Tim Curry: A Life in Pictures

Tim Curry, the stage and film actor, who died on Tuesday at age 80, was known for selflessly throwing himself into his craft. He embodied a number of memorable characters, from the eccentric Dr. Frank-N-Furter in “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” (and its preceding musical, “The Rocky Horror Show”) to the straight-faced King Arthur in “Spamalot.” He became a favorite for villain roles that demanded him to be conniving or downright cartoonish.

Curry, who was born in Grappenhall, England, knew by age 15 that he wanted to be an actor. “I spent a long time trying to talk myself out of it, because everybody else was trying to,” he told the Washington Post in 1988. He remarked that after his father died, his mother didn’t have much money. “She would have preferred a secure profession for me, and quite rightly, I guess, from her point of view.”

With a clear knack for the stage, Curry was also a notable vocalist. He said that at some point early in his career, he had been offered recording contracts and opportunities to join musical groups. He tried his hand at rock music in the late 1970s, and the second of his three albums, “Fearless,” reached No. 53 on the Billboard chart in 1979.

Over the next several decades, the fiercely private Curry built an enviable career that included hundreds of credits and earned him an Emmy and three Tony nominations.

Here are some photographs from his life and career.