I think behind the Shakespearian trill ...
... of Dr. Smith lay the lisp of Liberace.
I never thought about it before, but remembering his whining, sniveling remarks and hysterical reactions to danger like those of a housewife jumping up on a stool in the presence of a mouse, he had to be gay.
Or is that just pointing out the obvious?
I wonder... did homophobia play a part in developing Smith’s despicable character? Or did it impart some kind of sympathy from the audience like Tim Curry’s performance as the transvestite in The Rocky Horror Picture Show?