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Tim Curry

Tim Curry built a career around the pleasure of going all the way. Whether playing a flamboyant showman, a fantasy villain or a suspicious hotel concierge, the British actor, singer and comedian brought theatrical precision to performances that could be funny, menacing and knowingly excessive—sometimes all at once. Born in Grappenhall, Cheshire, on 19 April 1946, Curry developed his voice in church choirs before studying English and drama at the University of Birmingham. His first full-time role came in the original London cast of Hair in 1968, where he met Richard O’Brien. That connection led to Dr Frank-N-Furter in The Rocky Horror Show and its 1975 film adaptation, The Rocky Horror Picture Show. The film made Curry a household name and established the cult following that remained central to his screen persona. Curry never allowed that role to define the limits of his work. In Annie, he played the scheming Rooster Hannigan, while Ridley Scott’s Legend gave him the imposing role of the Lord of Darkness beneath elaborate makeup. The Hunt for Red October placed him in more restrained territory as Dr Yevgeni Petrov, demonstrating how effectively he could work within a tense ensemble thriller. Comedy made especially good use of Curry’s ability to suggest that his characters knew more than they were saying. As the suspicious Plaza Hotel concierge in Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, he turned officious concern into a small comic performance of its own. Later appearances included Roger Corwin in Charlie’s Angels and Professor Oldman in Scary Movie 2. His career also stretched well beyond film. Curry earned three Tony Award nominations, including recognition for Amadeus, My Favorite Year and Spamalot. As a voice actor, he played characters including Captain Hook in Peter Pan and the Pirates and Nigel Thornberry in The Wild Thornberrys. Across stage, screen, music and animation, Curry’s distinctive strength was commitment: however heightened the material became, he played it with purpose.