Tim Curry might be one of the most underappreciated comedic actors of his time. Sure, The Rocky Horror Picture Show is the definition of a “cult classic” and Clue has found its fanbase, but he has never received the sort of recognition he deserves outside of his devotees. Sadly, a stroke in 2012 left him unable to walk or act. But if he were ever to get in front of the camera again, he has a colorful cast of characters he’d love to walk the plank with: those of Muppet Treasure Island.
Tim Curry – who has been helping in the promotion of The Rocky Horror Picture Show’s 50th anniversary – recently told The Guardian that he had such an incredible time making 1996’s Muppet Treasure Island that if he could, he would team up once again. “I would love to work with the Muppets again. The great thing is that the Muppeteers themselves, if they have their puppet on their hand, they only talk to you as the character. I love that.” Adding one particular anecdote, Curry remembered, “I ad-libbed a line, because me and Piggy were supposed to have had some kind of affair long ago, and I said: [he slips into his Devonshire pirate accent] ‘Well, I’ll tell you, Jim, once you’ve had pork, you never go back!’”
It’s no easy feat outshining Kermit, Miss Piggy, Gonzo, and Fozzie, but Tim Curry absolutely did it in Muppet Treasure Island, in which he played Long John Silver. Really, we only ever saw it once more prior with Michael Caine in The Muppet Christmas Carol, which is saying something considering how many humans Jim Henson’s creations have appeared with. But only Curry looked to be having genuine fun, which of course the pirate life lends handily to.
Since his stroke, Curry has still remained a welcome presence on the convention scene, while he has remained only in sound booths as far as media go, lending his voice to a number of movies and TV shows.
Where would you rank Tim Curry’s turn in Muppet Treasure Island in his list of all-time best performances?
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