08/30/2026
We are heartbroken to share the news that Tim Curry has passed away at the age of 80.
For those of us in the Rocky Horror family, it is almost impossible to put into words what Tim meant to us.
In 1973, Tim stepped onto the stage as Dr. Frank-N-Furter in The Rocky Horror Show, and two years later brought that unforgettable performance to the screen in The Rocky Horror Picture Show. What followed was something no one could have predicted: a little movie that refused to disappear, generations of fans who found one another in darkened theaters, and a worldwide community that has lasted more than half a century.
At the center of it all was Tim.
His Frank-N-Furter was outrageous, dangerous, hilarious, sexy, fearless, and unlike anything audiences had seen before. For countless people who felt different, Rocky Horror became a place where they felt accepted and celebrated. It gave many LGBTQ+ young people a sense of belonging, and Tim helped open that door.
His extraordinary career went far beyond Rocky Horror, with unforgettable performances in Clue, Annie, Legend, It, and Muppet Treasure Island, along with decades of stage, screen and voice work.
But to this community, he will always be something more.
For more than 50 years, audiences have shouted at the screen, thrown toast, danced the Time Warp, dressed as the character he helped bring to life, and introduced Rocky Horror to new generations.
We were extraordinarily fortunate to celebrate the film’s 50th anniversary with Tim and to honor the man whose performance started so much of what became the Rocky Horror phenomenon.
Today, the Rocky Horror family has lost its Sweet Transvestite.
But somewhere, the lights will go down in a theater. The lips will appear on the screen. Someone will be seeing Rocky Horror for the first time. And Tim Curry will open that elevator gate and boldly strut down that aisle again.
Thank you, Tim. For Frank. For the laughter. For the music. For 50 years of absolute pleasure.
Tim Curry
1946–2026
“To Absent Friends”
