Tim Curry, Iconic Star of The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Dies at 80

Tim Curry, who played the eccentric, cross-dressing mad scientist Dr. Frank-N-Furter in the cult classic film The Rocky Horror Picture Show—and countless roles in other beloved films and TV series—has died at the age of 80. According to TMZ, Curry had been dealing with serious health issues for more than a decade, and suffered a major stroke in 2012 that left him wheelchair-bound. He died late Tuesday night at his home in Los Angeles.

Curry began his storied career joining the West End production of the musical Hair in 1968. It was there that Curry met Richard O’Brien, who would soon write Curry the role of a lifetime in Dr. Frank-N-Furter. Initially conceived as a German scientist in white lab coat, Curry helped shape Dr. Frank-N-Furter into a gender-bending, flamboyant, sexually fluid, contagiously charismatic alien from Transsexual, Transylvania. Curry originated the iconic role in the first production of Rocky Horror staged at London’s Royal Court Theatre. He stayed with the role as the show transferred to Broadway in 1975.

In a 1974 interview with The Los Angeles Times, Curry revealed that initially he had some trepidation creating such a boundary pushing character. “But I just thought it was such a good part, people would know you were acting,” he said at the time. “I mean, obviously, if you brought it off, you brought it off as an actor and not as a rent-a-freak.”

Tim Curry as Dr Frank-N-Furter in the 1975 musical comedy The Rocky Horror Picture Show.(Photo by Movie Poster Image Art/Getty Images)

That same year it hit Broadway, Jim Sharman adapted Rocky Horror into a feature film with a new title—The Rocky Horror Picture Show—starring Curry, Susan Sarandon, and Barry Bostwick. That film would become a cult sensation, sparking countless call-and-response heavy midnight showings, thanks to raucous numbers like “Time Warp,” “I Can Make You a Man,” and “Sweet Transvestite,” indelibly performed by Curry.

In 2005 interview with NPR, Curry delineated the cultural impact that Rocky Horror has had on the queer community. “It’s a chance for people to try on a few roles for size, maybe help them figure out their own sexuality,” he said. “I’ve certainly had some very interesting and moving mail from people who’ve said, ‘Thanks for helping me figure out who I was,’ and that’s very nice.”

From there, Curry’s prolific career would flourish as he played parts like a scheming con artist in Annie, a wisecracking butler in Clue, a Russian medical officer in The Hunt for Red October, a nosy concierge in Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, and the killer clown Pennywise in Stephen King’s It. He also was a prolific voice actor, lending his vocal chops to a number of memorable characters, including the destructive spirit Hexxus in FernGully: The Last Rainforest and Eliza’s dad Nigel Thornberry on the Nickelodeon show The Wild Thornberrys. In 1991, he won a Daytime Emmy for playing Captain Hook on Fox’s Peter Pan and the Pirates.

Beyond his extensive screen roles, Curry had an long stage career as well, earning Tony nominations for three different productions: originating the role of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart in 1981’s Amadeus, playing Alan Swann in the musical My Favorite Year, and starring as King Arthur in the smash hit musical Monty Python’s Spamalot.

“It’s quite interesting because the audience always contains some core of Monty Python fans, who see stuff coming and react with great whoops of joy and then settle down to see it unfold,” said Curry of Spamalot. “They are hugely welcoming, and they really want to see it happen. Happily, they’re not talking along with it, because that would need a spanking.”

A revival of Richard O’Brien’s The Rocky Horror Show opened earlier this year and is currently running on Broadway. The production earned nine Tony nominations, including best revival of a musical and best leading actor in a musical for Luke Evans for his portrayal of Dr. Frank-N-Furter. On his personal Instagram, Evans revealed that just three weeks ago, he sent a letter to Curry, thanking him for originating the role. “He was a force, a bright fierce flame, an exquisite charm, and that rich vocal tone, he was an inspiration to me and so many people for the roles he played and the effect he had on so many of us,” wrote Evans. “There will only be one Tim Curry.”