Tim Curry’s cause of death revealed after actor dies at 80

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Tim Curry’s cause of death has been revealed following his passing at age 80 on August 25, according to documents from the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health obtained by People.

The actor died of coronary artery disease, while a history of stroke and kidney cancer were also listed as significant conditions that contributed to his death.

Tim Curry’s health struggles and final years

The documents stated that no operations were performed for Curry’s coronary artery disease, kidney cancer or history of stroke.

The Los Angeles Police Department previously confirmed that officers responded to the 10500 block of La Maida St. at 11:23 pm on August 25 for a death investigation involving an 80-year-old male, and a death investigation report was completed.

Curry, best known for playing the garish Dr. Frank-N-Furter in ‘The Rocky Horror Picture Show,’ had experienced health problems for many years after suffering a debilitating stroke in 2012 while receiving a massage. In a 2025 interview with the NYT, Curry recalled that the medical emergency brought him “way too close to death.” 

He said he did not know what was happening at the time and later learned at the hospital that doctors had operated on his brain and removed two blood clots. The stroke left Curry paralyzed along his left side and temporarily unable to speak.

He recalled being terrified by the possibility of being unable to communicate, particularly because his father had suffered a stroke at 45 and later died from pneumonia. Curry eventually learned to speak again but never regained mobility and used a wheelchair.

During a 50th anniversary screening of ‘The Rocky Horror Picture Show’ in Los Angeles in September 2025, he gave an update on his condition, saying he “still can’t walk” and explaining that he was in a wheelchair because of how limiting his condition remained.

Tim Curry’s private life and career legacy

The three-time Tony nominee received acclaim for roles in ‘Annie,’ ‘Clue,’ ‘Home Alone 2: Lost in New York’ and ‘Muppet Treasure Island.’ He also played Pennywise in the ABC miniseries ‘It,’ based on Stephen King’s 1986 horror novel.

In 2025, Curry released his memoir, ‘Vagabond.’ He intentionally kept his personal life away from the spotlight. In the introduction to ‘Vagabond,’ Curry addressed readers expecting “lurid details of my love affairs,” writing that he had experienced true love, heartbreak and “everything in between,” but was not interested in sharing his romances publicly.

Later in the memoir, Curry explained that he disliked the part of show business that treated personal life as public property and had “repelled” the idea of self-promotion from the beginning of his career. 

He wrote that personal exposure could become “extremely nasty” when someone was unhappy and argued that people should not have to reveal their private lives for audiences to enjoy their work.

Although Curry understood that interviews were necessary, he considered the process “intrusive.” He particularly objected to situations in which fans became deeply attached after learning personal details, explaining that he sometimes had to remind them, “I’m just a person, and I’m not your person.”