Tim Curry, Star of The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Dies at 80
Tim Curry, the English actor who played Dr. Frank-N-Furter in The Rocky Horror Picture Show, has died at the age of 80. Multiple outlets, including Billboard, NPR, and The Hollywood Reporter, confirmed the news on August 26, 2026.
According to TMZ, as cited by Billboard, Curry died on the night of Tuesday, August 25, at his home in Los Angeles. No cause of death had been confirmed at press time. Page Six reported that law enforcement sources said no foul play was suspected.
Curry's death was confirmed to Billboard by Grand Central Publishing, which released his 2025 memoir, Vagabond: A Memoir. NPR independently reported that Curry died at his Los Angeles home on Tuesday.
Born on April 19, 1946, in Grappenhall, Cheshire, England, Curry built a career that spanned stage, film, television, and voice work. His performance as Dr. Frank-N-Furter in the 1975 film adaptation of The Rocky Horror Picture Show — a musical about a sweet transvestite scientist in a castle full of oddities — turned a modest box-office release into a decades-long midnight-movie phenomenon. The role followed his originating performance in the 1973 London stage production of The Rocky Horror Show.
Curry's other film roles included the villainous Rooster in Annie (1982), the butler Wadsworth in Clue (1985), and Pennywise the Clown in the 1990 television adaptation of Stephen King's It. He also voiced characters in dozens of animated productions.
Curry suffered a major stroke in 2012 that limited his public appearances and ability to work. Despite that, he returned to the screen: his official Facebook page announced in August 2024 that he had secured his first feature film role since the stroke.
Death hoaxes followed Curry in recent years. In February 2023, Snopes fact-checked a claim that Curry had died and rated it False, confirming he was still alive. As recently as June 2026, his official Facebook page posted a message stating directly that Tim Curry was not dead.
Curry himself wrote about mortality without fear. In a Facebook post dated August 12, 2026, drawn from his memoir, he wrote that he did not believe in heaven or hell but would be curious to visit either.
