Tim Curry, Rocky Horror Picture Show Star, Dead At 80

Tony Award-nominated and Daytime Emmy Award-winning actor Tim Curry has died at age 80, TMZ confirmed on August 26, 2026.

Curry was reportedly at home in Los Angeles on the evening of August 25 when law enforcement officials responded to an emergency dispatch shortly before midnight. His cause of death has not been disclosed as of the time of this writing, but the actor had struggled with health problems for many years. In 2012, he was getting a massage when he suffered a stroke that left him wheelchair-bound. "I still can't walk, which is why I'm in this silly chair, and that's very limiting," he told fans at an event in 2025 (via The Hollywood Reporter). "So I won't be singing and I won't be dancing very soon."

Curry's acting career spanned film, television, theater, and genres. For his stage work, he earned Tony nominations for his roles in "Amadeus," "Spamalot," and "My Favorite Year." On the screen, he delighted moviegoers with his family-friendly roles in "Muppet Treasure Island," "Addams Family Reunion," and "Home Alone 2: Lost in New York." He also appeared in the 1985 fantasy movie "Legend" and action films such as "The Three Musketeers" and "Charlie's Angels." However, many fans will remember him most for his role as the terrifying clown Pennywise in the 1990 horror miniseries based on the Stephen King novel "It" and his beloved character Dr. Frank-N-Furter in the 1973 enduring musical classic "The Rocky Horror Picture Show." When marking the latter's 50th anniversary in 2025, he said, "I think the message of the film — don't dream it, be it — is very important. One of the things that the movie does, I think, is give anyone permission to behave as badly as they really want, in whatever way and with whom. And I'm proud of that."

Tim Curry portrayed villainous characters often throughout his career, even winning his Daytime Emmy for voicing Captain Hook in the '90s animated series "Peter Pan & the Pirates." In his 2025 memoir "Vagabond," he mused, "Wickedness, it seems, comes naturally to me." He could also be wickedly funny, and he even joked a bit about life's final curtain call in one of his last interviews. "I don't fear death," he said on "CBS Sunday Morning" in October 2025. "I try to avoid it," he added, chuckling, "as I think we all do." But, he pointed out, this isn't the same thing as being afraid of it. "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," he said.

Elaborating on his unique take that death is an achievement to be unlocked, Curry explained, "I want to earn the privilege of not being here." From the sound of it, he wasn't expecting to feel like he had accomplished his goal when his time came. "I think I may well embrace it," he said.

With Curry sharing his date of death with Dolly Parton, fans were still mourning the loss of the country music icon when they learned the tragic news about the "Rocky Horror" star. They were also reminded that his "Home Alone 2" co-star Catherine O'Hara is among the celebrities who died in 2026. But amid all the sadness and loss, some of Curry's costars worked to lighten the mood in their remembrances of the actor. Michael McKean, who appeared alongside Curry in the "Clue" movie, wrote on X, "My last conversation with Tim Curry was about life and love and laughter. The grim physical state he found himself in has now ended, a blessing." He also reminded fans, "Our blessing was that we had Tim Curry in our lives."