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Frank-N-Furter is a character from theatrical and cinematographic productions of The Rocky Horror Show since 1973 to this day, including the 1975 original film, the 2015 tribute production celebrating 40 years, and the 2016 reimagining film. The character also appears in the non-canon drafts of the never made sequels Rocky Horror Shows His Heels and Rocky Horror: The Second Coming.

He is a mad scientist, bent on creating the perfect life form to serve as his sexual plaything. He seems to be the leader of the Transylvanians on Earth. Frank-N-Furter is mainly concerned with himself and lacks the ability to see the consequences of his behavior. Though he did bring out the sexual creatures in a young, repressed couple, he did this with his own amusement in mind.

He was portrayed by Tim Curry in the 1973 Original London Production, in the 1974 Roxy Production, in the 1975 Broadway Production, and in the 1975 film adaptation; by Tom Hewitt in the 2001 Broadway Revival, by David Bedella in the 2015 live tribute production, and by actress Laverne Cox in the 2016 reimagining made-for-TV movie, where Frank is a female and depicted as a transgender woman.

Biography[]

The Rocky Horror Show[]

Frank is holding an annual, Transylvanian science convention at his castle to showcase the birth of his newest experiment, "Rocky Horror" - a fit, attractive man created solely to fulfill Frank's sexual desires.

While the convention is going on, virginal, newly-engaged couple Brad Majors and Janet Weiss are travelling through the area to visit their friend and former tutor Dr. Everett Scott, to inform him of their engagement. When one of their tires blows out, they stop at Frank's castle in hopes of using a telephone (it is later implied that Frank is the one who gave them the flat).

They are invited inside by Riff Raff, the hunchbacked butler, and meet the other Transylvanians, as well as the maid, Magenta - Riff Raff's sister, with whom he is in an incestuous relationship, and Columbia - a human groupie who is infatuated with Frank.

Frightened and disturbed, Janet tries to persuade Brad to let them leave the castle, but she is interrupted when Frank makes an appearance. He announces he will call someone to fix their car and offers them hospitality, meanwhile inviting them up to his laboratory to witness the birth of his creation, subtly implying he will later sleep with both of them.

Brad and Janet are stripped down to their underwear and ushered to the lab by Riff Raff, Magenta and Columbia, where Frank flirts shamelessly with them both and brings his creature to life, as they watch with the other Transylvanians.

Rocky, confused and frightened by his situation, flees from a lustful Frank, who later flags him down and presents him with an array of fitness "birthday" presents, revelling in his success.

RHPS-FrankColumbiaMagentaPinkieL

(from left to right) Columbia, Frank, Magenta

Frank's celebration is interrupted when Eddie, an ex-delivery boy and former lover to both Frank and Columbia, emerges from the freezer where he was stored after half of his brain was used to make Rocky. He describes his past life and explains his current situation to the Transylvanians, as well as engaging in a romantic reunion with Columbia, stealing Frank's spotlight.

Jealous and enraged, Frank chases Eddie back into the freezer and murders him with a pick axe. He then tries to brighten the shocked conventionists' moods by unveiling a bridal suite built for him and Rocky. A wedding procession ushers the two inside, where they sleep together.

Later, Frank enters Brad and Janet's separate rooms, disguised as the other, and seduces them both into sex. While sleeping with Brad, he is informed by Riff Raff on a television monitor that Rocky has escaped and Janet is loose in the castle (though he and Magenta chased Rocky away purposely out of spite for Frank).

Frank heads downstairs to the laboratory with Brad and Riff Raff, mercilessly beating the butler for losing sight of Rocky. He commands him to search for him on the monitor, and Riff Raff instead discovers that Dr. Scott is approaching the grounds.

Brad recognizes him and Frank accuses him of purposely coming to the castle in an attempt to expose him and the others to the government as aliens, which Brad denies. Frank tells Riff Raff to bring Dr. Scott to him, and informs the rival scientist that his plans have failed.

Dr. Scott also denies Frank's accusations, stating that he has no idea why Brad is at the castle, and his reason for coming here is to find Eddie, his nephew. Frank is upset and irritated by this, later discovering a half-nude Janet and Rocky in the birth tank in which his creation was made, where the two have been sleeping together.

Dr Frank-N-Furter

Frank-N-Furter

There is a shocked reunion of all five people before Frank threatens Rocky's life for sleeping with someone else. Magenta enters the room unexpectedly and announces that dinner is ready to be served. Frank spitefully tells Janet that for dinner, "formal dress is to be optional," before storming off.

During dinner, Dr. Scott brings up Eddie, and Frank makes a subtle mention about how they are currently eating his remains, causing Columbia to flee the room in tears. Dr. Scott gives a brief speech about his nephew's wild lifestyle, and reads a note sent to him after half of his brain was removed, asking him to come and retrieve him before he is killed. Afterwards, Frank pulls back a table cloth to reveal Eddie's remains, causing Janet to scream and run into Rocky's arms.

Jealous, Frank chases her throughout the castle, taunting her by saying that Rocky could never value her over himself in bed, as he is a great lover and she is a boring partner. Brad and Dr. Scott follow the two in the elevator, where Frank leads them all to the laboratory and commands Magenta to use a machine to turn them all into naked statues.

Columbia enters with Rocky and scolds Frank for using people for his own sexual pleasure, stating how she was in love with him before he left her for Eddie, and later Rocky. Frank ignores her and has her turned to stone as well, along with Rocky. He contemplates with his servants whether or not it was a good idea to split Eddie's brain for Rocky, as his creature slept with someone else, the same way Eddie had with Columbia.

Irritated, Magenta demands to know when they will return to Transylvania, and Frank informs her that she and her brother have been loyal servants, offering her a reward for her faithfulness through sex. She denies him, and annoyed, Frank says that she will receive nothing and commands she and Riff Raff to prepare the statues for his "floor show."

The five stone figures are dressed in drag and taken to a theater in the castle, where Frank flips a switch - unfreezing each of them and controlling their movements, forcing them to perform a cabaret show before they partake in an orgy. Each one contemplates how Frank's lust has affected their lives.

Frankie

Later, Frank appears in full drag and the orgy begins, only to be interrupted by Riff Raff and Magenta - dressed in their alien attire. Riff Raff informs Frank that he has completely lost sight of the mission they originally had when coming to this planet, telling him that he is the new commander and that they will return to Transylvania immediately.

Frank stops him and touchingly speaks of how their trip home is long overdue, and he is ready to return, in an attempt to get back in their good graces. Riff Raff and Magenta do not fall for his trickery, and Riff Raff informs him that Frank will not be returning with them - he has to be killed in order to protect society.

Just as Riff Raff is about to murder Frank with a laser, Columbia screams, startling him, and is killed first. Frank tries to flee from Riff Raff, but he is hit and murdered with the laser.

In a fit of grief, Rocky rushes to his creator's side and tries to escape the Transylvanians with the body, but he too is ultimately killed. Riff Raff then informs Brad, Dr. Scott and Janet that they should leave the castle at once, as it about to be beamed back up to their home planet. The three obey his command, and Riff Raff and Magenta speak of their joy in returning to Transsexual.

As the house is taking off, Brad and Janet describe how their lives have been forever marred by the events at Frank's castle.

Non-canon bio[]

NOTICE: The information you're about to read is non-canon (everything that is not part of the original story line of the series). This is because it comes from drafts of never-made sequels, but as written by Richard O'Brien, it can be taken as alternative-additional info but it doesn't change the original story.

Rocky Horror Shows His Heels[]

A year after the events of Rocky Horror, Rocky resurrects and asks Brad and Dr. Scott to help him resurrect Frank. This is possible because they create a formula through blood. When he comes back to life, he learns that Janet is expecting his son, so he bewitches Denton to hold a party in honor of his unborn child.

However, Dr. Scott's formula fails because they need blood from a virgin, so they ask for blood from one of the party guests so Frank can continue living. However, the formula fails again because that person was not really a virgin. Sick of it all, Frank begins to attack his guests, but when the spell is over they attack Frank back. He is rescued by Rocky, Brad and Dr. Scott, allowing him to escape.

On the verge of fleeing, he confronts Riff Raff one last time, and for a second time takes out his lightning gun and kills him again. The baby and his mother, Janet, are taken along with Magenta and Riff Raff.

Revenge of the Old Queen[]

In this sequel to "Rocky Horror Picture Show," the events of "Rocky Horror Shows His Heels" did not occur, so Frank remains dead since Riff Raff murdered him with his lightning bolt in the 1975 film. Nonetheless, at the very end of this movie, the ending of the 1975 movie also takes place off screen (Riff Raff and the Old Queen are in outside of Frank's castle).

Rocky Horror: The Second Coming[]

In this theatrical sequel of "Rocky Horror Show", the plot from "Rocky Horror Shows His Heels" plus certain aspects of "Revenge of the Old Queen" are used. Here Frank has the same story of being revived and celebrating the birth of his baby.

Music[]

Frank-N-Furter has solos in:


  • An early version of Little Black Dress (originally from Rocky Horror Shows His Heels)
  • He Lived & Died for Rock 'n Roll (from Rocky Horror Shows His Heels)
  • An early version of Farley's Song (originally from Rocky Horror Shows His Heels)
  • I'm Goin' to See My Baby (from Rocky Horror Shows His Heels)

Gallery

📷 In the Rocky Horror Wiki we use galleries to order photos and video. You can visit the gallery of Frank-N-Furter to see related files.

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