‘The Rocky Horror Picture Show’ Legend Tim Curry Has Passed Away at 80

Awful, awful news this morning as Variety reports that Tim Curry (pictured above in The Rocky Horror Picture Show) has passed away at the age of 80.

At this time, we don’t know the cause of death. Though, as the outlet notes, Curry had been suffering from health issues for years, including a stroke back in 2012.

I don’t even know where to begin with Curry. The man had too many accomplishments and too large an impact on so many for me to know just where to start.

Of course, Curry may best be known for his role as Frank-N-Furter in The Rocky Horror Picture Show. His first big role, the iconic musical, featured Curry as a trans play on Dr. Frankenstein. His glowing charisma and utter fearlessness in the role made him an instant fan favorite. That role, that film, was an awakening in so many ways for so many fans; it would be impossible to do it justice in this quick note here. Today, The Rocky Horror Picture Show is still performed on stage all across the world, with Frank-N-Furter as the highlight, all thanks to the personality Curry brought to the character.

Another genre role that had a massive impact on audiences, including myself, was Curry’s portrayal of Pennywise the Clown in Stephen King’s made-for-TV mini-series, IT. That was my first encounter with Curry’s work, and let me tell you, he scared the ever-loving shit out of me. That scene where Pennywise pops up in the shower to reveal a mouth full of teeth? Uh-uh. No way. Shocking as it may be considering the horror fan I am now, Curry’s performance had me running out of the room screaming and crying back then.

I hope knowing that would have delighted him. Because it spoke to how great of an actor he was. He could seduce the screen in one moment as Frank-N-Furter, and terrify as Pennywise in the next. Curry could do it all.

That “all” included countless other iconic roles, whether they be Darkness in Legend, with Curry in the coolest Satan makeup ever put on screen, or Wadsworth in the comedy Clue. He played Long John Silver in , voiced numerous cartoon characters, and so on. Curry had over 240 credits to his name. I can’t list them all here. But again, that just shows the range of his talent and the expertise in his craft.