

  • Sunset Heat(1992)

    as Brandon

    Midcredits score: 6th percentile of all films

  • Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventures(1990)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

    Midcredits score: 24th percentile of all shows

  • Blossom(1990)

    Show 1 episode · as Little Richard

    Midcredits score: 14th percentile of all shows

  • Mother Goose Rock 'n' Rhyme(1990)

    as Old King Cole

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all films

  • The Simpsons(1989)

    Show 1 episode · as Little Richard (voice)

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all shows

  • Baywatch (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    Show 1 episode · as Maurice the Cook

  • Legends of Rock 'n' Roll (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    as Little Richard

  • Purple People Eater(1988)

    as Mayor

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all films

  • Goddess of Love(1988)

    as Alphonso

    Midcredits score: 1st percentile of all films

  • Joan Rivers and Friends Salute Heidi Abromowitz (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)

    as Little Richard

  • Full House(1987)

    Show 1 episode · as Little Richard

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all shows

  • Down and Out in Beverly Hills(1986)

    as Orvis Goodnight

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films

  • Motown Returns to the Apollo (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    Actor

  • Friday People (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Miami Vice(1984)

    Show 1 episode · as Marvelle Quinn

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all shows

  • Columbo (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1971)

    Show 1 episode · as Little Richard

  • The Smothers Brothers Summer Show (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1970)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Don't Knock The Rock U.K. 1964 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    as Little Richards

Career shape

Star power in the 47th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 38 titles, 37 of them dated from 1970 to 2024.

Biggest box office

Down and Out in Beverly Hills (1986)

$62M worldwide

Highest rated

Revival69: The Concert That Rocked the World (2022)

Midcredits 82nd

Most popular right now

Down and Out in Beverly Hills (1986)

Film career

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting33 of 38: 32 only acting, 1 with another role · typical Midcredits score47thProducing1 of 38: 1 only producing, 0 with another roleOther crew5 of 38: 4 only other crew, 1 with another role

By decade

1970s2 · acting1980s11 · acting1990s15 · 14 acting · 2 crew2000s7 · 5 acting · 2 crew2020s2 · crew

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored.

How do Little Richard's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 23rd percentile, the median of all 11; across their 9 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 20th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

20thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 9

Approval · how many liked their films

27thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 9

Reach · how many have seen their films

48thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 9

Midcredits score across 22 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up5
  • 50th to 74th6
  • 25th to 49th3
  • Below 25th8

Shape of the crowd

9 of their 22 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved1
  • Universally Panned1
  • Cult Classic1
  • Crowd Pleaser9
  • Broadly Agreed1
  • Mixed9

Most divisive · actor

Purple People Eater (1988)

87th percentile spread · 42% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Beatles '64 (2024)

Midcredits 88th · 76% liked

Reviewers score the acting 50/100 in their films, across 7 reviewed titles; fans 67, detractors 27. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Who does Little Richard work with?

People who share at least 2 of Little Richard's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Paul Mazursky shares the most, 2.

Directors

Actors

Composers