Tim Curry, the legendary British actor whose performances in The Rocky Horror Picture Show, It, Clue, Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, Muppet Treasure Island and countless other movies and TV shows made him a beloved genre icon, has died at the age of 80. Curry died Tuesday night at his home in Los Angeles, according to TMZ. The actor had suffered a major stroke in 2012, which dramatically changed his life but never stopped him from working or connecting with his fans.
For generations of fans, Curry will forever be associated with two very different characters: Dr. Frank-N-Furter in The Rocky Horror Picture Show and Pennywise the Clown in the 1990 television adaptation of Stephen King’s It. But those two performances only scratch the surface of Curry’s career.
Curry first played Dr. Frank-N-Furter in the original stage production of The Rocky Horror Show at London’s Royal Court Theatre. He remained with the production as it moved to larger venues, Broadway, and eventually the big screen. In the 1975 film adaptation, Curry starred opposite Susan Sarandon and Barry Bostwick.
The Rocky Horror Picture Show initially struggled at the box office, but eventually became one of the most enduring cult movies ever made. Its midnight screenings turned into interactive events, with audiences dressing as the characters, singing along to the songs, and throwing props.
Curry understood how deeply the movie connected with audiences. In a 2005 NPR interview, he recalled receiving letters from fans who told him that Rocky Horror had helped them understand their own sexuality.
More than 37 million households reportedly tuned in to the It miniseries, just for viewers to be terrified by Curry’s performance as Pennywise. Director Tommy Lee Wallace later compared Curry’s improvisational instincts to Robin Williams, recalling that Curry brought an unpredictable spontaneity to the role.
Decades later, Curry’s Pennywise remains one of the most beloved and frightening performances in horror history.
Curry never allowed himself to be trapped by either Frank-N-Furter or Pennywise. He played the scheming Rooster Hannigan in Annie, Wadsworth in Clue, Dr. Petrov in The Hunt for Red October, the hotel concierge in Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, Cardinal Richelieu in The Three Musketeers, Long John Silver in Muppet Treasure Island, Darkness in Legend, and numerous other characters.
He also had an impressive television career, including an Emmy-nominated performance in Tales from the Crypt, appearances on Monk and Psych, and a role as a serial killer on Criminal Minds.
Curry was prolific as a voice actor as well. He won a Daytime Emmy for playing Captain Hook in Peter Pan and the Pirates and voiced characters like Hexxus in FernGully: The Last Rainforest and Nigel Thornberry on The Wild Thornberrys. He also voiced Chancellor Palpatine and Darth Sidious on Star Wars: The Clone Wars.
His theatrical career was just as distinguished. Curry received three Tony Award nominations, for Amadeus, My Favorite Year, and Monty Python’s Spamalot, with the latter production taking him from Chicago to Broadway and London.
Curry suffered a major stroke in 2012 and had to relearn how to speak. He eventually returned to voice acting and other performances, despite the physical challenges. In 2025, Curry spoke about his health and mortality in a CBS Sunday Morning profile and made it clear that he didn’t want pity.
“I don’t fear death,” Curry said. “I try to avoid it as I think we all do.”
He also reflected on the importance of continuing to live rather than dwelling on what he had lost. That same period brought the release of Curry’s memoir, Vagabond, in which he looked back on his life and career.
Curry’s final years also included a return to horror. He made a brief appearance in the 2024 horror film Stream, and earlier this year it was announced that he would have an expanded role in the planned sequel, Stream 2: Sudden Death. Director Michael Leavy said Curry’s character had been envisioned as part of a much larger story within the Stream universe, with his appearance in the first film intended to set up something bigger.
From The Rocky Horror Picture Show to It, Clue, Home Alone 2, Muppet Treasure Island, and his voice work, Curry spent decades demonstrating an ability to make virtually any character unforgettable. He could be hilarious, sinister, flamboyant, frightening, sympathetic, and completely bizarre, sometimes within the same performance. For genre fans in particular, his legacy can’t be overstated. Frank-N-Furter helped make The Rocky Horror Picture Show a cultural phenomenon, while Pennywise became one of the great horror performances of all time.
Tim Curry leaves behind a body of work that will continue to be enjoyed for generations. Our heartfelt condolences go out to his family, friends, and fans.