Richard O'Brien
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.
Filmography
Strange Journey: The Story of Rocky Horror
2025
as Self
Tiny Little Voices
2025
Rocky Horror 45: The Movie
2021
as Self
Phineas and Ferb the Movie: Candace Against the Universe
2020
as Lawrence Fletcher (voice)
The Stolen
2017
as Mr. Russell
Life After Flash
2017
as Self
Rocky Horror Show Live
2015
as Narrator
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)
The Last Impresario
2014
as Self
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
The British Guide to Showing Off
2011
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)
Phineas and Ferb Christmas Vacation!
2009
as Lawrence Fletcher (voice)
Night Train
2009
as Mrs. Froy
Rocky Horror Tribute Show
2008
as Himself - Host
Dark City: Memories of Shell Beach
2008
as Self
- No poster
Once Upon a Time in New York: the Birth of Hip Hop, Disco and Punk
2007
as Self