It seems hideously unfair to lose Dolly Parton and Tim Curry on same day, right? Like, what the hell?
There are a LOT of Tim Curry landmark performances, which makes for a whopper of a career retrospective.It’s like a giant game of “Yes, and…” over the course of 40+ years.
I’m really glad I’m not in charge of editing that video. Egads.
Curry, like Dolly, was an icon, which is a rather neat concept because I don’t think the adjective can be applied until after one’s work is done. Doing the thing doesn’t make someone an icon; having done the thing and then seeing the culture-renovating impact it had renders someone an icon. It’s a status that emerges from the past and stays in present and into the future.
While I do love Dr. Furter, and I love the fact that he was himself a Muppet, the role that truly introduced me to Curry was Clue. I remember when Clue was in theaters, and there were three possible endings, so depending on which theater and showing you went to, you saw one killer unveiled while other moviegoers saw a different ending.
Here’s a collection of some of his best scenes in Clue:
“I buttle, sir.”
What are your favorite Tim Curry performances?
And! If you have Friday Videosuggestions, please email me – I’d love to share your favorites.
Friday Videos wish you a very entertaining weekend!
Curry’s narration of Garth Nix’s Abhorsen/The Old Kingdom series will always be a favorite, especially his version of Mogett — truly evil or just a feline?
And Gloria Steinem. We are losing the influencers I grew up with before we had such a word.
I feel like we should mention Peter Cullen – the voice of Eeyore and Optimus Prime. “If you’re going to be a hero, be a real hero — be strong enough to be gentle.”
Discovered footage of Tim Curry as The Pirate King from Pirates of Penzance and have been sharing widely. Highly recommend!
Plus I *definitely* need to re-watch ‘Hunt for Red October’ – both Sam Neill and Tim Curry…
In 1974 I saw Tim Curry in person onstage in a London theatre in the ROCKY HORROR SHOW (while downing double whiskeys delivered to my seat by ushers) and later (1976?) in a midnight viewing of THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW while in grad school in the US. What an introduction to his talent — and to his incredible demonstration of how to color brilliantly outside the lines.
I am also very sad about Cassandra Wilson’s death.
Strangely, my favorite of his performances has always been his unusually understated role as the Soviet doctor in Red October. He lets his admiration of Sean Connery as both his in-role Captain and as a theater icon shine through beautifully.
@Bianca, please share the link!
It’s been a terrible August/September for celebrity deaths. Tim’s always Long John Silver in Muppet Treasure Island to me, but he’s wonderful in Times Square. LISTEN TO THIS ROCK ALBUMS.
I haven’t seen most of the movies Tim Curry is known for, but have enjoyed his small roles every time I come across one.
“Head Wizard of Unseen University” in The Color of Magic movie adaptation would be my pick — the 1990s version, which also features Samwise the Hobbit’s actor as Twoflower the hapless tourist.
He also did a hilarious contemporary villain on an episode of Psych, wherein he portrayed a talent show judge in the vein of Simon Cowell, but even nastier.
Those midnight showings of Rocky Horror during high school and college were the best. Loved all of his work. And my kids got to experience him in The Wild Thornberrys.
I second the vote for his narration of “Sabriel”. I listened to it a couple of years ago on a road trip and it was fantastic – especially as the character Mogget. He had both the feline purr and a strong undercurrent of menace all at once. So good.
One of my core Tim Curry memories is him playing a wizard in The Worst Witch (1986). This scene is delightfully terrible.
I also found this 1982 video of Tim Curry as The Pirate King that might be the production that Bianca mentioned.
He played in Wiseguy, a great TV series of the late 1980’s. His entire arc was marvellous but I really loved when he danced on his rival’s grave. There is a link to it on TikTok but I am technologically challenged (and morally opposed to TIkTok!) so didn’t add the link. Please try to find it!
@Christy: Oh, gosh, I’d forgotten Tim Curry was in Wiseguy. And what a good series that was.
My personal Best Tim Curry Performance You’ve Never Heard Of is the 1975 BBC adaptation of Three Men and a Dog. Obviously very different from That Other 1975 Performance, but really a delight. It’s been available on YouTube for years (thanks, BBC!).