Tim Curry, the British actor whose unforgettable performances as Dr. Frank-N-Furter in The Rocky Horror Picture Show and Pennywise in It made him a pop-culture icon, has died at 80.
Curry died peacefully at his home in Los Angeles on Tuesday, August 25, 2026, according to his longtime manager and friend, Marcia Hurwitz. His representative confirmed the news to PEOPLE, while several major news organizations subsequently reported his death. A cause of death has not been publicly disclosed.
The news marks the end of a remarkable career that stretched across stage, film, television, music and voice acting.
The role that changed everything
For millions of movie fans, Curry will forever be remembered as Dr. Frank-N-Furter, the flamboyant scientist at the center of Richard O’Brien’s The Rocky Horror Show.
Curry originated the role in the original London stage production in 1973 before reprising it in the 1975 film adaptation, The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Although the movie was not an immediate mainstream blockbuster, it gradually developed a devoted international following through midnight screenings and audience-participation events.
The film eventually became one of cinema’s most enduring cult classics, with Curry’s performance at the heart of its identity.
From Frank-N-Furter to Pennywise
Curry’s career went far beyond Rocky Horror.
In 1990, he took on another role that would become permanently associated with his name: Pennywise the Dancing Clown in the television adaptation of Stephen King’s It.
His performance as the terrifying supernatural villain introduced Curry to an entirely new generation of viewers and cemented his reputation as one of Hollywood’s most memorable character actors.
He also appeared in films including Clue, Annie, Legend, Home Alone 2: Lost in New York and Muppet Treasure Island. On Broadway, he earned three Tony Award nominations, demonstrating that his talent extended well beyond film and television.
Curry also had a successful voice-acting career and won a Daytime Emmy Award for his work on the animated series Peter Pan & the Pirates.
A career that survived a devastating health setback
Curry suffered a major stroke early in the 2010s that significantly affected his mobility and left him reliant on a wheelchair. Despite the setback, he continued working in entertainment, particularly through voice performances and selected screen appearances.
His determination remained evident in his later years. In 2024, Curry returned to the big screen in the horror film Stream, showing that his career was far from defined solely by the health challenges he faced.
He also continued to reflect on his extraordinary career, including through his memoir Vagabond, released in 2025.
Tributes pour in
Following news of his death, former Rocky Horror Picture Show castmates began paying tribute to the actor.
Barry Bostwick, who played Brad Majors, and Patricia Quinn, who portrayed Magenta, were among those mourning Curry. Their tributes highlighted not only his immense talent but also the generosity and uniqueness that colleagues remembered in him.
Curry’s influence also extended beyond entertainment. His portrayal of Frank-N-Furter became an important part of queer pop culture and helped make The Rocky Horror Picture Show a lasting symbol of individuality and self-expression.
More than just a cult-film icon
Tim Curry’s legacy cannot be reduced to a single character.
He was a stage performer, singer, recording artist, film actor, television performer and voice actor whose career spanned more than five decades.
Yet there is little doubt that Frank-N-Furter and Pennywise will remain the two roles most closely associated with his name.
One represented theatrical freedom and outrageous individuality. The other became one of the most recognizable horror villains of its era.
Both performances demonstrated the same quality that defined Curry’s career: he never played it safe.
As Hollywood and fans around the world remember Tim Curry, his work continues to live on through generations who discovered him in different ways—from midnight screenings of Rocky Horror to terrifying encounters with Pennywise, and from classic films such as Clue and Home Alone 2 to his extensive stage and voice work.
Tim Curry is gone, but the characters he brought to life are unlikely to disappear anytime soon.
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