In further bad news for the horror community, we’re devastated to learn that legendary actor Tim Curry has died.
Born April 19th 1946 in Cheshire, England, Tim Curry was the son of a secretary and a Royal Navy Chaplain. His father died of stroke complications when Curry was just nine years old, prompting a move to Bath, Somerset where he’d attend Kingswood School.
Despite being a gifted boy soprano, Curry opted to focus on acting, graduating from Birmingham University with a combined degree in English and Drama.
The actor wasted no time finding his feet in the industry, landing his debut theatre and television roles in 1968. It was Curry’s debut stage role in Hair that would change the course of his life, as fellow cast-mate Richard O’Brien would soon branch out and create The Rocky Horror Picture Show.
Specifically with Curry in mind, O’Brien crafted the iconic character of Dr. Frank-N-Furter in the smash-hit musical. The provocative dark comedy lampooned the horror genre and went on to become a phenomenon. Debuting in 1973, Curry would stay with Rocky Horror for two years, performing in London’s West End and on Broadway.
Now with international recognition, Curry left the stage show to portray the role on-screen. 1975’s film adaption of Rocky Horror saw Curry opposite the likes of Susan Sarandon and Meatloaf, and repeated the monstrous success of the stage version.
With Hollywood at his feet, Curry would be unstoppable for the next several decades. Whilst his film and television appearances are too numerous to list here, iconic roles we’ll remember Tim for include 1981’s Annie, Clue and Legend in 1985, 1990’s The Hunt for Red October, Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, and 2001’s Scary Movie 2.
On television, Curry is perhaps best known as being the first actor to portray Pennywise in 1990’s It. The miniseries was a hugely successful adaption of Stephen King’s novel of the same name, and saw Curry terrify a generation. Also on the small screen, Curry bagged countless prolific voice roles, most notably patriarch Nigel Thornberry in the animated adventure series The Wild Thornberry’s.
Away from the screen, Curry continued to be a prolific stage presence, racking up over 100 credits during his career. He would also flex his singing talents throughout the years with three solo studio albums.
With an entertainment resume that is simply phenomenal, it’s difficult to stress how much of a national treasure Tim Curry was.
Despite a devastating stroke in 2012, Curry continued working. In his final 13 years, the actor would require brain surgery, and was left unable to walk or speak properly due to stroke complications.
Tim Curry passed away on August 26th 2026 after years of ill health. The legendary actor never married or had children. He was 80 years old.
Rest easy, Tim, we’ll miss you
