Smashing! The Very Best From Tim Curry
Tim Curry is one of the greatest actors of all time. Throwing himself into each and every performance–no matter how ridiculous or over-the-top the role–Curry ensures a movie or TV show of profound quality for viewers.
Whether performing on the stage, in film, or on television, Curry gives it his all with every one of his characters, appearing as a deranged killer clown, a swashbuckling pirate, and a transexual scientist with unparalleled commitment.
From underground comedy horror musicals to cult classic whodunits, find here some of the greatest Tim Curry movies and television, ranked from best to worst.
The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)
The film that made Curry an overnight sensation in the midnight movie circuit, it’s hard to envision any other actor besides Curry portraying the lecherous, pleasure-obsessed Dr. Frank-N-Furter. The standout character of 1975’s The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Frank-N-Furter defies any conventional tropes associated with the archetypical mad scientist.
A self-proclaimed “Sweet Transvestite from Planet Transylvania,” Curry’s confidence oozes off the screen as Frank-N-Furter, living on as one of the most iconic characters in the horror, musical, or comedic landscape.
It (1990)
In 1990, Tim Curry traumatized a generation of viewers with his performance as Stephen King’s demonic, shapeshifting creature known only as “It.” Though this made-for-TV film is hampered by some dated special effects, Curry’s performance makes it a worthwhile viewing experience.
As It’s favored form of Pennywise the Dancing Clown, Curry hams it up as a malevolent creature disguised as an unhinged circus clown. Despite his buoyant energy and often cartoonish antics, Curry outfits Pennywise with a far darker, more ominous personality hidden beneath his outer surface.
Muppet Treasure Island (1996)
Like most famous literary characters, each actor who has stepped into the role of Long John Silver has provided their own unique spin on the character. In Curry’s case, said performance came through the 1996 cult favorite, Muppet Treasure Island.
Though a far looser and more humorous adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson’s landmark adventure novel, Curry uses the film as an opportunity to hand in his own take on the eccentric sea cook-turned-pirate, Long John. A far more paternal figure to Jim Hawkins (Kevin Bishop) than most other cinematic versions of Silver, Curry’s persistent charm makes him the likable antagonist he is throughout the film.
Clue (1985)
The year 1985 proved a busy time for Curry, the actor appearing in prominent roles in both Ridley Scott’s Legend and the fan-favorite whodunit, Clue. A creative and original adaptation of Hasbro’s famed board game of the same name, Curry stars in Clue as the refined butler, Wadsworth.
An eccentric character even by Clue’s standards, Curry flies through the film with the energy and quirkiness of a Wes Anderson protagonist. Humorous, straight-laced, and prone to fits of rash emotion, Curry’s Wadsworth serves as the closest thing the movie has to a central investigator, rounding up clues and evidence to narrow down the potential killer in this cult classic mystery comedy.
The Wild Thornberrys (1998)
From 1998 to 2004, Curry lent his voice to a role on Nickelodeon’s animated children series, The Wild Thornberrys (as well as its two cinematic continuations, The Wild Thornberrys Movie and Rugrats Go Wild). While Curry voices a handful of characters in the series, fans tend to recognize him more readily for his enthusiastic wildlife expert, Sir Nigel Thornberry.
Known for his bushy mustache, wild eyes, and trademark phrase of “Smashing!” Nigel’s voice is a humorous cross between Curry’s posh British accent in Clue and Home Alone 2, yet Nigel’s inherent personality is all Curry’s. Facing imminent danger from a variety of flora and fauna, Nigel’s love for the outdoors never waves for a moment, with the patriarch of the Thornberry family basking in the excitement and unpredictability of the jungle with utmost relish.
Legend (1985)
An ambitious dark fantasy film from modern auteur Ridley Scott, Legend pits Tim Curry in the role of the Satanic Lord of Darkness. Buried beneath layers of heavy prosthetics, Curry’s natural charisma shines through as Darkness, the embodiment of pure evil in Legend’s fictional universe.
As imposing a figure as he is, Curry alternates between temperaments as Darkness, transitioning from dramatic bursts of anger to more cool-headed charm when trying to sway someone to his side. A cult classic among modern audiences, it’s impossible to imagine anyone handling the role of Darkness with the same theatricality as Curry. Though not the best of Tim Curry movies, his performance ranks as a tour-de-force.
FernGully: The Last Rainforest (1992)
In 1992, Tim Curry starred as the central antagonist in the independent animated family film FernGully: The Last Rainforest. In the context of the film, Curry plays Hexxus, a larger-than-life personification of toxic pollution.
A pitch-perfect combination of Curry’s most famous roles, Hexxus has the eloquent charm of Frank-N-Furter, the malice of Darkness, and the unhinged cruelty of Pennywise. Today, it ranks as one of the most underrated Tim Curry movies.
Annie (1982)
Viewers should decide whether Annie is a good movie or not. While the movie has its fair share of weaknesses, Curry’s performance as Rooster Hannigan is not one of them. The estranged brother to Carol Burnett’s Aggy Hannigan, Rooster, and his partner Lily (Bernadette Peters) reappear halfway through the film in the hopes of obtaining a lucrative reward by posing as the orphaned Annie’s (Aileen Quinn) parents.
A dexterous con artist characterized by his confidence and bravado, Rooster propels the final act of Annie forward, transforming from a cocky trickster into an enraged murderer bent on Annie’s demise.
Tales from the Crypt (1993)
It takes a tremendous amount of talent to play not one, not two, but three different characters in the course of a television episode. Yet, as Curry has proven time and time again, the actor’s profound range allowed him to tap into each of his roles with chameleon-like precision.
Appearing in season five of HBO’s Tales from the Crypt, Curry figures into the 1993 episode “Death of Some Salesmen” as the three members of an eccentric Southern family with a fierce hatred of con artists. Appearing as Ma, Pa, and their daughter Winona, Curry’s performance as the grotesque Bracketts establishes them as creepy and backwards a family as the Sawyer brood in The Texas Chain Saw Massacre.
Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992)
Though Home Alone 2: Lost in New York follows the same basic structure as Home Alone, this 1992 sequel still has enough originality to justify a watch any holiday season. In particular, the movie makes some superb use of Tim Curry as Mr. Hector, the snooty concierge of New York’s prestigious Plaza Hotel.
Speaking in an exaggerated British accent, Hector serves as a secondary antagonist behind the conniving Sticky Bandits (Joe Pesci and Dan Stern), attempting to apprehend Macaulay Culkin’s Kevin during his brief stay at the hotel. Maintaining some inspired chemistry with both Culkin and his fellow hotel staff (Dana Ivey and Rob Schneider), Curry steals almost every scene he appears in throughout Home Alone 2.
Peter Pan & the Pirates (1990)
In 1990, Curry garnered a Daytime Emmy Award for his starring role on Fox’s animated series, Peter Pan & the Pirates. As Peter Pan’s (Jason Marsden) sworn mortal enemy Captain Hook, Curry provides a somewhat more threatening iteration of the character than the comedic buccaneer present in Disney’s films.
With his fiery temper, dark wardrobe, and powerful build, Curry’s Hook fills a variety of roles in Peter Pan & the Pirates, whether appearing as a more foreboding antagonist or the comical ringleader of his oafish band of pirates.
The Hunt for Red October (1990)
It’s never an easy task for any actor to appear in an ensemble film, the potential for any one actor’s performance to outshine their co-stars being somewhat high. Still, Curry does his best to stand out in the 1990 thriller The Hunt for Red October, even if the larger-than-life presence of Sean Connery overshadows him.
As Dr. Yevgeni Petrov, Curry assists Connery’s Ramius in his complex game of cat and mouse with the U.S. and Soviet military. Despite his limited screentime, Curry ensures an enjoyable enough performance as Petrov, making for an effective aid to Connery’s Ramius.
Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2012)
Following the tragic passing of Ian Abercrombie in 2012, Curry assumed Abercrombie’s vocal performance as Supreme Chancellor Palpatine in Star Wars: The Clone Wars. Voicing the Chancellor for a total of two years, Curry portrays each side of Palpatine’s character, from the kind-hearted statesman of the Galactic Republic to the sinister Dark Lord of the Sith.
With his dry crackle and grizzled voice, Curry makes for a legitimate successor to Abercrombie, delivering one of the best iterations of Palpatine audiences have seen yet.
The Three Musketeers (1993)
Like Annie or Home Alone 2, it stretches the lexicon to describe 1993’s The Three Musketeers as an altogether great film. Criticism for the script, the pacing, and the general unfaithfulness to Alexander Dumas’s source material aside, The Three Musketeers does benefit from an impressive cast list, including the acting might of Tim Curry.
Inhabiting the role of the sinister Cardinal Richelieu, Curry lays out plans to claim the French monarchy for himself, influencing the impressionable King Louis (Hugh O’Conor) with the cunning ploy of a wolf in sheep’s clothing.
Duckman (1994)
A somewhat minor addition to Curry’s television career, Duckman has since achieved a minor cult status among more recent generations of viewers. Though he makes only a handful of appearances in the show, Curry nevertheless manages to delight each time he guest stars as the antagonistic King Chicken.
The smooth-talking nemesis of the private detective Eric Tiberius Duckman (Jason Alexander), Curry’s fluctuating voice as King Chicken makes him both a comical villain and a formidable foe for the titular Duckman.
