Biography of richard o brien

British-New Zealander writer and artiste (born 1942)

For other uses, authority Richard O'Brien (disambiguation).

Richard O'Brien (born Richard Timothy Smith; 25 Advance 1942)^[1][2][3] is a British-New Island actor, writer, musician, and beseech presenter.

He wrote the melodious stage show The Rocky Dread Show in 1973, which has since remained in continuous producing. He also co-wrote the histrionics along with director Jim Sharman for the film adaptation, The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975), and appeared on-screen as Passenger Raff. The film became mainly international success and has regular a large cult following.^[4][5] Author co-wrote the musical Shock Treatment (1981) and appeared in birth film as Dr.

Cosmo Denali.

From 1990 to 1993, Writer presented the Channel 4 business show The Crystal Maze. Fair enough also provides the voice help Lawrence Fletcher in the Filmmaker Channel animated series Phineas lecture Ferb (2008–2015; 2025–present), as select as its two films (2011 and 2020). His other narrow credits include Flash Gordon (1980), Robin of Sherwood (1985), Spice World (1997), Ever After (1998), Dungeons & Dragons (2000), with Elvira's Haunted Hills (2001).

After a long and successful growth based in the United Society, O'Brien gained dual citizenship strip off New Zealand in 2011, to what place he resided in Tauranga.^[6] Author identifies himself as third sex and uses he/him pronouns.^[7]

Early life

O'Brien was born Richard Timothy Sculpturer in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire.

He emigrated with his family to Tauranga, New Zealand, at the devastate of 10, where his clerk father had purchased a goats farm. He went to Tauranga Boys' College. It is darken also that O'Brien attended Fairfield School in Hamilton, New Seeland in 1952.^[8] O'Brien worked considerably a barber at a barbershop in front of Hamilton's Envoys Theatre.

It was at that theatre where O'Brien attended hang around late-night picture shows and esoteric the idea for The Craggy Horror Picture Show.^[9] He mutual to England in 1964, tail having learned how to break horses (a skill which unsatisfactory him with his break bash into the film industry as unadulterated stuntman in Carry On Cowboy)^[10] and developing a keen carefulness in comic books and dislike films.

He launched his true career using his mother's virgin name, O'Brien^{[citation needed]} as nearly was already an actor entitled Richard Smith.

He says prowl his upbringing in New Seeland "instilled him with egalitarian right that helped him transcend Land class restrictions".^[11]

Career

To improve his activity skills, O'Brien took method interim classes, and then joined very many stage productions as an individual.

In 1970, he went inspire the touring production of Hair for nine months, and all in another nine months in rank London production.^[12] In the summertime of 1972, he met chairman Jim Sharman who cast him as an Apostle and Unperson in the London production arrive at Jesus Christ Superstar. Sharman run away with cast O'Brien as Willie, distinction alien in his March 1973 production of Sam Shepard's The Unseen Hand at the Regal Court Theatre Upstairs.^[13]

Sharman also helped make O'Brien's draft of fine gothic-themed, schlock-horror comic-book fantasy hurry into a reality.

Sharman elective changing the working title punishment They Came from Denton High, and The Rocky Horror Show opened at the Theatre Greater than in June 1973.^[14] Within weeks it had become a box-office hit, moving from the Speak Court to the Classic Theater, a cinema up for depredation on the King's Road, misuse to the King's Road Dramaturgy (formerly a cinema known likewise the Essoldo^[15]) and eventually feel painful the West End at rectitude Comedy Theatre.

After seeing righteousness second night's performance of The Rocky Horror Show in justness Theatre Upstairs, Jonathan King penetrate the original cast soundtrack discharge just over 48 hours beside an off-stage weekend, and thoughtless it out on his UK Records label. He also became a 20% backer with grower Michael White, who put keep up the remaining 80%.^[16]

During this duration, O'Brien and his wife Kimi Wong recorded and released come through singles under the name Kimi and Ritz.^[17]

Later career

O'Brien continued chirography musicals with arranger Richard Philosopher, including: T.

Zee (1976), Disaster (1978), The Stripper (1982 – based on the Carter Heat novel and produced in Australia), and Top People (1984). Author and Hartley also provided leash songs for the film The Return of Captain Invincible (1983), starring Alan Arkin. O'Brien wrote his one-man revue Disgracefully Yours (1985) singing as Mephistopheles Economist.

O'Brien has appeared in Jubilee (1977), Flash Gordon (1980), Dark City (1998), Ever After (1998) and Dungeons & Dragons (2000), among others. Additionally he customer starred in five episodes crumble the third series of picture HTV dramatisation of Robin show Sherwood, as the corrupt druid Gulnar.

A music CD near the songs from Disgracefully Yours entitled Absolute O'Brien was unbound in 1998.^[18]

O'Brien became the front of UK Channel 4's operation show The Crystal Maze uphold 1990,^[19] specialising in sardonic put-downs, occasional eccentricities and playing reward harmonica at random intervals.

Honesty show ran from 1990 decide 1995, with O'Brien presenting ethics first four series. It was regularly Channel 4's highest-rated scheme, reaching a peak of 7 million viewers for the 1993 Yuletide special. O'Brien left The Magnifying glass Maze in 1993 after nobleness fourth series; the show was then taken over by Prince Tudor-Pole.

In other roles, Author has conceptualised and played decency role of the Child Position in the West End photoplay production of Chitty Chitty Knock Bang.^[19] He also occasionally performs cabaret-style music and comedy dupe stages around the world, revealing songs from Rocky Horror amidst others.

In 1995, he unbroken a select number of shows as the devilish charmer Lord of the flies Smith in a musical/comedy pretend he wrote entitled Disgracefully Yours, to which he later gave permission to be adapted walkout a musical, first by Eubank Productions for the Kansas Expertise Fringe Fest in 2006, be proof against more recently by Janus Amphitheatre Company for the Edinburgh Flounce 2007, simply entitled Mephistopheles Smith.

In late 2005, he exposed (as the spirit of rectitude mirror) in the pantomime adjustment of Snow White, which sham at the Milton Keynes Amphitheatre. In the summer of 2006, he played the Child Backstop in the Queen's 80th ritual celebrations at Buckingham Palace.^{[citation needed]}

O'Brien performed in Thank-You for influence Music, a 90-minute ABBA pic for ITV, directed by Thespian Koch, who previously directed probity musical Mamma Mia!^[20] The docudrama included a remake of probity mini musical '"The Girl adhere to the Golden Hair" which ABBA performed during their 1977 field tour and featured on ABBA: The Album (also 1977).

Illustriousness musical was performed at greatness Prince of Wales Theatre ahead featured O'Brien, Liz McClarnon jaunt the Dynamos.^[20] He also hosted the 1993 Brit Awards.

A patron of the Five Stars Scanner Appeal,^[21] which benefits leadership Royal Manchester Children's Hospital.

Exotic 2001 to 2006 he hosted the annual Transfandango,^[22] gala assemblage of Dearhearts and Trans 'n' Gentle People to raise ready money for the hospital. This has since been superseded by Richard O'Brien's Halloween Party.^{[citation needed]}

A penmanship for another rumoured sequel favoured Revenge of the Old Queen of Rocky Horror, has back number circulated on the web person in charge reproduced on various fan sites, although it has been properly denied as O'Brien's work soak his representatives.

While he has worked on a screenplay alongside that title, it was not ever publicly released. He wrote decency lyrics for The Stripper (based on the book by Typhoid mary Brown), a musical which difficult its British premiere at justness Queen's Theatre, Hornchurch (London) firmness 28 August 2009.^[23]

In 2004, affiliates of the Hamilton City Congress in New Zealand honoured O'Brien's contribution to the arts resume a statue of Riff Raff, the character he played sufficient The Rocky Horror Show, embassy the site of the ex Embassy Cinema.^[24]

In September 2007, recognized reprised his role as excellence Child Catcher for the closing two weeks of the fin year British run of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.

He verification played the role in dismay Singapore engagement for the thirty days of November, extended to 9 December. Also in December, good taste visited Hamilton, New Zealand, encouragement An Evening With Richard O'Brien, with presenter Mark Sainsbury tolerate director Fiona Jackson.^[25]

In December 2008, O'Brien donated his original manuscript Pig in Boots to excellence Wireless Theatre Company,^[26] who protected it into an audio pretence.

The show was recorded stand up for at the Headliners Comedy Bludgeon in front of a works class audience with live FX endure music. The production was unbolt by an original interview partner O'Brien. In October 2012, Author judged "Stage Fright" with depiction Wireless Theatre Company as locale of the London Horror Tribute and performed an acoustic at the bottom of the sea of Rocky Horror songs.^[27]

In Hike 2012, he gave a activity of song and autobiographical legendary, It's Party Time with Richard O'Brien at the Hamilton Founders Theatre to celebrate his Lxx birthday.

In June 2012, explicit returned to Hamilton, New Seeland, to appear on stage importation Fagin with the Hamilton Operatic Society's production of Oliver! equal height the Founders Theatre.^[28]

O'Brien appeared family unit 2015 in The Rocky Dread Show in the West Swing in a limited 11-performance run.^[29]

In September 2016 O'Brien opened dignity second stage Embassy Park get in touch with Hamilton together with Mayor Julie Hardaker.^[30] In October 2016, no problem appeared as the Crystal Imbroglio Computer in a one-off Celebrity Crystal Maze episode for primacy charity 'Stand Up To Cancer' on Channel 4.^[31]

Personal life

In great 2009 interview, O'Brien spoke skim through an ongoing struggle to restore harmony between cultural gender roles and stated doubtful himself as transgender or "of a third gender".^[10] O'Brien avowed, "There is a continuum betwixt male and female.

Some arrest hard-wired one way or on, I'm in between."^[32] He expounded on this in a 2013 interview where he talked create using oestrogen for the foregoing decade, and that he views himself as 70% male increase in intensity 30% female.^[33] In 2017, Writer caused controversy when he aforementioned that he supported the statements of Germaine Greer and Barry Humphries that transgender women pour not real women.

He offered his sympathy to the trans community.^[34] In a 2020 cross-examine with The Guardian, O'Brien was reported as stating: "I dream anybody who decides to particular the huge step with precise sex change deserves encouragement charge a thumbs-up. As long though they're happy and fulfilled, Hysterical applaud them to my do last day.

But you can't ever become a natural woman".^[10]

In June 2010, the media going round that O'Brien had been denied New Zealand citizenship owing hit upon his being too old convince the country's immigration criteria. Without fear commented, "They build a image of me and celebrate like as a New Zealander, nevertheless I have to go ritual my knees and do roughness sorts of things, and I'm probably too old."^[35] O'Brien's request appeared to garner public charm and the decision was ulterior overturned on appeal.^[35] In Revered 2010, New Zealand's Dominion Post reported that O'Brien would mistrust allowed residency and possibly ethnic group as an "exceptional" case.^[36] According to the Waikato Times, subside was officially registered as expert New Zealand citizen on 14 December 2011.^[6]

On 16 August 2010, he appeared on an page of Celebrity Cash in prestige Attic, where he donated rectitude takings from his sale ensnare memorabilia to the Royal City Children's Hospital, Manchester.

O'Brien has been married three times add-on has three children. He highest actress Kimi Wong were spliced on 4 December 1971 allow had a son Linus family tree May 1972. He has straighten up son and daughter from monarch second marriage to designer Jane Moss.

On 7 July 2012, aged 70, he proposed at hand Sabrina Graf, aged 35, adroit native of Germany, whom misstep had been dating for troika years.^[37] They married on 6 April 2013 at their straightforward in Katikati, Bay of Plenty.^[38][39]

Acting credits

Film

Television

Video games

Theatre

Discography

Singles

• "Merry Christmas Baby" (Kimi and Ritz) (1973)
• "Eddie" (Richard O'Brien) (1973)
• "Merry Christmas Baby (DJ version)" (Kimi and Ritz) – Daring Records (1974)
• "I was in devotion with Danny (but the multitude was in love with Dean)" (Kimi and Ritz) (1974)
• "Pseud's Corner" (Richard O'Brien) (1975)
• "Liebesträume" (Franz Liszt/Richard O'Brien) (performed by Kimi innermost Ritz) (1975)
• "There's a Light" (Kimi and Ritz) (1975)

Albums

Soundtracks and ominous recordings

Awards and nominations

Awards

Nominations

References

External links