Tim Curry’s Cause of Death Revealed as New Details Emerge

Los Angeles County records also listed Curry’s history of stroke and kidney cancer as contributing conditions.

LOS ANGELES, Calif. — Actor Tim Curry, the British performer whose roles in “The Rocky Horror Picture Show,” “Clue” and “It” made him a cult favorite across generations, died Aug. 25 at age 80 from coronary artery disease, his public relations representative has confirmed.

The confirmation resolved a key question left open when Curry’s death was announced Aug. 26. Records obtained from the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health identified coronary artery disease as the cause of death and listed a history of stroke and kidney cancer as other significant conditions that contributed to his death. His representative, Sean Katz, later confirmed the cause to The Washington Post, citing the county health department.

Curry died peacefully at his home in the Toluca Lake area of Los Angeles, according to his longtime manager and friend, Marcia Hurwitz. Public health records obtained by People placed his time of death at 11:18 p.m. Los Angeles police told the outlet that officers responded to a call for service that night and completed a death investigation involving a man in his 80s.

The records brought new attention to health problems Curry had faced in the final years of his life. He suffered a major stroke in 2012 that left him partially paralyzed and unable to walk. He used a wheelchair afterward and scaled back his on-camera work, though he continued voice acting and occasionally appeared at public events. The stroke became a defining part of his later life but did not end his career.

Curry discussed the lasting effects of the stroke during a Sept. 26, 2025, appearance marking the 50th anniversary of “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles. He said at the time that he still could not walk and continued to have significant problems with his left leg. In a separate CBS interview tied to his memoir, Curry reflected on the stroke and the work required to relearn speech.

The county records also listed kidney cancer as a significant condition contributing to Curry’s death. The cancer had not been a prominent part of his public health history before the records were reported. People reported that the documents listed no operations for Curry’s coronary artery disease, kidney cancer or stroke history. The records distinguished those conditions from coronary artery disease, which was identified as the underlying cause.

Born April 19, 1946, in Cheshire, England, Curry built a career that stretched across theater, film, television and voice work for more than five decades. He appeared in the London production of “Hair” in 1968 and later originated the role of Dr. Frank-N-Furter in the London stage production of “The Rocky Horror Show.” He brought the character to the screen in the 1975 film “The Rocky Horror Picture Show,” which grew into a long-running cult phenomenon through midnight screenings and audience participation.

His film work ranged from Rooster Hannigan in “Annie” to the butler Wadsworth in “Clue,” Long John Silver in “Muppet Treasure Island” and a hotel concierge in “Home Alone 2: Lost in New York.” He also played Pennywise in the 1990 television adaptation of Stephen King’s “It,” a performance that became one of his best-known roles outside “Rocky Horror.” His later work included voice performances and a role in the 2024 film “Stream.”

Curry also had a major stage career in New York and London. Broadway records show he played Frank-N-Furter in “The Rocky Horror Show” in 1975, Mozart in “Amadeus” beginning in 1980, Alan Swann in “My Favorite Year” in 1992 and King Arthur in “Spamalot” in 2005. He received three Tony Award nominations, for “Amadeus,” “My Favorite Year” and “Spamalot.”

Eric Idle, who worked with Curry on “Spamalot,” remembered him in an interview published Sept. 10 as generous, enthusiastic and supportive. Idle said Curry handled the challenges that followed his stroke with composure and said he planned to honor the actor during a New York event later in September.

Curry published his memoir, “Vagabond,” in October 2025, revisiting his childhood, stage work, film career and the 2012 stroke. The book arrived during renewed attention to “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” as the film marked its 50th anniversary. Curry had long kept much of his private life out of the spotlight, making the memoir and his late-career interviews an uncommon extended look at his experiences away from his best-known characters.

With Katz’s confirmation, coronary artery disease is the reported cause of Curry’s death, while his history of stroke and kidney cancer are listed as contributing conditions. No additional public medical findings had been announced as of Sept. 10. Tributes from colleagues and fans have continued as his stage and screen work is remembered.

Author note: Last updated September 10, 2026.