Actor Tim Curry, star of ‘The Rocky Horror Picture Show’, dies at 80

Tim Curry died on Tuesday at his Toluca Lake residence in Los Angeles, his manager Marcia Hurwitz said. The cause of death was not immediately disclosed, though Curry had dealt with health complications after a severe stroke in 2012.

Curry rose to international fame in the 1970s for originating the role of Dr. Frank-N-Furter in the stage production of The Rocky Horror Show and its 1975 film adaptation. The performance became a defining element of the cult classic, which later attracted midnight screenings and a dedicated fan base.

"It seemed like something that would go," Curry told a 1975 television interview in London, adding that he feared the role might become a difficult image to shake off.

Beyond Rocky Horror, Curry earned a Daytime Emmy Award and received Tony and Olivier Award nominations for work in productions such as Amadeus and The Pirates of Penzance. His film and television credits included roles in John Huston’s Annie, Ridley Scott’s Legend, Home Alone 2, and the 1990 miniseries adaptation of Stephen King’s IT. He also voiced characters in animated features and video games, a line of work that sustained him after his stroke.

In 2016, Curry narrated a television remake of The Rocky Horror Picture Show, and in 2020 he appeared as Frank-N-Furter in a live reading for a political fundraiser.

Curry was born on April 19, 1948, in Grappenhall, Cheshire, and began his career on stage with the London production of Hair before joining the original Rocky Horror cast. His death marks the loss of a versatile performer whose work spanned theatre, film, television and voice acting.