Tim Curry (1946–2026) was a British actor and singer who had numerous roles in films, television shows, video games, and audiobooks.
Curry was perhaps best known for his portrayal of Dr. Frank-N-Furter in the stage musical The Rocky Horror Show (1973–1975) and its film adaptation The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975). Other film credits are The Shout (1978), Times Square (1980), Annie (1982), Legend (1985), Clue (1985), The Hunt for Red October (1990), Oscar (1991), Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992), Loaded Weapon 1 (1993), The Three Musketeers (1993), The Shadow (1994), Congo (1995), Muppet Treasure Island (1996), Charlie's Angels (2000), Scary Movie 2 (2001), Kinsey (2004), and Burke & Hare (2010).
On stage, Curry was nominated for the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Musical for his roles as The Pirate King in The Pirates of Penzance (1982) and King Arthur in Spamalot (2006–2007). On Broadway, he earned three Tony Award nominations, his first for Best Actor in a Play for his role as Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart in Amadeus (1980–1981) and followed by two nominations for Best Actor in a Musical for My Favorite Year (1992–1993) and Spamalot (2005). He also portrayed Tristan Tzara in the Tony Award winner for Best Play, Travesties (1975–1976).
On television, Curry portrayed Jerome in Three Men in a Boat (1975), William Shakespeare in Will Shakespeare (1978), Bill Sikes in Oliver Twist (1982), and Pennywise in It (1990). He also appeared in guest roles in popular series such as Play for Today (1974), Wiseguy (1989), Roseanne (1993), Tales from the Crypt (1993), for which he was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award, Lexx (1997), Monk (2004), Will & Grace (2004), Psych (2007), Agatha Christie's Poirot (2008), Return to Cranford (2009), and Criminal Minds (2010). A noted voice artist, he was a Daytime Emmy Award winner and both a Annie Award and Grammy Award nominee for his vocal performances. Voice credits across a pleothra of media include Peter Pan & the Pirates (1990–1991), Ferngully: The Last Rainforest (1992), The Pebble and the Penguin (1995), The Wild Thornberrys (1998–2004), the English dub of The Cat Returns (2005), Brütal Legend (2009), Dragon Age: Origins (2009), and Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2012–2014).
He also released three rock-focused studio albums: Read My Lips (1978), Fearless (1979), and Simplicity (1981).
Theatre Year Title Role Location 1968–1969 Hair Woof / various roles Shaftesbury Theatre, West End 1969 After Haggerty Hippy Aldwych Theatre, West End 1970 The Sport of My Mad Mother Fak Royal Court Theatre, London Lie Down I Think I Love You... Peter Strand Theatre, West End 1971 Titus Andronicus Bassianus Roundhouse Theatre, London The Baby Elephant Jesse Royal Court Theatre, London Man is Man Sexton The White Devil Camillo Citizens Theatre, Glasgow Life of Galileo Sagredo Solange Loot Meadows Danton's Death Lacroix 1971–1972 Cinderella Buttons 1972 Puck Scottish Opera, Glasgow England's IrelandEnsemble Royal Court Theatre, London Time Off? Not a Ghost of a Chance Sadler's Wells Theatre, London 1972–1973 Once Upon a TimeTom Tom Duke of York's Theatre, West End1973 Give the Gaffers Time to Love You Royal Court Theatre, LondonDr. Frank-N-Furter Royal Court Theatre, LondonChelsea Classic Cinema, London1974Roxy Theatre, Los Angeles1975Belasco Theatre, BroadwayTravestiesTristan Tzara Albery Theatre, West End1975–1976 Ethel Barrymore Theatre, Broadway 1980AmadeusWolfgang Amadeus Mozart Washington National Theatre 1980–1981 Broadhurst Theatre, Broadway 1982 The Pirate King Drury Lane, West End 1983–1984 The Rivals Bob AcresRoyal National Theatre, London 1985–1986Love for LoveTattle 1986Burgtheater, Vienna Macheath / Mack the Knife Royal National Theatre, London Dalliance Theodore 1987–1988 Me and My Girl Bill Snibson North American Tour 1989–1990 The Art of Success William Hogarth New York City Center, Off-Broadway 1990 The Wall – Live in Berlin The Prosecutor Potsdamer Platz, Berlin 1991 Love Letters Andy Beverly Canon Theatre, Los Angeles 1992–1993 My Favorite Year Alan Swann Vivian Beaumont Theater, Broadway 2001 A Christmas Carol Ebenezer Scrooge Theater at Madison Square Garden, New York City 2004–2005SpamalotKing Arthur Bank of America Theatre, Chicago 2005 Shubert Theatre, Broadway 2006–2007 Palace Theatre, West End 2011 Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead The Player Chichester Festival Theatre 2012 What About Dick? Reverend Whoopsie, Lord Darling Orpheum Theatre, Los Angeles
Live-action roles Film Year Title Role Director Notes 1975 Dr. Frank-N-Furter Jim Sharman 1978 Robert Graves Jerzy Skolimowski 1980 Times Square Johnny LaGuardia Allan Moyle 1982 Annie Rooster Hannigan John Huston 1983 Jeremy Hancock Richard Eyre1985 Legend Darkness Ridley Scott Clue Wadsworth Jonathan Lynn 1987 Pass the Ammo Rev. Ray Porter David Beaird 1990 Dr. Yevgeniy Petrov John McTiernan 1991 Oscar Dr. Thornton Poole John Landis 1992 The Player Himself Robert Altman Deleted cameo Passed Away Boyd Pinter Charlie Peters Home Alone 2: Lost in New York Mr. Hector Chris Columbus 1993 Loaded Weapon 1 Mr. Jigsaw Gene Quintano Cardinal Richelieu Stephen Herek 1994 Farley Claymore Russell Mulcahy1995 Congo Herkermer Homolka Frank Marshall Lover's Knot Cupid's Caseworker Peter Shaner 1996 Muppet Treasure Island Long John Silver Brian Henson 1997 McHale's Navy Major Vladikov Bryan Spicer 1998 Addams Family Reunion Gomez Addams Dave Payne Direct-to-video 1999 Pirates of the Plain Jezebel Jack John R. Cherry III 2000 Four Dogs Playing Poker Felix Paul Rachman Sorted Damien Kemp Alexander Jovy Charlie's Angels Roger Corwin McG2001 Scary Movie 2 Professor Oldman Keenen Ivory Wayans Wolf Girl Harley Dune Thom FitzgeraldDirect-to-video 2002 Ritual Matthew Hope Avi Nesher Father Antoine Glen Pitre 2004 Kinsey Thurman Rice Bill Condon 2005 Bailey's Billion$ Caspar Pennington David Devine 2007 Christmas in Wonderland Gordon McLoosh James Orr 2008 Coeur de Noir / Sir William de Noir Gábor Csupó 2010 Burke & Hare Prof. Alexander Monro John Landis 2021 Pennywise: The Story of ItHimself John Campopiano & Christopher GriffithsDocumentary 2025 Strange Journey: The Story of Rocky Horror Linus O’Brien
Television Year Title Role Notes 1968 Sinking Fish Move Sideways Waiter on Train Television film 1970 Ace of Wands Cashier Episode: "Now You See It, Now You Don't: Part 1" ITV Saturday Night Theatre Crosscapel Episode: "The Policeman and the Cook" 1972 Stage 2 Madman Episode: "" 1973 Armchair Theatre Mik Episode: "Verite" 1974 Napoleon and Love Eugene 3 episodes Play for Today Glen Episode: "Schmoedipus" 1975 Three Men in a Boat Jerome Television film 1977 Rock Follies of '77 Stevie Streeter Episode: "The Band Who Wouldn't Die" 1978 Will Shakespeare William Shakespeare 6 episodes ITV Sunday Night Drama Leonard Brazil Episode: "City Sugar" 1981 Saturday Night Live Himself Host; episode: "Tim Curry/Meat Loaf" 1982 Oliver Twist Bill Sikes Television film 1983 Video Stars Teddy Whazz 1985 Blue Money Larry Gormley Ligmalion: A Musical for the 80s Eden Rothwell Esq. 1986 The Grand Wizard 1989 Ian Miles Episode: #3.11 Wiseguy Winston Newquay 6 episodes 1990 It It / Pennywise the Dancing Clown / Robert "Bob" Gray 2 episodes 1991 Big Deals Christopher NizzlePilot 1992 Topper Cosmo Topper 1993 Roseanne Roger 2 episodes Tales from the Crypt Pa / Ma / Winona Brackett Episode: "Death of Some Salesman" 1994 51st Golden Globe Awards Himself Co-host; television special Earth 2 Gaal 4 episodes 1995–1996 Sir Rudolph Haley 2 episodes 1996 Titanic Simon Doonan 1997 Lexx Poet Man Episode: "Supernova" Over the Top Simon Ferguson 12 episodes; also producer Doom Runners Dr. Kao Television film 1998 Madness Reigns King Nicholas Pilot 1999–2000 Rude Awakening Martin Crisp 6 episodes 1999 The Unbelievables Vaudevillian Pilot Jackie's Back Edward Whatsett St. John Television film 2000 Bette Himself Episode: "Or Not to Be" 2001 Attila Theodosius II 2 episodes 2002–2003 Family Affair Mr. Giles French 15 episodes 2004 Monk Dale "The Whale" Biederbeck Episode: "Mr. Monk Goes to Jail" Will & Grace Marion Finster 2 episodes 2007 Psych Nigel St. Nigel Episode: "American Duos" 2008 Terry Pratchett's The Colour of Magic Trymon 2 episodes Starz Inside: Ladies or Gentlemen Himself Documentary Agatha Christie's Poirot Lord Greville Boynton Episode: "Appointment with Death" 2009 Alice Dodo Episode #1.1 Return to Cranford Signor Brunoni Episode: "Part Two: October 1844" 2010 Criminal Minds Billy Flynn 2 episodes 2016 The Rocky Horror Picture Show: Let's Do the Time Warp Again The Criminologist Television film
Video games Year Title Role Ref. 1995 Frankenstein: Through the Eyes of the Monster Doctor Victor Frankenstein 1996 Muppet Treasure Island Long John Silver 2008 Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3 Premier Anatoly Cherdenko
Music videos Year Title Role1979"I Do the Rock"Himself"Paradise Garage"
Voice roles
Voice roles in film Year Title Role Notes 1992 FernGully: The Last Rainforest Hexxus A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information. 1995 Drake 1997 Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas Forte Direct-to-video Ebenezer Scrooge 1998 Rex Pester The Easter Story Keepers Nero Direct-to-video 1999 Scooby-Doo! and the Witch's Ghost Ben Ravencroft Bartok the Magnificent The Skull 2000 Lion of Oz Captain Fitzgerald Rugrats in Paris: The Movie Sumo Singer 2001 Barbie in the Nutcracker Mouse King Direct-to-video 2002 I, Crocodile Crocodile Short film Nigel Thornberry / Col. Radcliff Thornberry 2003 Rugrats Go Wild Nigel Thornberry 2005 ¡Mucha Lucha!: The Return of El Maléfico El Maléfico Direct-to-video The Cat King English dub Valiant Von Talon 2006 Garfield: A Tail of Two Kitties Prince Queer Duck: The Movie Peccary Direct-to-video A Sesame Street Christmas Carol Narrator 2007 Lucifer Once Upon a Christmas Village Sir Evil Short film 2008 Fly Me to the Moon Yegor Scooby-Doo! and the Goblin King Goblin King Direct-to-video 2009 Curious George 2: Follow That Monkey! Picadilly Mythic Journeys The King Documentary Barbie and the Three Musketeers Philippe Direct-to-video 2010 The North Star Narrator Short film Fluffy 2011 Doctor Dolittle Direct-to-video 2012 Blacktooth Back to the Sea Eric Strange Frame Dorlan Mig 2013 Gingerclown Gingerclown Saving Santa Nevil Baddington Direct-to-video 2014 Axel: The Biggest Little Hero Papa Qi Ribbit Terence 2017 Long Drive Home Monster Head AD Short film 2020 Dagon: Troll World Chronicles Necrofer the Death Bringer Unreleased 2024 StreamLockwood Cameo Posthumous release
Voice roles in television