Tim Curry, the legendary actor behind Dr. Frank-N-Furter in The Rocky Horror Picture Show and Pennywise in It, has died aged 80.
Curry died at his Los Angeles home on Tuesday night, according to TMZ. The actor suffered a major stroke in 2012.
He shot to fame playing Dr. Frank-N-Furter in The Rocky Horror Picture Show, a role he first performed in the original stage production in London.
Curry remained with the production as it moved to bigger venues and Broadway before starring in the 1975 film alongside Susan Sarandon and Barry Bostwick.
Although the movie was not initially a major box office success, it developed a huge cult following.
@primemovies Tim Curry’s insane theatrical movie debut. #TheRockyHorrorPictureShow ♬ original sound - Prime Movies
Audiences became famous for dressing up as the characters, singing along to the songs and participating in screenings of the movie, which remains a fixture of late-night cinema.
Curry’s performance of Sweet Transvestite became particularly iconic.
The actor once reflected on the effect the film had on its audience during a 2005 interview with NPR.
“It’s a chance for people to try on a few roles for size, maybe help them figure out their own sexuality,” he said.
@nsnicket I’ve seen several posts debating which version of Annie is the best, and I have to stick with the eighties copy. We have Carol Burnett, Tim Curry, and Bernadette Peters. The vocals and choreography are amazing. I’m pretty sure this was one of my awakenings to a lifelong love of comedic theatre, as well as being pan. How can you not fall in love with both Curry and Peters here? #anniemusical #annie1982 #timcurry #carolburnett #bernadettepeters #musical #musicals #musicaltheatre ♬ original sound - NSnicket
Curry went on to prove he was far more than the character that made him famous.
In 1982, he played Rooster Hannigan in Annie, while eight years later he took on the role of Pennywise in the television adaptation of Stephen King’s It.
The terrifying performance introduced Curry to a new generation of fans and helped cement his reputation as one of Hollywood’s great villains.
The two-part ABC adaptation attracted more than 37 million households, with Curry creating a distinctive version of Pennywise using a raspy voice and New York accent.
His career also included memorable roles in Clue, The Hunt for Red October, Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, The Three Musketeers, Muppet Treasure Island and Charlie’s Angels.
He was equally successful on stage, earning three Tony Award nominations during his career.
Tim Curry. Photo credit: Featueflash Photo Agency, Shutterstock
Curry was first nominated for his portrayal of Mozart in Amadeus in 1981. He received another nomination for My Favorite Year in 1993 before earning his third for playing King Arthur in Monty Python’s Spamalot in 2005.
He joined the production when it opened in Chicago in 2004 and later performed in London.
Curry was born in Cheshire, England, on April 19, 1946.
His professional acting career began in the West End production of Hair in 1968, shortly after he graduated from the University of Birmingham.
It was during Hair that Curry met Richard O’Brien, who wrote The Rocky Horror Show.
Curry played an important role in developing the character of Frank-N-Furter, helping transform the part from its original concept of a German scientist into the flamboyant character who became a cultural icon.
Away from the stage, Curry moved to Los Angeles to pursue a film career and continued working across television and movies for decades.
He earned an Emmy nomination for playing an entire murderous family in a 1994 episode of Tales From the Crypt and later starred as Mr. French in the 2002 reboot of Family Affair.
His final movie appearance was in the 2024 horror film Stream.
