Tim Curry Dies at 80: Luke Evans, Carol Burnett and Hollywood Stars Remember the Rocky Horror Legend

Tim Curry, the celebrated British actor who starred in movies as well as television and theatre and has been one of the most compelling actors in history, died peacefully, according to his manager and close friend Marcia Hurwitz. No cause of death was reported.

https://en.wikipedia.org/

Curry became famous for his performance as Dr. Frank-N-Furter on The Rocky Horror Picture Show of 1975, which went on to revolutionize his career and became one of cinema’s most enduring midnight scenes. He had earlier played the character in the stage production The Rocky Horror Show before stepping into the role for the film. His fearless performance solidified Frank-N-Furter as one of cinema’s most memorable characters and ensured Curry would be associated with the production for generations.

His influence was most certainly felt in the tributes that followed his death. Luke Evans, who recently made his Broadway debut as Frank-N-Furter in The Rocky Horror Show, recognized Curry's innovative approach. Evans had written Curry a letter and had thanked him for creating such an enduring character and for inspiring so many other performers. His tribute stressed that Curry’s original performance was not simply something to imitate but to respect and carry on.

Carol Burnett, who worked with Curry in Annie, recalled him fondly. Burnett showed a clip from the film and praised Curry’s ability to bring some humor and charm to villainous roles. Curry’s work in the 1982 musical is another example of Curry’s versatility; he was much more than the brash and outgoing personality that made him so popular in Rocky Horror.

Curry’s Clue co-stars also paid tribute to their long-time colleague. Michael McKean remembered Curry with fondness, and reflected on their friendship and the joy he brought to all of them. Lesley Ann Warren described him as an extremely talented and entertaining actor, and Christopher Lloyd also spoke of his late co-star. As well as Curry’s excellent performance as an actor, Curry’s colleagues also remembered him fondly.

Curry’s career transcended Rocky Horror as well. He played the sinister Pennywise in the 1990 television remake of Stephen King’s It and it opened his eyes to a new generation of viewers. He also appeared in Clue, Annie, Legend and Home Alone 2: Lost in New York. His ability to move across comedy, horror, fantasy, drama and musical theatre was a surprise.

Curry had three Tony Award nominations in stage performance, for his work on Amadeus, My Favorite Year and Spamalot. He also did voice work and received a Daytime Emmy Award for Peter Pan and the Pirates. His career covered a lot of generations and many forms of entertainment.

Curry was also remembered in the Muppets’ official account as Long John Silver in Muppet Treasure Island. Other actors like Jillian Bell, Josh Gad, Selma Blair and Rob Schneider expressed sorrow and admiration. The wide-ranging tribute shows Curry’s impact: he was well-known not only as a leading performer but as a character actor who could make even a brief appearance unforgettable.

Curry remained in touch with his fans even after a major stroke in 2012. He had been less public and more on film screenings and conventions and continued to keep up with The Rocky Horror Picture Show. He had a later screen appearance in the 2024 horror film Stream and published his memoir Vagabond in 2025.

Tim Curry has carved a career out of bold choices, memorable characters and wide variety in life, in the years he has come from the stage to cult cinema to television, animation and Broadway, and in so doing he’s been able to keep people’s attention. His Frank-N-Furter from The Rocky Horror Picture Show will be his most celebrated work and his wider work will be remembered for a long time but his work will not end with one image on the screen.

Hollywood’s tributes underline that same message: Tim Curry was one of the great actors of all time, and because he was so talented, humorous, and courageous he was an inspiration for generations to come. His death is the loss of a great artist; so are the characters that he created and have inspired audiences all over the world.