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NYC ‘Rocky Horror’ fans do the 'Time Warp' again for Tim Curry
By
Giulia Heyward
and
Phil Corso
Published Aug 26, 2026
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Giulia Heyward / Gothamist
By
Giulia Heyward
and
Phil Corso
Published Aug 26, 2026
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New Yorkers are mourning another beloved performer.
Actor Tim Curry, best known to generations of fans as Dr. Frank-N-Furter in “The Rocky Horror Picture Show,” died Tuesday night at his home in Los Angeles, his longtime manager and friend Marcia Hurwitz told the Associated Press. He was 80. No cause of death was disclosed.
The news came one day after country music legend Dolly Parton died at 80, sparking tributes across New York City.
Tim Curry as Dr. Frank-N-Furter in “The Rocky Horror Picture Show.”
FilmPublicityArchive/United Archives via Getty Images
Wednesday evening, members of New York City’s “Rocky Horror” community gathered outside Studio 54 ahead of the 7 p.m. Broadway performance of “The Rocky Horror Show.”
Jon Salamak, an assistant director with NYC Rocky Horror, said he works down the street from the theater and headed there after learning of Curry’s death. He arrived dressed as Frank-N-Furter, complete with a corset, pearl necklace and matching gloves.
“I ran right down here and was like, ‘This is how we grieve,’” Salamak said. “This is how we cope.”
Kristin Hutchins, another member of the group, made the trip to Manhattan after learning of Curry’s death. She said she immediately knew she wanted to be with her “Rocky family.”
“I need to go buy tickets for the Broadway show because there’s no other shows playing today,” Hutchins said.
Fans gather outside Studio 54 ahead of Wednesday night’s performance of “The Rocky Horror Show.”
Giulia Heyward / Gothamist
NYC Rocky Horror paid tribute to Curry on Instagram Wednesday.
“Losing Tim is unfathomable for us all,” the group wrote. “Thank you for inspiring generations of us to ‘don’t dream it, be it.’”
Salamak said “Rocky Horror” has been part of his life for about a decade. NYC Rocky Horror is a shadow cast, with performers acting out the movie alongside screenings. The "Time Warp" is a song and dance from “Rocky Horror” that became one of its most recognizable numbers.
“This was the home of the cult,” Salamak said. “That is something that’s a really big point of pride for us.”
Standing outside the theater Wednesday evening, Kate Sage, 27, said gathering with fellow fans was fitting for a community built around experiencing “Rocky Horror” together.
“Being here gives us the opportunity to celebrate in community, which I feel like is the entire ethos of Rocky Horror,” Sage said.
NYC Rocky Horror cast member Kate Sage outside Studio 54 on Wednesday.
Giulia Heyward / Gothamist
For a generation of movie lovers, Curry was also associated with a particularly famous New York address. Curry played the suspicious concierge at the Plaza Hotel, trying to keep tabs on Macaulay Culkin’s Kevin McCallister in the 1992 movie “Home Alone 2: Lost in New York.”
The Plaza remembered him with a clip from the movie.
“We’re heartbroken to say goodbye to Tim Curry,” the hotel wrote on Instagram. “The Plaza will never be the same without the watchful eye and sharp humor of our favorite concierge.”
Actors David Hyde Pierce and Tim Curry take a bow during the opening night curtain call for "Monty Python's Spamalot" at the Shubert Theatre March 17, 2005 in New York City.
Evan Agostini/Getty Images
For Hutchins, the night was about remembering Curry while recognizing that the community built around “Rocky Horror” will continue.
“The fans will keep it alive forever,” she said. “Just hug our friends close and appreciate all the memories that Rocky Horror has given us.”
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Giulia Heyward
Giulia Heyward is a breaking news reporter on the Day-Of desk. She previously worked at NPR, as a breaking news reporter, and the New York Times, as a reporting fellow on the national desk. Her work has also appeared in CNN, The Atlantic and Politico. Got a tip? Email [email protected] or more securely on signal at 917-715-1458.
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Phil Corso
Phil Corso is the evening news editor at WNYC/Gothamist. Got a tip? Email [email protected].
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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