By Emma Garrett, Staff Writer
On Aug. 25, 2026, actor, singer, and author, Tim Curry passed away; fans across the world expressed their earnest sadness and condolences for the deceased. Dubbed the Prince of Halloween, fans will honor his memory this fall by celebrating his most iconic roles.
Curry began his career as both a stage actor and television star. However, it wasn’t until his first film role that he became a household name. In 1975, audiences were introduced to Curry in the leading role of Dr. Frank-N-Furter in the film, “Rocky Horror Picture Show” (RHPS). Based on the stage play with the same name, the film became a classic for all, especially in the fall season.
Audiences became enamored with Curry’s performance in RHPS. Fans, both new and old, were captivated by his silly yet sultry performance in the film.
Ava Barretto, a senior English major, recounted how influential Curry and his films were to her life and how she expresses herself.
“I just liked how glamorous his acting was; it was glamorous and rugged at the same time,” Barretto said.
Barretto further explained that Curry’s skills as an actor are significantly more advanced than most performers today as he can naturally switch between characters and genres. He was simply more capable of playing characters different from himself than other actors.
Both the film and the stage play dissect themes of self-acceptance and expressing one’s true self even if others disagree with one’s lifestyle. Curry giving a natural performance to a feminine and alternative character was a big deal for the time. The movie’s themes resonate with audiences of all backgrounds and inspire them to be their true selves.
Curry was known for being a method actor, a performer who lives and breathes their character both on and off stage. Even though Dr. Frank-N-Furter was such an unapologetically loud and influential role, there was more to come from his performances in the upcoming years.
Fifteen years after playing Dr. Frank-N-Furter, Curry would land the role of the horror icon, Pennywise. Before the 2017 remake, ABC featured a miniseries adaptation of Stephen King’s novel, “It,” to which Curry left a haunting impression on his audience.
“He scared me,” Barretto recounted. “I thought that he was just terrifying and the way that he had such an exaggerated performance had set a standard to how Pennywise should act but also setting a new perspective for villains.”
Many viewers, particularly members of Gen-X, believe Curry’s rendition of Pennywise had kick-started the fear culture surrounding clowns. Curry’s Pennywise sported the classic clown costume and make-up; he didn’t look too much different than an entertainer at a children’s party. There wasn’t anything particularly scary about his appearance. What truly made Pennywise scary were the subtle movement in his eyes, the unhinged poses of his mouth, his raspy voice, and his violent body language.
Curry had put a lot of stock into both overemphasized and subtle acting choices. However, he had to work even harder against heavy make-up from his more prominent roles. When playing the Lord of Darkness from the film “Legend,” Curry was covered from head to toe with make-up and prosthetics. He took the role in full stride and put in just as much effort, if not more, to match his usual grandiose performances such as Dr. Frank-N-Furter.
Curry had put his all into his roles, including the ones outside of his supernatural and occult films. His inclusion in films like “Clue”, “Home Alone 2: Lost in New York”, and “Annie”added so much personality and wit into already brilliant films.
While the Prince of Halloween reigns over his fans’ hearts in fall, this beloved actor is a staple of holiday films of all seasons. While fans can watch “It” on Oct. 31, Netflix will release his final role in “Barbie in the Nutcracker” on Nov. 1. The Netflix animated feature is a remake of the 2001 film of the same name, which includes Curry as the villainous Rat King. In the newest offering, Curry returns as the voice of the Rat King’s father.
Curry will live on forever in the hearts of millions and will be memorialized in the movies that shaped generations.
