Mick Jagger wanted to play Tim Curry’s career-defining role

Some actors take on roles that are so iconic that they overshadow the rest of their career. Anthony Perkins immediately comes to mind; He did a lot of other things after Alfred Hitchcock’s “Psycho,” but he never escaped the shadow of Norman Bates. Linda Blair fared even worse after playing Regan in The Exorcist, as her adult career dwindled into B-movie hell. As for Tim Curry, he did well, playing Pennywise in “It” and gained another fame in “Clue,” but he will always be remembered for playing Dr. Frank-N-Furter in “The Rocky Horror Picture Show.” This was the career-defining role that Mick Jagger wanted for himself.

Still touring in 2024, the Rolling Stones have become the grandfathers of rock ‘n’ roll with the main surviving members (Jagger, Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood) all over 80 years old. Their ages and characteristics have made them something of an affectionate joke, particularly Richards’ longevity after his wild, drug-fueled exploits and Jagger’s distinctive vocals and dance moves — Hell, Maroon 5 even did a song about it. From that perspective, Jagger might not seem like the most likely candidate to step into Tim Curry’s platform of heels and socks. But not only did he actively seek this role, he also had the qualifications to fulfill it. Speaking to the Los Angeles Times to mark the 50th anniversary of “Rocky Horror,” Carrey said:

“When the film was a set order, there were several big stars who wanted to play the part (…) Mick Jagger wanted to play it and he would have done a great job if you saw the ‘performance’. But (director Sharman) said he wanted me to do it. I don’t think the studio was happy because he turned Mick down.”

So how did the Stones’ flamboyant frontman become interested in paying the dissolute, party-loving mad scientist, and was it going to do any good?

“The Rocky Horror Picture Show” came from humble beginnings. Richard O’Brien was an out-of-work actor when he started writing raunchy musical tributes to old science fiction pictures and B-movies to keep himself busy. His friend, the theater director Jim Sharman, loved it, and he staged his first production in a small 60-seat performance space in Sloane Square, London. It premiered in the summer of 1973 and was an instant hit, with lead actor Tim Curry earning rave reviews for his performance as Dr. Frank-N-Furter.

The buzz meant Sharman and his band could upgrade to a 500-seat venue, while record producer Lou Adler quickly bought the American stage rights. Carrey reprized his role when the show made its US debut the following year, playing at Los Angeles’ famous Roxy Theater. “Rocky Horror” was a hot ticket from day one, with big stars like Jack Nicholson, John Lennon and Mick Jagger attending the premiere.

The Stones singer was clearly intrigued by the show, and his staff made inquiries about purchasing the film rights. However, Jim Sharman did not need Jagger’s influence to make a film version. 20th Century Fox’s Gordon Stulberg also saw the show and offered him $1 million to adapt it for the screen, meaning Sharman could keep Carrey in the lead role and direct the picture himself as well.

“Rocky Horror” was a flop on its initial release but found its natural home in midnight screenings, becoming a cult film and a most popular film. The perfect cinematic haven for freaks. The prop-filled sing-along with fans dressed up as the characters is now the stuff of legend, and thanks to a loophole, the film has become the longest continuously running theatrical release of all time, having grossed over $170 million to date. Not bad for something Richard O’Brien wrote while kicking his heels between jobs!

I saw it for the first time “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” Back in the early ’90s, and more than three decades later, Tim Curry’s outrageous turn as Dr. Frank-N-Furter is still one of my favorite movie performances of all time. Many other actors have played it since then with varying degrees of success: Anthony Head won plaudits in the West End Revival in 1990, and Tom Hewitt won a Tony Award for his performance in the Broadway Revival 10 years later. In recent years, transgender actor Laverne Cox has been the only decent thing in the horrific TV version of 2016. What would Mick Jagger’s performance have been like?

He definitely had Frank’s anarchic streak. Back in the 1960s, the Rolling Stones were not only the Beatles’ main rival, but were also seen as a rebellious alternative to the clean-cut boys from Liverpool. They cultivated a bad boy image, wore obscene (for the time) costumes and stirred up controversy with suggestive lyrics and references to Satanism. He also had style. Like many androgynous rock stars of the late 1960s and early 1970s, Jagger regularly flaunted outfits that prompted more conservative observers to clutch their pearls about cross-dressing. During a drug raid in 1967, the police officer who arrested the singer felt compelled to note that Jagger appeared to be wearing makeup at the time.

In the late 1960s, Jagger began working in film and made his screen debut in “Performance,” playing a fun-loving rock star opposite East End gangster James Fox. Nicolas Roeg’s film was controversial for its themes of sex, drugs and gender bending, and there are certainly some behaviors very similar to Jagger’s characterization. Overall, he had the musical ability, looks, attitude, and notoriety to make Dr. Frank-N-Furter interesting. I’m still glad we got Tim Curry, but it was fun to see Jagger in full force.