Award-winning British actor and singer Tim Curry has passed away aged 80. According to TMZ, the star died at his home in LA on Tuesday, August 25.

Born Timothy James Curry on April 19, 1946, the performer became known for his eccentric and villainous roles on stage and screen across his 57-year career.

Perhaps most prominently, he portrayed Dr Frank-N-Furter in the musical The Rocky Horror Show from 1973 to 1975, as well as in the 1975 film The Rocky Horror Picture Show. He joined the original stage production at a tiny upstairs venue at London’s Royal Court Theatre, before it moved up the local ladder and eventually to Broadway.

Dr Frank-N-Furter, described as a “sweet transvestite from Transsexual, Transylvania”, has resonated with many LGBTQ+ viewers throughout the years. While some aspects of the character may be outdated, fans often celebrated his radical self-expression and unapologetic queer sexuality. What’s more, midnight screenings of the film, which kicked off in the mid-’70s, became liberating and welcoming spaces for LGBTQ+ people to dress up, shout scripted callbacks and use prop kits, all while letting loose and exploring their own identities.

“It’s a chance for people to try on a few roles for size, maybe help them figure out their own sexuality,” Curry said in a 2005 interview with NPR. “I’ve certainly had some very interesting and moving mail from people who’ve said, ‘Thanks for helping me figure out who I was’, and that’s very nice.”

Beyond this role, Curry had a varied and successful career. Across film and TV, he played Rooster Hannigan in the 1982 feature Annie, before being cast as the twisted clown Pennywise in a two-part ABC adaptation of It. He also appeared in movies like Home Alone 2, Clue, and Muppet Treasure Island, as well as shows like Tales from the Crypt and Will & Grace. He additionally received a Daytime Emmy Award for his portrayal of Captain Hook in Peter Pan & the Pirates. 

For his stage work, he received two Laurence Olivier Award nominations for his roles in The Pirates of Penzance and Spamalot, as well as three Tony Award nominations for his performances in the Broadway productions of Amadeus, My Favourite Year and Spamalot, again. However, his credits span far beyond these recognitions.

As a singer, he released three studio albums: Read My Lips (1978), Fearless (1979) and Simplicity (1981). He was also nominated for a Grammy for Best Spoken Word Album for Children, thanks to his work on A Series of Unfortunate Events: The Bad Beginning.

In 2012, Curry suffered a stroke that left him partially paralysed and using a wheelchair, requiring him to adapt to a new way of working. He shifted heavily towards voice acting and appearing at fan events, but also appeared in the 2024 horror movie Stream, which would become his final film role.

Most recently, in 2025, he released his memoir Vagabond, which is a celebration of his life and his profound impact on the entertainment industry.

In a tribute shared on Instagram, Luke Evans, who played Dr Frank-N-Furter in the recent Broadway production of The Rocky Horror Show, described the late actor as “an inspiration to me and so many more people”.

Evans added: “There will only be one Tim Curry. All the rest of us will just have to do our best to emulate some of the magic of that role that I’ve just spent 7 months playing”.

Rest in power, Tim Curry.