Tim Curry

Tim Curry Headshot

Actor • Singer • Voice Actor

Birth Date: April 19, 1946

Age: 77 years old

Birth Place: Grappenhall, England, UK

Though moviegoers across several generations associate him with his memorable debut role as the campy transvestite Doctor Frank-N-Furter in the cult classic "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" (1975), actor Tim Curry struggled throughout his career to live down the role that made him famous. Curry managed to chip away at the narrow perception of him with a wide range of performances, playing the title role in the stage production of "Amadeus" (1980) and the cartoonishly evil Rooster in the film version of "Annie" (1982). He later played the butler Wadsworth in the board game-turned-movie "Clue" (1985), then delivered a deliciously scary turn as the murderous circus clown Pennywise in "Stephen King's It" (ABC, 1990). In the 1990s, Curry put his pliant voice to good use in a number of animated projects, which became something of a second career for the actor. On the screen, he largely played the villain in "The Three Musketeers" (1993), "Charlie's Angels" (2000) and to some extent "Kinsey" (2004). But any vestiges of Frank-N-Furter that may have remained where wiped away when he starred as King Arthur in the Broadway production, "Spamalot" (2004), a musical adaptation of "Monty Python and the Holy Grail" (1975). Comfortable with his association with "Rocky Horror" later in his career, Curry stood far above his British compatriots as being one of that country's most intriguing and talented exports.

Born on April 19, 1946 in Grappenhall, Warrington, England, Curry was raised by his father, James, a Methodist chaplain in the Royal Navy, and his mother, Patricia, a school secretary. Shortly after his birth, his family moved to Hong Kong, only to return to England, where the young Curry began performing as a boy soprano in a church choir when he was around six years old. He attended Lymm High School until his father suddenly died when he was 12. With the family relocated to Bath near the west coast of England, Curry attended Kingswood School, where he first met director Jonathan Lynn with whom he would work decades later. Meanwhile, Curry moved on to Birmingham University to study both literature and performing arts. Having transitioned from singing to acting, Curry made his professional debut as Woof in a West End production of "Hair" (1968), soon after which he appeared in a Scottish opera company tour of "A Midsummer Night's Dream." But it was on "Hair" that Curry met writer Richard O'Brien, who wrote the one part that both propelled the actor's career to a new level but became a career albatross for the rest of his life.

Originally written as a stage musical in 1973, "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" was long considered by Curry to be his ticket to fame, for better or worse. He was cast as Dr. Frank-N-Furter, a flamboyant transsexual scientist who gives refuge to a stranded All-American couple (Susan Sarandon and Barry Bostwick) in a bizarre castle that is populated by a host of strangely-clad partygoers. As things grow weirder by the minute, thanks to encounters with Riff Raff (Richard O'Brien), Magenta (Patricia Quinn) and a biker named Eddie (Meatloaf), the couple soon realizes that they may become the next experiment for the demented Frank-N-Furter. Because of the stage musical's popular success, Curry reprised his role for the 1975 film adaptation. A box office disappointment at first, the film hit its stride when a low-level 20th Century Fox executive convinced his boss to test it as a midnight cult movie, resulting in a sudden cultural phenomenon, complete with rabid fans lining up each week dressed as their favorite characters, singing and dancing along with the songs, and shouting made-up lines at the screen while throwing various objects at the screen like rice and toast during the wedding scene. Most importantly, the film became the longest-running movie in cinematic history, with grosses exceeding $150,000,000 since its release.

Though his film career may not have existed had he not played the sexually outrageous Frank-N-Furter, Curry nonetheless struggled to shake off the shackles of the confining role for decades to come. He stayed close to the character for his next Broadway performance, playing a fictional version of avant-garde poet and performance artist Tristan Tzara in Tom Stoppard's comedy "Transvestites" (1976). Turning to British television, Curry starred as The Bard in the six-part historical drama, "Will Shakespeare" (ITV, 1978), which detailed Shakespeare's life while also delving into more widely rumored aspects, like his alleged apprenticeship with Christopher Marlowe (Ian McShane) and homosexual relationship with the Earl of Southampton (Nicolas Clay). Back on film, he starred as a punk-era disc jockey sympathetic to two teenage runaways (Robin Johnson and Trini Alvarado) in Allan Moyle's "Times Square" (1980). Also that year, Curry returned to the stage to play Mozart opposite Ian McKellen's Salieri in the highly-fictionalized account of their alleged rivalry, "Amadeus" (1980). In the original film adaptation of "Annie" (1982), Curry portrayed the scheming Rooster Hannigan, who, along with his booze-swilling sister (Carol Burnett) and his bimbo girlfriend (Bernadette Peters), tries to swindle billionaire Oliver "Daddy" Warbucks out of a fortune by claiming to be the real parents a plucky red-haired orphan (Aileen Quinn). The film's nail-biting finale on an upraised train track bridge as Rooster pursues the film's young heroine with the sole intent of killing her scared a generation of kids who were ill prepared for the darkness Curry brought to the musical.

Having managed somewhat to separate himself from "Rocky Horror," Curry began appearing in bigger Hollywood films, though some of his choices remained suspect at best. He played Wadsworth the Butler in the 1950's-era spoof "Clue" (1985), a mystery comedy based on the popular Parker Brothers board game starring Madeline Kahn, Christopher Lloyd, Eileen Brennan and Martin Mull. He next played the Lord of Darkness himself in Ridley Scott's action fantasy, "Legend" (1985), which starred Tom Cruise as a young man escorting a beautiful princess (Mia Sara) through an enchanted, but perilous forest ruled by Satan. Curry went on to play a corrupt televangelist in the forgettable satiric comedy "Pass the Ammo" (1988) before making a brief but memorable impact in a recurring role as a vicious recording executive on Stephen J. Cannell's superior cop drama, "Wiseguy" (CBS, 1989). Curry continued his quest to seemingly scare the children of the world with yet another frightening, memory-searing performance as Pennywise, the murderous circus clown with razor-teeth who lures his victims into the sewer in the two-part television movie adaptation of "Stephen King's It" (ABC, 1990), before putting his Slavic looks to use as a medical officer aboard a defecting Russian submarine in "The Hunt for Red October" (1990).

After receiving a Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Performer in a Children's Series for his Captain Hook in "Fox's Peter Pan and the Pirates" (1990), Curry offered a few amusing moments as a prissy elocution coach in the otherwise underachieving Sylvester Stallone mob comedy "Oscar" (1991). Meanwhile, he began a long stint as a voiceover performer with a villainous turn in the animated "Captain Planet and the Planeteers" (TBS, 1990-96). He also used his malleable voice for a variety of animated creatures on shows like "Tom and Jerry Kids Show" (Fox, 1990-94), "The Legend of Prince Valiant" (ABC, 1991-95), "Dinosaurs" (ABC, 1990-94) and "Duckman" (USA, 1993-97). Of course, Curry continued in live action roles, winning critical acclaim for playing the evil Cardinal Richelieu in the otherwise Disney-fied adaptation of "The Three Musketeers" (1993). Once again playing the villain, albeit a comical one, Curry tried to enliven the unoriginal cop parody, "Loaded Weapon 1" (1993), before embarking on a string of movies that offered little commercial or artistic merit, like as "Wing Commander III: The Heart of the Tiger" (1995), "Lover's Knot" (1995), "Congo" (1995) and "McHale's Navy" (1997).

Back to voiceover work, Curry had several more recurring roles, playing Gustav Goose on the short-lived syndicated series, "Quack Pack" (Toon Disney, 1996-98) and Dragaunus on the equally short-lived "Mighty Ducks" (ABC, 1996-98). For "The Net" (USA, 1998-99), he provided the voice of The Sorcerer in the otherwise live-action drama that survived its first season, but failed to return for another. After starring as Gomez Addams in the straight-to-video release "Addams Family Reunion" (1998), he went on the run as the kidnapper of a software genius (Sam Rockwell) in "Charlie's Angels" (2000), starring Cameron Diaz, Drew Berrymore and Lucy Liu as the famed trio of bouncy crime fighters. In "Scary Movie 2" (2001), a sequel to the surprising 2000 hit from the Brothers Wayan, Curry played an evil professor who invites the survivors of the first movie - as well as some new faces - to spend a weekend in a haunted house. Meanwhile, Curry added two more voiceover roles to his résumé - "Rugrats in Paris: The Movie" (2000) and "The Wild Thornberry's Movie" (2002), before playing a jealous rival academic in the biopic on a famed sexual behaviorist (Liam Neeson) in "Kinsey" (2004).

In 2004, Curry led an outstanding cast in the much-lauded Broadway production, "Monty Python's Spamalot," a musical directed by Mike Nichols and based on the British comedy troupe's 1975 movie, "Monty Python and the Holy Grail." Curry played King Arthur, whose quest for the famed Holy Grail leads him to do battle with a dogged, limbless knight, a taunting Frenchman who bombards his knights with dead animals, and a killer rabbit who can pierce armor with his teeth. The New York Times hailed Curry's performance as the "best of the cast," which included David Hyde Pierce as Sir Robin, Christopher Sieber as Sir Galahad and Hank Azaria as Sir Lancelot. In 2006, Curry briefly reprised the role for a revival in London's West End. Curry was nominated for both a Tony Award and a Laurence Olivier Award for his performance. He continued doing voiceover work in animated features like "Valiant" (2005) and "Garfield: A Tail of Two Kitties" (2006) while logging episodes as a guest star on shows like "Will & Grace" (NBC, 1998-2006), "Psych" (USA Network, 2006-14) and "Criminal Minds" (CBS, 2005- ). Curry once again played the villain in the cable miniseries "Alice" (Syfy, 2009), a reimagining of Lewis Carroll's classic fantasy tale.

Credits

The Rocky Horror Show: Musical Livestream

Actor
Dr. Frank-N-Furter
Show
2020

The North Star

Voice
Show
2017

The Rocky Horror Picture Show: Let's Do the Time Warp AgainStream

Actor
The Criminologist
Special
2016

The Rocky Horror Picture Show: Let's Do the Time Warp Again

Actor
The Criminologist
Movie
2016

Meat Loaf: In and Out of Hell

Self
Show
2015

Eloise's Rawther Unusual Halloween

Voice
Mr. Salamone
Show
2014

Axel: The Biggest Little Hero

Voice
Papa Qi
Movie
2014

Ribbit

Voice
Terrence
Movie
2014

Saving Santa

Voice
Nevil Baddington
Movie
2013

Gingerclown

Actor
Gingerclown
Movie
2013

세이빙 산타

Voice
Neville Baddington
Movie
2013

Me, Eloise

Actor
Show
2012

What About Dick?

Actor
Reverend Whoopsie
Show
2012

Randy Cunningham: 9th Grade Ninja

Voice
The Sorcerer
Show
2012

Back to the Sea

Voice
Eric
Movie
2012

Strange Frame: Love & Sax

Voice
Dorlan Mig
Movie
2012

Outback

Voice
Blacktooth
Movie
2012

The Voyages of Young Doctor Dolittle

Voice
Doctor Dolittle
Movie
2011

Ladies or Gentlemen

Actor
Show
2010

Burke & Hare

Actor
Dr. Monro
Movie
2010

A Turtle's Tale: Sammy's Adventures

Voice
Fluffy, the Cat
Movie
2010

Alice

Actor
Show
2009

The Secret of Moonacre

Actor
Coeur De Noir
Movie
2009

Barbie and the Three Musketeers

Voice
Philippe
Movie
2009

Curious George 2: Follow That Monkey

Voice
Piccadilly
Movie
2009

Masterpiece Mystery!

Guest Star
Show
2008

The Colour of MagicStream

Actor
Trymon
Miniseries
2008

The Colour of Magic

Actor
Trymon
Movie
2008

Fly Me to the Moon

Voice
Yegor
Movie
2008

Scooby-Doo and the Goblin King

Voice
The Goblin King
Movie
2008

Mythic Journeys

Actor
The King
Movie
2008

Poirot: Appointment With Death

Actor
Lord Boynton
Movie
2008

Once Upon a Christmas Village

Voice
Sir Evil
Movie
2007

Christmas in Wonderland

Actor
Gordon McLoosh
Movie
2007

The Chosen One

Voice
Lucifer
Movie
2007

Eloise

Voice
Mr. Salamone
Show
2006

Garfield: A Tail of Two Kitties

Voice
Prince
Movie
2006

Queer Duck: The Movie

Voice
Peccary
Movie
2006

The Jimmy Timmy Power Hour 2: When Nerds Collide

Voice
Professor Finbarr Calamitous
Movie
2006

Criminal Minds: EvolutionStream

Guest Star
Series
2005

Mucha lucha: El regreso de El Maléfico

Voice
El Maléfico
Movie
2005

Bailey's Billions

Actor
Caspar Pennington
Movie
2005

Valiant

Voice
General Von Talon
Movie
2005

KinseyStream

Actor
Thurman Rice
Movie
2004
90%

Rugrats Go Wild

Voice
Sir Nigel Thornberry
Movie
2003

Ozzy & Drix

Guest Voice
Show
2002

Family Affair

Actor
Giles French
Series
2002

MonkStream

Guest Star
Dale 'The Whale' Biederbeck
Series
2002
91%

The Scoundrel's Wife

Actor
Father Antoine
Movie
2002

The Wild Thornberrys Movie

Voice
Nigel Thornberry
Movie
2002

The Cat Returns

Voice
The Cat King
Movie
2002

I, Crocodile

Narrator
Movie
2002

The Proud FamilyStream

Guest Voice
Percival
Series
2001

Samurai JackStream

Voice
Worm 1
Series
2001

AttilaStream

Actor
Theodosius
Miniseries
2001

Wild Thornberrys Movie: The Origin of Donnie

Voice
Nigel Thornberry
Movie
2001

Atila, el Azote de Dios

Actor
Movie
2001

Scary Movie 2Stream

Actor
The Professor
Movie
2001
14%

Wolf Girl

Actor
Harley Dune
Movie
2001

Ritual

Actor
Matthew Hope
Movie
2001

Barbie in the Nutcracker

Voice
Mouse King
Movie
2001

Bette

Guest Star
Show
2000

Lion of Oz and the Badge of Courage

Voice
Captain Fitzgerald
Movie
2000

Sorted

Actor
Damian Kemp
Movie
2000

Rugrats in Paris: The Movie

Voice
Sumo Singer
Movie
2000

Charlie's AngelsStream

Actor
Roger Corwin
Movie
2000
68%

Four Dogs Playing Poker

Actor
Felix
Movie
2000

What I Like About You

Actor
Movie
2000

Xyber 9

Voice
Show
1999

Jackie's Back!

Actor
Edward Whatsett St. John
Movie
1999

Scooby-Doo and the Witch's Ghost

Voice
Ben Ravencroft
Movie
1999

Bartok the Magnificent

Voice
The Skull
Movie
1999

Pirates of the Plain

Actor
Jezebel Jack
Movie
1999

The Wind in the Willows

Voice
Movie
1999

The First Snow of Winter

Voice
Show
1998

Martial Law

Guest Star
Series
1998

Will & GraceStream

Guest Star
Marion Finster
Series
1998

Voltron: The Third Dimension

Voice
Show
1998

The Wild ThornberrysStream

Voice
Series
1998

Addams Family Reunion

Actor
Gomez Addams
Movie
1998

Teen Angel

Guest Star
Series
1997

Over the Top

Actor
Simon Ferguson
Show
1997

Cuentos de Navidad

Voice
Ebenezer Scrooge
Movie
1997

McHale's Navy

Actor
Maj. Vladikov
Movie
1997

Tales From a Parallel Universe: Super Nova

Actor
Poet Man
Movie
1997

Doom Runners

Actor
Dr. Kao
Movie
1997

Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted ChristmasStream

Voice
Forte
Movie
1997
13%

Mighty Ducks the Movie: The First Face-Off

Voice
Lord Dragaunus
Movie
1997

The Story of Santa ClausStream

Voice
Nostros
Special
1996

Titanic

Actor
Show
1996

Hey Arnold!Stream

Guest Voice
Series
1996

La Isla del Tesoro de los Muppets

Actor
Movie
1996

Muppet Treasure IslandStream

Actor
Long John Silver
Movie
1996
71%

Lover's Knot

Actor
Cupid's Caseworker
Movie
1996

Bruno the Kid

Voice
Lazlo Gigahurtz
Movie
1996

The Storykeepers

Voice
Emperor Nero
Show
1995

The Naked Truth

Guest Star
Series
1995
64%

The Pebble and the Penguin

Voice
Drake
Movie
1995

CongoStream

Actor
Herkermer Homolka
Movie
1995
20%

Aaahh!!! Real Monsters

Voice
Zimbo
Show
1994

Aladdin

Guest Voice
Series
1994

The Shadow

Actor
Farley Claymore
Movie
1994

The New Adventures of Captain Planet

Guest Voice
MAL
Show
1993

National Lampoon's Loaded Weapon 1

Actor
Jigsaw
Movie
1993

The Three MusketeersStream

Actor
Cardinal Richelieu
Movie
1993
30%

FernGully ... the Last Rainforest

Voice
Hexxus
Movie
1992

Passed Away

Actor
Boyd Pinter
Movie
1992

Home Alone 2: Lost in New YorkStream

Actor
Mr. Hector, Hotel Concierge
Movie
1992
35%

Darkwing Duck

Guest Voice
Show
1991

Big Deals

Actor
Christopher Nizzle
Show
1991

DinosaursStream

Guest Voice
Pterodactyl
Series
1991
91%

Prince Valiant

Voice
Sir Gawain
Movie
1991

El Príncipe Valiente

Voice
Movie
1991

Oscar

Actor
Dr. Thornton Poole
Movie
1991

ItStream

Actor
Pennywise
Miniseries
1990

The Hunt for Red OctoberStream

Actor
Dr. Petrov
Movie
1990
88%

IT

Actor
Pennywise
Movie
1990

Paddington BearStream

Voice
Series
1989

Tales From the Crypt

Actor
Series
1989
82%

Agatha Christie's PoirotStream

Actor
Lord Boynton
Series
1989

Agatha Christie's PoirotStream

Guest Star
Lord Boynton
Series
1989

RoseanneStream

Guest Star
Roger
Series
1988
76%

Pass the Ammo

Actor
Rev. Ray Porter
Movie
1988

Le Paradis à la fin de vos jours

Actor
Movie
1988

HBO Storybook Musicals

Narrator
Show
1987

WiseguyStream

Guest Star
Winston Newquay
Series
1987

The Worst Witch

Actor
The Grand Wizard
Movie
1986

The Wordsmiths at Gorsemere

Actor
Lord Biro
Show
1985

ClueStream

Actor
Wadsworth the Butler
Movie
1985
70%

Legend

Actor
Darkness
Movie
1985

Blue Money

Actor
Larry Gormley
Movie
1984

The Ploughman's Lunch

Actor
Jeremy Hancock
Movie
1983

Pris entre deux feux

Actor
Movie
1983

AnnieStream

Actor
Rooster
Movie
1982
49%

Oliver Twist

Actor
Bill Sikes
Movie
1982

Times Square

Actor
Johnny LaGuardia
Movie
1980

The Shout

Actor
Robert Graves
Movie
1978

Saturday Night LiveStream

Host
Series
1975

The Rocky Horror Picture ShowStream

Actor
Doctor Frank-N-Furter
Movie
1975
79%

Three Men in a Boat

Actor
Jerome K. Jerome
Movie
1975

Armchair Theatre

Actor
Mik
Show
1956

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