Tim Curry was a master of playing larger-than-life characters on screen and stage. With a career spanning over five decades, he left an indelible mark on the entertainment industry.

The iconic actor's breakout role as mad scientist Dr. Frank-N-Furter in The Rocky Horror Picture Show cemented his status as a cult icon. However, just a few years later, he took on another iconic figure: William Shakespeare.

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From Dr. Frank-N-Furter to William Shakespeare

In the 1978 biographical drama Will Shakespeare, Curry played the legendary playwright alongside Paul Freeman and John Normington. The six-episode series also featured notable performances

Curry was an accomplished stage actor, earning three Tony nominations during his career. His notable Broadway productions include Amadeus, where he played Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and Clue, where he played the butler Wadsworth.

Curry's screen roles are equally impressive, with standout performances in Annie, Clue, and ABC's adaptation of Stephen King's It. In 1990, Tommy Lee Wallace directed the two-part production, allowing Curry to improvise much of his iconic role as Pennywise.

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A Legacy in Theater

As Curry reflected on his career in his memoir, Vagabond, he expressed respect for Stephen King and the adaptation of It. The show remains a beloved horror classic, ranking among the best horror shows of the 1990s according to TVLine.

In 2017, Wallace told The Hollywood Reporter , "My job was to give Tim the stage and not get in his way too much." Curry later reflected on the production in his memoir, " Vagabond ," writing, "I have great respect for Stephen King and think it's a strong adaptation, but it wasn't exactly a Stoppard experience.

Nor did I expect it to be." TVLine later ranked "It" among the best horror shows of the 1990s .

Tim Curry's filmography stretches back to the late 1960s, and the British-born actor played a staggering array of characters until his death August 25 at age 80 . Curry is best known for his iconic performance as mad scientist Dr.

Frank-N-Furter in the 1975 film "The Rocky Horror Picture Show," but just a few years later, he took on another larger-than-life figure: William Shakespeare. Curry played the legendary playwright in the 1978 biographical drama "Will Shakespeare" alongside Paul Freeman, John Normington, Ron Cook, and Roger Lloyd Pack.

The six-episode series also featured Meg Wynn Owen as Shakespeare's wife, Anne, and Patience Collier as Queen Elizabeth I.