Tim Curry, the celebrated English actor recognized for his iconic performances across stage, film, television, and video games, has passed away at the age of 80. TMZ first reported his death, stating Curry died Tuesday night at his Los Angeles home.
Curry first gained widespread recognition as Dr. Frank-N-Furter in the 1975 film adaptation of "The Rocky Horror Show," a role that cemented his status as a cult icon. His extensive career includes memorable turns as Darkness in "Legend," Wadsworth in "Clue," and roles in "The Hunt for Red October," "Home Alone 2," and "Spamalot." He also portrayed Pennywise in "It" and Captain Long John Silver in "Muppet Treasure Island."
Beyond his live-action work, Curry lent his talents to video games, voicing characters in Sierra's "Gabriel Knight" point-and-click adventures, "Brütal Legend," and "Dragon Age: Origins." His performance as Premier Anatoly Cherdenko in "Command and Conquer: Red Alert 3" is particularly remembered for its distinctive delivery.
In a 1993 featurette for "Gabriel Knight," Curry expressed his enthusiasm for contributing to video games, seeing it as an "exciting" and "any new way to infiltrate myself into your minds." The sentiment was clearly mutual, with many welcoming his involvement in the medium.
In recent years, Curry's public appearances became less frequent due to declining health. He underwent brain surgery in 2012 following a stroke, which resulted in partial paralysis and affected his short-term memory. Despite these challenges, he was honored at a 50th-anniversary screening of "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" in October 2025. In the same month, he released his memoir, "Vagabond."
In one of his final interviews with CBS News in 2025, Curry reflected on his mortality, stating that while he sought to avoid death, he suspected he would eventually welcome it. He passed away later that year.