Rocky Horror Picture Show actor Tim Curry dies aged 80
Curry suffered a stroke in 2012, leaving him paralysed on one side of his body and affecting his speech.
Legendary film and TV actor Tim Curry has died at the age of 80.
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The actor, best known for playing Dr Frank-N-Furter in the beloved classic The Rocky Horror Show, died at his home in Los Angeles on Tuesday night, according to TMZ.
He had been suffering from serious health issues for more than ten years and had a stroke in 2012, leaving him paralysed on one side of his body and affecting his speech.
No foul play is suspected in his death.
The actor had a glittering career, starring as Pennywise in the 1990 adaptation of Stephen King's It as well as Mr Hector in Home Alone 2: Lost in New York.
Curry's other credits include Annie, The Hunt for Red October, Muppet Treasure Island, Addams Family Reunion and Scary Movie 2.
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Known for his villainous roles on stage and screen, Curry was the recipient of an Emmy Award as well as a nominee for a Grammy Award, two Olivier Awards and three Tony Awards.
Born Timothy James Curry in Cheshire in 1946, Curry was the younger child of Patricia, a school secretary, and James, a Methodist chaplain in 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, aged 12, his childhood was devastated by the death of his father from pneumonia.
Curry originated the “sweet transvestite from transsexual Transylvania” character on stage in London before reprising the role in the film starring alongside Susan Sarandon and Barry Bostwick.
He also starred in the 1982 musical film Annie as Miss Hannigan’s con-artist brother, Daniel Francis “Rooster” Hannigan, who plots with his girlfriend to pose as Annie’s parents to gain a reward.
Curry was also known for his stage career, including being the first King Arthur in the Broadway and West End production of Monty Python’s Spamalot and starring in William Congreve’s Love For Love in a 1985 production at the National Theatre.
Among the audience members were Charles and Diana, Princess of Wales, who told him The Rocky Horror Picture Show “completed my education”.