Jim Sharman

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Jim Sharman was born 12 March 1945 in Sydney, Australia, as James David Sharman. The son of boxing tent entrepreneur Jimmy Sharman, he worked as a director and writer for film and stage. He is probably best known for his work on The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975) and its sequel Shock Treatment (1981)

[edit] Biography

He spent much of his young life at the circus, where his father and grandfather ran a travelling boxing sideshow. Taking an interest in theatre, he attended the National Institute of Dramatic Art in Sydney, graduating in 1966. Sharman became interested in directing experimental theatre and he soon made a name for himself in Sydney with his groundbreaking productions at the Old Tote Theatre Company.

While directing the original Sydney production of Hair in 1970, he met a young architectural student named Brian Thomson, who would become his longtime set designer. Sharman's first film, a low-budget sci-fi rock musical titled Shirley Thompson Versus the Aliens, was shot in early 1971 and released in June 1972.^[1] Sharman and Thomson both worked on the acclaimed original Sydney production of Jesus Christ Superstar in 1972, which brought Sharman to the attention of lyricist Tim Rice, who brought him and Thomson to London in 1972 to stage the production, which included Richard O'Brien.

Through his meeting with O'Brien, Sharman played a major role in developing the award-winning 1973 London production of "The Rocky Horror Show", and he also directed the film version The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975) and its sequel Shock Treatment (1981). Sharman went on to become one of Australia's most respected theatre directors, and also directed the films Summer of Secrets (1976) and The Night the Prowler... (1978).^[2]