Tim Curry is an English singer and actor best remembered for his role in the cult film Rocky Horror Picture Show as Dr. Frank-N-Furter. His career included roles in Hair on Broadway, Spamalot on Broadway, Pennywise in the It TV series, and Long John Silver in Muppet Treasure Island. Nevertheless, in 2012, the now-76-year-old suffered a stroke that transformed his life. He has since had speech and physical treatment, as well as the use of a wheelchair. Curry added that retaining his sense of humor was “very crucial” but “not difficult” because “it’s just part of my Blood.”

Choir Boy to Dr. Frank-N-Furter
Tim Curry was born on April 19, 1946 in Cheshire, England. Curry demonstrated potential as a soprano at his local church when he was six years old. He earned a double degree in drama and theater studies from Birmingham University in 1968. He and his pals founded a street theatrical company, which led to his first professional role as a member of the original London cast of the musical Hair. Curry was questioned if he had any previous professional experience and if he was a member of Actors’ Equity Association during the audition. Curry lied and answered yeah. When the producers discovered his lie shortly after, they were so delighted with his talent that they sponsored his union membership.

The popularity of Hair prompted offers of recording contracts and invitations to join bands, but Curry preferred to pursue acting. As a result, he worked for the Royal Shakespeare Company, Glasgow Civic Repertory Company, and Royal Court Theatre. In the latter, he gave an outstanding performance as Dr. Frank-N-Furter in The Rocky Horror Show musical, which led to him playing the character in the Hollywood picture that catapulted him to fame.

“They invited me to audition, and I did ‘Tutti Frutti,’ which was incredibly suitable.” I began playing [Frank-N-Furter] as a German after seeing the suit. “She was definitely the diva,” he admitted to Entertainment Weekly. “I heard a woman on the bus one day say in a fancy voice, ‘Are you searching for a new house when you retire to your country place?’ and I thought, ‘That’s it!’ Almost as regal as the Queen. From the minute it opened, it was a smash. It was a little theater. There were just 60 seats available. They then transported it to Los Angeles.”

“It wasn’t always who I was.”
Tim Curry continued to act in films, TV shows, and on Broadway after Rocky Horror. Despite his newfound passion, he notably avoided discussing the rock musical for years. He finally spoke out on the subject in 2005, revealing that he was concerned about being typecast. “That first performance that presented me to everyone was so crazy,” he added. “For a while, I was a very quiet boy to make sure that others understood that it wasn’t necessarily who I was.”

Mozart, in which he co-starred with actor Ian McKellen, earned both of them Tony nominations. His most famous television role was Pennywise in the 1990 TV series It. He played the smarmy concierge in Home Alone 2: Lost in New York two years later. He played Long John Silver in Muppet Treasure Island in 1996, which he described as an enjoyable job. “What’s remarkable is that after a day or two, you don’t think of them as Muppets,” he says. “You consider them characters – fellow actors.” For his persona, he even adopted his grandfather’s West England accent. “It was one of the most joyful sets I’ve ever been on.” The Muppets have a noticeable lack of ego.”

Today is Tim Curry’s birthday.
Tim Curry’s career, however, was cut short in 2012 when he had a stroke. His family and friends kept the incident private, but the word made its way to the tabloids. Curry utilized comedy to get through his health problems, claiming it’s easy for him to keep his sense of humor since it’s in his “Gene.” He has continued to work, primarily in voice acting, and in 2016 he played the criminologist in The Rocky Horror Picture Show: Let’s Do the Time Warp Again, a TV movie.

Tim Curry made one of his first rare public appearances after the stroke in 2015, on the red carpet at the Actors Fund Tony Awards Viewing Party to accept his lifetime achievement award. He began to make frequent appearances on the convention circuit. For example, in December 2021, he will meet fans at the Washington State Convention Center in Seattle. His most recent engagement was in October at The Hollywood Show convention at the Burbank Airport Hotel. Tim Curry performed his most iconic role as Dr. Frank-N-Furter in a live stream reading of the original Rocky Horror Picture Show script during a Wisconsin Democratic Party fundraiser in 2020.