158-572: Richard Michael Mayall (7 March 1958 – 9 June 2014) was an English actor, comedian and writer. He formed a close partnership with Ade Edmondson while they were students at Manchester University , and was a pioneer of alternative comedy in the 1980s. Mayall starred in numerous successful comedy series throughout his career, including The Young Ones (1982–1984), The Comic Strip Presents... (1983–2012), Filthy Rich & Catflap (1987), The New Statesman (1987–1994), Bottom (1991–1995), and Believe Nothing (2002). He also starred in
316-429: A 2:1 degree. Edmondson and Mayall soon became best friends and before long found work on the burgeoning alternative comedy scene. Under the name 20th Century Coyote , Edmondson and Mayall became one of the star attractions at The Comedy Store . As their popularity grew, Edmondson, Mayall and other upcoming comedians, including Nigel Planer , Peter Richardson , Alexei Sayle , and French and Saunders moved from
474-439: A frying pan during his performance of The Dying Swan ballet. Edmondson mentioned backstage that it was the first time in eight years they had done something like that together and claimed Mayall had left with a small bump on his head. It would be the last time the duo performed together in public. In April 2011, Mayall again revived the character of Alan B'Stard to make an appearance in a satirical television advertisement for
632-409: A pallbearer . In accordance with his wishes, he was buried on his family estate at Pasture Farm, East Allington , Devon. He was originally going to be the voice of Newton in 2014's LittleBigPlanet 3 , but replaced by Hugh Laurie after his death. Ade Edmondson Adrian Charles Edmondson (born 24 January 1957) is an English actor, comedian, musician, writer and television presenter. He
790-471: A science fiction double feature (" Science Fiction/Double Feature "). Throughout the film, a criminologist from an unspecified point in the future narrates and provides commentary on the events. Following the wedding of their friends, a naïve young couple, Brad Majors and Janet Weiss, get engaged and decide to celebrate with their high school science teacher Dr. Scott, who taught the class where they first met (" Dammit Janet "). En route to Scott's house on
948-546: A science fiction film , and is acutely aware that her costumes for Brad and Janet may have been generalizations. When I designed Rocky , I never looked at any science fiction movies or comic books. One just automatically knows what spacesuits look like, the same way one intuitively knows how Americans dress. I had never been to the United States, but I had this fixed idea of how people looked there. Americans wore polyester so their clothes wouldn't crease, and their trousers were
1106-524: A " mercy killing ". Rocky and Frank depart for the bridal suite ("I Can Make You a Man (Reprise)"). Brad and Janet are shown to separate bedrooms, where each is visited and seduced by Frank. Meanwhile, Riff Raff and Magenta torment Rocky, who flees the suite. Janet, having learned of Brad's dalliance with Frank, discovers Rocky cowering in his birth tank. While tending to his wounds, Janet seduces Rocky as Magenta and Columbia watch from their bedroom monitor ("Touch-a, Touch-a, Touch-a, Touch Me"). Dr. Scott, now
1264-488: A "low-budget freak show/cult classic/cultural institution" with "catchy" songs. Geoff Andrew , of Time Out , noted that the "string of hummable songs gives it momentum, Gray's admirably straight-faced narrator holds it together, and a run on black lingerie takes care of almost everything else", rating it 4 out of 5 stars. On the other hand, Dave Kehr of the Chicago Reader considered the wit to be "too weak to sustain
1422-500: A 20th Century Fox policy that made archival films available to theatres at any time. Having never been pulled by 20th Century Fox from its original 1975 release, it continues to play in cinemas. After The Walt Disney Company acquired 20th Century Fox in 2019 and began withdrawing archival Fox movies from theatres to be placed into the Disney Vault , the company made an exception in the case of The Rocky Horror Picture Show to allow
1580-454: A BBC Radio 2 interview in 2000, Mayall said that when filming Guest House Paradiso , Edmondson would make sure he had afternoons free to rest from filming following the accident. He was left with epilepsy as a result of the accident for which he had to take daily medication for the rest of his life. During Mayall's hospitalisation, the Comic Strip special Four Men in a Car was broadcast for
1738-484: A Wallflower (2012). The 1980 film Fame featured the audience reciting their callback lines to the screen and dancing the Time Warp, the dance from the stage show and film, which has become a novelty dance at parties. Director Rob Zombie cited Rocky Horror as a major influence on his film House of 1000 Corpses (2003), while the film's fan culture of cosplaying and audience participation during screenings laid
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#17328692135801896-672: A bit role in An American Werewolf in London . His stage partnership with Edmondson continued, with them often appearing together as " The Dangerous Brothers ", hapless daredevils whose hyper-violent antics foreshadowed their characters in Bottom . Channel 4 offered the Comic Strip group six short films, which became The Comic Strip Presents... , debuting on 2 November 1982. The series, which continued sporadically for many years, saw Mayall play
2054-412: A bit too short. Since they're very keen on sports, white socks and white T-shirts played an integral part in their wardrobe. Of course, since doing Rocky I have been to the United States and admit it was a bit of a generalization, but my ideas worked perfectly for Brad and Janet. The budget for the film was US$ 1,600,000, far more than the stage production budget, but having to double up on costumes for
2212-495: A black comedy called If You See God, Tell Him . Edmondson played Gordon Spry, whose uncle (Briers) is paralysed and has a greatly reduced attention span. His erratic behaviour causes problems for Gordon. The series comprised four episodes, each 45 minutes long, and only broadcast once. The BBC has not repeated the series, although one episode was broadcast on BBC Four on 3 December 2007. In September 1995, Edmondson released his first (comic) novel, The Gobbler . In 1996, he played
2370-511: A campaign led by Jon Morter began to get "Noble England" to No. 1 during the 2014 FIFA World Cup . It rapidly climbed the official charts in the United Kingdom and reached no. 7. In September 2010, an audio book, narrated by Mayall, Cutey and the Sofaguard was released by Digital Download. The book was written by Chris Wade and released by Wisdom Twins Books. In the same month, Mayall played
2528-425: A compulsive, repeated cycle of going home and coming back to see the film each weekend. The audience call-backs are similar to responses in church during a mass. Many theatre troupes exist across the United States that produce shadow-cast performances where the actors play each part in the film in full costume, with props, as the movie plays on the big screen in a movie theatre. O'Brien's Orchestra, formerly known as
2686-534: A dark and rainy night, they get lost and suffer a flat tire. Seeking a telephone to call for help, the couple walks to a nearby castle (" Over at the Frankenstein Place ") where a party is being held. They are accepted in by the strangely dressed inhabitants, led by the butler Riff Raff, the maid Magenta, and a groupie named Columbia, who dance to " The Time Warp ". Dr. Frank-N-Furter, a transvestite mad scientist, introduces himself and invites them to stay for
2844-423: A desperate final plea ("I'm Going Home") but is ignored as Riff Raff kills both him and Columbia with a laser. An enraged Rocky climbs the tower with Frank's body , and, after several shots from the laser, plunges to his death. The castle lifts off into space; before Brad, Janet, and Dr. Scott are left crawling in the smog and dirt as the criminologist concludes that the human race is equivalent to insects crawling on
3002-408: A few minutes. He was airlifted to Plymouth 's Derriford Hospital , with two haematomas and a fractured skull. During the following 96 hours, he was kept sedated to prevent movement which could cause pressure on his brain. His family was warned that he could die or have brain damage. He was in an induced coma for several days. After five days doctors felt it safe to bring him back to consciousness. In
3160-553: A film" and thought that the "songs all sound the same". In 2005, the film was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant". The Rocky Horror Picture Show helped shape conditions of cult film's transition from art-house to exploitation style. The film developed a cult following in 1976 at
3318-470: A flexible rotating cast. The performances of the audience were scripted and actively discouraged improvising, being conformist in a similar way to the repressed characters. On Halloween in 1976, people attended in costume and talked back to the screen, and by mid-1978, Rocky Horror was playing in over 50 locations on Fridays and Saturdays at midnight. Newsletters were published by local performance groups, and fans gathered for Rocky Horror conventions. By
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#17328692135803476-475: A following. Mayall suggested that the series did not last because he was uncomfortable acting in an Elton project, when they had been co-writers on The Young Ones . In the same year, Mayall had a No. 1 hit in the UK Singles Chart , when he and his co-stars from The Young Ones teamed with Cliff Richard to record " Living Doll " for the inaugural Comic Relief campaign. Mayall played Rick one last time in
3634-421: A government investigator of UFOs , comes to the castle in search of his nephew Eddie, who sent him a letter implying part of his brain was removed by aliens. Everyone discovers Janet and Rocky together, enraging Frank. Magenta summons everyone to an uncomfortable dinner, which they soon realize has been prepared from Eddie's mutilated remains ("Eddie"). In the chaos, Janet runs screaming into Rocky's arms, provoking
3792-678: A greater extent, The Young Ones , Edmondson and Mayall returned to their "Coyote" dynamic in the double act the Dangerous Brothers with Edmondson as "Sir Adrian Dangerous" in Saturday Live (1985–1987). In 1983, he appeared as the lead singer "Vim Fuego" in the spoof heavy metal band called "Bad News" with his Young Ones co-stars Rik Mayall , Nigel Planer , and Peter Richardson of "Comic Strip Presents...". In 1985 Edmondson starred with his wife Jennifer Saunders in Happy Families ,
3950-526: A hit as a midnight movie , when audiences began participating with the film at the Waverly Theater in New York City in 1976. Audience members returned to the cinemas frequently and talked back to the screen and began dressing as the characters, spawning similar performance groups across the United States. At almost the same time, fans in costume began performing alongside the film. This "shadow cast" mimed
4108-652: A jealous Frank to chase her through the halls to the lab, where he uses his Medusa Transducer to turn Dr. Scott, Brad, Janet, Rocky, and Columbia into nude statues ("Planet Schmanet Janet/Wise Up Janet Weiss"/"Planet Hotdog"). After dressing the statues in cabaret costumes, Frank "unfreezes" them and leads them in a live cabaret floor show, complete with an RKO tower and a swimming pool ("Rose Tint My World"/"Don't Dream It, Be It"/"Wild and Untamed Thing"). Riff Raff and Magenta interrupt, and announce that due to Frank's extravagance, they are declaring mutiny and returning to their home planet of Transsexual, Transylvania. Frank makes
4266-781: A look-alike contest as Frank N. Furter, and won another at the Tiffany Theater on Sunset Boulevard . Wolfson's group eventually performed in all of the L.A. area theatres screening Rocky Horror , including the Balboa Theater in Balboa , The Cove at Hermosa Beach , and The Sands in Glendale . He was invited to perform at the Sombrero Playhouse in Phoenix, Arizona . At the Tiffany Theatre,
4424-538: A minor role in the 2012 film Blood . Edmondson and Saunders reunited with their former Comic Strip colleagues in 2012 for a Famous Five sequel, Five Go to Rehab . It aired on 7 November on Gold . Edmondson won the 2013 BBC One cookery series of Celebrity MasterChef . In 2014, Edmondson presented Ade at Sea , a factual six-part programme for the ITV network which follows Ade in Britain . In 2014, he played DCI Warner in
4582-477: A movie, rating it 2.5 out of 4 stars and describing Curry as "the best thing in the movie, maybe because he seems to be having the most fun" but thinking the story would work better performed on stage for a live audience. Bill Henkin noted that Variety thought that the "campy hijinks" of the film seemed labored, and also mentioned that the San Francisco Chronicle 's John Wasserman, who had liked
4740-635: A pompous anarchist poet named Rick. This led to Edmondson and Mayall, along with compere of the Comedy Store Alexei Sayle and other up-and-coming comedians, including Nigel Planer , Peter Richardson , French and Saunders , Arnold Brown , and Pete Richens setting up their own comedy club called " The Comic Strip " in the Raymond Revuebar , a strip club in Soho. Mayall's Kevin Turvey character gained
4898-444: A production of the play Cell Mates alongside Stephen Fry . Not long into the run, Fry had a nervous breakdown and fled to Belgium, where he remained for several days, and the play closed early. In 2007, Mayall said of the incident: "You don't leave the trenches ... selfishness is one thing, being a __ is another. I mustn't start that war again." Edmondson poked fun at the event during their stage tours. Also in 1995, Mayall provided
Rik Mayall - Misplaced Pages Continue
5056-651: A quasi-permanent home at the 500-seat King's Road Theatre from 3 November that year, running for six years. The musical made its U.S. debut in Los Angeles in 1974 before playing in New York City as well as other cities. Producer and Ode Records owner Lou Adler attended the London production in the winter of 1973, escorted by friend Britt Ekland . He immediately decided to purchase the U.S. theatrical rights. His production would be staged at his Roxy Theatre in L.A. In 1975, The Rocky Horror Show premiered on Broadway at
5214-592: A recurring role in the Channel Five remake of the lighthearted drama series, Minder . He also provided the voice of Cufflingk in the 2005 animated film Valiant . In September 2009, Mayall played a supporting role in the television programme Midsomer Murders - shown on ITV1 and made by Meridian Broadcasting - as David Roper, a recovering party animal and tenuous friend of the families in and around Chettham Park House. In April 2010, Motivation Records released Mayall's England Football anthem " Noble England " for
5372-658: A regular slot in A Kick Up the Eighties , first broadcast in 1981. He appeared as "Rest Home" Ricky in Richard O'Brien 's Shock Treatment , a sequel to The Rocky Horror Picture Show . He played Dentonvale's resident attendant as the love interest to Nell Campbell 's Nurse Ansalong. Mayall's television appearances as Kevin Turvey led to a mockumentary based on the character titled Kevin Turvey ;– The Man Behind The Green Door , broadcast in 1982. The previous year, he appeared in
5530-400: A ride on the bike—a Christmas gift from his wife—but he refused because of bad weather approaching, and he went on out alone. Mayall remembered nothing about the accident. His wife Barbara looked out of the window and saw him lying on the ground trapped beneath the quad, which had turned over on top of him. Mayall later joked that his wife believed he was fooling around and initially left him for
5688-481: A role he later reprised in 2013. Jonathan Creek also featured Adrian Edmondson in a recurring role, though the two did not appear in any episodes together. In 2000, Mayall voiced around half of the characters for the PlayStation and Windows PC video game Hogs of War . Also that year, Mayall appeared in the video production of Jesus Christ Superstar as King Herod . He joked in the "making of" documentary, which
5846-503: A rural comedy drama written by Ben Elton, which appeared on the BBC and told the story of the dysfunctional Fuddle family. In 1987, Edmondson reunited with Planer and Mayall to star in Filthy Rich & Catflap , a comic attack on showbiz, again written by Elton. He played "Edward Catflap", a coarse, drunken minder of light-entertainment nonentity "Richie Rich". In this show Edmondson displayed
6004-559: A second series of three was broadcast in early 1995. He provided the voice for Little Sod in Simon Brett 's How to Be a Little Sod , written in 1991 and adapted as ten consecutive episodes broadcast by the BBC in 1995. In the early 1990s, he auditioned for the roles of Banzai, Zazu, and Timon in The Lion King (1994); he was asked to audition by lyricist Tim Rice but the role of Zazu went to Rowan Atkinson . In 1995, Mayall featured in
6162-469: A spot at The Mabuhay , a local punk club, and performed for children's television of Argentina. Annual Rocky Horror conventions are held in varying locations, lasting days. Tucson, Arizona has been host a number of times, including 1999 with "El Fishnet Fiesta", and "Queens of the Desert" held in 2006. Vera Dika wrote that, to the fans, Rocky Horror is ritualistic and comparable to a religious event, with
6320-477: A strong cult following. In 1993, following the second series, Mayall and Edmondson decided to take a stage-show version of the series on a national tour, Bottom: Live . It was a commercial success, filling large venues. Four additional stage shows were embarked upon in 1995, 1997, 2001 and 2003, each meeting with great success. The violent nature of these shows saw both Edmondson and Mayall ending up in hospital at various points. A film version, Guest House Paradiso
6478-658: A teacher in the British Armed Forces . In the mid-1980s, his father became the deputy headmaster at the former Drummond Middle School in Manningham in Bradford. Edmondson attended Pocklington School , East Riding of Yorkshire , from 1968 to 1975. In an interview with the Times Educational Supplement ( TES ), he stated that he did not enjoy his education at Pocklington, and that his group of friends considered
Rik Mayall - Misplaced Pages Continue
6636-518: A unique level. Members of the LGBT community composed a large part of the Rocky Horror cult following: they identified with the embrace of sexual liberation and androgyny, and attended show after show, slowly forming a community. Judith A. Peraino compares Brad and Janet's initiation into Frank N. Furter's world to the self-discovery of " queer identity", and to the traditional initiation of "virgins" in
6794-552: A wide variety of roles. It was known for anti-establishment humour and for parodies such as Bad News on Tour , a spoof " rockumentary " starring Mayall, Richardson, Edmondson and Planer as a heavy metal band . At the time The Comic Strip Presents... was negotiated, the BBC took an interest in The Young Ones , a sitcom written by Mayall and his then-girlfriend Lise Mayer , in the same anarchic vein as Comic Strip . Ben Elton joined
6952-644: Is available for attendance in various locations in Los Angeles, typically Saturday nights at midnight. By 1978, Rocky Horror had moved from an earlier San Francisco location to the Strand Theatre located near the Tenderloin on Market Street . The performance group there, Double Feature/Celluloid Jam, was the first to act out and perform almost the entire film, unlike the New York cast at that time. The Strand cast
7110-401: Is narrated by Charles Gray , with cast members from the original Royal Court Theatre , Roxy Theatre , and Belasco Theatre productions, including Nell Campbell and Patricia Quinn . The story centres on a young engaged couple whose car breaks down in the rain near a castle, where they search for help. The castle is occupied by strangers in elaborate costumes holding a party. They then meet
7268-504: The 2010 FIFA World Cup which he recorded with producer Dave Loughran at Brick Lane Studios in London. The release, on 26 April, was designed to coincide with St George's Day and the baptism of Shakespeare . On the track, Mayall performs an adapted speech from Shakespeare's Henry V. In June 2010, the official BBC Match of the Day compilation CD (2010 Edition) was released by Sony/Universal featuring Noble England. After Mayall's death in 2014,
7426-426: The ITV sitcom, Believe Nothing . However, the sitcom failed to repeat the success of The New Statesman and lasted for only one series. Following 2003's Bottom: Live tour, Bottom 5: Weapons Grade Y-Fronts , Mayall stated that he and Edmondson would return with another tour. In 2004 Mayall had a starring cameo role playing the record boss in the video short "ABBA: Our Last Video Ever". Mayall voiced Edwin in
7584-500: The No2AV campaign prior to the 2011 voting reform referendum in the UK. The character is shown being elected under the alternative vote system, then using his newly gained position of power to renege on his campaign promises. In his personal life, Rik Mayall did not support the alternative vote. In May 2011 Mayall became the eponymous 'Bombardier' in a TV advertising campaign for Bombardier Bitter in
7742-518: The Royal Shakespeare Company 's adaptation of A Christmas Carol . The second of four children, Adrian Charles Edmondson was born on 24 January 1957 in Bradford , West Riding of Yorkshire , to Dorothy Eileen Sturgeon (born 1930) and Fred Edmondson (1929–2014). As a child, Edmondson lived with his family in a variety of places including Cyprus , Bahrain , and Uganda , where his father was
7900-556: The cult status of the film. Costume designer Sue Blane was not keen on working for the film, until she became aware that Curry, an old friend, was committed to the project. Curry and Blane had worked together in Glasgow 's Citizens Theatre in a production of The Maids , for which Curry had worn a woman's corset. Blane arranged for the theatre to loan her the corset from the other production for Rocky Horror . Blane admits that she did not conduct research for her designing, had never seen
8058-686: The euro , as a part of its membership of the European Union . In the United Kingdom Alternative Vote Referendum of 2011, he appeared in a television broadcast for the 'No' campaign in character as Alan B'Stard to oppose the adoption of an alternative non-proportional electoral system for Westminster Parliamentary elections. On 9 April 1998, Mayall was injured when he crashed a quad bike near his home in Devon . Mayall's daughter Bonnie and her cousin had asked him to take them for
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#17328692135808216-495: The 1,000-seat Belasco Theatre . Set in the fictional town of Denton, the film was shot at Bray Studios and Oakley Court , a country house near Maidenhead , Berkshire , England, and at Elstree Studios for post-production, from 21 October to 19 December 1974. Oakley Court, built in 1857 in the Victorian Gothic style , is known for a number of Hammer films . Much of the location shooting took place there, although at
8374-580: The American Saturday Night Live —first broadcast in 1985. He and Edmondson had a regular section as " The Dangerous Brothers ", their earlier stage act. In 1985, Mayall debuted another comic creation. He had appeared in the final episode of the first series of Blackadder (1983) as "Mad Gerald". He returned to play Lord Flashheart in the Blackadder II episode titled " Bells ". A descendant of this character, Squadron Commander Flashheart,
8532-506: The BBC mystery series Jonathan Creek , broadcast in 2003–2004. He had a lead role playing an NHS doctor in the comedy series Doctors and Nurses first broadcast in early 2004. In Surviving Disaster , a BBC docudrama about the 1986 Chernobyl disaster , broadcast at the start of 2006, Edmondson played the role of Valery Legasov . In 2005 he appeared as a celebrity model on Star Portraits with Rolf Harris . That year, he also competed on " Comic Relief Does Fame Academy " where he made it to
8690-492: The BBC received complaints "with viewers claiming both story and presentation to be both dangerous and offensive". In 1987, Mayall played fictional Conservative MP Alan Beresford B'Stard in the sitcom The New Statesman ( Yorkshire Television ) written by Laurence Marks and Maurice Gran . The character was a satirical portrait of Tory Members of Parliament (MPs) in the United Kingdom. The programme ran for four series—incorporating two BBC specials—between 1987 and '94 and
8848-433: The BBC show Shoebox Zoo . In September 2005, he released an 'in-character' semi-fictionalised autobiography titled Bigger than Hitler, Better than Christ ( ISBN 0-00-720727-1 ). At the same time, he starred in a new series for ITV, All About George . In 2006, Mayall reprised the role of Alan B'Stard in the play The New Statesman 2006: Blair B'stard Project , written by Marks and Gran. By this time B'Stard had left
9006-592: The Bad Shepherds , singing and playing mandola and mandolin . In 2011, he presented a series of shows for ITV : The Dales , which focused on people working in the Yorkshire Dales , and Ade in Britain in which he undertook a tour of numerous places in Britain. In 2013, Edmondson was crowned the winner of Celebrity Masterchef , and from 2019 to 2020, he appeared in the BBC soap opera EastEnders as Daniel Cook . In 2022, he also played Ebenezer Scrooge in
9164-694: The Canterbury Marlowe Arena pantomime during its Christmas 2009 run. In an August 2010 edition of Radio 4's Chain Reaction programme he said to Lee Mack that he had not really quit but was focusing more on music and farming. He also said that he and Mayall often spoke of a reunion when they are old men, or in fifteen years' time. Mayall appeared during Edmondson's winning performance of The Dying Swan on BBC One's Let's Dance for Comic Relief on 5 March 2011, and in September 2011, Edmondson appeared on
9322-535: The Comedy Store to The Comic Strip club. The Comic Strip soon gained a reputation as one of the most popular comedy clubs in London and soon came to the attention of Channel 4 . Edmondson and the others were commissioned to act in 6 self-contained half-hour films, using the group as comedy actors rather than stand-up performers. The series, titled The Comic Strip Presents... debuted on 2 November 1982 (the opening night of Channel 4). The first episode to be broadcast
9480-537: The Comic Relief stage-show and supported the Comic Relief cause for the rest of his life. 1987 saw Mayall co-star with Edmondson in one episode of the ITV sitcom Hardwicke House , although adverse reaction from press and viewers saw ITV withdraw the series after two episodes, leaving their appearance unbroadcast. He appeared on the children's television series Jackanory . His crazed portrayal of Roald Dahl 's George's Marvellous Medicine proved memorable. However,
9638-574: The Covell in Modesto . In New Orleans , an early organised performance group was active with the release there, as well as in such cities as Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania , and Chicago (at the Biograph Theater ). Before long, nearly every screening of the film was accompanied by a live fan cast. The Rocky Horror Picture Show is considered to be the longest-running release in film history. It benefited from
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#17328692135809796-631: The Dark computer game film. Mayall provided the voice of the Andrex puppy in the TV commercials for Andrex toilet paper, and also had a voice part in the Domestos cleaning product adverts. He performed the voice of King Arthur in the children's television cartoon series King Arthur's Disasters , alongside Matt Lucas who plays Merlin , Morwenna Banks as Guinevere, and Phil Cornwell as Sir Lancelot . Mayall also had
9954-466: The Hammer horror films, which had their own instantly recognizable style (just as Universal Studios' horror films did). The originally proposed opening sequence was to contain clips of various films mentioned in the lyrics, as well as the first few sequences shot in black and white, but this was deemed too expensive and scrapped. In the stage productions, actors generally did their own make-up; however, for
10112-432: The Hammer horror films. Although the film is both a parody of and tribute to many kitsch science fiction and horror films, costume designer Sue Blane conducted no research for her designs. Blane has claimed that her creations for the film directly affected the development of punk rock fashion trends, such as torn fishnet stockings and colourfully dyed hair. Initial reception was extremely negative, but it soon became
10270-650: The ITV series Ade in Britain that year, where he travelled to different parts of the United Kingdom in a Mini Countryman towing a small caravan, often including a performed segment from local folk singers. A second series followed in 2013. Edmondson appeared on the BBC One series That's Britain! 2011. In each episode, his task was to report as an "insider" in how a region of Britain works. A one-off special, Britain Beware , about
10428-830: The MTV awards. He also directed and appeared in "International Rescue" (1989) by Fuzzbox and appeared in the music video " Terry " (1983) by Kirsty MacColl . In 1991, Edmondson formed the Bum Notes , who were a jazz instrumental band and conceived exclusively to perform theme music for Bottom . A fan of the Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band , Edmondson performed vocals with them as part of their 2006 reformation and countrywide tour. He also contributed vocals and writing for their 2007 album Pour l'Amour des Chiens . Together with Maartin Allcock , Andy Dinan and Troy Donockley , Edmondson founded
10586-677: The Queerios (based in Austin, Texas ), is the longest running shadow-cast in Texas. The film has a global following and remains popular. Subcultures such as Rocky Horror have also found a place on the Internet. Audience participation scripts for many cities are available for download from the internet. The internet has a number of Rocky Horror fan-run websites with various quizzes and information, specializing in different content, allowing fans to participate at
10744-577: The Red Baron , nemesis to Mayall's character, Lord Flashheart . Edmondson played Brad Majors in the 1990 West End run of The Rocky Horror Show , alongside Tim McInnerny as Frank-N-Furter and Ed Tudor-Pole as Riff-Raff. He also appears on the soundtrack album of the production. In 1991, he teamed with his comedy partner Rik Mayall once more, this time co-writing and co-starring in their own sitcom, Bottom . Edmondson starred as "Edward Elizabeth Hitler" opposite Mayall's "Richard Richard". The series featured
10902-540: The Sunday morning cooking show Something for the Weekend and told presenter Tim Lovejoy that he and Rik Mayall were planning to reunite and make another series of Bottom , set in an old people's home. In 2011, Edmondson hosted the ITV documentary series The Dales , in which he followed a number of families who live and work in the Yorkshire Dales , including the "Yorkshire Shepherdess" Amanda Owen . He also presented
11060-421: The Triffids (1962), Curse of the Demon (1957), and When Worlds Collide (1951). The soundtrack was released in 1975 by Ode Records and produced by English composer Richard Hartley . The album peaked at No. 49 on the U.S. Billboard 200 in 1978. It reached No. 12 on the Australian albums chart and No. 11 on the New Zealand albums chart . The album is described as the "definitive version of
11218-456: The U.S. and U.K. Cult film participants are often people on the fringe of society who find connection and community at the screenings, although the film attracts fans of differing backgrounds all over the world. "Bisexuality, The Rocky Horror Picture Show, and Me", by Elizabeth Reba Weise, is part of the publication, Bi Any Other Name: Bisexual People Speak Out (1991), an anthology edited by Loraine Hutchins and Lani Kaʻahumanu about
11376-477: The UK. In the US, the film (including documentary footage and extras) was released on VHS on 8 November 1990, retailing for $ 89.95. The film was released on DVD on October 23, 2000 for the film's 25th anniversary. This one is a THX certified two-disc set that features the original theatrical version and an extended version. A 35th anniversary edition Blu-ray was released by 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment in
11534-600: The UK. The adverts landed broadcaster UKTV Dave in trouble with Ofcom when they were found to breach the Ofcom code for linking alcohol with sexual attractiveness or success. On 23 August 2012, the BBC announced that Edmondson and Mayall's characters of Richie and Eddie would be returning in 2013 in Hooligan's Island , a television adaptation of their 1997 tour of the same name. However, on 15 October 2012, Edmondson announced during an interview with BBC radio presenter Mark Powlett that
11692-458: The US on 19 October 2010. The disc includes a newly created 7.1 surround sound mix, the original theatrical mono sound mix, and a 4K/2K image transfer from the original camera negative . In addition, new content featuring karaoke and a fan performance were included. A 45th anniversary edition Blu-ray was released in September 2020 by Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment under the 20th Century Home Entertainment label. In October 2021,
11850-649: The University of Manchester) to study drama. He claimed that he failed to get a degree, or that he did not even turn up to his finals, but in reality he graduated with lower second-class honours in 1978. It was there that he met his future comedy partner Ade Edmondson ; Ben Elton , a fellow student; and Lise Mayer , with whom he later co-wrote The Young Ones . Edmondson and Mayall gained their reputation at The Comedy Store , from 1980. Apart from performing in their double act , 20th Century Coyote , Mayall developed solo routines, using characters such as Kevin Turvey and
12008-792: The Waverly Theater in New York City, then spread to other counties in New York , and to Uniondale, Long Island . Rocky Horror was not only found in the larger cities but throughout the United States, where many attendees would get in free if they arrived in costume. The western division of the film's release included the U.A. Cinemas in Fresno and Merced , the Cinema J. in Sacramento , the UC Theatre in Berkeley and
12166-841: The Waverly Theatre in New York, which developed into a standardized ritual. According to J. Hoberman , author of Midnight Movies , it was after five months into the film's midnight run when lines began to be shouted by the audience. Louis Farese Jr., a normally quiet teacher, upon seeing the character Janet place a newspaper over her head to protect herself from rain, yelled, "Buy an umbrella, you cheap bitch." Originally, Louis and other Rocky Horror pioneers, including Amy Lazarus, Theresa Krakauskas, and Bill O'Brian, did this to entertain each other, each week trying to come up with something new to make each other laugh. This quickly caught on with other theatre-goers and thus began this self-proclaimed "counter point dialogue", which became standard practice and
12324-690: The West End production of Beckett 's Waiting for Godot at the Queen's Theatre , with Mayall playing Vladimir, Edmondson as Estragon and Christopher Ryan as Lucky. Here they came up with the idea for Bottom , which they said was a cruder cousin to Waiting for Godot . Bottom was commissioned by the BBC and three series were shown between 1991 and 1995. Mayall appeared in Bottom as Richard 'Richie' Richard alongside Edmondson's Eddie Elizabeth Hitler. The series featured slapstick violence taken to new extremes, and gained
12482-539: The [ Rocky Horror ] score". The film opened in the United Kingdom at the Rialto Theatre in London on 14 August 1975 and in the United States on 26 September at the UA Westwood in Los Angeles. It did well at that location, but not elsewhere. Before the midnight screenings' success, the film was withdrawn from its eight opening cities due to very small audiences, and its planned New York City opening on Halloween night
12640-423: The actions on screen above and behind them, while lip-synching their characters' lines. Still in limited release in 2024, some 49 years after its premiere, it is the longest-running theatrical release in film history. In many cities, live amateur shadow-casts act out the film as it is being shown and heavily draw upon a tradition of audience participation. The film is most often shown close to Halloween . Today,
12798-473: The audience performance cast had the theatre's full cooperation; the local performers entered early and without charge. The fan playing Frank for this theatre was a transgender performer, D. Garret Gafford, who was out of work in 1978 and trying to raise the funds for a gender reassignment while spending the weekends performing at the Tiffany. Presently, the live action rendition of The Rocky Horror Picture Show
12956-812: The band the Bad Shepherds in 2008, performing punk and new wave classics on traditional folk instruments. The band released three albums and first toured in 2009, playing at places such as the Trowbridge Village Pump Festival . The Bad Shepherds also headlined the first ever Looe Music Festival in 2011. They disbanded in October 2016. In 2010, he founded the Idiot Bastard Band with Simon Brint , Rowland Rivron , Neil Innes and Phill Jupitus . The Idiot Bastard Band perform original comedy songs as well as cover versions, and their shows often feature guest performers. The group continued to perform following
13114-463: The characters' continuing adventures in the town of Denton. Production was forced to adjust amidst the Screen Actors Guild strike ; eventually the entire film was shot on a single sound stage. Shock Treatment was poorly received by critics and audiences upon release (largely due to the absence of Curry, Sarandon, and Bostwick) but over time has built its own niche following. O'Brien revisited
13272-580: The comedy films Drop Dead Fred (1991) and Guest House Paradiso (1999). Mayall won a Primetime Emmy Award for his voiceover performance as Mr. Toad in TVC London's 1996 animated movie The Willows in Winter (a sequel to TVC's 1995 production of The Wind in the Willows , in which Mayall also played Toad). His comedic style, defined by the over-the-top, grotesque and deeply unsympathethic characters he portrayed,
13430-608: The dead . On 9 June 2014, Mayall died at his home in Barnes , Richmond-upon-Thames , London, following a sudden heart attack after a morning jog, at the age of 56. His funeral took place on 19 June 2014, at St. George's Church in Dittisham , Devon. Among the attendees were Dawn French , Jennifer Saunders , Peter Richardson , Alan Rickman and Mayall's Young Ones co-stars Ade Edmondson , Nigel Planer and Alexei Sayle , along with Young Ones co-writer Ben Elton . Edmondson also served as
13588-448: The death of Brint in 2011. Edmondson married comedian Jennifer Saunders on 11 May 1985. They have three daughters: musician Ella , actress Beattie , and designer/stylist Freya. He is a supporter of Exeter City F.C. Edmondson's autobiography, Berserker!: An Autobiography , was published by Pan Macmillan in September 2023. In September 2023 Edmondson was the guest for BBC Radio 4's Desert Island Discs . An extended version
13746-636: The eighth film of the Star Wars series, The Last Jedi , a casting decision made by the film's director Rian Johnson , a self-proclaimed fan of Edmondson's work in The Young Ones and Bottom . In August 2018, Edmondson voiced the character of Bunny in the English version of the French/Belgian animated film The Big Bad Fox and Other Tales... . In September 2018, Edmondson featured as Sergeant Dogberry in
13904-549: The end of 1979, there were twice-weekly showings at over 230 theatres. The National Fan Club was established in 1977 and later merged with the International Fan Club. The fan publication The Transylvanian printed a number of issues, and a semi-regular poster magazine was published as well as an official magazine. Performance groups in the Los Angeles area originated at the Fox Theatre in 1977, where Michael Wolfson won
14062-462: The end of the Cell Mates run, Mayall revealed a replica gun—a prop from the play—to a passer-by in the street. Mayall was cautioned over the incident and later conceded that this was "incredibly stupid, even by my standards". From 1999, Mayall was the voice of the black-headed seagull Kehaar, in the first and second series of the animated television programme, Watership Down . In the late 1990s Mayall
14220-641: The episode "Sigh No More" of Ben Elton 's Upstart Crow . From September 2018 to November 2018, Edmondson toured with Nigel Planer in a play that they wrote together called Vulcan 7 (restaged in 2023 as It's Headed Straight Towards Us ). In 2019, Edmondson appeared in EastEnders as Daniel Cook . In 1984, Edmondson formed the spoof heavy metal band Bad News as part of The Comic Strip Presents... series with Comic Strip regulars Rik Mayall , Nigel Planer and Peter Richardson . The band proved popular, and they released two singles (neither of which reached
14378-408: The father of the protagonist, Greg Davies —despite being only ten years older. On 7 May 2014, Mayall made one of his last recorded performances in the form of poetry and voice-overs read on English rock band Magic Eight Ball 's second album, Last Of The Old Romantics (released on 10 November 2014). Mayall's final TV appearance was in the first episode of the second series of Crackanory , which
14536-404: The film has a large international cult following and has been considered by many as one of the greatest musical films of all time . In 2005, it was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant." The film begins with a pair of floating disembodied lips welcoming the audience to
14694-535: The film production was expensive. For filming, corsets for the finale had to be doubled for the pool scene, with one version drying while the other was worn on set. While many of the costumes are exact replicas from the stage productions, other costumes were new to filming, such as Columbia's gold sequined swallow-tail coat and top hat and Magenta's maid's uniform. Blane was amazed by the recreation and understanding of her designs by fans. When she first heard that people were dressing up, she thought it would be tacky, but
14852-459: The film was added to Disney+ on the Star hub for users in locations such as the UK, Ireland and Canada. Chicago Sun-Times critic Roger Ebert noted that when first released, The Rocky Horror Picture Show was "ignored by pretty much everyone, including the future fanatics who would eventually count the hundreds of times they'd seen it". He considered it more a "long-running social phenomenon" than
15010-431: The film, the producers chose Pierre La Roche, who had previously been a make-up artist for Mick Jagger and David Bowie , to redesign the make-up for each character. Production stills were taken by rock photographer Mick Rock , who has published a number of books from his work. In Rocky Horror: From Concept to Cult , designer Sue Blane discusses the Rocky Horror costumes' influence on punk music style, opining "[It
15168-656: The final episode of the series, Edmondson played Vyvyan one last time in the video. The same year he co-wrote the book How to be a Complete Bastard together with Mark Leigh and Mike Lepine. Edmondson has directed pop videos for "Fiesta" (1988) by the Pogues , "Prime Mover" (1987) by Zodiac Mindwarp , "Like the Weather" (1988) by 10,000 Maniacs , "Please Help the Cause Against Loneliness" (1988) by Sandie Shaw and "Hourglass" by Squeeze (1987). The latter won Best Video at
15326-471: The finale and came in 3rd place. From 2005 to 2008 he appeared as Percy "Abra" Durant in the medical drama Holby City . In 2008 he played Henry Austen in the BBC produced film Miss Austen Regrets and Vernon in the ITV sitcom Teenage Kicks . In April 2009 he appeared on the cooking show Hell's Kitchen , where he reached the final, coming second to Linda Evans . Edmondson played the role of Captain Hook in
15484-412: The first time. The film involves Mayall's character being hit by a car. Mayall and Edmondson joked about the event in stage versions of Bottom , Edmondson quipping "If only I'd fixed those brakes properly", Mayall referring to "quad bike flashbacks", and Mayall referring to himself: "You must know him, that tosser who fell off the quad bike." In his 2005 spoof autobiography, Mayall claims that he rose from
15642-560: The floundering Conservatives and become a Labour MP . In 2007, following a successful two-month run in London's West End at the Trafalgar Studios , a heavily re-written version toured theatres nationwide, with Marks and Gran constantly updating the script to keep it topical. However, Mayall succumbed to chronic fatigue and flu in May 2007 and withdrew from the show. Alan B'Stard was played by his understudy, Mike Sherman during his hiatus. Mayall
15800-517: The groundwork for the similarly influential cult following surrounding Tommy Wiseau 's The Room (2003). Rocky Horror also inspired John McPhail 's zombie musical Anna and the Apocalypse (2018). O'Brien drafted a sequel titled Rocky Horror Shows His Heels in 1979. This script featured the return of all of the characters from the original film, and O'Brien wished to reunite the original production team. But Sharman did not wish to revisit
15958-440: The head of the house: Dr. Frank N. Furter, an apparently mad scientist and alien transvestite from the planet Transsexual in the galaxy of Transylvania, who creates a living muscle man named Rocky. The film was shot in the United Kingdom at Bray Studios and on location at an old country estate named Oakley Court , best known for its earlier use by Hammer Film Productions . A number of props and set pieces were reused from
16116-438: The history of British public information films , was hosted by Edmondson and aired on ITV on 7 May 2012. In August 2012, the BBC announced plans for a 2013 television adaptation of Edmondson and Mayall's 1997 Hooligan's Island tour, but Edmondson announced later that year that he had pulled out of the project to pursue other interests. Rik Mayall , Edmondson's long-time creative partner, died on 9 June 2014. Edmondson had
16274-553: The history of the modern bisexual rights movement that is one of the first publications of bisexual literature . The Rocky Horror Picture Show has been featured in a number of other feature films and television series over the years. Episodes of The Simpsons , The Venture Bros. , Tuca & Bertie , The Boondocks , Glee , The Drew Carey Show , That '70s Show , Deutschland 86 , and American Dad! spotlight Rocky Horror , as do films such as Vice Squad (1982), Halloween II (2009), and The Perks of Being
16432-421: The laboratory scene and the title character's creation occurred on 30 October 1974. The film is both a parody and tribute to many of the science fiction and horror movies from the 1930s up to the 1970s. The film production retains many aspects from the stage version, such as production design and music, but adds new scenes not featured in the original stage play. The film's plot, setting, and style echo those of
16590-409: The lead role in the Comic Strip 's 1985 feature film, The Supergrass . In the 2000s, Edmondson appeared in numerous TV programmes in drama roles including Jonathan Creek , Holby City , Miss Austen Regrets , as himself on Hell's Kitchen and created the sitcom Teenage Kicks . Edmondson performed and wrote for the Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band (2006-2007). In 2008 he formed a folk punk band,
16748-412: The narrative thrust that really drives audiences insane and keeps 'em doing the time warp again". A number of contemporary critics find it compelling and enjoyable because of its offbeat and bizarre qualities; the BBC summarised: "for those willing to experiment with something a little bit different, a little bit outré, The Rocky Horror Picture Show has a lot to offer." The New York Times called it
16906-409: The night (" Sweet Transvestite "). With the help of Riff Raff, Frank brings to life a tall, muscular, handsome blond man named Rocky ("The Sword of Damocles"). As Frank vows he can improve Rocky into an ideal man in a week ("I Can Make You a Man"), Eddie, a motorcyclist with a bandaged head, breaks out of a deep freeze ("Hot Patootie – Bless My Soul"). Frank kills Eddie with an ice axe, justifying it as
17064-478: The notion for a direct RHPS sequel in 1991, writing Revenge of the Old Queen . Producer Michael White had hoped to begin work on the production and described the script as being "in the same style as the other one. It has reflections of the past in it." Revenge of the Old Queen commenced pre-production; however, after studio head Joe Roth was ousted from Fox in 1993, the project was shelved indefinitely. Although
17222-427: The original concept so directly, nor did Tim Curry wish to reprise his role. Instead, Sharman reunited with O'Brien to film Shock Treatment in 1981, a stand-alone feature with little continuity from the original film. Initially conceived and scripted in 1980 as The Brad and Janet Show , the film repurposed several songs from the earlier Rocky Horror Shows His Heels project with lyrical adjustments, and depicting
17380-656: The planet's surface: "lost in time, and lost in space... and meaning" ("Super Heroes"). Jeremy Newson and Hilary Labow play Brad and Janet's newlywed friends Ralph and Betty Hapschatt. The guests at both the Hapschatt wedding and Frank's convention consist of Perry Bedden, Christopher Biggins , Gaye Brown, Ishaq Bux , Stephen Calcutt, Hugh Cecil, Imogen Claire , Tony Cowan, Sadie Corré , Fran Fullenwider, Lindsay Ingram, Peggy Ledger, Annabel Leventon , Anthony Milner , Pamela Obermeyer, Tony Then , Kimi Wong, and Henry Woolf , as well as an uncredited Rufus Collins. Richard O'Brien
17538-613: The play set against the backdrop of the glam era that had manifested itself in British popular culture in the 1970s. Allowing his concept to come into being, O'Brien states " glam rock allowed me to be myself more". O'Brien showed a portion of the unfinished script to Australian director Jim Sharman, who decided to direct it at the small experimental space Upstairs at the Royal Court Theatre in Sloane Square , Chelsea, London , which
17696-433: The poster. With Pink Flamingos (1972) and Reefer Madness (1936) making money in midnight showings nationwide, a Fox executive, Tim Deegan, was able to talk distributors into midnight screenings, starting in New York City on April Fools' Day of 1976. It was the "Secret" film, on 20 May, in the first Seattle International Film Festival . The cult following started shortly after the film began its midnight run at
17854-536: The prince of the goblins , in the 1992 animated film adaption of the 1872 children's tale The Princess and the Goblin by George MacDonald . In 1993, he appeared in Rik Mayall Presents , six individual comedy dramas (Micky Love / Briefest Encounter / Dancing Queen / The Big One / Dirty Old Town / Clair de Lune). Mayall's performances won him a Best Comedy Performer award at that year's British Comedy Awards , and
18012-634: The project was cancelled prior to production as he wished to pursue other interests. In September 2012, Mayall starred in The Last Hurrah , a six-episode, full-cast audio series that he also co-wrote with Craig Green and Dominic Vince. In November 2012, Mayall narrated several children's books on the Me Books app, such as The Getaway and Banana! by children's illustrator and author Ed Vere. In October 2013 he appeared in Channel 4 sitcom Man Down , playing
18170-494: The release of this footage from his fans. He told the story of this hiring/firing on his second website blog for his film, Evil Calls: The Raven (2008). For Evil Calls , Mayall's role as Winston the Butler was shot in 2002, when the film was titled Alone in the Dark . The film was not completed until 2008, and was released under its new Evil Calls title to distance it from the Alone in
18328-466: The remaining episodes – including Edmondson's scheduled guest appearance in episode 5 – have never been shown. However, all seven episodes of ‘Hardwicke House’, including Edmondson’s appearance, can now be seen on YouTube. In 1988, Edmondson released a follow-up to How To Be A Complete Bastard called The Bastard's Book of the Worst . In 1989 he made an appearance in an episode of Blackadder Goes Forth as
18486-739: The role of Ace Face/Bellboy at the Who's performance of Quadrophenia at London's Hyde Park . A video game called Animal , featuring Peperami's "the animal", was released the same year, with the character being voiced by Edmondson. From 1997 to 1998 he voiced engine stoker Jones, a major character in the animated series Captain Star . In the 1998 ITV pantomime Jack and the Beanstalk , Edmondson played Jack's mother Dame Dolly alongside Neil Morrissey, Denise Van Outen, Paul Merton, Julian Clary and Julie Walters. Edmondson appeared regularly as Brendan Baxter in Series 4 of
18644-440: The same slapstick characteristics as Vyvyan in The Young Ones but was closer in personality to his later character "Eddie Hitler" in Bottom . The show was cancelled after one series. Edmondson was also slated to make a guest appearance along Mayall in the fifth episode of the ITV sitcom Hardwicke House . Due to the adverse reaction of both press and viewers, however, ITV withdrew the series after showing only two episodes and
18802-501: The school and had a favourite teacher, Michael Aubrey. Aubrey taught English and encouraged Edmondson to pursue drama , casting him in a number of school plays, and allowing him to take time out from other lessons to do drama. After Pocklington, Edmondson went to the Victoria University of Manchester (now known as the University of Manchester) to study drama, where he met his future comedy partner Rik Mayall , and graduated with
18960-449: The school's printed booklet of "endless" behavioural rules to be "a personal challenge to break". Edmondson calculated that during his time at Pocklington, he received a total of 66 strokes of the cane as well as frequent slipperings . By the time he was in sixth form, with his parents working abroad, Edmondson began to enjoy himself, "which involved lots of drinking and smoking and petty acts of vandalism ." He made some good friends at
19118-478: The screen fading to black and oversized, disembodied female lips appear overdubbed with a male voice , establishing the theme of androgyny to be repeated as the film unfolds. The opening scene and song, " Science Fiction/Double Feature ", consists of the lips of Patricia Quinn (who appears in the film later as the character Magenta and as 'Trixie the Usherette' in the original London production, where she also sings
19276-615: The shadow screenings. June Thomas describes the midnight screenings in Newark, Delaware as a "very queer scene", which increased visibility for the LGBTQ community: "The folks standing in line outside the State in fishnets and makeup every Saturday night undoubtedly widened the sphere of possibilities for gender expression on Main Street." The Rocky Horror Picture Show remains a cultural phenomenon in both
19434-631: The slapstick, crude humour for which the pair had become famous but with more in-depth character analysis. Edmondson played Estragon to Mayall's Vladimir in Samuel Beckett 's play Waiting for Godot in the West End , in a production that opened at the Queen's Theatre on 30 September 1991. Bottom became very popular, but it was criticised for its often vulgar humour. The show was also turned into five UK stage tours (1993, 1995, 1997, 2001 and 2003). In 1993, Edmondson starred alongside Richard Briers in
19592-561: The song) but has the vocals of actor and Rocky Horror creator, Richard O'Brien (who appears as Magenta's brother Riff Raff). The lyrics refer to science fiction and horror films of the past and list several film titles from the 1930s to the 1960s, including The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951), Flash Gordon (1936), The Invisible Man (1933), King Kong (1933), It Came from Outer Space (1953), Doctor X (1932), Forbidden Planet (1956), Tarantula (1955), The Day of
19750-408: The stage play in London, found the film "lacking both charm and dramatic impact". Newsweek , in 1978, called the film "tasteless, plotless and pointless". Review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes gives the film a rating of 80% based on 49 reviews, and an average grade of 6.9/10, with the critical consensus reading " The Rocky Horror Picture Show brings its quirky characters in tight, but it's
19908-450: The three-part mini-series Prey . He played the role of Gordon in the 2013 Chichester Festival Theatre production of Neville's Island. In 2014, he reprised the role for the show's West End run. In 2015, Edmondson voiced Stanley the Dachshund in adverts for health and life insurance company Vitality. In 2016, Edmondson took part in episode 4 of The Great Sport Relief Bake Off and won
20066-492: The time the manor was not in good condition. Most of the cast were from the original London stage production, including Tim Curry, who had decided that Dr Frank N. Furter should speak like the Queen of the United Kingdom , extravagantly posh. Fox insisted on casting the two characters of Brad and Janet with American actors, Barry Bostwick and Susan Sarandon. Filming took place during autumn, which made conditions worse. During filming, Sarandon fell ill with pneumonia . Filming of
20224-422: The time) while on a shopping trip with her and Ben Elton , and eloped with Robbin to Barbados . Mayer would later suffer a miscarriage . In a 2002 newspaper article, Mayall said that Mayer had since forgiven him. Mayall twice publicly involved himself in political campaigns. In 2002, he dressed up as Adolf Hitler for a cinema advertisement opposing the United Kingdom abolishing the pound sterling in favour of
20382-651: The title of Star Baker. From 2 November to 3 December 2016 Edmondson starred in an adaptation of William Leith's bestseller Bits Of Me Are Falling Apart at the Soho Theatre , London . Edmondson's children's book Tilly and the Time Machine was published on 4 May 2017. From November 2017 into 2018, Edmondson played the character of Malvolio in the Royal Shakespeare Company 's production of Shakespeare's Twelfth Night . Also in 2017, Edmondson appeared as Captain Peavey in
20540-493: The top 40) and two studio albums. They also played a series of small gigs around the country, culminating in their performance at the Monsters of Rock festival in 1986. In 1986, Edmondson achieved a number one hit in the UK Singles Chart when he and his co-stars from The Young Ones teamed up with Cliff Richard to record a new version of " Living Doll " for the inaugural Comic Relief campaign. Despite having been killed off in
20698-409: The traditional midnight screenings to continue. A Super 8 version of selected scenes of the film was made available. In 1983, Ode Records released The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Audience Par-Tic-I-Pation Album , recorded at the 8th Street Playhouse . The recording consisted of the film's audio and the standardized call-backs from the audience. A home video release was made available in 1987 in
20856-498: The voice of Mr. Toad in The Wind in the Willows . In Bottom Live: The Big Number Two Tour , after Mayall gave mocking gestures to the audience and insulted their town in a silly voice, Edmondson said, "Have you finished yet? It's just I'm beginning to understand why Stephen Fry __ off." In Bottom Live 2003: Weapons Grade Y-Fronts Tour , after Richie accidentally fondles Eddie, he replies, "I see why Stephen Fry left that play." Towards
21014-491: The voice of Roy's Dad and recorded five episodes of animation In November 2010, Mayall provided narrative for five different characters for CDs accompanying children's books published by Clickety Books. The books aid speech and language development by bombarding the child with troublesome sound targets. He recorded introductions and narratives for the titles. On 5 March 2011, Mayall appeared on Let's Dance for Comic Relief in which he came on stage and attacked Ade Edmondson with
21172-463: The writers. The series was commissioned and first broadcast in 1982, shortly after Comic Strip . Mayall played Rick, a pompous sociology student and Cliff Richard devotee. Mayall maintained his double-act with Edmondson, who starred as violent heavy metal medical student Vyvyan. Nigel Planer (as hippie Neil) and Christopher Ryan (as "Mike the cool person") also starred, with additional material written and performed by Alexei Sayle. The first series
21330-526: Was " Five Go Mad in Dorset ", a parody of Enid Blyton 's Famous Five , which drew anger from some viewers for the way it mercilessly satirised a children's classic. Edmondson starred as one of the five. By the same time as The Comic Strip Presents... was being negotiated, the BBC signed Edmondson, Mayall, Richardson, Planer, and Sayle to star in The Young Ones , a sitcom in the same anarchic style as The Comic Strip . (Richardson later decided not to proceed and
21488-565: Was a] big part of the build-up [to punk ]." She states that ripped fishnet stockings, glitter, and coloured hair were directly attributable to Rocky Horror . Some of the costumes from the film had been originally used in the stage production. Props and set pieces were reused from old Hammer Horror productions and others. The tank and dummy used for Rocky's birth originally appeared in The Revenge of Frankenstein (1958). These references to earlier productions, in addition to cutting costs, enhanced
21646-436: Was billed as a follow-up to The Young Ones . The idea of Filthy Rich & Catflap was a reaction to comments made by Jimmy Tarbuck about The Young Ones . The series' primary focus was to highlight the "has been" status of light entertainment. While Mayall received positive critical reviews, viewing figures were poor and the series was never repeated on the BBC. In later years, release on video, DVD and repeats on UK TV found
21804-555: Was broadcast in September 2024. His choices included " Downtown " by Petula Clark and " Sugar, Sugar " by The Archies . His favourite song was " Wide Open Spaces " by The Dixie Chicks , his book choice was Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett , and his luxury item was a tab of acid . The Rocky Horror Picture Show The Rocky Horror Picture Show is a 1975 independent musical comedy horror film produced by Lou Adler and Michael White , directed by Jim Sharman , and distributed by 20th Century Fox . The screenplay
21962-430: Was broadcast posthumously on 24 September 2014 on Dave . Mayall married Scottish make-up artist Barbara Robbin in 1985, and the couple had three children. The couple met in 1981 while filming A Kick Up the Eighties and embarked on a secret affair. At the time, Mayall was in a long-term relationship with Lise Mayer . Upon discovering that Robbin was pregnant, Mayall left Mayer (who was also pregnant with his child at
22120-414: Was brought in to produce. As the musical went into rehearsal, the working title, They Came from Denton High , was changed just before previews at the suggestion of Sharman to The Rocky Horror Show . Having premiered in the small 60-seat Royal Court Theatre, it quickly moved to larger venues in London, transferring to the 230-seat Chelsea Classic Cinema on King's Road on 14 August 1973, before finding
22278-527: Was cancelled. Fox re-released the film around college campuses on a double-bill with another rock music film parody, Brian De Palma 's Phantom of the Paradise (1974), but again it drew small audiences. A second film poster was created using a set of red lipstick-painted lips with the tagline "A Different Set of Jaws", a spoof of the poster for the film Jaws (which was also released in 1975). The lips of former Playboy model Lorelei Shark are featured on
22436-573: Was cast as the poltergeist Peeves in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2001), the first of the Harry Potter films , although all of his scenes were cut from the film. He had not been made aware that his scenes had been cut until the full film was officially unveiled at the premiere. During filming, the children in the cast were unable to suppress their giggles when he was filming and would corpse . Since Mayall's death there has been an outcry for
22594-594: Was described as energetic " post-punk ". Mayall died of a heart attack at his home in London on 9 June 2014 at the age of 56. BBC Television director Danny Cohen praised him as a "truly brilliant" comedian with a unique stage presence, whose "fireball creativity" and approach to sitcom had inspired a generation of comedy stars. The second of four children, Mayall was born on 7 March 1958 at 98 Pittmans Field, Harlow , Essex , to Gillian ( née Harrild; 1930–2018) and John Mayall (1925–2011). He had an older brother, Anthony, and two younger sisters, Libby and Kate. When Mayall
22752-509: Was featured in a number of adverts for Virgin Trains . In 1998, Mayall was involved in a serious quad bike accident. The pair wrote the first draft of their feature film Guest House Paradiso while Mayall was still hospitalised. They planned to co-direct, but Edmondson took on the duties himself. Mayall returned to work doing voice-overs . His first post-accident acting job was in the 1998 Jonathan Creek Christmas special, as DI Gideon Pryke,
22910-741: Was in the Blackadder Goes Forth episode " Private Plane ". In the same episode, he was reunited with Edmondson, who played German flying ace Baron von Richthofen the "Red Baron", in a scene where he comes to rescue Captain Blackadder from the Germans. A decade later, Mayall also appeared in Blackadder: Back & Forth as Robin Hood . In 1986, Mayall joined Nigel Planer , Edmondson and Elton to star as Richie Rich in Filthy Rich & Catflap , which
23068-510: Was included on the DVD release, that "the real reason why millions of people want to come and see this is because I'm in it! Me and Jesus!" In 2001, Mayall acted as Lt Daniel Blaney in the episode "The White Knight Stratagem" from the series Murder Rooms: The Mysteries of the Real Sherlock Holmes . In 2002, Mayall teamed up with Marks and Gran once more when he starred as Professor Adonis Cnut in
23226-502: Was living as an unemployed actor in London during the early 1970s. He wrote most of The Rocky Horror Show during one winter just to occupy himself. Since his youth, O'Brien had loved science fiction and B horror movies . He wanted to combine elements of the unintentional humour of B horror movies, portentous dialogue of schlock-horror, Steve Reeves muscle flicks, and fifties rock and roll into his musical. O'Brien conceived and wrote
23384-596: Was part of the alternative comedy boom in the early 1980s and had roles in the television series The Young Ones (1982–1984) and Bottom (1991–1995), which he wrote together with his collaborator Rik Mayall . Edmondson also appeared in The Comic Strip Presents... series of films throughout the 1980s and 1990s. For two episodes of this he created the spoof heavy metal band Bad News , and for another he played his nihilistic alter-ego Eddie Monsoon, an offensive South African television star. He played
23542-505: Was put together from former members of an early Berkeley group, disbanded due to less than enthusiastic management. Frank N. Furter was portrayed by Marni Scofidio, who, in 1979, attracted many of the older performers from Berkeley. Other members included Mishell Erickson as Columbia, her twin sister Denise Erickson as Magenta, Kathy Dolan as Janet, and Linda "Lou" Woods as Riff Raff. The Strand group performed at two large science fiction conventions in Los Angeles and San Francisco, were offered
23700-515: Was released in 1999. A fourth TV series was also written but not commissioned by the BBC. Mayall starred alongside Phoebe Cates in Drop Dead Fred (1991) as the eponymous character, a troublesome imaginary friend who reappears from a woman's childhood. He also appeared in Carry On Columbus (1992) with other alternative comedians. Mayall also provided the voice of the character Froglip,
23858-465: Was repeated nearly verbatim at each screening. Performance groups became a staple at Rocky Horror screenings due in part to the prominent New York City fan cast. The New York City cast was originally run by former schoolteacher and stand-up comic Sal Piro and his friend Dori Hartley, the latter of whom portrayed Dr. Frank N. Furter and was one of several performers, including Will Kohler as Brad Majors, Nora Poses as Janet, and Lilias Piro as Magenta, in
24016-449: Was replaced by Christopher Ryan .) The show revolved around the shared house where four students lived during their studies at Scumbag College. It was noted at the time of its first airing for its violent slapstick, and the series retains a cult following . During this time, Edmondson also appeared in a bank advertisement portraying a character very similar to his "Vyvyan" guise. Following the success of The Comic Strip Presents... and, to
24174-487: Was successful critically and in the ratings. In a similar vein to his appearance on Jackanory , in 1989 Mayall starred in a series of bit shows for ITV called Grim Tales , in which he narrated Grimm Brothers fairy tales while puppets acted the stories. In the early 1990s, Mayall starred in humorous adverts for Nintendo games and consoles. With money from the ads, he bought his house in London which he called "Nintendo Towers". In 1991, Edmondson and Mayall co-starred in
24332-583: Was successful, and a second was screened in 1984. The show owed a comic debt to Spike Milligan , but Milligan disapproved of Mayall's style of performance. Milligan once wrote: "Rik Mayall is putrid – absolutely vile. He thinks nose-picking is funny and farting and all that. He is the arsehole of British comedy." In 1986, Mayall played the private detective in the video of " Peter Gunn " by Art of Noise featuring Duane Eddy . Mayall continued to work on The Comic Strip films. He returned to stand-up comedy , performing on Saturday Live —a British version of
24490-554: Was surprised to see the depth to which the fans went to recreate her designs. Rocky Horror fan Mina Credeur, who designs costumes and performed as Columbia for Houston's performance group, states that "the best part is when everyone leaves with a big smile on their face," noting that there's "such a kitschiness and campiness that it seems to be winking at you." The film still plays at many theatre locations and Rocky Horror costumes are often made for Halloween , although many require much time and effort to make. The film starts with
24648-399: Was three years old, he and his parents—who taught drama—moved to Droitwich Spa , Worcestershire , where he spent the rest of his childhood and performed in his parents' plays. He attended King's School, Worcester , to which he won a free scholarship. He failed most of his O-levels and scraped through A-levels . In 1975, Mayall went to the Victoria University of Manchester (now known as
24806-511: Was used as a project space for new work. O'Brien had appeared briefly in a stage production of Andrew Lloyd Webber 's Jesus Christ Superstar , directed by Sharman, and the two also worked together in Sam Shepard 's The Unseen Hand . Sharman would bring in production designer Brian Thomson . The original creative team was then rounded out by costume designer Sue Blane , musical director Richard Hartley , and stage producer Michael White , who
24964-410: Was written by Sharman and Richard O'Brien , who also played the supporting role Riff-raff. The film is based on the 1973 musical stage production The Rocky Horror Show , with music, book, and lyrics by O'Brien. The production is a tribute to the science fiction and horror B movies of the 1930s through to the early 1960s. The film stars Tim Curry , Susan Sarandon , and Barry Bostwick . The film
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