TVXOHOF: FEBRUARY, 2018 - LITTLE RICHARD

This month's entry into the Television Crossover Hall of Fame can be credited to the influence of one of my brothers.  It was AJ who pushed for this nominee a few years ago, when he never even had crossed my radar.  But a quick look at his credits at the IMDb made me realize he is a worthy candidate on a par with Jack Benny for being best known as himself.

Here's a quickie Wiki look at Little Richard......

From Wikipedia:

Richard Wayne Penniman (born December 5, 1932), known as Little Richard, is an American musician, singer and songwriter.

An influential figure in popular music and culture for more than six decades, Little Richard's most celebrated work dates from the mid-1950s, when his dynamic music and charismatic showmanship laid the foundation for rock and roll. His music also played a key role in the formation of other popular music genres, including soul and funk. Little Richard influenced numerous singers and musicians across musical genres from rock to hip hop; his music helped shape rhythm and blues for generations to come, and his performances and headline-making thrust his career right into the mix of American popular music.

Little Richard has been honored by many institutions. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as part of its first group of inductees in 1986. He was also inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. He is the recipient of a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Recording Academy and a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Rhythm and Blues Foundation. Little Richard's "Tutti Frutti" (1955) was included in the National Recording Registry of the Library of Congress in 2010, which stated that his "unique vocalizing over the irresistible beat announced a new era in music." In 2015, the National Museum of African American Music honored Little Richard with a Rhapsody & Rhythm Award for his pivotal role in the formation of popular music genres and in helping to shatter the color line on the music charts, changing American culture significantly.

For more, click here.

As a showman, Little Richard's style of holy roller/take-no-prisoners bravura didn't just open the door to the flashy pageantry of performers like Elton John and KISS, he smashed the door down.  He is the type of performer that Toobworld needed to heat up the cool medium.  And if he didn't exist, a TV scriptwriter would have had to create someone like him.

And some of them did - Maurice from 'Baywatch', Jubilee Jones from 'NightMan', and Marvelle Quinn from 'Miami Vice' were characters who could fit that Little Richard mold.  Of course, there was only one person who could play such men - Little Richard himself!  (Oddly, Jubilee Jones encountered NightMan two years after Little Richard himself did.  I wonder if NightMan even noticed the similarity in their appearance?)

Here are most of the Earth Prime-Time shows* in which Little Richard appeared as himself, serving as a connection between these shows.  (Something other Crossoverists tend to dismiss; but I see them as being just as fictional as the regular characters from those shows.)

'Women in Prison'
- The Hole Story (1987)
This comedy takes place in cell-bock J of the Bass Women's prison in Wisconsin. Some of the inmates are Vicki, a yuppie housewife framed for shop-lifting by her husband; Dawn, a black woman who murdered her husband; Bonnie, an English prostitute; Eve, the "old lady" who has been there for at least ten years; and Pam serving time for computer crimes. Meg was the guard and Blake the assistant warden.

'Blossom'
- Who's in Charge Here? (1991) 

When Blossom is in charge of the home for one night, when her father performs on a cruise ship, she sees Anthony's new girlfriend stealing a family heirloom.  (O'BSERVATION: Little Richard may have appeared in a dream sequence.  It wouldn't have been the first time such a thing happened.)

'Columbo'
- Columbo and the Murder of a Rock Star (1991)

A successful lawyer learns that his companion has been having an affair and upon learning of this throws her out. She in turn threatens to reveal his illegal tactics unless she gets some compensation for the time that they were together. He in turn, kills her and frames her boyfriend. 

'Hearts Afire'
- Moonlighting (1993)
John and Georgie are having trouble getting work until they offered a job in the cafeteria of the local high school serving lunch. Reed offers to fund the newspaper with the money needed but they feel the price might be too high.

'Full House'
- Too Little Richard Too Late (1994)
To help try and save the art program at Michelle's school, Joey runs for president of the PTA. Little Richard guest stars as Denise's uncle and performs at Joey's pre-election rally.

'Sesame Street'
- Episode #26.44 (1995)

Little Richard sings to the Muppet Rosita....

'One Life to Live'
- Episode dated 2 June 1995

Little Richard officiated at the wedding of Bo and Nora.

'Muppets Tonight' 
- The Cameo Show (1997)

'NightMan' 
- Face to Face (1997)
A convict after being savagely beaten in prison is operated on by a plastic surgeon who's trying a new procedure but somehow it gives the man the ability to alter his face into anyone's. So he alters his face to look like the doctor and walks out the prison. He then sets out to go after the ones who placed him in prison and among them is Johnny's father.

'The Drew Carey Show' 
- Drewstock (1997)
After realizing there is no way to profit from Buzz Beer, the gang decides to shut down the brewery and throw a party with free beer to get rid of their supply. Drew meets a woman at the Warsaw and invites her to the party but can't remember her name or number. Mimi puts a flier about Drew's party in the Winfred-Louder newspaper as revenge for an earlier prank. Drew's hopes of finding his mystery woman dwindle when everyone in the city of Cleveland (including the mayor, Browns quarterback Bernie Kosar, Little Richard, and Joe Walsh) shows up at his house for the party.

'Las Vegas'
- New Orleans (2004)
Big Ed has a problem. The casino's accountant is going to check the books, but one customer, J.R. Mihalyo, still hasn't paid his debt of 4,5 million dollars. Sam tells he lost a poker game to a big criminal and Ed is able to connect the pieces. Mihalyo is on the run. The surveillance team is able to track him down to the Montecito in New Orleans and Ed, Sam and Danny follow him. At New Orleans it's the time of the Mardi Gras festival and the casino personnel seem a bit strange. Back in Las Vegas Mary and Mike have their hands full with a wet t-shirt contest and a violent family reunion.

'The Young and the Restless'
- Episode #1.8926 (2008) 

Over ten years after the last time he married two TV characters, Little Richard officiated in Jeffrey and Gloria Bardwell's renewal of their vows which was totaly a surprise.

As you might expect, Little Richard could not be contained by just one TV dimension.  Here are some of his manifestations in other Toobworlds:

TOOBWORLD-TOOBWORLD

This is the TV dimension for all of those TV movies which chronicle the behind the scenes productions of various real world TV shows.

"The Late Shift" (1996 TV Movie) 

This is the story about the battle for Johnny Carson's throne as the King of Late Night.  Little Richard was seen as the last guest on the 'Tonight Show' with Jay Leno after Leno had fired his manager Jean Doumanian.

THE TOONIVERSE

'The Simpsons' 
- Special Edna (2003) ... Himself (voice)

After Skinner once again has let Mrs. Krabappel down, Bart takes her to the cinema. To cheer her up, Bart nominates Krabappel for the 'teacher of the year' award. The nominations is accepted, and soon the Simpsons family and Mrs. Krabappel are going to the award ceremony in Orlando, Florida, where Skinner tries to get back Krabappel by asking her to marry him.  (O'BSERVATION: Little Richard may have been either the Emcee or a presenter at the awards ceremony.)

'Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventures' 
- The Birth of Rock 'N Roll or Too Hip for the Womb (1990)
- One Sweet and Sour Chinese Adventure to Go (1990)

It's a big ol' Toobworld.  Who knows where else Little Richard's televersion might show up?

My thanks go out to my brother AJ for suggesting Little Richard as a nominee.  I'm sure I would have eventually thought of him.  Destiny has a way of making me aware....  But especially because I have this fear I won't find new candidates to represent during Black History Month.

BCnU!

* O'BSERVATION: This list was compiled on my birthday last year.  (No better present than being given the opportunity to just wallow in my televisiological studies!) Hopefully if Little Richard does add a few more League of Themselves appearances between then and now, I'll be on top of that information... information... information and add them to this list.