Tim Curry, the British actor whose roles ranged from Dr. Frank-N-Furter in The Rocky Horror Picture Show to Pennywise in the first screen adaptation of Stephen King’s It, has died. He was 80.
Curry died peacefully Aug. 25 at his home in Toluca Lake, Los Angeles, his longtime manager and friend Marcia Hurwitz confirmed. A cause of death has not been disclosed, according to Reuters.
His career stretched across film, Broadway, television, animation and music. Along with Rocky Horror and It, Curry played Wadsworth in Clue, Rooster Hannigan in Annie, Long John Silver in Muppet Treasure Island and the Plaza Hotel concierge who repeatedly collided with Kevin McCallister in Home Alone 2: Lost in New York.
Curry lived with lasting physical effects from a major stroke in 2012, but he continued working and returned to the public eye for events surrounding Rocky Horror‘s 50th anniversary in 2025. After his death was announced, former costars and performers carrying on his most famous stage role began sharing tributes.
The Cause of Curry’s Death Has Not Been Disclosed
Hurwitz confirmed to the Los Angeles Times that Curry died at his Toluca Lake home. In a statement, she remembered the actor not only for his flamboyant characters and stage performances but for the “curious, expansive mind” and “generous, gentle heart” he showed away from them.
TMZ separately reported that the Los Angeles Fire Department responded to a medical emergency at Curry’s home Tuesday night before police arrived for a death investigation. Law enforcement sources told the outlet there was no indication of foul play.
Frank-N-Furter Turned Curry Into a Cult Icon
Curry originated Dr. Frank-N-Furter in Richard O’Brien’s The Rocky Horror Show at London’s Royal Court Theatre in 1973 before taking the character to Los Angeles, Broadway and finally the 1975 film adaptation alongside Susan Sarandon, Barry Bostwick, Patricia Quinn, Nell Campbell and Meat Loaf.
The movie initially struggled commercially, but midnight screenings transformed it into a participatory phenomenon built around costumes, audience callouts and repeat attendance. Five decades later, The Rocky Horror Picture Show remains in limited theatrical release and is recognized as the longest-running theatrical release in film history.
Curry understood from the beginning that Frank-N-Furter was a risk. In a 1974 interview revisited by the Los Angeles Times after his death, he said he knew he had to take chances as a performer and that the challenge was whether an actor could pull them off.
He spent the following decades establishing a career far beyond Frank. Curry received three Tony Award nominations for Amadeus, My Favorite Year and Spamalot, and won a Daytime Emmy for voicing Captain Hook in Peter Pan and the Pirates. His performance as Pennywise in the 1990 television adaptation of It gave him another defining villain more than 15 years after Rocky Horror.
He Continued Working After His 2012 Stroke
Curry suffered a severe stroke in 2012 that left him partially paralyzed and using a wheelchair. During a 2025 CBS Sunday Morning interview, he discussed having to relearn how to speak and the ways the stroke changed his mobility and career.
He nevertheless continued performing, particularly through voice work. Curry also returned to feature films with the 2024 horror movie Stream, his first feature-film role since 2010’s Burke & Hare.
His memoir, Vagabond, was published in 2025 and included his account of the stroke and recovery. The same year, Curry participated in several events marking the 50th anniversary of The Rocky Horror Picture Show, including reunions with Bostwick, Quinn and Campbell.
In his CBS interview, Curry also spoke candidly about mortality. He said he did not fear death and suggested that, when it eventually came, he hoped it might feel peaceful rather than frightening.
‘Rocky Horror’ Castmates and Broadway Stars Remember Curry
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Original Rocky Horror cast members were among those who quickly remembered Curry. Bostwick shared an affectionate message ending, “Dammit Tim, I love you,” while Quinn said she was “utterly saddened and heartbroken” by his death.
Nell Campbell described Curry as witty, kind, thoughtful, generous and joyful company. Richard O’Brien, who created Rocky Horror and played Riff Raff alongside Curry, called him “a good egg and class act” who never put himself ahead of the roles he played, according to PEOPLE.
Carol Burnett, who starred with Curry in Annie, remembered him as a dear friend and wrote that nobody could play “lovable villains” better. She shared a clip from their “Easy Street” performance in the 1982 movie.
The current Broadway revival of The Rocky Horror Show also honored the performer who created Frank-N-Furter. Its official Instagram account thanked Curry for giving audiences “a little more freedom” and “a little more fearlessness,” while a memorial featuring his photograph and lights was installed in the Studio 54 lobby.
After the Aug. 26 Broadway performance, current Frank-N-Furter Paul Soileau was joined by Luke Evans, who had just completed his run in the role, and incoming star Jake Shears. The three generations of Broadway Frank-N-Furters closed the tribute by performing “I’m Going Home,” the song Curry first made famous more than half a century earlier.