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A free scan shows the junk files, broken settings and background clutter dragging Windows down - then fixes them in one click.Free scan · Windows 10 & 11Susan Sarandon recalled that she got pneumonia almost immediately while filming The Rocky Horror Picture Show in cold, damp locations in England. The production’s autumn-to-winter schedule, an unheated studio, a roofless house and a freezing pool sequence made the shoot physically punishing. Those details come from later recollections, not a medical record, and do not establish that any single scene caused her illness.
Why was filming so hard on Susan Sarandon?
The main strain was the combination of cold, wet conditions and a demanding schedule. Production began in October 1974 and lasted nearly two months at Bray Studios and Oakley Court in Berkshire, locations previously associated with Hammer horror films. Director and co-writer Jim Sharman later recalled, “It was freezing, the middle of winter, the conditions were far from perfect.” (The Guardian’s 2025 oral history)
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Sarandon gave the clearest firsthand account of the places where she worked. In a 1999 interview, she said Bray Studios had no heat and described the house used for horror films as having no roof. The cast, she recalled, were “constantly wet and cold.” She also said, “I got pneumonia almost immediately.” (Sarandon’s interview with The Guardian)
That account explains why the conditions were difficult for her, but it should not be stretched into a more precise medical timeline. The available accounts do not document a diagnosis or establish exactly when or how she contracted pneumonia.
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- Fasten your garter belt and relive the time-warping, gender-bending cult classic! When a newly engaged couple?s (Barry Bostwick and Susan Sarandon) car breaks down on a rainy night, they wind up in the creepy castle of Dr. Frank-N-Furter (Tim Curry). There, they have an adventure that will thrill you, chill you and fulfill you like never before!
What happened during the pool scene?
The pool sequence brought cold water and prolonged exposure into an already uncomfortable shoot. Barry Bostwick recalled that cast members were repeatedly sprayed with cold water and said Sarandon got pneumonia amid the wet, freezing conditions. Richard O’Brien, the film’s co-writer and an actor in the production, remembered Sarandon having a severe cold and shaking with fever during the final pool sequence. He later said “she should have been under medical supervision.” (O’Brien’s recollection in The Guardian’s 2013 production retrospective)
O’Brien’s memory of her condition during that scene and Sarandon’s account of getting pneumonia almost immediately are distinct recollections. They do not prove that the pool scene caused her pneumonia or establish an exact diagnosis date.
Why did the set involve so much cold and wet exposure?
The locations and season
The production used Bray Studios and Oakley Court in Berkshire during the colder months. Sharman later described the Hammer locations as impractical as well as freezing. Sarandon’s recollection that Bray had no heat and the house had no roof gives a direct sense of how those locations felt to the cast.
The production’s budget and cast
Sharman said the team chose a tiny budget and the original company rather than a higher-budget option involving rock stars. The Guardian’s 2025 oral history reported a production budget of $1.4 million. The film adaptation kept much of the stage company, but Fox required American actors for Brad and Janet; Sarandon and Bostwick joined a group that had already worked together for months.
Rank #3
- Fasten your garter belt and relive the time-warping, gender-bending cult classic! When a newly engaged couple?s (Barry Bostwick and Susan Sarandon) car breaks down on a rainy night, they wind up in the creepy castle of Dr. Frank-N-Furter (Tim Curry). There, they have an adventure that will thrill you, chill you and fulfill you like never before!
The low-budget choice shaped the production context, but the available accounts do not establish that it alone caused the cold conditions. The location, season and reported lack of heat are more direct explanations for the discomfort described by Sarandon and her colleagues.
Costumes and the physical work
Bostwick recalled performing in underwear and being sprayed with cold water. Nell Campbell remembered that cast members were half naked much of the time and had to hike to the bathrooms. Bostwick also described the wet pool scene, filmed in high heels, as requiring balance, energy and camaraderie. Light costumes and repeated exposure made cold locations harder to endure.
Where was the film shot, and when?
The Rocky Horror Picture Show was filmed at Bray Studios and Oakley Court in Berkshire, England. Production started in October 1974 and ran for nearly two months; O’Brien recalled that filming wrapped a week before Christmas. The dates place the shoot in autumn and early winter, matching the cast’s later descriptions of freezing conditions. The film was released in 1975.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What can be said with confidence about Sarandon’s illness?
- Sarandon herself said she got pneumonia almost immediately and described cold, wet working conditions.
- Bostwick separately recalled that she got pneumonia amid the freezing, wet shoot.
- O’Brien remembered her with a severe cold and fever during the pool scene, but that recollection does not establish the cause or timing of pneumonia.
- The available accounts are retrospective; they do not provide a treatment record, a complete health chronology or a formal production-safety finding.
The physical hardship did not define Sarandon’s entire memory of the film. In the same 1999 interview, she also said, “We had a great time.”
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