Inside Tim Curry’s health issues that saw tragic actor step back from acting after stroke left him paralysed on one side

ROCKY Horror Picture Show star Tim Curry was forced to step away from acting after a debilitating stroke left him paralysed on one side. The Hollywood legend, who has passed away at the age of 80, was left wheelchair-bound in 2012. Tim Curry passed away at the age of 80 It meant he forced to take an extended break from acting after appearing in numerous films – including Clue and Muppet Treasure Island. British-born Curry opened up about his health battle in his memoir Vagabond – recalling the moment he collapsed at his home while he was having a massage. Sign up for the Showbiz newsletter Thank you! He wrote: “I did not fade to black. I did not even feel out of sorts, or like something was very wrong. In fact, I had no idea that anything was off at all.” Curry revealed the masseuse noticed something was wrong and called an ambulance – even though the actor told him not to. READ MORE ON ENTERTAINMENT At the time, though, Curry brushed off the seriousness of the situation as it was happening and believed it was a “ridiculous and unnecessary exercise”. He underwent invasive brain surgery and later had to relearn how to speak during his grueling rehabilitation. The actor had used a wheelchair since the stroke and increasingly turned to voice acting as his mobility became restricted. Curry, famed for his part as Dr Frank-N-Furter, the “sweet transvestite from transsexual Transylvania” in Rocky Horror, died on Tuesday night at his home in Los Angeles. Most read in Entertainment Sources told TMZ he had struggled with serious health problems for over ten years. Police arrived at his residence at 11:23 pm, according to law enforcement, and no foul play is suspected in his passing. No cause of death has yet been announced. Just months before his death, Curry had appeared at a screening in Los Angeles marking 50 years since Rocky Horror hit theatres, opening up candidly about his health. He received a standing ovation as he took to the stage at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles. Tim gave fans a heartbreaking insight into the lasting impact of his stroke as he spoke openly about his health. The actor admitted the stroke left him with permanent damage, more than 14 years on from the frightening ordeal. “I still can’t walk, which is why I’m in this silly chair, and that’s very limiting,” he said. “So I won’t be singing and I won’t be dancing very soon. I still have real problems with my left leg.” Tim famously played flamboyant scientist Dr Frank-N-Furter in the 1975 film, having first originated the role on stage. The performance transformed him into a cult icon and launched a career spanning film, television and theatre. He later terrified audiences as Pennywise the Dancing Clown in the 1990 adaptation of Stephen King’s It. Tim also appeared in Home Alone 2, Scary Movie and The Three Musketeers, among a string of other major roles. He later returned to the big screen in 2024 with a role in horror film Stream, marking his first feature film role in 14 years. Comment now