Tim Curry, star of ‘Rocky Horror Picture Show’ and ‘It,’ dies at 80 - NBC News

Actor Tim Curry, best known for his memorable role as Dr. Frank-N-Furter in the cult classic film “The Rocky Horror Picture Show,” is dead, according to his longtime manager and friend Marcia Hurwitz. Curry’s representatives said in a statement that he died peacefully at his home in the Toluca Lake neighborhood of Los Angeles on Tuesday. Los Angeles police said a death investigation report was completed late Tuesday for an 80-year-old man at a home in Los Angeles, though they did not identify the body as Curry’s. A cause of death has not yet been publicly revealed. He was 80 years old. While Curry cemented himself as a fan favorite for his portrayal of Dr. Frank-N-Furter in 1975’s “The Rocky Horror Picture Show,” fans of campy horror and mystery films also remember him for his roles as Wadsworth in the movie adaptation of the beloved board game “Clue” and as the evil clown Pennywise in the 1990 TV movie version of Stephen King’s book “It.” British writer and comedian Jonathan Lynn, who directed “Clue,” told NBC News he last saw Curry about a year ago during an interview. Lynn, 83, recalled the interviewer’s telling Curry that “he was so well known and yet no one seemed to know him very well. And he said, ‘Well, I think that’s appropriate.’” The pair had known each other since they were teenagers and even attended the same school in England. “He told me he had become an actor because I did,” Lynn said. “Clue” co-stars Lesley Ann Warren, who played Miss Scarlet, and Michael McKean, who played Mr. Green, shared their condolences on social media. “My dear companion in crime, the brilliant, hilarious, hysterically funny, magician of artistry has left us,” Warren said on Instagram alongside throwback photos of the two together. “What an unbelievable joy to have shared a sound stage with him and to engage with such a master talent.” McKean said on X that his last conversation with Curry “was about life and love and laughter.” “Our blessing was that we had Tim Curry in our lives. RIP, my friend,” he wrote. Curry had long been dealing with health issues following a massive stroke in 2012 that left him partially paralyzed and unable to walk. Born April 19, 1946, Curry amassed hundreds of credits across film, television and theater throughout a career spanning more than five decades. He began his career onstage as an actor in the London company of the musical “Hair” before he eventually headed to Los Angeles to focus on his movie and television career. Younger generations of fans also recognize Curry for playing Rooster Hannigan in the 1982 movie musical “Annie,” acting alongside comedy legend Carol Burnett and Broadway darling Bernadette Peters. “We had such a wonderful time working together on ‘Annie.’ Nobody could play lovable villains better than he could. He was a dear friend. I was blessed to know him,” Burnett wrote in a tribute to Curry on Instagram alongside a clip of the movie. Curry also brought to life Mr. Hector, the iconic Plaza Hotel concierge in the 1992 sequel to “Home Alone,” as well as the pirate Long John Silver in 1996’s “Muppet Treasure Island.” The Muppets’ official social media page posted a tribute to Curry, saying being part of Long John Silver’s crew is “one of our greatest treasures.” “Few humans have earned the title of honorary Muppet more than the legendary Tim Curry. As a performer he was unparalleled — witty, charming, unnerving, and deeply funny,” the post reads. “Thank you for everything, Tim.” “Home Alone” co-star Rob Schneider said he was “gutted.” “The sensational character actor, Tim Curry has left the stage. A truly gifted performer of stage and screen, his one eyebrow could say more than most actors entire bodies,” Schneider wrote on X. “I am grateful to have the rare gift of watching him work, he made you better just standing near him.” In 1991, Curry won a Daytime Emmy for voicing Captain Hook on the Fox animated series “Peter Pan and the Pirates.” He earned three Tony nominations throughout his career. His first nomination came in 1980 for originating the title role in Peter Shaffer’s “Amadeus.” His last Tony nomination came in 2005 for originating the role of King Arthur in “Spamalot.” In 1993, Curry got a Tony nomination for playing Alan Swann in “My Favorite Year.” Curry published his memoir, “Vagabond,” last year, in part, to commemorate the 50th anniversary of “The Rocky Horror Picture Show.” In it, Curry tells readers that while there were parts of him in each of his characters, he was none of them. “The distinctions between who I really am and who I’ve pretended to be as an actor have proven to be a source of great disappointment to some audiences. It has not caused me much personal distress beyond the periodic necessity to deter stalkers,” he wrote. In one of his last on-camera interviews, Curry is seen in a wheelchair speaking to “CBS Sunday Morning” in October, telling Turner Classic Movies host Ben Mankiewicz he loved that acting gave him “the freedom of being somebody else.” Curry is survived by his nieces, Kate Lewis, Julia and Patrick Bullman; his great-nieces, Josephine and Georgina; and a nephew, Mark Lewis.