When he opened his mouth and began singing Hot Patootie, our hair stood on end, we were blown across the room and pinned to the wall. Pat Quinn, who was playing Magenta, and I had never heard of Meat Loaf, when into the rehearsal room sauntered a confident, baby-faced Texan chubster. 20th Century Fox insisted the roles of Brad and Janet be played by Americans, so Jim cast Barry Bostwick and Susan Sarandon. Furter but Jim insisted Tim Curry play the role as well as having the rest of us from the original production in the film. Casting the film, Mick Jagger and David Bowie both wanted to play Dr Frank N. NC: Meatloaf had played Eddie and Dr Scott in the LA theatre production.

“He had the voice of an angel with the power of a jet taking off.” Credit: Andy Kropa, AP He would drink endless cups of tea and if I ever saw him tuck into a sticky bun I’d warn him “Darling, one more bun, and you’re gonna burst out of those trousers.” His trousers were always so tight, you could see exactly what he was packing. I would advise sagely, “Freddie, best to keep your day job.” I sold vintage frocks at Kensington antique market across the hall from an amusing young man, Freddie Mercury, who would bang on about his band called Queen. The following year – 1972 – I moved with little sister Cressida and my parents to London where dad was sent by Frank Packer for six months. After high school, I went to drama school for a year at what is now Marian Street Theatre in Killara. His journalist’s wage mostly went toward educating myself and three siblings, and we were encouraged to follow whichever path interested us. My heavenly mother, Ruth, was a born Bohemian, my divine father Ross the most charming man imaginable. NC: Wait, wait, wait! We had the brilliant, liberal, headmistress Betty Archdale and my parents were not conservative.

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