Tim Curry’s Health Struggle Before Death Detailed by Luke Evans
E! News • • entertainment
Key Points:
- Tim Curry, who originated Dr. Frank-N-Furter on stage, was chosen by director Jim Sharman to reprise his role in the 1975 film adaptation of The Rocky Horror Picture Show, despite interest from big stars like Mick Jagger.
- Most of the original stage cast transitioned to the film, except for the leads Brad Majors and Janet Weiss, who were played by Barry Bostwick and Susan Sarandon, both relatively unknown Americans at the time.
- The film was shot on a modest $1 million budget over five weeks at Bray Studios in cold conditions, leading to difficult and uncomfortable working circumstances for the cast.
- Initially a box office flop, the movie gained cult status after a 1976 midnight re-release in New York City, sparking interactive audience participation that became a hallmark of its screenings.
- Despite the film's later success and profitability, the cast received modest pay, and the 1981 follow-up Shock Treatment, featuring some original cast members in different roles, was less well-received and considered flawed by its creators.
