The Rocky Horror Picture Show Actors You Might Not Know Are Dead
In 1975 the iconic horror-science-fiction musical "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" entered the film industry with stylistic elements and storytelling unlike anything else. The film follows the story of Brad Majors (Barry Bostwick) and Janet Weiss (Susan Sarandon), a young, newly engaged couple caught in a thunderstorm after leaving a friend's wedding. The pair find themselves stranded on the side of the road in the pouring rain with nowhere to go but inside a nearby mansion which, unknown to them, belongs to the mad scientist Frank N. Furter (Tim Curry).
Inspired by a stage production of the same name, "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" and its characters have become well-loved by generations. Many of the movie's cast members have gone on to enjoy successful careers in both singing and acting. However, with decades having passed since the stage musical and the film's release, some of the franchise's actors have died. Christopher Malcolm, who portrayed Brad Majors in the on-stage production, died from cancer in 2014 at the age of 67 (via The Guardian). A few cast members in the "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" movie have since passed away as well.
Charles Gray died in 2000
The story of "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" is told to viewers through the narration of a criminologist from the warmth of his study. As he tells the tale and recalls the case of the now-missing young couple, Janet and Brad, he can't help himself from taking part in each musical number as the plot of the movie thickens. Actor Charles Gray, who played the part of the criminologist, died of cancer in 2000, at the age of 71, according to The Guardian.
Gray's career spanned from the 1950s to the 1990s, appearing in a multitude of projects, including two of the "James Bond" films, as Ernst Stavro Blofeld in "Diamonds are Forever" and as Dikko Henderson in "You Only Live Twice." Both roles solidified Gray's role as an iconic villain. Outside of film, he performed on Broadway and other stage shows as an actor, singer, and dancer, embracing the performing arts in every form.
Jonathan Adams died in 2005
In the movie, Brad and Janet are on their way to visit their old friend and teacher, Dr. Everett V. Scott, who is a rival scientist to Frank N. Furter and an avid UFO researcher. Jonathan Adams was the actor behind the doctor and was known for being a well-respected artist and performer. Adams died on June 13, 2005, in London, England, at the age of 74.
Adams was not only Dr. Everett V. Scott in the film version of "The Rocky Horror Picture Show," but he also played the part of the narrator in the stage show, reprising that role in 1990 when it was revived at the Piccadilly Theatre. In addition, he was a notable artist and even put on a one-man art show with the support of the British Council, which saw great success (via The Independent). In a letter he sent to his father as a young man, Adams admitted that he was "in a state of flux" as his "head [was] crammed full of all kinds of things; acting, piano playing, singing, painting, writing."