Tim Curry, the British actor who made Dr Frank-N-Furter one of cinema’s most recognisable characters, among many others, has died at 80.
Curry died at his home in Los Angeles on Aug 25, according to his longtime manager and friend Marcia Hurwitz. US media reported that he had faced serious health problems since suffering a major stroke in 2012.
For many fans, Curry will always be linked to The Rocky Horror Picture Show. He first played Frank-N-Furter on stage in London in 1973 before reprising the role in the 1975 film.
The movie was not an immediate hit. It later found a following through midnight screenings, where fans turned up in costume, sang along and shouted lines at the screen. More than 50 years after its release, it remains a fixture of cult cinema.
Curry’s performance helped drive that transformation. As the sexually liberated scientist at the centre of the story, he brought a mix of comedy, theatricality and menace to the role.
He knew the part could define him. In a 1970s interview, Curry said he had worried that playing Frank-N-Furter could leave him with an image that would be difficult to shake. He decided the risk was worth taking.
It became the role most associated with his career, but it was far from his only major performance. Over the years, Curry played Pennywise in the 1990 television adaptation of Stephen King’s It. He appeared as Rooster Hannigan in Annie, Wadsworth in Clue and Long John Silver in Muppet Treasure Island. His other film credits included The Hunt for Red October, Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, Congo and Scary Movie 2.
He also had a long career on stage. Curry began professionally in London’s original production of Hair in 1968. He later appeared in productions at the Royal Court Theatre and Citizens Theatre, working on plays by writers including Shakespeare, Bertolt Brecht and Tom Stoppard.
Furthermore, his theatre work brought three Tony Award nominations. They came for Amadeus, My Favourite Year and Spamalot, in which he played King Arthur on Broadway and in London’s West End.
Curry continued finding new audiences later in his career. In 2008, he voiced Soviet Premier Anatoly Cherdenko in the video game Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3. His exaggerated delivery in one scene later became a widely shared internet clip.
His career slowed after his 2012 stroke. Curry used a wheelchair and focused more on voice acting and appearances at fan conventions. He also continued writing and published his memoir, Vagabond, in 2025.
News of his death brought tributes from several of his former co-stars.
Susan Sarandon, who appeared with Curry in Rocky Horror, described him as a “funny, sexy original”. She also remembered his kindness towards fans after his stroke.
Carol Burnett, Curry’s co-star in Annie, said they had a wonderful time working together and called him a dear friend.
Michael McKean, who worked with Curry in Clue, said their last conversation was about “life and love and laughter”.
Tim Curry leaves behind a body of work that refuses to fit neatly into one genre or generation. His villains were often funny, his comedy could be menacing, and his most outrageous performances carried an unmistakable theatrical intelligence. The stage has gone dark for one of its most singular performers.
