Tim Curry’s Health Struggles: A Rocky Horror Star’s Story
Actor Tim Curry poses for a photo during Emerald City Comic Con at Washington State Convention Center on December 04, 2021 (Image via Getty)
Tim Curry, best known for his iconic role in The Rocky Horror Picture Show, recently made an appearance at the film’s 50th anniversary celebration in Los Angeles. The event, held on September 26, 2025, at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, brought together Tim with co-stars Barry Bostwick, Patricia Quinn, and Nell Campbell, as well as the film’s producer, Lou Adler. During the gathering, Tim opened up about his health challenges, including a stroke he suffered in 2012 that left him confined to a wheelchair.
According to reports, Tim received a standing ovation as he took the stage. He shared the story of how he suffered a stroke while receiving a massage. “I was having a massage at the time and I didn’t even actually notice anything,” he said. However, his massage therapist insisted on calling an ambulance. “But the guy who was doing the massage said, ‘I’m worried about you, I want to call an ambulance.’ And he did, and I said, ‘That’s so silly,’” Curry recalled.
He explained that the stroke left him unable to walk, which is why he now uses a wheelchair. “I still can’t walk, which is why I’m in this silly chair, and that’s very limiting. So I won’t be singing and I won’t be dancing very soon. I still have real problems with my left leg. It’s awfully late, isn’t it? Why don’t we show the pic?” he added.
In his new memoir, Vagabond, Tim delves deeper into the events surrounding his stroke. Reflecting on the quick actions of his massage therapist, he said, “I probably owe my life to the fact that he ignored me, went with his instinct and called an ambulance.”
Curry was rushed to a nearby hospital, where he initially didn’t understand what was happening. “Still didn’t know what was going on and what else was going to happen, which was very frightening,” he said. He underwent an emergency craniectomy, a procedure in which part of his skull was removed to relieve pressure on his brain. “My brain was inflamed enough, or filled with enough blood that bone from my skull had to be removed and implanted into my abdomen to keep my brain working.”
“Thankfully the operation was successful (which was by no means guaranteed),” he added. After the surgery, he was told that he had suffered a serious stroke and two blood clots had been removed from his brain. The stroke was a right-sided paralytic stroke, which caused paralysis on the left side of his body.
Tim described the aftermath of the surgery, saying he had to wear a “protective helmet” because his brain was “exposed to the elements.” “It really wasn’t my best look but at least there wasn’t an abundance of people looking at or judging me. If there was anything impressed on me in the aftermath, it was just how remarkable it was that I was still alive. All I can truly remember thinking is ‘But I didn’t feel anything…’”
He also mentioned that after regaining consciousness, he could comprehend words, but they did not register or settle without effort. “Life was exceedingly dull, monotonous, and uncertain for a long while. I was aware of where I was, but it took me a while to fully accept what had happened, as I imagine is the case with many people getting over a stroke and brain surgery. My skull had been smashed in to save my life. That’s plenty to process. I needed the rest and slept a lot.”
After spending months at the hospital, Tim was transferred to a rehabilitation center, where the real exercises began: retrieving his ability to speak clearly, working on smiling and facial expressions, and trying to use his hand while adapting to his new normal.
Tim Curry’s memoir, Vagabond, is now available for readers to explore his journey through life, including the challenges he has faced and the resilience that has defined him.
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