Richard Gifford
Richard was an important and influential contributor to the Los Angeles Rocky Horror community during the late 1970's-early 80's.
Richard first attended The Rocky Horror Picture Show at the United Artists Cinema 4 - Tyler Mall in Riverside, CA in May 1979, and became a regular participant with a loosely organized group of fans known as The Riverside Rockys. In November 1979, along with Vid Kadavre, Julie Ford, and Troy Martin, he founded Erotic Nightmares, one the first regular, full-time Rocky Horror performing groups on the West Coast. Richard was also a member of The Tiffany Troupe at the legendary Tiffany Theater in West Hollywood, CA, performing there as Riff Raff from 1980 to 1983. Credited as being the first "shaved-headed Riff Raff" in the Rocky Horror community, Richard was also one of the first Shock Treatment performers, playing Dr. Cosmo McKinley at the Tiffany Theater in 1982. He was the first owner of Brad's Shorts (really!), having won them in a Tiffany Theater Riff-Raffle in 1982.
Richard was a well-known handyman with extraordinary skills and attention to detail, and he won almost every costume contest that he ever entered.
He returned to the Rocky Horror community in 1989 and remained active until his death in Moreno Valley, CA in 2014. His remains were placed at the Roxy Theatre, the Vista Theatre, the former locations of both the Tiffany Theater and the United Artists Cinema 4 - Tyler Mall. In accordance with his wishes, an urn containing some of his ashes were placed inside the Sins O' The Flesh stage coffin at the Nuart Theater.
Richard was a Rocky Horror Legend, and remains an iconic figure in the history of the Rocky Horror community.
Contents
Cast Affiliations
- Member of The Riverside Rockys as Transylvanian Kimi Wong, Floorshow Brad
- Member/Founder/Cast Leader/Erotic Nightmares, as Riff Raff
- Member/Cast Leader of The Tiffany Troupe as Riff Raff, Dr. Cosmo McKinley
- Honorary Member of Sins O' The Flesh
Theaters Attended 1979-2014
- United Artists Cinema 4 - Tyler Mall, Riverside CA (1979-1981)
- Tiffany Theater, West Hollywood CA (1979-1983)
- Balboa Theatre, Newport Beach CA (1979)
- Montclair Theatre, Montclair CA (1979-1980)
- AMC Orange Mall 6, Orange CA (1980)
- UA Marketplace 6, Long Beach CA (1980)
- Brea Plaza 5, Brea CA (1980)
- Aquarius Theatre - The Rocky Horror Show 1980 - 81 North American Tour
- Cove Theater, Hermosa Beach CA (1981)
- Vista Theatre, Los Angeles CA - Shock Treatment (1981) & The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1983)
- Nuart Theater, West Los Angeles (1989-2014)
- Rialto Theatre, South Pasadena CA (1991)
- Montclair Cinemas, Montclair CA (1990 - 1991)
- Redondo Beach Cinema 3, Redondo Beach CA (1991)
- The Queen Mary, Long Beach CA (2007)
- Million Dollar Theatre, Los Angeles CA(2010)
- Harmony Gold, Hollywood CA (2011)
Conventions Attended
1980: The Second Annual Transylvanian Convention (Hollywood, CA)
1981: The Semi-Annual Transylvanian Convention (Los Angeles, CA)
1981: The Third Annual Transylvanian Convention (Anaheim, CA)
1982: ROCKY ALIVE (Hawthorne, CA)
1995: The Rocky Horror 20th Anniversary Celebration (Roxy Theatre, Pantages Theatre, Hollywood, CA)
2007: The Pirates of Transylvania (Queen Mary, Long Beach, CA)
2010: 7 Deadly Sins: The Rocky Horror Picture Show 35th Anniversary Convention (Los Angeles, CA)
2013: I Survived the Tiffany Reunion - Tiffany Theater/Canters Deli
Misc. RHPS Performances/Appearances
1980: Velvet Magazine - "Rocky Horror Update"
1981: That's Hollywood - "Cult Classics"
Richard is featured in People Like Us: The Cult Of The Rocky Horror Picture Show by Lauren Everett
Notable Events Attended
2010: The Rocky Horror Picture Show 35th Anniversary (West Hollywood CA)
2013: I Survived the Tiffany Reunion - Tiffany Theater/Canters Deli (Los Angeles, CA)
2013: Rocky Horror Cast reunion at The Hollywood Show
