Rocky Horror actor Tim Curry cause of death confirmed after he died age 80
Tim Curry (Image: Getty Images)
Tim Curry’s cause of death has been confirmed as coronary artery disease, with a history of stroke and kidney cancer listed as significant contributing conditions.
Rocky Horror actor Curry died on 25 August at his home in Toluca Lake, Los Angeles, aged 80.
His spokesman confirmed his cause of death, which is listed on a death certificate filed in Los Angeles County, reports BBC News.
The sad update has renewed tributes to the British actor whose Dr Frank-N-Furter performance helped define the camp, gender-bending spirit of The Rocky Horror Picture Show and its decades-long midnight-movie fandom.
Susan Sarandon, who co-starred with Curry in The Rocky Horror Picture Show, wrote: “What a funny, sexy, original he was. But what I loved about him most was his heart.” She added: “Even wheelchair bound he continued to be so sweet and generous with his fans.”
Even iconic dolls line Bratz paid tribute, with a doll in Curry’s honour.
Health and later life
Curry suffered a major stroke in 2012 and used a wheelchair afterwards. In an interview aired on CBS Sunday Morning in October 2025, he recalled the moment it began: “It was so strange,” he said. “I felt fine. I had no symptoms I was aware of. I wasn’t in pain.”
After his stroke, he needed brain surgery. He went on to have mobility issues with his left arm and leg too.
As of September 2025, he was still unable to walk.
Frank-N-Furter’s lasting impact
Curry became a cult icon for originating Dr Frank-N-Furter on stage and on screen, a performance central to The Rocky Horror Picture Show’s enduring midnight-movie culture.
The star previously spoke of his stint in Rocky Horror, saying in 2005: “It’s a chance for people to try on a few roles for size, maybe help them figure out their own sexuality.
“I’ve certainly had some very interesting and moving mail from people who’ve said, ‘Thanks for helping me figure out who I was,’ and that’s very nice.”
He is also widely recognised for playing Pennywise in the 1990 TV adaptation of Stephen King’s It, as well as roles in Clue and Home Alone 2: Lost in New York. His career spanned theatre, film, television and voice acting, with a reputation for heightened, theatrical character work.
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