Barry Bostwick, of ‘Rocky Horror,’ talks tighty-whities, playing Danny Zuko ahead of Spokane stop as part of film’s 49th anniversary tour

Halloween essentials are typically limited to candy, a pumpkin or two and some semblance of a costume. For die-hard fans of “The Rocky Horror Picture Show,” Halloween is also time to stock up on rubber gloves, playing cards and toast in preparation for a showing of the 1975 cult classic film.

Screened monthly at the Garland Theatre, “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” moves to the First Interstate Center for the Arts on Sunday as part of the film’s 49th anniversary tour, where Brad Majors (Barry Bostwick) himself will chat about the movie before the showing. The tour also features a memorabilia display, a costume contest and Absolute Pleasure, a local shadow cast originally established in 1989 that has been performing alongside showings at the Garland since 2013. There will also be a “virgin” ceremony for those who haven’t yet seen the film accompanied by a shadow cast.

Prior to being cast in “Rocky Horror,” Bostwick was known for having originated the role of Danny Zuko in “Grease” on Broadway. Looking back he feels both shows offered unique entertainment in their own ways.

“I’ve been fortunate, and I’ve always been attracted to these outliers, these shows that were bending the rules,” he said.

Transitioning from playing the too-cool-for-school Zuko to the nerdy Majors wasn’t difficult for Bostwick, who found them both to be similarly brash in their own worlds.

“They both have this slight tongue in cheek, self-aware yet not making fun of their characters,” he said.

Though he had performed on Broadway, singing for a film was a new experience for Bostwick. He and the other actors were lip synching to music they had recorded before filming, which Bostwick said challenged him to know what his interpretation of the performance would be like before it happened.

“We didn’t have weeks of rehearsal to make mistakes and/or change how we wanted to do it so we went in and boom, that was it,” he said. “In some ways, it comes out best because you don’t massage it to death. It’s improvisational.”

Though the movie wasn’t initially beloved by audiences or critics, the film’s presentation as a midnight movie caused it to gain traction, as did Louis Farese Jr., Theresa Krakauskas and Amy Lazarus, who were credited with starting the practice of responding to the film and bringing props to screenings.

“The Rocky Horror Picture Show” was directed by Jim Sharman and features a screenplay written by Sharman and Richard O’Brien, who also played Riff-Raff. The movie is based on the 1973 musical of the same name, which features music, lyrics and a book by O’Brien.

The movie follows Majors (Bostwick) and Janet Weiss (Susan Sarandon), a young couple whose car breaks down near a castle. Upon arriving at the castle, the couple learn it’s occupied by costumed strangers having a party. The head of the castle, Dr. Frank N. Furter (Tim Curry), invites the pair to stay for the evening before bringing the handsome Rocky (Peter Hinwood) to life. Lots of singing, dancing and seduction ensues.

The film also stars Patricia Quinn, Nell Campbell, Jonathan Adams, Meat Loaf and Charles Gray.

Bostwick still gets a kick out of hearing stories from people who snuck out to see midnight showings of “Rocky Horror” and remembers presenting a framed pair of underwear (a nod to his wardrobe during much of the movie) to a shadow cast at a since-closed theater in Los Angeles. He later learned that the pair of underwear became a coveted piece of memorabilia and was passed from person to person.

Fully leaning into it, Bostwick now sells signed and personalized tighty-whities on barrybostwick.com.

Though Bostwick said he and the rest of the cast never imagined while filming that “Rocky Horror” would get the reception it’s had since its release, he can understand the appeal, as it’s become a place for people who, like the film, march to the beat of their own drum.

“There was no club in high school that they could belong to,” he said of the fans who flocked to showing after showing. “They had to find and create their own club. That’s what I think ‘The Rocky Horror Picture Show’ has created on a Friday and Saturday night. It’s created its own sort of club.”

Bostwick has worked steadily since “Grease” and “Rocky Horror,” including roles in “Spin City,” “Megaforce,” a film with a following of its own about which Bostwick is making a documentary, and the upcoming “Daruma,” which is, according to its website, “the first film in U.S. cinematic history to star two authentically cast disabled leads in a narrative not about overcoming disability.”

He said his younger self would be proud of the hard work he’s put into his career and the fact that he’s accomplished everything he set out to do without hurting anyone and while raising a family.

He knows that people will always connect him with “Grease” and “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” though, not that he’s complaining.

“I’ve always had fun with this,” he said. “It’s been a hoot and a holler and the holler usually comes from the audience … So many of the people during the meet and greet, before the show, come up and they go ‘Thank you for coming and doing this in our city.’ I go ‘Well, thank you for meeting me and encouraging this movement.’ It’s not just a movie. I think it’s a movement.”