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LITTLE RICHARD, one of the chief architects of rock ’n’ roll whose piercing wail, pounding piano and towering pompadour irrevocably altered popular music while introducing black R&B to white America, died Saturday after battling bone cancer. He was 87.

Born Richard Wayne Penni-man, Little Richard was one of rock ’n’ roll’s founding fathers who helped shatter the color line on the music charts, joining Chuck Berry and Fats Domino in bringing what was once called “race music” into the main-stream. Richard’s hyperkinetic piano playing, coupled with his howling vocals and hairdo, made him an implausible sensation — a gay, black man celebrated across the United States during the but-toned-down Eisenhower era.

He sold more than 30 mil-lion records worldwide, and his influence on other musicians was equally staggering, from the Beatles and Otis Redding to Creedence Clearwater Revival and David Bowie. In his per-sonal life, he wavered between raunch and religion, alternately embracing the Good Book and outrageous behavior and looks — mascara-lined eyes, pencil-

thin mustache and glittery suits.

It was 1956 when his clas-sic “Tutti Frutti” landed like a hand grenade in the Top 40, exploding from radios and off turntables across the country. It was highlighted by Richard’s memorable call of “wop-bop-a-loo-bop-a-lop-bam-boom.”

A string of hits followed, providing the foundation of rock music: “Lucille,” “Keep a Knockin’,” “Long Tall Sally,” and “Good Golly Miss Molly.” More than 40 years after the latter charted, Bruce Springs-teen was still performing “Good Golly Miss Molly” live.

He was born in Macon, Geor-gia, during the Great Depres-sion, one of 12 children. The family was religious, and Rich-ard sang in local churches with a group called the Tiny Tots. The tug-of-war between his upbring-ing and rock ’n’ roll excess tor-mented Penniman throughout his career. At 15, he reportedly took on the nickname “Little Richard.” In 1951, he landed his first record deal with RCA.

Richard was cast in 1950s rock and roll films including “Don’t Knock the Rock” and “The Girl Can’t Help It.” But his

Rock ’n’ roll legend dies at ��

AMAZON’S sci-fi comedy “Upload” is ready for version 2.0. The streamer has picked up a second season of the series from “The Office” creator Greg Daniels. The renewal comes just a week after “Upload” premiered on Amazon’s Prime Video. An episode count for season two has yet to be determined.

The series is set in 2033, when people have the option of uploading their consciousness to a virtual afterlife when they die. It centers on Nathan (Robbie Amell), who’s badly injured in a self-driving car accident and makes a hasty decision to be uploaded to the luxurious virtual afterlife of his girlfriend Ingrid’s (Allegra Edwards) family. Once there, Nathan develops a bond

with Nora (Andy Allo), the cus-tomer service “angel” assigned to look after him. “Upload” also stars Kevin Bigley and Zainab Johnson. Daniels executive produces with Howard Klein.

The series is part of a roster of originals at Amazon that

includes “Hunters,” “Jack Ryan,” “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” “The Boys,” the Chris Pratt-led “The Terminal List,” “Tales From the Loop” and a big-budget “Lord of the Rings” adaptation, among others.

(SD-Agencies)

‘Upload’ renewed for season 2 Korean cult hit set for remake

SEOUL-BASED studio CJ Entertainment and Aster’s production banner Square Peg are teaming up to produce an English-language remake of the South Korean auteur Jang Joon-hwan’s wildly original sci-fi cult classic “Save the Green Planet!” Jang is returning to direct the remake from a script written by Will Tracy, with Aster and his production partner Lars Knudsen producing alongside CJ’s head of U.S. productions Francis Chung.

With its galloping pace and bizarro originality, “Save the Green Planet!” became a sleeper hit on the international festival circuit upon its release in 2003.

The film was Jang’s feature debut, which he followed with the revenge thriller “Hwayi: A Monster Boy” (2013) and the political thriller “1987: When the Day Comes” (2017). Both films did sizable business at the South Korean box office. The “Save the Green Planet!” remake will be Jang’s first film in English.

(SD-Agencies)

Cannes to launch virtual film markets

CANNES, the film festival, won’t be happening this year.

But while the French gov-ernment’s extended ban on large gatherings because of the COVID-19 pandemic killed all hope of a return to the Croi-sette in the spring, the industry has responded with two virtual events to keep the Cannes Film Market alive.

One is run by the official Cannes Marche du Film and the other is organized by the film sales divisions of the top four agencies — CAA Media Finance, UTA Independent Film Group, ICM International and Independent Group and Endeavor Content — as well as several indie production and sales operations.

Details of the entertainment industry’s first-ever virtual film markets are still being worked out. But the two markets are set to run parallel, kicking off June 22.

According to Marche execu-tive director Jerome Paillard, the two will be “complementary,” with the official Cannes version screening mainly finished films and the still-unnamed agencies’ version focused on big-ticket packages — a script with director and talent attached — pitched to the international presale market. The global COVID-19 lockdown has sent viewers flooding to streamers in record numbers. (SD-Agencies)

Jang Joon-hwan

wild lifestyle remained at odds with his faith, and a conflicted Richard quit the business in 1957 to enroll in a Bible school and get married. He later returned to his roots with a Gospel album titled “God Is Real.”

He mounted three tours of England between 1962 and 1964, with the Beatles and the Roll-

ing Stones serving as opening acts. Back in the States, he put together a band that included guitarist Jimi Hendrix — and later fired Hendrix when he was late for a bus.

In the 1970s, Richard battled a cocaine problem and once again abandoned his musical career.

When the Rock and Roll Hall

of Fame opened in 1986, he was among the charter mem-bers with Elvis Presley, Berry, Buddy Holly, Jerry Lee Lewis, Sam Cooke and others.

In 1993, he received the Life-time Achievement Award at the Grammys. The superstar contin-ued to perform and record music into his 80s. (SD-Agencies)

Little Richard was one of rock ’n’ roll’s founding fathers. SD-Agencies

A scene from “Upload.” File photo