Tim Curry, actor famed for Rocky Horror Picture Show, dead at 80

British actor Tim Curry's cause of death was not immediately disclosed.

Actor Tim Curry attends the 10th annual Costume Designers Guild Awards in Beverly Hills, California Feb 19, 2008. (Photo: REUTERS/Phil McCarten)

27 Aug 2026 12:58AM

(Updated: 27 Aug 2026 01:16AM)

Tim Curry, the baritone-voiced British actor who pranced to movie fame as a singing, lingerie-clad "sweet transvestite" in the 1975 cult classic The Rocky Horror Picture Show, has died at the age of 80, Variety and other outlets reported.A cause of death was not immediately given, but Curry had been in ill health for some time.Curry appeared in numerous movies, often as a hammy villain, was nominated three times for a Tony Award for Broadway roles, and performed voice work in many animated films and TV shows.But his best-known role was Dr. Frank N. Furter, which came in his debut film, the outrageous, crowd-pleasing horror-comedy-musical The Rocky Horror Picture Show, co-starring Susan Sarandon and Barry Bostwick.