Tim Curry (1946–2026), the British actor whose long career spanned film, television, and theater, has died at the age of 80. Particularly beloved by horror and fantasy fans, Curry passed away at his home in Los Angeles. His career had been significantly limited in recent years following the severe stroke he suffered in 2012.
His name remains inextricably linked to Jim Sharman's The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975), in which he played Dr. Frank-N-Furter. Based on Richard O’Brien’s 1973 stage musical The Rocky Horror Show, the film went on to become one of the most celebrated and enduring horror musicals, with Frank-N-Furter becoming one of Curry's signature roles. .
Curry also earned a special place in horror history thanks to IT (1990). In the television miniseries based on Stephen King's novel, Curry portrayed Pennywise, the terrifying clown form assumed by the creature that preys on the children of Derry. His performance played a major role in making the character an horror icon long before the more recent film adaptation.
In 1985, Curry also played the Lord of Darkness in Ridley Scott's Legend, an imposing demonic figure that remains one of the most recognizable images of 1980s dark fantasy. He later returned to darker territory with Addams Family Reunion (1998), in which he played Gomez Addams, and the horror parody Scary Movie 2 (2001).
Outside the genre, his filmography includes numerous other titles, including Clue, The Hunt for Red October, Congo, Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, and Burke & Hare.
For horror fans, Tim Curry leaves behind two performances in particular that have become inseparable from the history of the genre: the transgressive Dr. Frank-N-Furter and Pennywise, two very different characters that have remained with generations of viewers.
