The cause of death for actor Tim Curry, who passed away on August 25 at the age of 80, has been released. Official documents obtained by People indicate that coronary artery disease was the primary cause of his death.

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health documents also listed a history of stroke and kidney cancer as significant contributing conditions. No surgical interventions were performed for these ailments, according to the report.

The Los Angeles Police Department had previously confirmed responding to a death investigation call on August 25 at approximately 11:23 p.m. for an 80-year-old male.

Curry, a British actor renowned for his iconic role as Dr. Frank-N-Furter in "The Rocky Horror Picture Show," had experienced significant health challenges for years. In 2012, he suffered a debilitating stroke while receiving a massage. He described the event in a 2025 interview with the NYT as bringing him "way too close to death."

"It’s a curious experience," he shared at the time. "I didn’t know it was happening at the time. They told me at the hospital and operated on my brain and removed, I think, two blood clots, which is a sort of grim picture. I found that very difficult to cope with as an image."

He recounted feeling "like somebody had paddled around in my brain." The stroke resulted in paralysis on his left side and temporary speech difficulties, a prospect that terrified him. He recalled his father's stroke at age 45 and subsequent death from pneumonia, and the dread of a similar fate. "It was very peculiar not to be able to speak, and to find a voice again was difficult," he said.

While Curry regained his ability to speak, he never recovered mobility and used a wheelchair. During a 50th-anniversary screening of "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" in Los Angeles in September 2025, he provided an update on his health, stating, "I still can’t walk, which is why I’m in this silly chair, and that’s very limiting."

He also noted at the time, "I won’t be singing and I won’t be dancing very soon. I still have real problems with my left leg."

Curry, a three-time Tony nominee, was also recognized for his performances in films such as "Annie," "Clue," "Home Alone 2: Lost in New York," and "Muppet Treasure Island." He also portrayed Pennywise in the ABC miniseries adaptation of Stephen King's novel "It."

In the year preceding his death, he released a memoir titled "Vagabond."