Tim Curry, Beloved Star, Dies at 80
Tim Curry, the legendary actor whose unforgettable performances ranged from the wildly entertaining Dr. Frank-N-Furter to the terrifying Pennywise, has died at 80, according to TMZ. Sources told the outlet…
Tim Curry, the legendary actor whose unforgettable performances ranged from the wildly entertaining Dr. Frank-N-Furter to the terrifying Pennywise, has died at 80, according to TMZ.
Sources told the outlet that the actor, who had been plagued with serious health issues for more than a decade, passed away late Tuesday night at his Los Angeles home.
According to TMZ, police responded to his house at 11:23 PM Tuesday night. We're told there is no foul play suspected in the case.
For generations of movie fans, Curry was the kind of actor who could walk onto a screen and completely take over. Whether he was making audiences laugh, frightening them or bringing his larger-than-life stage presence to a movie, he rarely played a character you could easily forget.
A Star Was Born in Rocky Horror
Tim got his start in Hollywood in the late 1960s before catching his big break in The Rocky Horror Picture Show.
Curry played Dr. Frank-N-Furter in the 1975 musical comedy horror film, a role that became one of the defining performances of his career. The movie was initially ignored by critics, but it eventually found a second life as a cultural event in the "midnight movie" space, where fans gathered for late-night screenings and turned the film into a full-on experience.
That kind of fan devotion helped The Rocky Horror Picture Show become much more than an ordinary movie. Decades later, its popularity remains a major part of Curry's legacy.
From Sweet to Scary
Curry showed just how wide his acting range could be throughout his career.
Fans may also recognize Tim as the terrifying clown Pennywise from the 1990 adaptation of Stephen King's It. For many viewers, Curry's version of the character was the stuff of nightmares. His performance helped make Pennywise one of television's most memorable horror villains.
He also appeared as Mr. Hector in Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, adding another recognizable role to a résumé filled with movies, television shows and stage performances.
Tim's other credits include Annie, The Hunt for Red October, Muppet Treasure Island, Addams Family Reunion, and Scary Movie 2.
His career also stretched far beyond film and television. Curry was an accomplished theater actor and remained an active performer for much of his life.
Health Problems Slowed Him Down
While always an active performer, both in his film roles and onstage as a theater actor, health issues slowed Tim down in recent years.
He suffered a massive stroke in 2012, which required brain surgery. Although the stroke changed his life, Curry continued working and making appearances when he could.
Last year, around the time he released his memoir Vagabond, Tim stated he was still unable to walk.
Even as his health made performing more difficult, Curry's work continued to connect with fans who had grown up watching him in everything from musicals to horror movies to family comedies.
At 80, Tim Curry leaves behind a career filled with characters that could be outrageous, hilarious, creepy and unforgettable, sometimes all at once. For fans, that colorful legacy is likely to keep him on screen long after the curtain falls.
