Vagabond: A Memoir

by Tim Curry Narrated by Tim Curry

Overview

Notes From Your Bookseller

Known for playing the demonic clown Pennywise, the flashy Dr. Frank-N-Furter and countless other fan-favorite characters, Tim Curry has portrayed a plethora of iconic characters across a variety of genres. But who is the man behind the clown? This memoir shares a glimpse into the intriguing life and career of the acting legend.

This memoir is a celebration of Tim Curry's's life's work, and a testament to his profound impact on the entertainment industry as we know it today.

There are few stars in Hollywood today that can boast the kind of resume Tony award-nominated actor Tim Curry has built over the past five decades. From his breakout role as Dr. Frank-N-Furter in The Rocky Horror Picture Show to his iconic depiction as the sadistic clown Pennywise in It to his critically acclaimed role as the original King Arthur in both the Broadway and West End versions of Spamalot, Curry redefined what it meant to be a “character actor,” portraying heroes and villains alike with complexity, nuance, and a genuine understanding of human darkness.

Now, in his memoir, Curry takes readers behind-the-scenes of his rise to fame from his early beginnings as a military brat to his formative years in boarding school and university, to the moment when he hit the stage for the first time. He goes in-depth about what it was like to work on some of the most emblematic works of the 20th century, constantly switching between a camera and a live audience. He also explores the voicework that defined his later career and provided him with a chance to pivot after surviving a catastrophic stroke in 2012 that nearly took his life.

With the upcoming 50th anniversary of The Rocky Horror Picture Show and the 40th anniversary of Clue, there's never been a better time for Tim to share his story with the world.

Editorial Reviews

Kirkus Reviews

★ 2025-08-01
Recollections of an iconic career on stage and screen.

Though his appearance as Dr. Frank-N-Furter inThe Rocky Horror Picture Show is likely the first thing people think of when they think of Tim Curry (“I had the legs for it”), it is only one of many landmark roles on a distinguished résumé. Beginning with his appearance in the 1968 London production ofHair (they were looking for “hippies who could sing”) and continuing at a breakneck pace for over 50 years, Curry offers readers a backstage pass to the stage and screen productions he has been involved with, fromAmadeus andTravesties toMuppet Treasure Island (“I cannot overstate how much I enjoyed working with the Muppets”). Though he doesn’t think much of acting method—as he tells John Huston on the set ofAnnie when asked for his thoughts on his part, “I thought I would show up”—he does pose a psychological question about the roots of his storied performances in villainous roles: “Was I able to play Pennywise—the murderous clown ofIt—or the malevolent, alluring Cardinal Richelieu ofThe Three Musketeers because of terrifying childhood memories of my mother?” Included in myriad fascinating tidbits aboutRocky Horror is this typically brusque and funny passage: “People often ask me for my opinion about why audiences keep coming back to this outrageous film. How has it proven to have such endurance, which has allegedly changed people’s lives? What made it such a sensation?” His answer: “Nobody fucking knows”—though the still-ongoing midnight showings, he points out, are a guaranteed weekly party for which you don’t need an invitation or a date. He candidly details the downs as well as the ups, with details of his failed music career in the 1990s and the 2012 stroke that left him paralyzed on the left side. Look for cameos from Carol Burnett, Princess Diana, David Bowie, Grace Jones, Truman Capote, and Charlie Sheen (“not the sharpest pencil in the drawer”). Regarding his love life (and, by extension, his sexuality), he asserts that it is “respectfully—none of your fucking business.”

Entertaining, briskly paced, and well worth reading.

Product Details

BN ID:	2940194791989
Publisher:	Hachette Audio
Publication date:	10/14/2025
Edition description:	Unabridged

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