Tim Curry, who played the eccentric, cross-dressing mad scientist Dr. Frank-N-Furter in the cult classic film The Rocky Horror Picture Show—and countless roles in other beloved films and TV series—has died at the age of 80. According to TMZ, Curry had been dealing with serious health issues for more than a decade, and died late Tuesday night at his home in Los Angeles.
Curry originated the iconic role of Dr. Frank-N-Furter in the original Rocky Horror staged at London’s Royal Court Theatre. He stayed with the role as the show transferred to Broadway and was ultimately adapted into a feature film also starring Susan Sarandon and Barry Bostwick. That film would become a cult sensation, sparking countless call-and-response heavy midnight showings thanks to raucous numbers like “Time Warp,” “Touch-a-Touch-a-Touch-a-Touch Me” and “Sweet Transvestite,” indelibly performed by Curry.
Tim Curry as Dr Frank-N-Furter in the 1975 musical comedy The Rocky Horror Picture Show.(Photo by Movie Poster Image Art/Getty Images)
From there, Curry’s prolific career would flourish as he played parts like a scheming con artist in Annie, a wisecracking butler in Clue, a Russian medial officer in The Hunt For Red October, and the killer clown Pennywise in Stephen King’s It. Beyond his extensive screen roles, Curry had an long stage career as well, earning Tony nominations for three different productions: originating the role of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart in 1981’s Amadeus, playing Alan Swann in the musical My Favorite Year, and starring as King Arthur in the smash hit musical Monty Python’s Spamalot.
