The death certificate for Tim Curry, filed in Los Angeles County, has revealed the English actor passed away from coronary artery disease, with his spokesperson confirming the details to the BBC.
The Cheshire-born performer, who died at his residence in Los Angeles at the age of 80, had managed his health conditions for several years prior to his passing.
Curry achieved widespread recognition for his portrayal of the transvestite alien scientist Dr Frank-N-Furter in the 1975 musical adaptation, a role he initially originated on the London stage before transferring the production to Broadway and subsequently reprising the character for the screen.
The film featured performances from Susan Sarandon, Meat Loaf and Barry Bostwick.
The production has since achieved cult status, particularly within the LGBTQ+ community, and is celebrated for its representation and memorable musical sequences, notably The Time Warp.
Throughout his extensive career spanning stage and cinema, Curry accumulated an impressive portfolio of film appearances.
He portrayed the malevolent entity Pennywise in the 1990 adaptation of Stephen King’s It, took on the role of the concierge in Home Alone 2: Lost in New York from 1992, and embodied Long John Silver in Muppet Treasure Island from 1996.
The actor had spoken publicly about his medical history in preceding years, disclosing both a kidney cancer diagnosis and the impact of a major stroke he experienced in 2012.
The cerebrovascular incident resulted in paralysis affecting the entire left side of his body.
According to the death certificate, both the previous stroke and cancer diagnosis were listed as contributing factors to his death.
Following the stroke, Curry required the use of a wheelchair and redirected his professional focus toward voice acting work.
He contributed vocal performances to several animated children’s programmes, including an animated Star Wars series, an animated nature-themed programme and an animated adventure series featuring a young inventor character.
During an interview with BBC Radio 4’s Today programme in October 2024, Curry explained that he remained unable to walk following his stroke, describing the situation as profoundly restrictive.
He expressed difficulty with his altered circumstances and acknowledged the challenges of living with significant physical limitations.
In October 2025, Curry released his autobiography titled Vagabond.