Tim Curry, star of ‘Rocky Horror Picture Show’ and ‘It,’ dies at 80

Actor Tim Curry, best known for his memorable role as Dr. Frank-N-Furter in the cult classic film “Rocky Horror Picture Show” is dead, according to his longtime manager and friend Marcia Hurwitz, the Associated Press reported.

Curry’s cause of death has not yet been publicly revealed. He was 80.

While the English actor cemented himself as a fan favorite for his portrayal of Dr. Frank-N-Furter in 1975’s “Rocky Horror Picture Show,” fans of campy horror and mystery films also remember him for his roles as Wadsworth in the movie adaptation of the beloved board game “Clue,” and as the evil clown Pennywise in the 1990 TV movie version of Stephen King’s “It.”

Curry had long been dealing with health issues following a massive stroke in 2012 that left him partially paralyzed and unable to walk.

Born on April 19, 1946, Curry amassed hundreds of credits across film, television and theater throughout his career spanning more than five decades.

Curry first began his acting career on stage as an actor in the London company of the musical “Hair,” before eventually heading to Los Angeles to focus on his movie and television career.

Younger generations of fans also recognize Curry for playing Rooster Hannigan in the 1982 movie musical “Annie,” acting alongside comedy legend Carol Burnett and Broadway darling Bernadette Peters. Curry also brought to life Mr. Hector, the iconic Plaza Hotel concierge in the 1992 sequel to “Home Alone,” as well as the pirate Long John Silver in 1996’s “Muppet Treasure Island.”

In 1991, Curry won a Daytime Emmy for voicing Captain Hook on the Fox animated series “Peter Pan and the Pirates.” He earned three Tony nominations throughout his career.

His first nomination came in 1980 for originating the title role in Peter Shaffer’s “Amadeus.” This last Tony nomination came in 2005 for originating the role of King Arthur in “Spamalot.” In 1993, Curry got a Tony nomination for playing Alan Swann in “My Favorite Year.”

Curry published his memoir “Vagabond” last year, in part, to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the “Rocky Horror Picture Show.”

In it, Curry tells readers that while there were parts of him in his characters, he was none of them. “The distinctions between who I really am and who I’ve pretended to be as an actor have proven to be a source of great disappointment to some audiences. It has not caused me much personal distress beyond the periodic necessity to deter stalkers,” he wrote.

In one of his last on-camera interviews, Curry is seen in a wheelchair while speaking to “CBS Sunday Morning” on October 2025, telling Turner Classic Movies host Ben Mankiewicz he loved how acting gave him “the freedom of being somebody else.”