Tim Curry, the unforgettable Frank-N-Furter from 'The Rocky Horror Picture Show' and the first Pennywise, dies at 80

British actor Tim Curry has died at 80 years old in Los Angeles, as reported by Variety. The cause of death has not been released, although the actor had been suffering from significant health problems since 2012, when he suffered a stroke.

Tim Curry leaves behind a career spanning more than five decades marked by recognizable characters such as Dr. Frank-N-Furter from The Rocky Horror Picture Show, the demonic villain from Legend, and Pennywise in the first television adaptation of It, a role that ended up becoming one of his most remembered performances.

Born in Grappenhall (Cheshire) in 1946, Curry began his career linked to musical theater. His participation in Hair in London in the late 60s was one of his first big professional steps and also allowed him to meet Richard O'Brien, creator of The Rocky Horror Show.

The 1975 film adaptation turned Curry into an international figure. His portrayal of Frank-N-Furter, an eccentric scientist from Transylvania, became one of the film's great icons and forever marked his career.

Despite being associated with extravagant characters and villains, the actor developed a very broad career. In cinema, he participated in titles such as Annie, Legend, Clue, The Hunt for Red October, Home Alone 2, Congo, and The Three Musketeers. On television, one of his most emblematic works came with Pennywise in the 1990 miniseries It, based on Stephen King's novel.

The character of the killer clown consolidated Curry's image as one of the great interpreters of villains of his generation and became a reference for subsequent adaptations of King's work.

His career also extended to voice acting and animation, with works for Disney and series like Rugrats, in addition to his participation in video games like Command & Conquer and Dragon Age. He was even considered to voice the Joker in Batman: The Animated Series, although he ultimately did not get the role.

The stroke he suffered in 2012 was a significant turning point in his life. Even so, Curry remained linked to acting, especially as a voice actor, and maintained on-screen appearances in subsequent years. He also returned to the stage with Spamalot, the musical inspired by the Monty Python film The Knights of the Round Table.

In addition to acting, Curry cultivated other artistic facets: he was a music enthusiast and released three albums, and he also particularly enjoyed gardening. With his death, an performer with a stage personality difficult to replicate disappears, capable of moving from musical theater to horror, fantasy, comedy, and animation and of turning some of his characters into true references in popular culture.