01of 10Tim Curry in HairArt Zelin/GettyTimothy James Curry was born on April 19, 1946, in Chesire, England.According to his bio, his family moved to Hong Kong not long after he was born but ultimately settled in Plymouth, England. He found his love of acting early, nuturing it during his years in university before taking his first professional role, in the London production ofHairin 1968.“When asked if he had professional experience and an Equity card, Tim lied about both,“reads his website. “By the time the producers found out the truth, they were sufficiently impressed with his talent and presence to sponsor him for his union membership.”
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Tim Curry in Hair
Art Zelin/Getty
Timothy James Curry was born on April 19, 1946, in Chesire, England.According to his bio, his family moved to Hong Kong not long after he was born but ultimately settled in Plymouth, England. He found his love of acting early, nuturing it during his years in university before taking his first professional role, in the London production ofHairin 1968.
“When asked if he had professional experience and an Equity card, Tim lied about both,“reads his website. “By the time the producers found out the truth, they were sufficiently impressed with his talent and presence to sponsor him for his union membership.”
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Tim Curry in The Rocky Horror Picture Show
No one will ever forget Curry’s performance as gender-bending scientist Frank N. Furter in the 1975 cult classicThe Rocky Horror Picture Show.The one-of-a-kind musical actually originated with Curry on the London stage; it ultimately traveled to Los Angeles, where he completed his run and shot the movie, his first feature film.
Curry famously didn’t speak aboutRocky Horrorfor years after the film dropped, despite the intense love from fans,finally opening up on NPRin 2005. “That first performance that introduced me to everybody was so out there, so outrageous,” he told Terry Gross of his fears around typecasting. “I was a very quiet boy for a while to make sure that people got it, that it wasn’t necessarily who I was.”
03of 10Tim Curry in TravestiesANL/ShutterstockImmediately afterward, Curry joinedThe Rocky Horror Showon Broadway, though it closed after just 45 performances. He moved right on to the London and Broadway productions ofTravesties(right), and four years later,Amadeus,earning a Tony Award nomination for his role as Mozart.
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Tim Curry in Travesties
ANL/Shutterstock
Immediately afterward, Curry joinedThe Rocky Horror Showon Broadway, though it closed after just 45 performances. He moved right on to the London and Broadway productions ofTravesties(right), and four years later,Amadeus,earning a Tony Award nomination for his role as Mozart.
04of 10Tim Curry as a SingerTom Hill/WireImageIn the late 1970s and early 1980s, Curry released three fairly successful studio albums,Read My Lips, FearlessandSimplicity.His television and film careers were also taking off, with roles including William Shakespeare in the 1978 mini-seriesWill Shakespeareand bad guy Bill Sikes in a television version ofOliver Twist.
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Tim Curry as a Singer
Tom Hill/WireImage
In the late 1970s and early 1980s, Curry released three fairly successful studio albums,Read My Lips, FearlessandSimplicity.
His television and film careers were also taking off, with roles including William Shakespeare in the 1978 mini-seriesWill Shakespeareand bad guy Bill Sikes in a television version ofOliver Twist.
05of 10Tim Curry in AnnieColumbia/Kobal/ShutterstockCombining his passions for acting and singing, Curry hit Easy Street with Bernadette Peters and Carol Burnett in 1982 as Rooster in the film production ofAnnie.The movie-musical was a box office hit, making $57 million worldwide, according toForbes.“It was terrific,“Curry recalled toForbesin 2020of watching the film with an audience for the first time. “They really dug it. That was an amazing thing to see. It’s always a relief to see audiences enjoy things you have made as much as you enjoyed making them.”
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Tim Curry in Annie
Columbia/Kobal/Shutterstock
Combining his passions for acting and singing, Curry hit Easy Street with Bernadette Peters and Carol Burnett in 1982 as Rooster in the film production ofAnnie.The movie-musical was a box office hit, making $57 million worldwide, according toForbes.
“It was terrific,“Curry recalled toForbesin 2020of watching the film with an audience for the first time. “They really dug it. That was an amazing thing to see. It’s always a relief to see audiences enjoy things you have made as much as you enjoyed making them.”
06of 10Tim Curry as PennywiseBob D’Amico/Disney General Entertainment Content/GettyCurry continued his flair for the dramatic in 1990 as terrifying clown Pennywise in a television mini-series version ofIt.In a 2017 chat at FanExpo Canada, Curry recalled working with children on the set, particularly in a moment where a child’s paper boat comes down the drain and Pennywise grabs it, asking the youngster to come join him underground.“He stopped and said, ‘Tim … you’re scaring me!’ “Curry recalled. “And I said, ‘I’m so sorry but that’s what I’m supposed to be doing.’ "
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Tim Curry as Pennywise
Bob D’Amico/Disney General Entertainment Content/Getty
Curry continued his flair for the dramatic in 1990 as terrifying clown Pennywise in a television mini-series version ofIt.
In a 2017 chat at FanExpo Canada, Curry recalled working with children on the set, particularly in a moment where a child’s paper boat comes down the drain and Pennywise grabs it, asking the youngster to come join him underground.
“He stopped and said, ‘Tim … you’re scaring me!’ “Curry recalled. “And I said, ‘I’m so sorry but that’s what I’m supposed to be doing.’ "
07of 10Tim Curry in Charlie’s AngelsEverettBefore pivoting to more voice and television guest work, one of Curry’s final big-screen roles was as Roger Corwin in the 2000Charlie’s Angelsremake.In the years leading up to that, he earned one Primetime Emmy Award nomination (for 1994’sTales from the Crypt) and two Daytime Emmy Award nominations, including a win for 1991’sPeter Pan and the Pirates.
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Tim Curry in Charlie’s Angels
Everett
Before pivoting to more voice and television guest work, one of Curry’s final big-screen roles was as Roger Corwin in the 2000Charlie’s Angelsremake.
In the years leading up to that, he earned one Primetime Emmy Award nomination (for 1994’sTales from the Crypt) and two Daytime Emmy Award nominations, including a win for 1991’sPeter Pan and the Pirates.
08of 10Tim Curry in SpamalotKMazur/WireImageIn 2005, Curry originated the role of King Arthur in the wildly popular Monty Python musical,Spalamot.He followed the show from Chicago to Broadway to London, earning a Tony Award nomination along the way.The first reading with future costars including Hank Azaria, John Cleese, Sara Ramirez and David Hyde Pierce “went like gangbusters,“Curry recalled to NPR in 2005.“And I guess the next day I was going to be King Arthur.”
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Tim Curry in Spamalot
KMazur/WireImage
In 2005, Curry originated the role of King Arthur in the wildly popular Monty Python musical,Spalamot.He followed the show from Chicago to Broadway to London, earning a Tony Award nomination along the way.
The first reading with future costars including Hank Azaria, John Cleese, Sara Ramirez and David Hyde Pierce “went like gangbusters,“Curry recalled to NPR in 2005.“And I guess the next day I was going to be King Arthur.”
09of 10Tim Curry at the Tony Awards Actors Fund Viewing Party in 2015Allen Berezovsky/WireImageIn 2012, Curry suffered a stroke; he has since used a wheelchair.Three years later, he made a rare public appearanceon the red carpet at the 19th annual Actors Fund Tony Awards Viewing Party in Los Angeles to receive the organization’s lifetime achievement award.Curry called maintaining his sense of humor through rehabilitation “absolutely vital” but “not tough.““It is just part of my DNA,” he said.
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Tim Curry at the Tony Awards Actors Fund Viewing Party in 2015
Allen Berezovsky/WireImage
In 2012, Curry suffered a stroke; he has since used a wheelchair.
Three years later, he made a rare public appearanceon the red carpet at the 19th annual Actors Fund Tony Awards Viewing Party in Los Angeles to receive the organization’s lifetime achievement award.
Curry called maintaining his sense of humor through rehabilitation “absolutely vital” but “not tough.”
“It is just part of my DNA,” he said.
10of 10Tim Curry in 2021Mat Hayward/GettyMost recently, Curry — now a regular on the convention circuit — visited with fans at Emerald City Comic Con at the Washington State Convention Center in Seattle in December of 2021.His latest project was as narrator in the 2022 film,Fork.
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Tim Curry in 2021
Mat Hayward/Getty
Most recently, Curry — now a regular on the convention circuit — visited with fans at Emerald City Comic Con at the Washington State Convention Center in Seattle in December of 2021.
His latest project was as narrator in the 2022 film,Fork.
source: people.com
