He gained a second wave of celebrity as host of the popular British TV show,
THE CRYSTAL MAZE.
ichard O'Brien wrote THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW in 1973. After an initial three-week run at the Theatre Upstairs at the Royal Court, with Richard in the role of 'Riff-Raff', the show transferred to the former Essoldo Cinema in the King's Road, where it ran for two years. In total, the show played continually in London for seven years, has toured in numerous productions throughout the UK and was successfully revived in the West End at the Piccadilly Theatre in 1990.
In 1975, the film THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW, starring Richard as 'Riff-Raff', Tim Curry as 'Frank'n'Furter' and Susan Sarandon as 'Janet', was released by Twentieth Century Fox. Like the stage show, the film quickly became a cult and is still playing in the West End of London.
Richard has also written the screenplay for a film, SHOCK TREATMENT, and A HYMN FOR JIM, a BBC television play. Other stage plays include TEE ZEE AND THE LOST RACE (performed at the Royal Court Theatre) and TOP PEOPLE.
In the theatre, he has appeared in THE TOOTH OF CRIME at the Royal Court; EASTWOOD HO at the Mermaid; in his own play, TOP PEOPLE; as 'The Dentist' in THE LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS; and in THE NEWS at Paramount City.
At the Edinburgh Festival in 1995, Richard completed a successful run as his altar ego "Mephistopholes Smith" in DISGRACEFULLY YOURS (a show he created and devised)which was followed by a run at the Comedy Theatre and he also presented a series of GOOD STUFF - Carlton Television’s late night entertainment guide programme. He recently presented the IPA Awards, sponsored by The Guardian at the Globe Theatre.
His television work includes A HYMN FOR JIM, his own screenplay, for BBC TV; a series of THE DICK FRANCIS THRILLER for Yorkshire TV; RUSHTON ILLUSTRATED for ATV; and 'Gulnar' in ROBIN OF SHERWOOD for HTV; ‘Rousseau’ in Dick Clement and Ian la Frenais’ series FULL STRETCH, directed by Antonia Bird and THE DETECTIVES, with Robert Powell and Jasper Carrot. Richard hosted four series of THE CRYSTAL MAZE, produced by Chatsworth Television - the 1992 Children’s Crystal Maze Special was nominated for a BAFTA
Award for Best Children’s TV programme. He appeared in an episode of URBAN GOTHIC - one of 13 programmes produced by Golden Square Pictures and Portman Productions for Channel 5.
In 1993 Richard presented the 1993 BRIT AWARDS before an audience of 2000 at London’s Alexandra Palace - the TV show was produced by Initial Film & TV for Carlton and the ITV network and shown worldwide. He has appeared as a guest presenter on the BBC2 series, NOTES AND QUERIES, and played the title role in THE INK THIEF, which he devised for Tyne Tees TV.
Film credits, aside from THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW, include 'Dr John Dee' in Derek Jarman's JUBILEE; 'Batch' in THE ODD JOB; 'Fico' in FLASH GORDON; 'Lord Hampton' in REVOLUTION (Goldcrest Films); and 'James' in THE WOLVES OF WILLOUGHBY CHASE for Zenith Productions. DARK CITY, a film shot in Australia in which he played "Mr. Hand", a guest appearance in SPICEWORLD - (The Spice Girls Movie!) ‘Pierre le Pieu’ in EVER AFTER - A CINDERELLA STORY (starring Drew Barrymore) for director Andy Tennant, DUNGEONS AND DRAGONS a film for Sweetpea BVI Limited in which he plays the role of "Nilus" for director Courtenay Solomon. "Archie" in MUMBO JUMBO for Firelight Entertainment , written and directed by Steve Cookson and he has just completed work on ELVIRA’S HAUNTED HILLS shot in Romania.
Richard’s jazz album "ABSOLUTE O’BRIEN" was released at the end of 1999.
