Tim Curry

| Photo Credit: AP

Tim Curry, the British actor whose flamboyant performances in The Rocky Horror Picture Show and Stephen King’s It made him a cult icon across generations, has died at the age of 80. Curry died peacefully at his home in Los Angeles, according to his longtime manager Marcia Hurwitz. No cause of death was disclosed.Curry became an international star playing Dr. Frank-N-Furter in The Rocky Horror Show, Richard O’Brien’s stage musical that premiered in London in 1973, before reprising the role in the 1975 film adaptation. The performance became the defining role of his career and helped turn The Rocky Horror Picture Show into one of cinema’s most enduring cult films.His career extended far beyond Frank-N-Furter. Curry played the demonic Lord of Darkness in Ridley Scott’s Legend, Wadsworth in the cult comedy Clue, the beleaguered concierge in Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, Long John Silver in Muppet Treasure Island and Pennywise the clown in the 1990 television adaptation of Stephen King’s It. His distinctive voice also made him a prolific animation and video-game performer.Curry was equally accomplished on stage. He received three Tony Award nominations, for Amadeus, My Favorite Year and Spamalot, and won a Daytime Emmy in 1991 for his voice performance in the animated series Peter Pan and the Pirates.His career also included work in television, music and voice acting across more than five decades, including including Star Wars: The Clone Wars, The Wild Thornberrys and The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron, Boy Genius.The late actor’s iconic Dr. Frank-N-Furter from The Rocky Horror Picture Show also served as an inspiration for the character Emporio Ivankov in Eiichiro Oda’s One Piece, with Ivankov’s appearance specifically drawing from Curry’s performance.Curry suffered a major stroke in 2012 that left him partially paralysed and using a wheelchair, after which he reduced his workload while continuing to perform primarily through voice roles. He returned to live-action film in 2024 with the horror film Stream.He is survived by his nieces Kate Lewis, Julia and Patrick Bullman, great-nieces Josephine and Georgina, and nephew Mark Lewis. Published - August 27, 2026 11:57 am IST