Remembering Tim Curry: A Look Back at His Iconic Roles and Remarkable Career
From Dr. Frank-N-Furter to Pennywise, Tim Curry gave us unforgettable characters for generations before his death at age 80
Key Takeaways
- Tim Curry, 80, built a remarkable career across film, television, theater and music.
- His unforgettable roles included Dr. Frank-N-Furter, Pennywise, Rooster and King Arthur.
- After suffering a stroke, Curry continued performing and connecting with fans through his work.
For anyone who ever laughed at Rooster in Annie, hid behind a pillow during It or belted out “Time Warp” in the living room, the news feels personal. Tim Curry, the classically trained British actor whose scene-stealing turn in The Rocky Horror Picture Show made him unforgettable for five decades, has died at age 80.
His manager confirmed the news to CBS News, according to Us Weekly. TMZ, which was first to report the news, said Curry passed away on Tuesday, August 25, at his Los Angeles home. Police responded to his house just before 11:30 p.m. and believe no foul play is suspected. His cause of death was not immediately available, but TMZ reported Curry had been plagued with serious health issues for more than a decade.
The role that started it all
Curry once reflected on his role as Dr. Frank-N-Furter in the 1975 movie The Rocky Horror Picture Show, noting that he looked back on it “with a sort of bemused tolerance” after it launched his film career.
“It’s neither a blessing nor a curse,” he said. “I was lucky to get it.”
Millions of moviegoers might argue it was audiences who were the lucky ones. The cult classic, born from a stage production Curry had originated two years earlier in London, became a midnight-movie phenomenon that introduced generations of fans to his one-of-a-kind performance.
Despite his health issues, Curry continued to make appearances at fan events and shifted his focus to voice acting. In 2016, he served as the narrator for The Rocky Horror Picture Show: Let’s Do the Time Warp Again, which saw Laverne Cox taking over his original role. Curry told People at the time that he was pleased to be “coming back to the project, which I hold very dear. It’s very exciting. It will be very interesting because it’s very close to me.”
From the London stage to Hollywood
Curry was born in Cheshire, England, in April 1946. He got his start in theatre, acting in the original London cast of the musical Hair in 1968. He starred as Dr. Frank-N-Furter in the 1973 stage production of The Rocky Horror Show, and his breakthrough moment came when he reprised the role in the film adaptation.
After the movie’s release, Curry appeared in a Broadway production of The Rocky Horror Show. Although it closed after just 45 performances, he returned to the stage in Travesties and Amadeus, for which he earned a Tony Award nomination in 1981. As he landed more film and TV gigs, Curry also released three studio albums: 1978’s Read My Lips, 1979’s Fearless and 1981’s Simplicity.
Rooster, Pennywise and a king named Arthur
For many women who grew up in the ’80s and raised their own kids in the ’90s, Curry’s face is tied to a lineup of unforgettable characters far beyond Frank-N-Furter.
In 1982, he played Rooster in the hit film adaptation of Annie—a role that turned him into a familiar villain for a whole generation of family movie nights.
Then, in 1990, he portrayed another career-defining character: Pennywise, the terrifying clown in the television miniseries It. His performance became the gold standard, chilling viewers long before later adaptations came along.
He later originated the role of King Arthur in the Broadway production of Spamalot in 2005, earning another Tony Award nomination—a fitting reminder that his greatest love, the stage, was never far from his heart.
A long road after a serious stroke
For fans who grew up watching Curry light up every role he touched, his health struggles in recent years were heartbreaking to follow—but his spirit never dimmed.
Back in May 2013, Curry’s rep confirmed the actor had suffered a stroke in July 2012 that left him confined to a wheelchair. Nearly three years after the stroke, Curry shared an update with fans as he received a lifetime achievement award from the Actors Fund.
“I’m doing well,” he told Los Angeles magazine at the time, adding that his sense of humor was “absolutely vital” to his recovery. “It’s not tough to maintain. It is just part of my DNA.”
That warmth and wit were classic Curry—the same qualities that endeared him to audiences from the very beginning of his career.
A rare gift, remembered with love
Curry’s gift was rare. He could sing, dance, terrify and charm, sometimes all in the same performance. He brought heart to villains, humor to heroes and a wink to nearly everything he did.
For fans mourning today, the comfort is in the work he left behind—decades of movies, television, theatre and music that will keep introducing him to new generations. As he said himself of his most famous role, he was lucky to get it. And we were lucky to watch him.
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