Perry Bedden
Perry Bedden is an English actor, best known as a Transylvanian in The Rocky Horror Picture Show
Biography
Born on October 1, 1951 in London, England as Pierre Marcelin Bedenes, Perry Bedden first took to the stage at age 12 in The Sound of Music along side Mary Martin. He started as a younger Von Trapp boy and as he aged, continued in the role of Frederick, and was included in the soundtrack LP of the production, which was released on Disneyland Records.
As a teen, Bedden trained in the performing arts in singing, dancing and acting. Some small TV and film roles followed, as well as more theatre parts. The pivotal moment in his career came when he went to work as one of Harrod’s dancers in Jim Sharman’s Jesus Christ Superstar. There he met a group of performers that formed the core Rocky Horror community of performers, including Paul Jabara as King Herod, and his understudy, Richard O’Brien.
In 1974, Bedden was cast as a Transylvanian in The Rocky Horror Picture Show, and also appeared as the photographer at the wedding scene in the film’s first scene. That same year, Bedden was part of the pop duo Truth and Beauty. They released one single: "Tuff Little Surfer Boy" with "Toucha, Touch Me" on the B-Side, featuring backing vocal by Nell Campbell.
In 1976, Bedden took the role of Riff Raff on stage in London, followed by a run in fellow Transylvania Rufus Collins’ production of Hair. After a few more parts, Bedden returned to Rocky Horror and spent the next 3 ½ years playing Riff Raff (and an occasional substitution Frank) in the UK, German and Australia. At one time, Bedden had performed the role of Riff Raff more times than any other stage performer. In 1981, Bedden was one of several original Rocky Horror Picture Show participants to appear in the follow-up film, Shock Treatment.
In 2004, he released Perry Bedden's Rocky Horror Picture Book, which is filled with his own private snap-shots of behind the scenes happenings with the Rocky Horror crowd from 1973 and beyond. As of 2015, the book became available via Amazon.com.
Filmography
1981: Shock Treatment - Neely's Camera Crew
1977: Secret Army (TV Series) - British Flight Lieutenant
1975: The Rocky Horror Picture Show - Wedding Photographer/Transylvanian
1972: The Shadow Of The Tower (TV Series) - Lewes Cabot
1972: The Protectors (TV Series) - Hotel Porter
1969: Goodbye, Mr. Chips - School Boy
1969: The Silver Skates - (singing voice only)
1969: The Wednesday Play (TV Series) - Pongo
1969: Dixon Of Dock Green (TV Series) - Dave Childs
1967: The Ghost of Monk's Island (a 7 Part adventure film series)- Skinny
Stage Productions
1980-1982: The Rocky Horror Show – Riff Raff/Frank (Australian Touring Company)
1980: The Rocky Horror Show – Riff Raff (German Stage Production)
1979: The Rocky Horror Show – Riff Raff King's Road Theatre
1979: Pinocchio
1978: West Side Story (London)
1976-1977: Hair (London)
1976: The Rocky Horror Show –Riff Raff (King’s Road Theater)
1972: Jesus Christ Superstar (London)
1971: Andy Warhol’s Pork (London)
1971: Child’s Play (London)
1969: You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown (London)
1962: The Sound of Music (Palace Theatre, London)
Conventions
- 1999 Transylvania 1999, He Said He'd Be Back (UK)
- 2004 The Transies Take Manhattan (NYC) - July 23-25
- 2012 The Celluloid Jam 1 (Ft. Mitchell, KY) May 15-16
