What do you get when you combine a plant from outer space, with music and some of the eighties biggest comedy actors? You get the hit Hollywood film Little Shop of Horrors.
Released on 19th December 1986, the memorable musical film is 35 years old today and although there have been various adaptations of the story since the sixties, the 1986 film was a huge box office success and made a huge $25 million (£18.8 million) on its release.
In recent years, there has even been talk of a remake with stars including Marvel actor Chris Evans, Taron Egerton and Billy Porter as the voice of Audrey II.
While we wait to see what the remake might be like, Daily Star takes a look at where the stars of the original film are now.
Rick Moranis
(Image: FilmMagic)
Rick Moranis showed off his impressive musical theatre skills when he played flower shop assistant Seymour, who after raising villainous plant Audrey II, must stop it before it takes over the world.
Little Shop of Horrors also starred Ghostbusters co-star Bill Murray, although the two didn’t share any scenes in the film together.
Rick is also fondly remembered for roles in Hollywood blockbusters including Mel Brook’s sci-fi parody Spaceballs and most famously, as Wayne in the Honey I shrunk the kids film series.
He retired from acting in 1991 following the death of his wife from breast cancer, who he had been married to since 1986, to focus on raising their children.
Although he retired from acting, he has since returned to star as Barney Rubble in the live action 1994 Flintstones film and provided voice work for films including 2003’s Brother Bear.
In 2020, Rick was brutally attacked at random on the street in New York, where he later revealed he had been punched in the head by a stranger.
Security footage confirmed the attack, and Moranis went to hospital with pain in his head, hip and back after being knocked to the ground.
Levi Stubbs
(Image: Redferns)
Levi Stubbs was one of the most talented musicians of all time, performing as part of Motown group The Four Tops, whose hits included Can’t Help My Self and Reach Out I’ll be There.
After a string of hit singles in the sixties and seventies, he lent his voice to Audrey II in Little Shop of Horrors, performing songs including Feed Me.
He continued to perform onstage until he died in his sleep in 2000, when Levi retired after suffering a number of health issues, including cancer and a stroke.
Following his death, Motown Record Label founder Berry Gordy Jr. said in a statement that Levi Stubbs was “the greatest interpreter of songs I’ve ever heard.”
He added that while Levi Stubbs could have had a career as a solo singer, “his love and loyalty” kept The Four Tops “together longer than any group I know. His integrity and character were impeccable.”
Ellen Greene
(Image: WireImage)
One of Ellen Greene’s most fondly remembered roles is shop assistant Audrey, who longs to live ‘somewhere that’s green’ in an idyllic life with Seymour.
Fans and critics alike were also delighted when in 2015, Ellen reprised the role onstage opposite Jake Gyllenhaal as Seymour.
It isn’t the only time the actress has shown off her impressive singing skills though – before Hollywood fame she sang in clubs and bars in New York, and also sang a few numbers in the 2007 comedy series Pushing Daisies, where she starred as Vivian Charles opposite Anna Friel and Lee Pace.
As well as starring in films including Leon, tv series Heroes and Tangled, she most recently starred in film The Untold Story in 2019.
Away from Hollywood, Ellen has been married twice – first to Tibor Hardik from 1990-2003 and then to Christian Klikovits from 2003-2007.
John Candy
(Image: Getty Images)
Comedy legend John Candy made a cameo in Little Shop of Horrors as DJ Wink Winkleson, who listens to Seymour’s story about a plant from outer space on his radio show.
The two stars were reunited one year later when they played opposite each other in Mel Brook’s 1987 sci-fi parody Spaceballs, with Rick Moranis this time taking on the villainous role.
Along with starring in films including Spaceballs, Home Alone, The Great Outdoors and Cool Runnings, John was married to Rosemary Harbor from 1979, with who he had two children.
He also starred in Planes, Trains and Automobiles with Little Shop of Horrors co-star Steve Martin in 1987, and despite their characters not having the best start onscreen, off-screen Steve and John became close friends.
As with a lot of John Hughes films, John Candy improvised some of his lines.
In the book Wild and Crazy Guys: How the Comedy Mavericks of the 80s changed Hollywood Forever by Nick De Semlyn, it is recalled that John Candy’s improvised line “But this time I couldn’t let go” about why he attaches himself to passers by, had a huge impact on Steve Martin.
Nick says: “Martin would still shed a tear remembering the heartfelt confession,” following the death of John Candy seven years later.
John Candy suffered a heart attack and died on March 4 1994 at the age of 43, while filming in Mexico.
Steve Martin
(Image: Getty Images)
Who could forget Steve Martin’s villainous dentist Orin, and his catchy, Elvis inspired song You’ll be a dentist.
Already a huge Hollywood star, it is one of the many hilarious roles that Steve has played throughout the years, in films including The Three Amigos, Father of the Bride and The Man with Two Brains.
Steve Martin also regularly collaborates with comedy partner Martin Short, who he starred opposite in The Three Amigos, and has recently worked with again in the Disney series Only Murders in the Building in 2021.
Talking about their close partnership, Steve Martin joked in an interview with The Guardian that “Marty just kept following me,” with Martin Short adding: “Every time he changed his number, I found the new one!”
In his personal life, Steve Martin has one daughter called Mary and has been married twice – first to Victoria Tennant from 1986-1994 and then to Anne Stringfield from 2007.
Bill Murray
(Image: Getty Images)
Award winning actor Bill Murray played patient Arthur Denton, in a humorous cameo where his character visits Steve Martin’s dentist.
It is one of his many Hollywood films roles, including Ghostbusters, Scrooged, Tootsi, Groundhog Day, What about Bob, Zombieland and Lost in Translation.
With generations of fans growing up with his films, Bill said to the Guardian that he sees his job as “an impersonator” and one who hopefully “leaves people feeling joyful.”
Bill is also a talented musician, showing off his skills in the Netflix special A very Murray Christmas in 2015.
Most recently he lent his voice to 2018’s Isle of Dogs, played himself in Zombieland: Double Tap and reprised his role of Peter Venkman in Ghostbusters: Afterlife.
Bill is also listed as appearing in the new Marvel film Antman and the Wasp: Quantumania, due for release in 2023.
He has been married twice – first to Mickey Kelley from 1981-1994, with who he had two children.
Bill then had four children with second wife Jennifer Butler, who he was married to from 1997 – 2008.
Tichina Arnold
(Image: Getty Images,)
Tichina Arnold played Crystal, one of the trio of singers in Little Shop of Horrors who narrated the story, alongside Ronette and Chiffon.
It was one of Tichina’s first leading roles and since then, she hasn’t left our screens, starring as Rochelle in the comedy series Everybody Hates Chris, Sylvia in Raising Hope, Karen in 2007 Hollywood film Wild Hogs and most recently as Tina, in the tv series Neighbourhood.
As well as being a star herself, it is reported that the actress also has a circle of huge showbiz friends including Janet Jackson and Christina Aguilera.
In her personal life, Tichina has been married twice – first to Lamon Brewster from 1994-1995 and Rico Hines from 2012-2016.
She also dated Carvin Haggins from 2002-2007, with who she has one daughter.
Michelle Weeks
(Image: themichelleweeks/Instagram)
Michelle Weeks played singer Ronette in Little Shop of Horrors, and was destined for a career in music after winning the Herman Stevens Award for Gospel at the age of five years old.
Although Little Shop of Horrors was one of Michelle’s only film roles, she has continued to work in the music industry and collaborate with a number of artists.
She regularly posts about the songs she has provided vocals for on her social media pages, and lists herself as a performer in a vocal group called The Steam Dollz.
Tisha Campbell
(Image: Getty Images,)
Tisha Campbell played the third singer in the group, Chiffon, alongside her close friend Tichina Arnold who she has known since she was nine years old.
Tisha has gone on to new levels of fame since Little Shop of Horrors, starring in Martin from 1992-1997, comedy series My Wife and Kids and most recently tv series Inside Job and Be Someone in 2021.
She also worked alongside close friend Tichina again on the comedy Everybody Hates Chris, where she played Peaches from 2008-2009.
Last year, she and her husband of 24 years Duane Martin filed for divorce, with Tisha telling People Magazine: “I was married for over 20 years and out of that I was blessed with two AMAZING kids. Beyond that, l’m the happiest I’ve ever been.”
They were together from 1996-2020 and had two children together, called Xen and Ezekiel.
Vincent Gardenia
(Image: FilmMagic, Inc)
Vincent Gardenia was a well-known face on the silver screen by the time he played flower shop owner Mushnik in Little Shop of Horrors.
During his Hollywood career, he was nominated for two Academy Awards for Best Supporting Actor – first in 1974’s Bang the Drum Slowly and again in 1988 for Moonstruck, opposite music icon Cher.
He also starred in films including Heaven Can Wait, mini series Kennedy and as Murray Melman in the series L.A Law in 1991, which was his last television appearance.
He died one month before his 73rd birthday on December 9, 1992 from a heart attack, while staying at a hotel in Philadelphia.
Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
