Rayner Bourton played Julius Scaramonger and Skarkill in Knightmare, but is perhaps better known for his role in another cult classic, as the original Rocky Horror in the 1973 stage production of the outrageous musical. His stint as the muscleman in tight gold shorts made a lasting impression on him, in more ways than one; he still bears the scars from a painful incident involving powdered glass where it shouldn't have been! Rayner has revisited the show on several occasions and published a book about his memories of it, which can also be downloaded as an audiobook read by the man himself.

Hailing from Selly Park in Birmingham, Rayner was brought up by his grandparents after being orphaned at the age of three (his father was hit by a bus when he was just two months old). He made his acting debut as the Sailor in a 1969 production of Hamlet at Birmingham's Old Rep, and was a regular in the Glasgow Citizens Theatre before landing the part of Rocky Horror in London. He has since performed all over the world (even scoring a minor hit record as 'Rocking Rayner') and enjoyed success as a writer, producer and director, with credits including the West End musical 'Let The Good Stones Roll' about the Rolling Stones, and shows celebrating the best of musicals and jazz. He was also founding editor of the UK theatre magazine Applause in the mid-'90s.
On screen, Rayner has appeared in the following:
- Thirty-Minute Theatre: 'They Don't All Open Men's Boutiques' (TV play, 1972), as Wilkins
- Bedtime Stories: 'The Water Maiden' (TV play, 1974), as Fox
- Eskimo Nell (film, 1975), as drag queen Johnny Dean
- The Mind Beyond: 'The Man With The Power' (TV play, 1976), non-speaking role as the Devil
- BBC Television Shakespeare: 'Much Ado About Nothing' (unbroadcast TV play, 1978), as Borachio
- Armchair Thriller: 'A Dog's Ransom' (3 episodes, 1978), as social worker Jim, a housemate of the protagonist's girlfriend
- The Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy (2 episodes, 1981), as the newscaster
- Outland (film, 1981), as a male prostitute in a leisure club
- Shock Treatment (film, 1981), uncredited role as a soldier in the DTV audience
- Diamonds (1 episode, 1981), as a policeman
- Minder (1 episode, 1982), as a local villain's minder Randolf
- The Professionals (1 episode, 1982), as a caretaker
- Murphy's Mob (2 episodes, 1982-1983), as P.C. Williams
- Eartha Kitt & Bronski Beat: Cha Cha Heels (music video, 1988), as a shoe thief
- 2984 (short film, 1990), as chief policeman
- Chalkface (1 episode, 1991), as Jo Gardner
- The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles (1 episode, 1992), as bus driver George
- Trainer (1 episode, 1992), as a punter
- Brookside (2 episodes, 1997), as Dave Clark, a doorman at Barry Grant's club in Birmingham
- Parting Shots (film, 1998), as irate wedding guest Martin
- You're Dead... (film, 1999), as failed gangster Swedish Harry
- TV To Go (pilot episode, 2000), various roles
- How They Caught... Richard Garner (Crimewatch reconstruction, 2009), as Frank Garner
- Hotel Inferno (film, 2013), as contract killer Frank Zimosa
- The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt (video game, 2015), various voice roles
- Hotel Inferno 2: The Cathedral Of Pain (film, 2017), as Frank Zimosa
- London Fields (film, 2018), as Godfrey
- Little Necro Red (film, 2019), as Detective Costa
- Enter The Ghost (3 episodes, 2020), as the King Player and a hooded assassin
- Hotel Inferno 3: The Castle Of Screams (film, 2021), as Frank Zimosa
- Sherlock & Co (3 episodes, 2024), as Professor Orson Presbury
In 1992, Rayner founded the tennis charity Tendis, raising funds to provide sports facilities for the disabled. The launch was attended by Knightmare co-star Paul Valentine (Motley) and celebrity KM fan Bob Holness, as reported in The Quest.

Rayner's long-term girlfriend is dancer Claire Lutter; he was said to have briefly married actress Katy Manning in 1975, though Manning denied this in a 2012 interview, stating she has never been married. He now divides his time between London and Bromsgrove.

Click here to view Rayner's former website. His Mandy page including voice reels can be found here.

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