Tim Curry, the beloved English actor who played iconic and eccentric roles like the scientist Dr. Frank-N-Furter in The Rocky Horror Picture Show, the harried butler Wadsworth in Clue, and Pennywise the Clown in the original adaptation of Stephen King’s It, has died. He was 80 years old. Curry’s body of work was vast and eclectic; he was unrecognizable as the devilish Darkness in Tom Cruise’s Legend and went deliciously hammy in the video game Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3, playing the maniacal Russian Premier Cherdenko.
TMZ was first to report Curry’s death. The actor reportedly died Tuesday at his Los Angeles home. Curry suffered a major stroke in 2012 that affected his mobility and memory, though he continued to perform in voice roles and in special appearances. He voiced Chancellor Palpatine/Darth Sidious in the animated series Star Wars: The Clone Wars.
Curry’s acting career started on the stage. He originally portrayed Dr. Frank-N-Furter in The Rocky Horror Show in London and on Broadway. He reprised the role in the 1975 film version of that musical, The Rocky Horror Picture Show, which was a modest success at release but went on to be an enduring cult hit, ultimately grossing more than $170 million at the box office.
In the 1980s, Curry achieved mainstream stardom in films such as the musical Annie, Ridley Scott’s fantasy film Legend, and the board game adaptation whodunnit Clue. Later, Curry starred in memorable roles in The Hunt for Red October, the superhero film The Shadow, Muppet Treasure Island, and Congo.
Video game fans fondly remember Curry for his delightfully over-the-top appearance in Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3, the real-time strategy game from Electronic Arts. Curry’s Premier Cherdenko is beloved by many for his delivery of the iconic line “I’m escaping to the one place that hasn’t been corrupted by capitalism: SPACE!”
Fans can revisit Curry’s work in Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3 on Steam, where the game is available for sale. Fans can also relish Curry’s role in Clue, which is free to stream on YouTube (with ads).