'The Rocky Horror Picture Show' actor Tim Curry passes away at 80

Actor Tim Curry, who soared to fame in the '70s as the flamboyant star of the campy horror movie stage spoof 'The Rocky Horror Show' and its screen version 'The Rocky Horror Picture Show,' passed away on Tuesday in Los Angeles at the age of 80 years.

Actor Tim Curry, who soared to fame in the '70s as the flamboyant star of the campy horror movie stage spoof 'The Rocky Horror Show' and its screen version 'The Rocky Horror Picture Show,' passed away on Tuesday in Los Angeles at the age of 80 years, reported Variety. Curry's longtime manager, Marcia Hurwitz, confirmed to Variety that Curry died peacefully at his Toluca Lake home. A cause was not immediately available, though Curry had suffered from several health issues since having a severe stroke in 2012.

According to Variety, the versatile English actor, singer and voice performer garnered a Daytime Emmy Award and Tony and Olivier Awards. At the height of the "Rocky Horror" boom of the late '70s, Curry joined A&M Records' roster, cutting three rock albums, including "Fearless" (No. 53, 1979) and "Simplicity" (No. 112, 1981). In 1968, he began his career as a stage actor with an appearance in the London company of 'Hair,' the "American tribal love rock musical." Into the mid-'70s, he distinguished himself in appearances at the Royal Court Theatre, the Citizens Theatre, and in other companies, playing Shakespeare, Brecht, Buchner and Stoppard, before "Rocky Horror" launched him to stardom.

He enjoyed strong roles as con man Rooster Harrigan in John Huston's musical 'Annie' (1982) and (beneath a layer of elaborate makeup that took five hours to apply) the arch-villain Darkness in Ridley Scott's fantasy 'Legend' (1985). He also appeared (drolly, as the butler Wadsworth) in the screen adaptation of the mystery board game "Clue," which also attained cult status after an initial flop. His TV work of the period included a starring role as villain Bill Sikes in the 1982 TV movie of "Oliver Twist" and a 1989 record industry arc on the CBS crime show "Wiseguy."

He has worked in films including 'The Hunt for Red October', 'The Three Musketeers', 'Home Alone 2', 'Lethal Weapon' spoof 'Loaded Weapon 1', 'Muppet Treasure Island', 'McHale's Navy', 'Charlie's Angels', 'Scary Movie 2' 'Ritual' 'Kinsey' and 'Addams Family Reunion.' On TV, he has worked in projects like 'Peter Pan and the Pirates,' 'IT', 'Over the Top', 'Family Affair' and others. He was born April 19, 1948, in rural Grappenhall, Cheshire. (ANI)