Tim Curry, ‘The Rocky Horror Picture Show’ star, dies at 80

Tim Curry, the beloved actor best known for playing Dr. Frank-N-Furter in The Rocky Horror Picture Show, has died at 80. His manager confirmed to Variety that Curry died Tuesday night, Aug. 25, at his home in Los Angeles. The cause of death had not been disclosed as of publication. Reports say Curry had been in ill health for some time following a stroke in 2012.

The 2012 incident left him with significant mobility problems and led him to use a wheelchair. In his 2025 memoir, Vagabond, Curry described the stroke and credited his masseur with calling for emergency assistance despite Curry initially resisting help.

Curry wrote that doctors discovered two blood clots in his brain. People reported that doctors performed a craniectomy to remove the clots. 

Curry remained active after the stroke.

Curry later discussed the stroke and its lasting effects in a 2025 interview with The New Yorker. He remained creatively active after the stroke, including through voice acting, while dealing with lasting mobility limitations. People also reported that his post-stroke voice work included roles in Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Ribbit.

He first played Dr. Frank-N-Furter in the original London stage production of The Rocky Horror Show in 1973. He reprised the role in the 1975 film adaptation. The movie eventually developed a devoted cult following through midnight screenings, with audiences famously dressing as characters and participating in screenings.

The role made Curry internationally recognizable, but it represented only one part of his career. He also played Wadsworth in Clue, the villainous Darkness in Legend, and Pennywise the clown in the 1990 television adaptation of Stephen King’s It.

His Broadway work earned him three Tony Award nominations, including recognition for Amadeus, My Favorite Year, and Spamalot. Curry also worked extensively as a voice actor and won a Daytime Emmy for his voice performance in Peter Pan & the Pirates.

In his final years, Curry appeared in the 2024 horror film Stream, Reuters reports. He also remained associated with The Rocky Horror Picture Show as the film approached and passed its 50th anniversary.

Details surrounding Curry’s death remain limited. Widespread tributes and reactions from the entertainment world had yet to emerge. One X account, however, reacted to Curry’s loss alongside the death of country music icon Dolly Parton, who died at 80 on Aug. 25, calling it “cruel.”