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| Tim Curry as Dr Frank N Furter in The Rocky Horror Picture Show |
"I wasn’t skin-deep gorgeous. I was gorgeous in attitude. And I was gorgeous, I think, in a certain kind of courage."
Tim Curry, best known to his legions of fans as Dr. Frank N Furter from The Rocky Horror Picture Show, has died at the age of 80 following several years of serious health problems. The Emmy-winning star, who also received Grammy, Tony and Olivier Award nominations across the course of his career, was a legendary stage performer and enjoyed several big screem successes, specialising in playing charismatic villains such as Darkness in Legend and Long John Silver in Muppet Treasure Island.
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| Tim Curry as Darkness in Legend |
With noteable stage appearances in Hair, Amadeus, Spamalot and The Pirates Of Penzance, Curry was remarkably flexible, but it was his role as a sweet transvestite from an alien world which carried him from London to Broadway to a cult status undiminished across the decades. Seeing off competition from the likes of Mick Jagger and taking his much-imitated accent from a woman on a London bus, he was front and centre of a film whose 50th anniversary was recently celebrated in documentaries Strange Journey and Sane Inside Insanity.
Curry embodied another iconic character in the miniseries of Stephen King's It, lending his easy grin to the sinister clown which terrified a generation of teenagers at late night parties. He also turned in memorable performances in Congo, The Hunt For Red October, Charlie's Angels and Annie.
Following a severe stroke in 2012, Curry never fully regained his health, but remained creative to the best of his ability. His memoir, Vagabond, was released last year.
"As a performer he was unparalleled - witty, charming, unnerving and deeply funny," said his former pirate crew upon his passing. "Few humans have earned the title of honorary Muppet more than the legendary Tim Curry."
