Tim Curry

Timothy James Curry(born 19 April 1946) is an English actor and singer. He rose to prominence as Dr. Frank-N-Furter in themusical film adaptationofThe Rocky Horror Show, reprising the role he had originated both in theWest Endand onBroadway.
Curry's other stage work includes various roles in the original West End production ofHair,Tristan Tzarain the 1975 West End and Broadway productions ofTravesties,Wolfgang Amadeus Mozartin the 1980 Broadway production ofAmadeus, The Pirate King in the 1982 West End production ofThe Pirates of Penzance, andKing Arthurin Broadway and West End productions ofSpamalotfrom 2005 to 2007. His theatre accolades include threeTony Awardnominations and twoLaurence Olivier Awardnominations.
Curry received further acclaim for his film and television roles, including Rooster Hannigan in thefilm adaptationofAnnie(1982), Darkness inLegend(1985),WadsworthinClue(1985),Pennywisein the miniseriesIt(1990), the Concierge inHome Alone 2: Lost in New York(1992), andLong John SilverinMuppet Treasure Island(1996). His other notable film appearances includeThe Shout(1978),Times Square(1980),The Worst Witch(1986),The Hunt for Red October(1990),The Three Musketeers(1993),Congo(1995),Charlie's Angels(2000),Scary Movie 2(2001), andKinsey(2004).
Curry is also a prolific voice actor, with roles in animation including hisEmmy Award-winning performance asCaptain HookonPeter Pan & the Pirates(1990–1991), Hexxus in the filmFernGully: The Last Rainforest(1992), King Chicken inDuckman(1994–1997), Sir Nigel Thornberry inThe Wild Thornberrys(1998–2004), andChancellor Palpatine / Darth SidiousinStar Wars: The Clone Wars(2012–2014).
As a singer, Curry has released threerock-focused studio albums:Read My Lips(1978),Fearless(1979), andSimplicity(1981).
Timothy James Curry was born on 19 April 1946 inGrappenhall, Cheshire,the son of school secretary Patricia andRoyal Navychaplain James Curry. His father died ofpneumoniain 1958, when Curry was 12 years old.His elder sister, Judith, was a concert pianist who died of abrain tumourin 2001.Curry spent most of his childhood inPlymouth. After his father's death, Curry and his family moved toSouth London, where he attendedboarding schoolbefore attendingKingswood SchoolinBath, Somerset.Curry developed into a talentedboy soprano(treble).Deciding to concentrate on acting, he graduated from theUniversity of Birminghamwith a combinedBAin English and drama in 1968.
Curry's first full-time role was as part of the original London cast of the musicalHairin 1968, where he metRichard O'Brien,who went on to write Curry's role of Dr. Frank-N-Furter inThe Rocky Horror Show(1973).Curry recalled his first encounter with the project:
Originally, Curry rehearsed the character with a Germanaccentandperoxideblond hair, and later, with an American accent. In March 2005, in an interview withTerry GrossofNPR'sFresh Air,he explained that he decided to play Dr. Frank-N-Furter with an English accent after listening to an English woman say, "Do you have a house in town or a house in the country," and decided, "Yes, [Dr. Frank-N-Furter] should sound likethe Queen."
Curry originally thought the character was merely a laboratory doctor dressed in a white lab coat. However, at the suggestion of director Sharman, the character evolved into the diabolicalmad scientistandtransvestitewith an upper-classBelgraviaaccent. An immediate hit, a reviewer at the premiere in London in June 1973 wrote Curry gives a "garishlyBowiesqueperformance as the ambisextrous doctor."This change carried over to the 1975 film adaptation,The Rocky Horror Picture Show,which made Curry a household name and gave him acult following. Curry continued to play the character in London, Los Angeles, and New York City until 1975.
In an interview with NPR, Curry calledRocky Horrora "rite of passage", and added that the film is "a guaranteed weekend party to which you can go with or without a date and probably find one if you don't have one, and it's also a chance for people to try on a few roles for size, you know? Figure out, help them maybe figure out their own sexuality".
In 2016, Curry played The Criminologist in thetelevision film remakeofThe Rocky Horror Picture Show.
Shortly after the end ofRocky Horror's run on Broadway, Curry returned to the stage withTom Stoppard'sTravesties, which ran in London and New York from 1975 to 1976.Travestieswas a Broadway hit. It won twoTony Awards(Best Performance by an Actor forJohn Woodand Best Comedy), as well as theNew York Drama Critics Circle Award(Best Play), and Curry's performance as the famousdadaistTristan Tzarareceived good reviews.
In 1980, Curry formed part of the original cast in the Broadway showAmadeus, playing the title character,Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Curry was nominated for his firstTony Award(Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Play) for this role but lost out to his co-starIan McKellen, who playedAntonio Salieri. In 1982, Curry took the part of the Pirate King in theDrury Laneproduction ofJoe Papp's version ofGilbert and Sullivan'sThe Pirates of PenzanceoppositeGeorge ColeandPamela Stephenson, earning enthusiastic reviews.
In the mid-1980s, Curry performed inThe Rivalsand in several plays with theRoyal National Theatreof Great Britain, includingThe Threepenny Opera,DallianceandLove For Love.From 1987 to 1988, he did the national tour ofMe and My Girlin the lead role of Bill Snibson, a role originated on Broadway byRobert Lindsay.In 1989, Curry returned once again to the New York stage inThe Art of Success,and in 1992 played Alan Swann in the Broadway version ofMy Favorite Year, earning him his second Tony Award nomination, this time forBest Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical.In 2001, Curry appeared asScroogein amusical versionof theCharles DickensnovellaA Christmas Carolthat played atMadison Square Garden.
In 2004, Curry began his role ofKing ArthurinSpamalotin Chicago. Directed byMike Nichols, written byMonty PythonmemberEric Idleand based onMonty Python and the Holy Grail, the show successfully moved to Broadway in February 2005. It sold more than $1 million worth of tickets in its first 24 hours.His performance brought him a third Tony nomination, again for Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical. Curry reprised this role at thePalace Theatrein London's West End, whereSpamalotopened on 16 October 2006. His final performance came on 6 January 2007. Curry was nominated for aLaurence Olivier Award, and also won theTheatregoers' Choice Award(getting 39% of the votes cast by over 12,000 theatregoers) as Best Actor in a Musical.
From May to August 2011, Curry was scheduled to portray the Player in aTrevor Nunnstage production of Tom Stoppard'sRosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Deadat theChichester Festival Theatreand then inLondon. Curry withdrew from the production on 27 May, citing ill health.From 26 to 29 April 2012, he appeared inEric Idle's playWhat About Dick?at theOrpheum Theatrein Los Angeles.Curry had originally appeared at a script reading for the play back in 2007 when it was still a work in progress.
Curry's career in theatre was honoured on 7 June 2015 at theActors Fund's 19th annual Tony Awards Viewing Party, where he was awarded an Artistic Achievement Award.
AfterThe Rocky Horror Picture Show(1975), Curry began to appear in many films, acting in supporting roles, such as Robert Graves in the Britishhorror filmThe Shout(1978), as Johnny LaGuardia inTimes Square(1980), as Daniel Francis "Rooster" Hannigan inJohn Huston's 1982 film version ofAnnie, and as Jeremy Hancock in the political filmThe Ploughman's Lunch(1983).
In 1985, Curry starred in thefantasy filmLegendas The Lord of Darkness. DirectorRidley Scottcast Curry in the film after watching him inRocky Horror, thinking he was ideal to play the role of Darkness. It took five and a half hours to apply the makeup needed for Darkness onto Curry and at the end of the day, he would spend an hour in a bath in order to liquefy the soluble spirit gum. The same year, Curry appeared in thecomedymystery filmClueas Wadsworth the butler.
After this, Curry began to be cast in more comedy roles throughout the late 1980s and '90s such as Rev. Ray Porter inPass the Ammo, Dr. Thornton Poole inOscar(1991), Mr. Hector the suspicious Plaza Hotel concierge inHome Alone 2: Lost in New York(1992), Jigsaw inLoaded Weapon 1(1993) and asLong John SilverinMuppet Treasure Island. Although he featured in mostly comedies throughout the '90s, Curry did appear in some action films, such as thethrillerThe Hunt for Red October(1990) as Dr. Yevgeniy Petrov, the 1993 adaptation ofThe Three MusketeersasCardinal Richelieu, in thesuperhero filmThe Shadow(1994) as Farley Claymore, and as Herkermer Homolka in the action adventureCongo(1995).He also starred in the 1998 direct-to-video filmAddams Family Reunionplaying the role ofGomez Addams.
In the early 2000s, Curry was cast in thefilm adaptationofCharlie's Angels(2000) in the role of Roger Corwin, and in theparody filmScary Movie 2(2001) playing Professor Oldman. Curry went on to play Thurman Rice, a supporting role in thebiographical filmKinsey(2004) and portrayedAlexander Monroin the Britishblack comedyBurke & Hare(2010).
In 2024, he had a cameo appearance in the horror filmStream, providing the voice of the mask character "Lockwood".
Curry started his career with small roles in television series, such as Eugene inNapoleon and Love(1974), and guest roles inArmchair Theatreand theBBC'sPlay for Todayincluding as Glen inDennis Potter'sSchmoedipus(1974).He playedWilliam Shakespearein theJohn Mortimer-scripted six part mini-seriesWill Shakespeare(1978). Broadcast onITVin the UK and distributed internationally byITC, it traces the bard's life from 1590 until his death.Curry had further roles in British television throughout the 1970s and 1980s, including the lead inStephen Frears' 1975 adaptation ofThree Men in a Boat, playingBill SikesinOliver Twist(1982), playing aspiring actor-singer Larry Gormley inBlue Money(1985), and starring as the Grand Wizard in the children'sHalloweenfilmThe Worst Witch(1986).
He appeared in the "Dead Dog Records" storyline of the television seriescrime dramaWiseguy(1989), as Winston Newquay and was nominated for aPrimetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Seriesfor portraying all three members of a deranged family inTales from the Crypt(1993). He also had recurring roles on the short-livedscience fictiontelevision seriesEarth 2(1994) and the sitcomRude Awakening(1999–2000). Although Curry has appeared in numerous television series throughout his career, he has only had lead roles in two live-action series:Over the Top(1997), asitcomthat he also produced, and the revival series ofFamily Affair(2002–2003). Both were cancelled after one season. He returned to working on British television in the late 2000s, with the miniseries adaptation ofTerry Pratchett's The Colour of Magic(2008), a guest appearance on the long-runningAgatha Christie's Poirot(2008) and the miniseriesReturn to Cranford(2009). His final episodic television role was in 2010 onCriminal Minds, portraying unsub Billy Flynn in two episodes.
One of Curry's best known television roles is asPennywise the Clownin thehorrorminiseriesStephen King's It(1990). Aside from oneFangoriainterview in 1990, Curry never publicly acknowledged his involvement inItuntil an interview withMoviefonein 2015, where he called the role of Pennywise "a wonderful part".
Curry has appeared in many animated television series and films, starting with the performance of theSerpentThe Greatest Adventure: Stories from the Bible(1988). Curry won aDaytime Emmy Awardfor his performance asCaptain Hookin theFoxanimated seriesPeter Pan and the Pirates(1990–1991). His longest-running animated role was as Nigel Thornberry inThe Wild Thornberrys(1998–2004), which ran for five seasons onNickelodeon. Curry became the voice ofChancellor Palpatine/Darth SidiousinStar Wars: The Clone Warsupon the death ofIan Abercrombie. Other notable animated television roles include MAL inCaptain Planet and the Planeteers(1991–1996), Zimbo inAaahh!!! Real Monsters(1994–1997), King Chicken inDuckman(1994–1997), Dr. Anton Sevarius inGargoyles(1995–1996), Slagar inRedwall(2000–2001), Professor Finbarr Calamitous inThe Adventures of Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius(2003–2005),G. Gordon GodfreyinYoung Justice(2012–2013), and The Sorcerer inRandy Cunningham: 9th Grade Ninja(2012–2014). Most recently on television, he voiced Auntie Whispers on thePrimetime Creative Arts Emmy-winning miniseriesOver the Garden Wall(2014).
Curry has also done voice acting in a number of animated films, most notablyFernGully: The Last Rainforest(1992),Don Bluth'sThe Pebble and the Penguin(1995),Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas(1997) for which he received anAnnie Awardnomination,Scooby-Doo! and the Witch's Ghost(1998), the firstBarbiefilmBarbie in the Nutcracker(2001), reprising his role of Nigel Thornberry inThe Wild Thornberrys Movie(2002) andRugrats Go Wild(2003), the English dub ofStudio Ghibli'sThe Cat Returns(2005) andGarfield: A Tail of Two Kitties(2006). His video game credits include the titular character inGabriel Knight: Sins of the Fathers(1993) andGabriel Knight 3: Blood of the Sacred, Blood of the Damned(1999),Tim Schafer'sBrütal Legend(2009), and the first game in theDragon Ageseries,Dragon Age: Origins(2009). Curry's performance as Premier Anatoly Cherdenko inlive-actioncut scenesinCommand & Conquer: Red Alert 3(2008), have goneviralas ameme.
Curry's audiobook work includes hisGrammy-nominated narraton ofLemony Snicket'sA Series of Unfortunate Events,Geraldine McCaughrean'sPeter Pan in Scarlet,Charles Dickens'A Christmas Caroland theAbhorsentrilogy. Curry has done voice over for various advertisements for products and companies such asSmirnoff,CravendaleandParamount Network.
Aside from his performances on various soundtrack records, Curry has had some success as a solo musical artist. Curry received classical vocal training as a boy. He has mentioned that his musical influences included jazz vocalists such asBillie HolidayandLouis Armstrongand he idolisedthe Beatlesandthe Rolling Stonesas a teenager. In 1978,A&M Recordsreleased Curry's debut solo albumRead My Lips.The album featured an eclectic range of songs (mostlycovers) performed in diverse genres. Highlights of the album are areggaeversion of the Beatles' song "I Will", a rendition of "Wake Nicodemus" featuring the Pipes and Drums of the48th Highlanders of Canada, and a bar-room ballad, "Alan", composed byCanadiansinger-songwriter Tony Kosinec.  In 1979 he scored a minor hit single with "I Do the Rock". The following year, Curry released his second and most successful albumFearless.TheLPwas more rock-oriented thanRead My Lipsand mostly featured original songs rather than cover versions. The album included Curry's only USBillboard Hot 100charting song: "I Do the Rock".
Curry's third and final album,Simplicity, was released in 1981, again by A&M Records.This record, which did not sell as well as the previous offerings, combined both original songs and cover versions. Still, it was the only Curry recording to hit the charts in Canada, reaching No. 45 on the album chart.The writing, production, and musician roster for Curry's solo albums included an impressive list of collaborators, includingBob Ezrin,Dick Wagner, andDavid Sanborn.
In 1989, A&M releasedThe Best of Tim Curryon CD and cassette, featuring songs from his albums (including a live version of "Alan") and a previously unreleased song, a live cover version ofBob Dylan's "Simple Twist of Fate". Curry touredNorth Americaand some European countries with his band between 1978 and 1980. In 1990, Curry performed as the Prosecutor inRoger Waters' production ofThe Wall – Live in Berlin.Although Curry's first album was released in 1978, he had previously recorded a nine-track album forLou Adler's Ode Records in 1976. However, the album remained unreleased in its entirety until February 2010, when it was made available as a legal download entitled...From the Vaults(though four tracks from these sessions had been released on a 1990Rocky Horrorbox set). The album, produced by Adler, included Curry's rendition ofThe Supremes' hit "Baby Love".
A keenhorticulturalist, Curry has developed and restored gardens across many of his past residences and some other residences inLos Angeles. On where his interest in gardening came from, he commented: "I think if you're English, atrowelappears in your hand when you're 30 like a prosthetic device".He told the UK edition ofHouse & Gardenmagazine about designingFreddie Mercury's garden: "Freddie came back from a tour and said, 'The garden, dear, it's dead.' I said, 'What? Did you water it?' And Freddie said, 'Water it, dear?'"
Curry has used a wheelchair since having a majorstrokein July 2012.As a result, he has shifted his work mostly tovoice acting, although he has continued to perform as a singer and make appearances atfan conventions.
In October 2020, Curry reprised his role as Dr. Frank-N-Furter in a live table reading ofThe Rocky Horror Picture Showin support of theDemocratic Party of Wisconsinto raise funds forJoe Biden's presidential campaign.
Albums
Soundtracks and cast recordings
Others