British actor Tim Curry, whose flamboyant performance as Dr Frank-N-Furter in The Rocky Horror Picture Show made him one of the most recognisable cult figures in cinema, has died aged 80.

Curry died at his home in Los Angeles on Tuesday, according to his longtime manager and friend Marcia Hurwitz. No cause of death was given.

Born in Cheshire in 1946, Curry studied drama and English at the University of Birmingham before making his professional stage debut in the original London production of Hair in 1968. His career changed course when he was cast by Richard O’Brien in The Rocky Horror Show, which opened at London’s Royal Court Theatre in 1973.

Tim Curry as Frank-N-Furter in The Rocky Horror Picture Show

As the gleefully decadent scientist Frank-N-Furter, Curry became the defining presence of the stage musical and its 1975 film adaptation. Wearing corset, stockings, pearls and heavy make-up, he delivered a performance that combined rock-star charisma, theatrical excess and comic menace.

The film initially divided critics but became a phenomenon through midnight screenings and audience participation, eventually becoming one of the longest-running theatrical releases in cinema history. Curry’s performance, in particular, became a touchstone for generations of audiences exploring gender, sexuality and identity.

Curry resisted being defined solely by Frank-N-Furter. He developed a substantial stage career, earning three Tony Award nominations, including one for the Broadway production of Amadeus, directed by Peter Hall – a production that, he later wrote, led to a lingering drug habit. 

He also played an anarchic Tristan Tzara in the West End (later Broadway) staging of Tom Stoppard’s Travesties and played King Arthur in the New York production of Spamalot.

On screen, Curry demonstrated a particular gift for extravagant villains and eccentric character roles. He played the Lord of Darkness in Ridley Scott’s Legend, the sinister clown Pennywise in the 1990 television adaptation of Stephen King’s It, and the fastidious butler Wadsworth in the comedy Clue. Other notable films included Annie, Home Alone 2: Lost in New York and Muppet Treasure Island. He was Cardinal Richelieu in The Three Musketeers.

Curry also recorded several albums, including Read My Lips (1978), Fearless (1979) and Simplicity (1981), showcasing the rich baritone that had helped make his stage performances so distinctive.

A major stroke in 2012 significantly curtailed his screen work, but Curry continued performing, particularly in voice roles, and made a cameo in the 2016 television remake of The Rocky Horror Picture Show. He published his memoir, Vagabond, in 2025, as the original film marked its 50th anniversary.