Tim Curry, star of 'Rocky Horror,' dies at 80

Three-time Tony nominee also won an Emmy and built a career playing memorable villains

LONDON:

Tim Curry, the baritone-voiced British actor whose flamboyant performance as the singing, lingerie-clad Dr Frank N Furter in the 1975 cult classic 'The Rocky Horror Picture Show' made him an enduring screen icon, has died aged 80.

A cause of death was not immediately given, although Curry had been in ill health for some time. He appeared in numerous films, earned three Tony Award nominations for Broadway performances and became a sought-after voice actor for animated films and television shows.

Curry's most famous role came in his film debut as Dr Frank N Furter in 'The Rocky Horror Picture Show', an outrageous horror-comedy musical starring Susan Sarandon and Barry Bostwick. His performance became inseparable from the film's enduring cult status.

In one memorable scene, Curry sang and strutted in garish eye makeup, lipstick, a skimpy black outfit, stockings and a garter belt, portraying the eccentric character with a mixture of theatricality, humour and unapologetic confidence that became his signature.

Much of Curry's finest work, however, came on stage. He received his first Tony nomination in 1981 for playing Mozart in 'Amadeus', followed by nominations for 'My Favorite Year' in 1993 and King Arthur in the 2005 musical 'Monty Python's Spamalot'.

His rich baritone also made him a popular voice performer. Curry won a Daytime Emmy Award in 1991 for his voice work on the animated series 'Peter Pan & the Pirates', adding another dimension to a career that stretched across stage, film and television.

On screen, Curry was frequently cast as sinister or comic villains, using his distinctive voice, menacing laugh and expressive style to deliver the larger-than-life performances for which he became known. He appeared in 'Clue', 'Legend', 'Annie', 'The Three Musketeers', 'Home Alone 2: Lost in New York', 'The Shadow', 'Muppet Treasure Island' and 'Charlie's Angels'.

Curry was candid about his career and its uneven moments. In a 2011 interview, he said he loved playing villains because such roles were often the best written. He also singled out 1995's 'Congo' as a poor performance, joking that he deserved the Razzie Award he received for it.

Born in Grappenhall, Cheshire, on April 19, 1946, Curry was the son of a Royal Navy chaplain, who died when he was 12, and a school secretary. He studied drama at Birmingham University before beginning his professional acting career.

In 1973, Curry originated the role of Dr Frank N Furter in the London stage production of 'The Rocky Horror Show'. He later performed the role in New York and Los Angeles before the stage musical was adapted into the film that would define his career.

Curry withdrew from a British stage production in 2011 because of ill health. His agent said in 2013 that he had suffered a stroke but was recovering in good spirits. He subsequently used a wheelchair and reduced his workload, although he returned to the big screen in 2024 with the horror film 'Stream'.

Curry lived in Los Angeles and never married or had children. Beyond acting, he was a composer and singer, performed with his own rock band and released several albums, leaving behind a career marked by theatrical daring and a devoted cult following..