Quick Facts
Born:
1942-03-25
Birthplace:
Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England, UK
Credits:
66 Total Roles
Richard O'Brien
Acting
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Biography
Richard O'Brien (born Richard Timothy Smith, 25 March 1942) is an English actor, television presenter, writer and theatre performer, best known for writing the stage musical The Rocky Horror Show (1973), famously adapted into a film in 1975, the longest-running theatrical release in history.
O'Brien was born in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England. In 1951, the family emigrated to Tauranga, New Zealand but he moved back to England in 1964. On becoming an actor, he changed his name to Richard O'Brien (his maternal grandmother's surname).
O'Brien presented the 1990–93 Channel 4 game show The Crystal Maze, and voiced Lawrence Fletcher in the Disney Channel animated series Phineas and Ferb (2008–2015; 2025–present) and its two films (2011 and 2020). His other acting credits include Flash Gordon (1980), Spice World (1997), EverAfter (1998), Dark City (1998), Dungeons & Dragons (2000), Elvira's Haunted Hills (2001), and Jackboots on Whitehall (2010).
O'Brien is transgender and identifies himself as third gender and uses he/him pronouns.
O'Brien was born in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England. In 1951, the family emigrated to Tauranga, New Zealand but he moved back to England in 1964. On becoming an actor, he changed his name to Richard O'Brien (his maternal grandmother's surname).
O'Brien presented the 1990–93 Channel 4 game show The Crystal Maze, and voiced Lawrence Fletcher in the Disney Channel animated series Phineas and Ferb (2008–2015; 2025–present) and its two films (2011 and 2020). His other acting credits include Flash Gordon (1980), Spice World (1997), EverAfter (1998), Dark City (1998), Dungeons & Dragons (2000), Elvira's Haunted Hills (2001), and Jackboots on Whitehall (2010).
O'Brien is transgender and identifies himself as third gender and uses he/him pronouns.
Known For
Dark City
Mr. Hand
The Rocky Horror Picture Show
Riff Raff
EverAfter
Pierre Le Pieu
Flash Gordon
Fico
Phineas and Ferb
Lawrence Fletcher (voice)
Dungeons & Dragons
Xilus
Phineas and Ferb The Movie: Across the 2nd Dimension
Lawrence Fletcher / Lawrence-2 (voice)
Spice World
Damien
Full Filmography
| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Strange Journey: The Story of Rocky Horror MOVIE | Self |
| 2025 | Tiny Little Voices MOVIE | Self |
| 2021 | Rocky Horror 45: The Movie MOVIE | Self |
| 2020 | Phineas and Ferb the Movie: Candace Against the Universe MOVIE | Lawrence Fletcher (voice) |
| 2017 | The Stolen MOVIE | Mr. Russell |
| 2017 | Life After Flash MOVIE | Self |
| 2015 | Rocky Horror Show Live MOVIE | Narrator |
| 2015 | Phineas and Ferb: Last Day of Summer MOVIE | Lawrence (voice) |
| 2014 | Phineas and Ferb: Night of the Living Pharmacists MOVIE | Lawrence Fletcher (voice) |
| 2014 | Phineas and Ferb: Star Wars MOVIE | Lawrence Fletcher / Additional Voices (voice) |