Tim Curry, who defined 'The Rocky Horror Picture Show,' has died
ADRIAN FLORIDO, HOST:
Actor and singer Tim Curry has died at the age of 80. His unforgettable performance as Dr. Frank-N-Furter in "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" inspired a global cult following. In 2005, he told Fresh Air's Terry Gross he based the character, at his most gracious, on his mom.
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TIM CURRY: Well, it was sort of her telephone voice, you know? Do you have any tattoos, Brad?
TERRY GROSS: (Laughter).
CURRY: She thought it was very, very amusing and brought all her friends.
FLORIDO: Curry died Tuesday at his home in Los Angeles. NPR's Alice Woelfle has this remembrance.
ALICE WOELFLE, BYLINE: With his powerful baritone voice and big, expressive eyes, Tim Curry was celebrated for his offbeat, often villainous roles, like the mastermind butler in "Clue" from 1985.
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CURRY: (As Wadsworth) Sir, I'm merely a humble butler.
MARTIN MULL: (As Colonel Mustard) What exactly do you do?
CURRY: (As Wadsworth) I buttle, sir.
WOELFLE: He also played Rooster in the 1982 film "Annie," singing and dancing alongside Bernadette Peters, and hammed it up with Miss Piggy in "Muppet Treasure Island" from 1996.
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CURRY: (As Long John Silver) Upstage, lads. This is my only number.
WOELFLE: But he will be most remembered and probably most beloved for the 1975 film "The Rocky Horror Picture Show."
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CURRY: (As Dr. Frank-N-Furter, singing) How d'you do? I see you've met my faithful handyman.
WOELFLE: Curry played Dr. Frank-N-Furter, a tyrannical, gender-bending alien scientist. In the years before the internet, his outrageous performance offered a rare glimpse of unapologetic queer visibility.
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CURRY: (As Dr. Frank-N-Furter, singing) I'm just a sweet transvestite from Transexual, Transylvania.
WOELFLE: "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" went on to be a global cult phenomenon, infamous for rowdy and raunchy audience participation.
Tim Curry was born in Cheshire, England. His father, a chaplain in the British Navy, died of a stroke when Curry was only 12, leaving him and his sister with their mother who struggled with a serious mental illness. Curry landed his first professional role when he was 22 in the original London production of "Hair."
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UNIDENTIFIED CAST #1: (As characters, singing) Aquarius.
WOELFLE: Also in that cast was the creator of the original "Rocky Horror" stage show, who cast him in the role for which he was most remembered.
In 2012, Curry had a stroke. It altered his speech and left him unable to walk, but he continued to work as a prolific voice actor with more than 100 film, TV and video game credits. Fans adored him for pouring everything he had into his performances.
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CURRY: (As Dr, Frank-N-Furter, singing) 'Cause I've seen, oh, blue skies through the tears in my eyes.
WOELFLE: To the disappointment of many fans, Curry never publicly revealed anything about his own love life or sexuality, writing in his bestselling memoir from 2025, quote, "I have loved and been loved. The rest is none of your business."
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UNIDENTIFIED CAST #2: (As characters, singing) I'm going home.
WOELFLE: Just as he wanted, he took some secrets to his grave. Alice Woelfle, NPR News.
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CURRY: (As Dr, Frank-N-Furter, singing) Everywhere it's been the same, like I'm outside in the rain. Free to try and find a game. Cards for sorrow. Cards for pain. 'Cause I've seen...
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