Tim Curry, ‘Rocky Horror’ Star, Dies at 80 in Los Angeles
The cult-favorite actor behind Dr. Frank-N-Furter and Pennywise, has died at 80 in Los Angeles. Publicist Sean Katz said he passed away peacefully at home.
LOS ANGELES — tim curry, the English actor who became a cult favorite for his scene-stealing turns in The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Clue and the TV miniseries It, has died at 80. A statement shared by publicist Sean Katz on behalf of Curry’s longtime manager and friend Marcia Hurwitz said he “passed away peacefully at his home in Toluca Lake, Los Angeles” on Tuesday.
The death comes after years of health problems following a major stroke in 2012. Police responded to a death investigation for a male in his 80s at an address in Los Angeles at 11:20pm Tuesday night, the Los Angeles Police Department said. The Los Angeles Fire Department also confirmed emergency personnel attended a medical event at the same address at 10:42pm Tuesday night and that an adult male was pronounced dead. An immediate cause of death was not clear.
tim curry’s lasting screen roles
Curry built a reputation playing flamboyant villains, supercilious Brits and comic troublemakers. He did it with a kind of dangerous ease. He demanded attention as soon as he appeared on screen as Dr. Frank-N-Furter in the 1975 film The Rocky Horror Picture Show, strolling past rows of acolytes and ripping off a robe to reveal a corset and stockings.
He brought the same energy to Lord of Darkness in the 1985 fantasy film Legend and to Pennywise, the demonic clown in the 1990 miniseries It. In AP’s obituary coverage, Curry was described as known for playing colorful villains on stage and on screen, including Frank-N-Furter and Pennywise.
His work also stretched far beyond those signature roles. AP noted appearances tied to Broadway and stage work, including a performance at the 2005 Tony Awards and his Broadway premiere performance in Spamalot. The actor also drew a strong following among fans who kept returning to his performances long after the original releases.
Tributes from co-stars and friends
The reaction was immediate. Carol Burnett shared a clip from Annie, where she played Miss Hannigan and Curry played her brother Rooster, and wrote, “We had such a wonderful time working together on ‘Annie.’ Nobody could play lovable villains better than he could,” adding, “He was a dear friend. I was blessed to know him.”
Michael McKean, Curry’s Clue co-star, wrote on X that his last conversation with Curry was “about life and love and laughter,” and added, “Our blessing was that we had Tim Curry in our lives. RIP, my friend.” He also referred to the physical state Curry lived with after the stroke he suffered in 2012.
Lesley Ann Warren, another Clue cast member, called him “my dear companion in crime” and described him as “the brilliant, hilarious, hysterically funny, magician of artistry.” Luke Evans, who recently finished a seven-month Broadway run in The Rocky Horror Show playing the role Curry originated, also posted an emotional tribute on Instagram.
For fans, the loss lands hard because Curry’s characters never felt temporary. They kept finding new audiences on TV screens, stage revivals and late-night rewatches. His statement of legacy, shared by Katz, said his “curious, expansive mind and generous, gentle heart” remained open “until his final breath.”
That final note now sits beside the roles people remember most: Frank-N-Furter, Pennywise and the bright, unsettling voice that made them linger.
