Article by: Ans Stork, Contributing Writer, Photo obtained from Pitchfork

“I don’t fear death. I tried to avoid it, as I think we all do. But I suspect that in the end I will welcome it. I think it may be very comforting to go bye-bye, and I want to earn it.” And with a legacy like his, he sure did. Tim Curry died of coronary artery disease on Aug. 25, 2026, in his home in Toluca Lake, Los Angeles, at age 80. With a career spanning almost 60 years, and extensive charity work, Curry created a legacy. From the fabulous Dr. Frank-n-Furter to the swashbuckling Long John Silver, let’s take a look at some of his most memorable moments. 

“The Rocky Horror Picture Show” (1975)

Curry’s breakthrough movie role came in 1975, in “The Rocky Horror Picture Show.” The risqué  film originally tanked, but once theaters began showing it at midnight, it gained a cult following. But before filming even began, Curry starred in “The Rocky Horror Show” in the West End production in London in 1973 as the iconic mad scientist Dr. Frank-N-Furter. When preparing for the film, Curry stated that he combined an impression of Queen Elizabeth II and his mother’s “telephone voice” for the character’s distinct voice. 

But his voice isn’t the only distinct feature of Curry’s character. The flamboyant doctor shocked the world by shattering gender norms while wearing provocative outfits. The “sweet transvestite” gave viewers a blueprint for self-acceptance in a society that looked down upon the queer community and repressed sexual desires. This role was not only Curry’s breakthrough, but it was also the beginning of decades-long advocacy. 

“Annie” (1982)

His next big role was in the on-screen musical, “Annie,” where he played Miss Hannigan’s cartoonish brother Rooster. Forbes magazine published an interview with Curry and his co-star Carol Burnett in 2020 to celebrate the movie coming back to the big screen that Thanksgiving. In the interview, he stated that he loved to play villains. He told Forbes, “Rooster was a hustler, and people love that kind of character. He was a lot of fun. I approached it very much in my way…” 

While filming “Annie,” he was also doing the play, “Amadeus.” Curry met with John Huston, the director, and told him he was going to borrow the physical characteristics of the stagehand. Huston trusted the actors he worked with, and so he gave Curry creative rein. 

When watching the film in theaters, Curry said, “It was terrific. They really dug it. That was an amazing thing to see. It’s always a relief to see audiences enjoy things you have made as much as you enjoyed doing them.”

“Clue” (1985)

In this film, Curry played the vivacious, sharp-witted Wadsworth, the butler. Curry had to sprint around the set and pantomime an entire recap of the murders that take place in “Clue.” Curry only had two true starring films during his career, and this role was his second. The comedy murder mystery based on the family board game had a star-studded lineup of comedians in their prime. 

To prepare for this role, Curry told NBC News that he went to butler school. He called the school “recess for butlers” and said that he couldn’t really study anything there. He ended up finding a video of butlers in school repeating sentences like, “Right away, sir,” and “Very good, sir.”

“It” (1990)

Stephen King’s novel, “It,” was adapted into a TV miniseries in 1990. Curry played the spine-chilling Pennywise the Dancing Clown. He approached the character by keeping in mind that a traditional clown is comforting and fun, while Pennywise had to be frightening and irredeemable. On set, he terrified the actor who was playing Georgie, and while they filmed the boat scene, Curry told the boy that he was meant to scare him, but he wouldn’t hurt him. 

Despite the series’ low budget, Curry’s hair-raising performance as the iconic clown set the stage for many evil clowns, from Twisty the Clown in “American Horror Story” to Art the Clown from “Terrifier.”

“Home Alone 2: Lost in New York” (1992)

In the sequel to the beloved Christmas movie, Curry played Mr. Hector, the hotel concierge. He told People magazine just a few months before his passing that he told the president and his ex-wife, Ivana Trump, a few white lies during filming. Trump bought the hotel in 1988, and his ex-wife was still managing it while filming was taking place. When Ivana knocked on Curry’s door and asked if he was happy and liked the way it looked, he told People he lied and said he liked it, even though he “loathed it.” As for Trump himself, he was anxious to get his soon-to-be wife in the movie. He told Curry that Marla Maples was going to be Hollywood’s “next big star” and that he wanted to speak to Chris Columbus, the director of the film, because “she’s a brilliant actress,” and Curry just responded, “Yeah, I’m sure.”

“Muppet Treasure Island” (1996)

Curry has said that his role in this film was his favorite, and his time on set was the most enjoyable out of his entire career. In “Muppet Treasure Island,” Curry played the charming pirate Long John Silver. He wrote in his autobiography “Vagabond” that he would love to work with the Muppets again and that he was very fond of the show. 

After filming for a couple of days, Curry stopped seeing the cast as puppets and considered them all as real-life actors. He told People that the Muppeteers would only talk to the actors in character.

Tony Nominations

Although he had never won a Tony Award, Curry was nominated for three throughout his career. In 1981, he was nominated for his role as the composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart in “Amadeus,” which won a Tony for Best Play, and his co-star, Sir Ian McKellen won a Tony for Best Actor in a Play. In 1992, he played Alan Swann in “My Favorite Year” and was nominated for Best Performance by a Leading Actor, while his co-star Andrea Martin won Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical. His last nomination was for his performance as King Arthur in “Monty Python’s Spamalot,” and the musical won Best Musical. 

 

Curry never married, nor had any children. He will be remembered by his friends and his fans, who carry his legacy with them.