Terry O'Reilly

The mad doctor has a passion.

He wants to create the perfect man in his lab, whom he christens Rocky.

It's a rock and roll take on the Frankenstein story.

Along the way, craziness happens, hilarity ensues, Brad and Janet lose their innocence, and there are a lot of really great rock songs.

The stage play became an instant hit, got rave reviews, and won the Evening Standard's Best Musical Award.

Lou Adler, the famed music producer, saw Rocky Horror on stage in London.

He loved it and immediately purchased the American theatrical rights.

When it ran for nine months in Los Angeles, it was just as popular as it had been in the UK.

But when it moved to Broadway, it was a different story.

New Yorkers didn't buy all the hype.

For the first time, the reviews were terrible.

However, an executive from 20th Century Fox loved it and offered $1.4 million to adapt it to the big screen.

Tim Curry reprised his role as Frankenfurter, Brad was played by Barry Bostwick, Susan Sarandon played Janet, singer Meatloaf was Eddie, and playwright-slash-screenwriter Richard O'Brien played the Doctor's faithful handyman, Riff Raff.

Lou Adler screened the finished movie, now called the Rocky Horror Picture Show, for the 20th Century Fox marketing team.

It didn't go well.

And when the film was given a test screening with an audience, half of them walked out.

When the Rocky Horror Picture Show premiered in August of 1975, critics panned it, and it completely flopped at the box office.

After the dismal reviews, Adler sat on the curb outside the theater with Tim Deegan, who was in charge of the movie's advertising.

The mood was glum.

Then some college kids came up to them and said, we really liked your movie.