Tim Curry, the charismatic star of The Rocky Horror Picture Show, has reportedly died at the age of 80. Curry was famed for his extensive work on stage and roles in films such as Clue and Muppet Treasure Island. The actor had suffered from significant health problems since a major stroke in 2012 left him unable to walk.
Citing sources, TMZ reports that the actor died late Tuesday at his Los Angeles home. Born Timothy James Curry in Cheshire, England, in 1946, Curry was the younger child of Patricia, a school secretary, and James, a Methodist chaplain for the Royal Navy. He had an older sister, Judith – a concert pianist, who died in 2001.
Curry grew up in Plymouth and attended boarding school. In 1958, when he was just 12 years old, his childhood was rocked by his father’s death from pneumonia. Ten years later, it was watching Judi Dench onstage as Sally Bowels in Cabaret at London’s Palace Theatre that made him determined to be an actor.
Actor and director Patrick Barlow recalled his days sharing a house with Curry while studying at Birmingham University. Curry burst onto the West End scene after graduating, when he was cast in the original UK production of the hit hippie musical Hair. In order to win the role, he lied to producers about his past experience, and about having an Equity card, in order to get around union rules that would have prohibited his casting.
Describing it as a “liberating” experience – one which involved stripping off on stage – Curry played the part of Woof. He became good friends with his co-star Richard O’Brien, who went on to write the role that would define Curry’s career: cross-dressing mad scientist Dr Frank-N-Furter in The Rocky Horror Show. New subscribers only. £9.99/mo. after free trial.
Plan auto-renews until cancelled. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent. Rocky Horror, a camp, sexually subversive rock musical, opened in London in 1973, and Curry took on the role for two years, performing onstage in New York at the Roxy in Los Angeles.
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