Tim Curry's cause of death revealed

Cause of Death Confirmed for Actor Tim Curry, Known for "Rocky Horror" and "It"

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health has confirmed that Tim Curry, the British actor whose singular voice and theatrical flair made him a pop-culture fixture for half a century, died of coronary artery disease at age 80. He passed away on Aug. 25.

The department's records, obtained this week, also listed a history of stroke and kidney cancer as contributing conditions, while noting that Curry never underwent surgery for any of the three ailments. The Los Angeles Police Department responded to a home in the area shortly before midnight on the night of his death for a death investigation involving a man in his 80s. No foul play is suspected.

Curry's death was first confirmed by Jimmy Franco, senior director of publicity at Grand Central Publishing, who told reporters simply, "Yes, it is true and very sad indeed." Franco said he did not have a formal statement to share at the time.

Though Curry's face and form were instantly recognizable to generations of filmgoers, it was arguably his voice—rich, warm, mischievous, and capable of pivoting on a dime from courtly charm to menacing glee—that became his most enduring instrument.

Curry first captured international attention originating the role of the libidinous, glammed-up alien Dr. Frank-N-Furter in the original 1973 London stage production of "The Rocky Horror Show." He reprised the part when the musical transferred to Broadway and again in the 1975 film adaptation, "The Rocky Horror Picture Show," which co-starred Susan Sarandon, Barry Bostwick, and Meat Loaf and grew into a midnight-movie phenomenon celebrated for its audience participation and songs like "The Time Warp."

In the years that followed, Curry built a remarkably varied résumé that spanned horror, comedy, adventure, and drama. He terrified a generation of television viewers as the shapeshifting clown Pennywise in the 1990 ABC miniseries "It," adapted from Stephen King's novel. He brought sharp wit to the board game–inspired whodunit "Clue" as the butler Wadsworth, hammed it up as the concierge in "Home Alone 2: Lost in New York," and swashed his way through the villainous Cardinal Richelieu in 1993's "The Three Musketeers."

On stage, his work earned him three Tony Award nominations—for "My Favorite Year," "Amadeus," and "Spamalot." He won a Daytime Emmy Award and also received a Primetime Emmy nomination over the course of his career.

In 2012, Curry suffered a major stroke that left him using a wheelchair. He continued to work, taking on voice roles and other projects, and returned to live-action film in 2024 with the horror movie "Stream."

Curry's death closes a chapter for fans who grew up with his iconic performances, but his work—frequently quoted, quoted back to him, and sung aloud in theaters at midnight—continues to find new audiences.