Tim Curry, Star of The Rocky Horror Picture Show and 'It,' Dies at 80

Tim Curry, the English actor whose performances as Dr. Frank-N-Furter in “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” and Pennywise in the 1990 TV miniseries “It” made him a defining cult-film and horror figure, has died at 80. SAG-AFTRA announced Curry’s death in a Bluesky post Wednesday, and his longtime manager, Marcia Hurwitz, also confirmed it to news outlets.

Outlets including The Associated Press and the Los Angeles Times reported that Curry died at his home in Los Angeles. A cause of death was not publicly disclosed in the initial reports. His death was confirmed Wednesday, though early reports differed on whether he died late Tuesday or Wednesday.

Curry’s career spanned stage, film, television and voice acting, but he remained most closely linked to two unforgettable roles. He originated Dr. Frank-N-Furter in Richard O’Brien’s stage musical “The Rocky Horror Show” in 1973, then reprised the role in the 1975 film “The Rocky Horror Picture Show.” The movie became a durable cult phenomenon, fueled for decades by midnight screenings and audience participation, with Curry’s flamboyant, seductive performance at its center.

For another generation of viewers, Curry was Pennywise, the shape-shifting clown in the 1990 television adaptation of Stephen King’s “It.” His performance helped define the character long before the later theatrical films and cemented his status as a singular presence in horror.

That recognition extended well beyond those two roles. Curry moved easily among comedy, family entertainment and mystery, building a cross-generational résumé that included “Clue” in 1985, “Annie” in 1982, “Home Alone 2: Lost in New York” in 1992 and “Muppet Treasure Island” in 1996. Onstage, he received three Tony Award nominations. He also won a Daytime Emmy Award in 1991 for his voice work as Captain Hook on “Peter Pan & the Pirates.”

SAG-AFTRA, the labor union representing actors and other media professionals, called him “iconic” in its Wednesday tribute, saying his performances “left an indelible mark on generations of audiences.”

In later years, Curry kept working even after a major stroke in 2012 led to long-term mobility impairment and a lower public profile. He later appeared in the 2016 TV remake of “The Rocky Horror Picture Show,” and in 2025 he published a memoir, “Vagabond.”

Hurwitz remembered him in a written statement published by the Los Angeles Times: “Though widely known for his inimitable, flamboyant characters and colorful stage performances, his greatest legacies to those who knew him were his curious, expansive mind and generous, gentle heart, both of which remained open and filled with anticipation until his final breath.”