# Tim Curry has died at 80 **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** celebrity-death\ **Created:** [August 26, 2026, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tim-curry-has-died-at-80/1032573 "2026-08-26T15:33:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![ricepad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b38774/32.png) [@ricepad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ricepad)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2026, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tim-curry-has-died-at-80/1032573/21 "2026-08-26T16:20:58Z")
“I’m the butler: I buttle.” Throwaway line, delivered perfectly. ---
**Author:** ![peedin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peedin/32/14095_2.png) [@peedin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peedin)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2026, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tim-curry-has-died-at-80/1032573/22 "2026-08-26T16:22:18Z")
What the??? ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2026, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tim-curry-has-died-at-80/1032573/23 "2026-08-26T16:23:57Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > I’ve read multiple times that you can tell a lot about a person by what their first experience with Tim Curry was. Hunt For Red October for me; I could never grok the whole Rocky Horror thang and never went to a screening. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2026, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tim-curry-has-died-at-80/1032573/24 "2026-08-26T16:26:41Z")
Rocky Horror really only works in person, it doesn’t have the same impact at home. I’ll leave it to others to describe why it works, but even if you just do the Time Warp, it is a pretty great experience. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2026, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tim-curry-has-died-at-80/1032573/25 "2026-08-26T16:30:19Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > you can tell a lot about a person by what their first experience with Tim Curry was. RHPS, like god intended. What does that say about me? > [@What\_Exit](#): > > if you just do the Time Warp, Again? ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2026, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tim-curry-has-died-at-80/1032573/26 "2026-08-26T16:31:55Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > Rocky Horror really only works in person, it doesn’t have the same impact at home. It worked for me on a 15" b/w TV with a mono speaker around 1983 when I was 15. I instantly got hooked to the movie and not much later bought the soundtrack. I’ve never seen the movie in a theater, but I saw a live performance of the play about ten years later. ETA: and yeah, that was my introduction to Tim Curry, and still is the first role and costume I picture him in. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2026, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tim-curry-has-died-at-80/1032573/27 "2026-08-26T16:35:03Z")
I think 1983 is when I first saw it. So most of the shoutouts and theatrics were already well established by then. At that point it was older movie theaters that would show it as the crowd was kind of semi-destructive. So the $1 theaters were the most likely to run it at Midnight with The Wall on another screen. If they had a 3rd screen, it would be a random one of the other midnight movies. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2026, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tim-curry-has-died-at-80/1032573/28 "2026-08-26T16:35:33Z")
Let us not forget Spamalot > **[Spamalot - Original London Cast - Royal Variety Performance 2006 - Tim Curry](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NuAggehcX0Q%2F)** > > Tim Curry, Hannah Waddingham and the original London cast of Spamalot perform a medley of songs during the 2006 Royal Variety Performance. And his many, many voice acting roles. But RHPS, to be sure. ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2026, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tim-curry-has-died-at-80/1032573/29 "2026-08-26T16:39:03Z")
I was one of the original RHPS fans when the film came out in 1975. It was a phenomenon, and while the entire cast was stellar, it was driven by Tim Curry. I went to so many of the showings and introduced many friends to the experience. As @What_Exit points out, it can’t really be described, only experienced. You also have to consider the times. It was avant garde in its day. We had so much fun! I will always be grateful to Tim Curry for that. After RHPS, I watched Curry in anything I noticed he was in. He had a gift for taking any role, however minor, and expanding it to its full capacity. Always memorable. I was sad when I learned of his stroke. I’m not surprised he passed. But I will mourn him as a groundbreaking, funny fearless person who gave his all to his craft. We won’t see his like again. Safe journey, Mr. Curry. I will miss you. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2026, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tim-curry-has-died-at-80/1032573/30 "2026-08-26T16:39:27Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > I’ve read multiple times that you can tell a lot about a person by what their first experience with Tim Curry was. Like roughly what year they were born? I guess my first has to be _Legend_. ---
**Author:** ![orcenio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/orcenio/32/1036_2.png) [@orcenio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/orcenio)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2026, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tim-curry-has-died-at-80/1032573/31 "2026-08-26T16:41:03Z")
One of the few actors that I loved to watch, just over-the-top, hamming it up 🍖; I mean REALLY chewing the scenery, sans care. ---
**Author:** ![markn\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@markn\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markn_1)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2026, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tim-curry-has-died-at-80/1032573/32 "2026-08-26T16:41:57Z")
My first was RHPS in 1980. It was my first date with the woman who would become my first wife. Great movie, terrible marriage. I don’t blame Curry. RIP. ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2026, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tim-curry-has-died-at-80/1032573/33 "2026-08-26T16:43:53Z")
My first exposure was RHPS, but “I Do the Rock” was a close second. [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/kXPCsaO_55o/hqdefault.jpg "Tim Curry Official Music Video - I Do The Rock") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kXPCsaO_55o) _I do the rock, myself…_ ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2026, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tim-curry-has-died-at-80/1032573/34 "2026-08-26T16:44:01Z")
> [@ricepad](#): > > “I’m the butler: I buttle.” > > Throwaway line, delivered perfectly. “Can you keep a secret?” ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2026, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tim-curry-has-died-at-80/1032573/35 "2026-08-26T16:44:03Z")
I think I’ve only seen RHPS 6 times at the movies and twice on TV. I did watch the Tribute TV movie, the one with Victoria Justice. Oh and of course a little osmosis from watching Fame at least 4 times. Also this classic moment: [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Iru_d-G-dec/hqdefault.jpg "The Drew Carey Show- Rocky Horror Picture Show- Time Warp") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iru_d-G-dec&t=59) ---
**Author:** ![Catamount](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/catamount/32/2840_2.png) [@Catamount](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Catamount)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2026, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tim-curry-has-died-at-80/1032573/36 "2026-08-26T16:52:30Z")
My first Tim Curry movie was _Clue_. I spent an entire summer obsessed with that movie when I was 11 or 12. I watched it every single day for three months. I even took notes so I knew which ending was the correct one.\* If you haven’t read his memoir, _Vagabond_, you should. He talks about the varied characters he played and his philosophy of acting. He judged people who told him their favorite of his character was Pennywise because those people were usually very creepy. \*They all did it. ---
**Author:** ![Frodo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/frodo/32/302_2.png) [@Frodo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frodo)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2026, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tim-curry-has-died-at-80/1032573/37 "2026-08-26T16:55:47Z")
I don’t think he’s really dead, on the one hand Pennywise can never truly die, he’ll appear again in 20 years or so to terrorize a new generation of kids. On the other hand premier Romanov probably faked his death, and is now living in the only place untainted by capitalism… SPAAAACEEE. (My first exposure to Tim Curry was Home Alone 2, I think, I was too much of a wuss as a child to see IT) ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2026, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tim-curry-has-died-at-80/1032573/38 "2026-08-26T17:01:12Z")
A couple of weeks ago, CBS Sunday Morning re-ran an [interview with Tim Curry](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o4i3u714nxQ); the interview originally aired on October 19, 2025. This is well after the stroke he had in 2012, after which he needed a wheelchair. ---
**Author:** ![SuntanLotion](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suntanlotion/32/16165_2.png) [@SuntanLotion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SuntanLotion)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2026, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tim-curry-has-died-at-80/1032573/39 "2026-08-26T17:04:58Z")
I saw RHPS about 60 times in the late 80s. Also recommend his book Vagabond. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2026, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tim-curry-has-died-at-80/1032573/40 "2026-08-26T17:06:23Z")
I think Clue may have also been my first. But I didn’t know about him at the time and didn’t make the connection for a while after I learned about him. I mostly knew him as a voice actor. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tim-curry-has-died-at-80/1032573.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tim-curry-has-died-at-80/1032573.md?page=3)