--- name: "Richard O'Brien" canonical: "https://film.one/person/richard-obrien" fi1m_id: "richard-obrien" imdb_id: "nm0639782" tmdb_id: 13474 wikidata_id: "Q982182" roles: ["Actor"] born: "25 March 1942" reviewed_on_fi1m: 5 average_fi1m_score: 72 average_as: "actor" average_over: 5 updated: "2026-10-04T04:28:55.238862+00:00" licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Richard O'Brien ## Identity Richard O'Brien - **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/richard-obrien - **Type:** Person - **Fi1m ID:** richard-obrien - **IMDb ID:** nm0639782 - **TMDB ID:** 13474 - **Wikidata ID:** Q982182 - **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_O%27Brien, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q982182, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0639782/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/13474 Actor. Born 25 March 1942 in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England, UK. ## Details - **Work:** Actor - **Born:** 25 March 1942, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England, UK - **Active:** 1975–2007 - **Also known as:** Richard Timothy Smith - **Average Fi1m score:** 72, as actor, over 5 titles - **Fi1m score by decade:** 1970s 72 (1), 1980s 70 (1), 1990s 69 (2), 2000s 80 (1) - **Fi1m against the critics:** 70 to 65 across 4 titles - **Score spread:** 1 at 80+, 4 at 60–79, 0 under 60 - **Lead roles:** 0 of 5 acting credits billed first or second - **Genres:** Comedy 3, Science Fiction 3, Adventure 2, Family 2, Action 1, Animation 1 - **Screen time:** 7 hours of reviewed films - **Box office:** $325m across 4 films with figures - **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_O%27Brien, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q982182, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0639782/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/13474 ## Streaming the US now - **Disney+:** [*Phineas and Ferb*](https://film.one/tv/phineas-and-ferb.md) (80) - **The Roku Channel:** [*Dark City*](https://film.one/film/dark-city.md) (76) For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country. ## Fi1m on Richard O'Brien > Richard O'Brien's soft-spoken oddness is most useful when a film gives it something to do. We like him in the uneasy company of *Dark City*; familiar celebrity comedy, as in *Spice World*, offers fewer rewards. Richard O'Brien often sounds as though he has no need to raise his voice. His soft-spoken, sardonic delivery suits the outsiders he is frequently asked to play, and Alex Proyas's *Dark City* (1998) gives him an appropriate place as Mr. Hand, one of the Strangers. We like this use of him because the eccentricity belongs in the story. The danger with such a recognisable performer is that a film can expect his arrival to be entertaining enough. He played Riff Raff in *The Rocky Horror Picture Show* (1975), contributing screenplay and music after writing and starring in *The Rocky Horror Show* (1973). Director Jim Sharman and composer-arranger Richard Hartley are among his collaborators. O'Brien's association with cult musicals comes from making them as well as appearing in them. *Shock Treatment* (1981) continued that work, but *Rocky Horror* remains the difficult association to escape. Presenting *The Crystal Maze* (1990–1993) gave his sardonic eccentricity a different use, with no fictional character required. Supporting film parts depend more heavily on what surrounds him, as *Spice World* (1997), in which he plays Damien, demonstrates. The songs and the five women together make that film enjoyable enough for an evening of pop silliness. Its celebrity jokes do not reward much attention, and its comedy is untidy. We would not choose it to make the case for O'Brien, even if we are happy to make some allowance for the film. We were unsettled by *Dark City*, specifically by the invented city that holds our attention even when the writing struggles to give its people depth. That is the stronger setting for O'Brien: his Mr. Hand belongs among its Strangers, and the mystery gives us a reason to keep watching beyond recognising the actor. The film has limitations, but it does not depend on our affection for him. Start there for the supporting performer; keep *Spice World* for the songs. ## Biography Richard O'Brien (born Richard Timothy Smith, 25 March 1942) is a British and New Zealand actor, writer and singer. He was born in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England. His family emigrated to Tauranga, New Zealand, in 1951; he returned to England in 1964 and later changed his professional name to O'Brien. O'Brien wrote the stage musical *The Rocky Horror Show* (1973), which he adapted into the film *The Rocky Horror Picture Show* (1975), in which he also appeared as Riff Raff. His other film roles include Fico in *Flash Gordon* (1980), Damien in *Spice World* (1997), Pierre Le Pieu in *Ever After* (1998), Mr. Hand in *Dark City* (1998), and Xilus in *Dungeons & Dragons* (2000). He presented the Channel 4 game show *The Crystal Maze* (1990–1993) and voiced Lawrence Fletcher in the animated series *Phineas and Ferb* (2007–2015; 2025–present) and its films. O'Brien identifies himself as third gender and uses he/him pronouns. *Sources: en.wikipedia.org, imdb.com.* ## On Fi1m (5) - *Phineas and Ferb* (2007), Fi1m 80, as Lawrence Fletcher (voice) — [page](https://film.one/tv/phineas-and-ferb.md) - *Dark City* (1998), Fi1m 76, as Mr. Hand — [page](https://film.one/film/dark-city.md) - *Spice World* (1997), Fi1m 62, as Damien — [page](https://film.one/film/spice-world.md) - *Flash Gordon* (1980), Fi1m 70, as Fico — [page](https://film.one/film/flash-gordon.md) - *The Rocky Horror Picture Show* (1975), Fi1m 72, as Riff Raff — [page](https://film.one/film/the-rocky-horror-picture-show.md) ## Complete filmography (57) Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page. - *Tiny Little Voices* (2025), Actor - *The Rocky Horror Show Live 2021* (2021), Music - *The Rocky Horror Musical Live Stream* (2020), Writer - *Phineas and Ferb the Movie: Candace Against the Universe* (2020), as Lawrence Fletcher (voice) - *The Stolen* (2017), as Mr. Russell - *The Rocky Horror Picture Show: Let's Do the Time Warp Again* (2016), Original Film Writer, Writer - *Rocky Horror Show Live* (2015), Narrator, Music, Lyricist, Writer, Original Music Composer - *Phineas and Ferb: Last Day of Summer* (2015), as Lawrence (voice) - *Phineas and Ferb: Night of the Living Pharmacists* (2014), as Lawrence Fletcher (voice) - *Phineas and Ferb: Star Wars* (2014), as Lawrence Fletcher / Additional Voices (voice) - *Phineas and Ferb Save Summer* (2014), as Lawrence Fletcher (voice) - *Phineas and Ferb: Mission Marvel* (2013), as Lawrence Fletcher (voice) - *Phineas and Ferb: The Perry Files - Animal Agents* (2013), as Lawrence Fletcher (voice) - *Amanda Palmer And The Grand Theft Orchestra* (2012), Actor - *The British Guide to Showing Off* (2011), Actor - *Phineas and Ferb the Movie: Across the 2nd Dimension* (2011), as Lawrence Fletcher / Lawrence-2 (voice) - *Jackboots on Whitehall* (2010), as Himmler (voice) - *Phineas and Ferb: Summer Belongs to You!* (2010), as Lawrence Fletcher (voice) - *Mongrels* (2010), series, as Zombie Dog (voice) - *Phineas and Ferb Christmas Vacation!* (2009), as Lawrence Fletcher (voice) - *Night Train* (2009), as Mrs. Froy - *Rocky Horror Tribute Show* (2008), Writer, Music, Lyricist, Creator - *Phineas and Ferb* (2007), series, as Lawrence Fletcher (voice) — Fi1m 80, [page](https://film.one/tv/phineas-and-ferb.md) - *The Children's Party at the Palace* (2006), as The Childcatcher (Chitty Chitty Bang Bang) - *The Ten Commandments* (2006), series, as Anander - *Spicks and Specks* (2005), series, Actor - *Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves: The Lost Scimitar of Arabia* (2005), as Prince Kasim - *Elvira's Haunted Hills* (2002), as Lord Vladimere Hellsubus - *Dungeons & Dragons* (2000), as Xilus - *Rocky Horror 25: Anniversary Special* (2000), Actor - *The Mumbo Jumbo* (2000), as Archie - *Urban Gothic* (2000), series, as Thin Man - *EverAfter* (1998), as Pierre Le Pieu - *Dark City* (1998), as Mr. Hand — Fi1m 76, [page](https://film.one/film/dark-city.md) - *Spice World* (1997), as Damien — Fi1m 62, [page](https://film.one/film/spice-world.md) - *The Ink Thief* (1994), series, as The Ink Thief - *The Detectives* (1993), series, as Dr. Phibes - *The Wolves of Willoughby Chase* (1989), as James - *Revolution* (1985), as Lord Hampton - *Robin of Sherwood* (1984), series, as Gulnar - *Digital Dreams* (1983), as Partridge, the Surly Servant · Writer - *The Return of Captain Invincible* (1983), Lyricist, Writer - *Shock Treatment* (1981), as Dr. Cosmo McKinley / Kitchenware Announcer (voice) · Lyricist, Screenplay, Music - *Fangs* (1981), Original Film Writer - *An Audience with Dame Edna Everage* (1980), Actor - *Flash Gordon* (1980), as Fico — Fi1m 70, [page](https://film.one/film/flash-gordon.md) - *The Odd Job* (1978), as Batch - *The Contraption* (1978), as The Man - *Jubilee* (1978), as John Dee - *A Hymn from Jim* (1977), as Reporter · Writer - *Premiere* (1977), series, Writer - *It's Only Rock 'n' Roll* (1977), as Dave Head - *The Rocky Horror Picture Show* (1975), as Riff Raff · Screenplay, Lyricist, Theatre Play — Fi1m 72, [page](https://film.one/film/the-rocky-horror-picture-show.md) - *The Four Dimensions of Greta* (1972), as Balding Hippy - *Zee and Co.* (1972), as Party Guest - *ITV Playhouse* (1967), series, as Dave Head - *Carry On Cowboy* (1965), as Rider (uncredited) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/richard-obrien