Tim Curry, Red Alert 3 star and camp icon of stage and screen, dies aged 80

Tim Curry, the renowned English actor celebrated for his remarkable, award-winning portrayals across stage, film, television, and video game mediums, has passed away at the age of 80. According to TMZ, the celebrated actor breathed his last on Tuesday night at his residence in Los Angeles. Curry initially gained prominence for his portrayal of the flamboyant, gender-bending mad scientist Dr. Frank-N-Furter in the 1975 film adaptation of "The Rocky Horror Show," a cult favorite that remains a favorite for midnight screenings.

His illustrious career saw him take on a multitude of cherished roles, including Darkness in Legend and Wadsworth in "Clue," and a memorable performance as Darkness in "Legend." Curry's versatility shone through in his roles in "The Hunt for Red October," "Home Alone 2," and "Spamalot," as well as his iconic turn as Pennywise in "It."

He also lent his voice to videogame characters, notably in Sierra's "Gabriel Knight" point-and-click adventures and "Brütal Legend" and "Dragon Age: Origins." Curry's crowning achievement came as Premier Anatoly Cherdenko in "Command and Conquer: Red Alert 3," where he delivered a line that encapsulated the absurd and captivating nature of his craft.

In a featurette titled "Making of Gabriel Knight" included on the 1993 CD, Curry expressed his excitement about venturing into videogames, stating, "It was very exciting to contribute my presence to videogames, because I welcomed any new way to infiltrate myself into your minds." Despite his public absence due to health issues, Curry was welcomed by a devoted audience at a 50th anniversary screening of "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" in October 2025, the same month he released his memoir, "Vagabond," detailing his life and career.

In a final interview with CBS News in 2025, Curry revealed that while he was not in a hurry towards death, he was not afraid of it, expressing a willingness to embrace it when the time came.