When he auditioned for the part, Curry was asked if he had acted professionally before. He hadn’t. He was also asked if he had an Actors Equity card. He didn’t. In both cases, however, he merely claimed that he did in order to make his way in the door. Luckily, the producers of “Hair” were so impressed with his performance that they kept him on and paid his Actors Equity fees to get him on stage.
It’s worth noting that in “Hair,” Woof sings one of the more provacative musical numbers, perhaps presaging Curry’s eventual reputation for playing a bawdy, hedonistic transvestite. Those familiar with “Hair,” can likely sing the song “Sodomy,” which is a soul-inflected number that merely lists multiple sex acts from cunnilingus to masturbation. For his part, Curry fully intended to sing “Sodomy,” but his part turned out a little different at first, largely dictated by the drugged-up cast. Curry said:
“I wanted to do the ‘Sodomy, Fellatio…’ song but I ended up just jumping up and down at the back as part of the troupe. It was a very peculiar production. People just didn’t turn up if they were a bit stoned or they thought they’d stay home. But I was a real trouper. I always showed up.”
Sadly, because “Hair” was so loosely constructed, Curry quickly sought to be released from his contract. Throughout the next few years, he bounced around England’s and Scotland’s theaters, getting roles with the Royal Shakespeare Company, the Glasgow Citizen’s Theater, and eventually at the Royal Court Theater, where “Rocky Horror” debuted.
He has worked steadily ever since, appearing in dozens of films, plays, video games, and TV shows, even after a suffering a stroke in 2012.
Curry remains an icon, and will in perpetuity.