Tim Curry’s skull was smashed in during brain surgery after 2012 stroke

Tim Curry is revealing raw details about the incident. almost fatal stroke He suffered in July 2012 and was left partially paralyzed.

In his new memoir, Vagabond, the 79-year-old actor tells of his stroke, major surgery that “shattered” his skull, and the long recovery that followed.

Curry was receiving a massage at the time of the stroke and revealed that he did not initially realize it had occurred. He recalled feeling “a little sick,” although he didn’t think he needed medical attention, but the masseuse insisted he call 911.

“Probably the fact that he ignored me and called an ambulance on instinct saved my life,” Curry wrote.

Tim Curry opens up about the near-fatal stroke he suffered in 2012 in his new memoir, Vagabond. (Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images)

The actor recalled that paramedics became alert after checking his vital signs and he was rushed to the nearest hospital. “By that time I still didn’t know what was going on or what else was going to happen. It was very scary,” he writes.

Tim Curry reveals rare health update after major stroke: “I still can’t walk”

Curry recalled that he was given a sedative before taking the test. emergency craniectomy It was done by an “incredible brain surgeon.”

“It turned out my brain was inflamed enough, or filled with enough blood, that bones had to be removed from my skull and transplanted into my abdomen to keep my brain and me alive,” he wrote. “Thankfully the surgery was successful (though it is never guaranteed).”

Curry continued, “When I came out of the hospital, my brain was literally exposed to the elements, so I had to wear something like a protective helmet. It wasn’t really my best look, but at least there weren’t a lot of people looking at me or judging me.”

Curry performs in a scene from the 1975 “Rocky Horror Picture Show.” (Getty Images)

Themmy award winner After the surgery, he wrote that he was informed that he had suffered a severe stroke and that two blood clots had been removed from his brain.

“If there was anything that struck me in the aftermath, it was how amazing it was that I was still alive,” Curry wrote. “All I really remember is, ‘But I didn’t feel anything…'”

The cover of Tim Curry’s new memoir, Vagabond. (Grand Central Publishing)

Curry, who was 67 years old at the time, believed he was too young to face his own death. However, he said he is not afraid of death.

“I was so scared when I didn’t know what was happening to me, because I didn’t know if I was going to experience severe pain,” Curry wrote. “But if death comes to me in peace and I fade gently from light into dark oblivion, why should I fear it? Sometimes I think that might be rather comforting.”

“I can only say this now because more than a dozen years have passed, which is enough time to look back calmly and perhaps from a reasonable distance,” he wrote. “At the time, to be honest, I was just surprised that it was lying there.”

Photo of Tim Curry attending the event. America around the 1990s. (Vinny Zufante/Getty Images)

Curry recalled being told he had experienced a stroke that paralyzed his right side. The stroke occurred in the right hemisphere of the brain (the area that controls motor control on the opposite side), resulting in paralysis on the left side of the body.

“I don’t know when the paralysis started. At first it just felt so weird to be paralyzed on the left side of my body,” Curry said.

Two days later, he wrote, he was taken to Cedars-Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles. Marcia Hurwitz, his longtime personal assistant and publicist, helped him enter the hospital under a false name to protect his identity and prevent his stroke from becoming public.

“After I regained consciousness, I was able to understand the words, but they didn’t register or stick without effort. For a long time, life was very boring, monotonous, and uncertain,” Curry wrote.

“The skull was crushed to save his life,” he continued. “Enough to process. I needed some rest so I slept a lot.”

Curry wrote that he spent several months in the hospital and eventually entered a rehabilitation center. “That’s when the real practice began: regaining the ability to speak clearly, working on smiles and facial expressions, and using your hands to try to adapt to the new normal.”

“I was living in a fog. I looked horrible and couldn’t speak clearly for years. That part was very frustrating because my thoughts were starting to form again, but it was very difficult to articulate them,” he recalled. “I felt like there was a huge gulf between my heart and what was coming out of my mouth.”

“A half-sentence here and there would have been enough, but it took a while, which meant it was in my head the whole time,” Curry continued. “For someone who values ​​words and conversation as much as I do, it was truly miserable not being able to string sentences together and communicate clearly.”

Curry suffered a stroke that left him paralyzed on the left side of his body. (Earl Gibson III/WireImage)

Curry’s stroke was first made public in May 2013, nearly a year after it occurred. After the Daily Mail reported the news, Hurwitz confirmed the story to the press, saying: “Tim had a stroke last July. He is doing well, is fully able to speak and is now recovering. He is doing really well.”

In “Vagabond,” Curry pointed out the secrecy surrounding his stroke and praised Hurwitz’s successful efforts to protect his privacy.

“Marcia managed to shield my stroke from the press, no easy feat anywhere, but especially so in Los Angeles, where celebrities are highly scrutinized and scrutinized,” he wrote. “I was rather unrecognized at the time, and it’s still really amazing that she was able to keep my condition hidden for a year, giving me the time and space to focus on getting myself back together.”

“The Three Musketeers” The star also poked fun at rumors that he had died, writing, “Contrary to the rumors in the village, I’m still alive and well.”

“I try not to complain too much. (I like to complain enough.) But I have the ingredients. As I write this, I am confined to a wheelchair and will never be able to walk again,” he wrote.

“Still, the whining is tiresome and highly counterproductive for everyone involved,” Curry continued. “I’d rather spend my time focusing on other things.”

“The different ways people deal with pain are very interesting,” he added. “I don’t believe that relying on humor in extremely uncomfortable moments is a tremendous act of courage or bravery. It’s just something I rely on. To the extent that I can develop humor, I’m sure it’s part of a survival skill that I developed a long time ago.”

The actor’s stroke was kept secret for a year. (Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images)

Reflecting on how his life has changed since his stroke, Curry explained how his inability to move has limited his professional activities.

“My life has changed dramatically in every way, especially from the outside,” he wrote. “After decades of very random work never taking more than three or four months at a time, the only roles I have now are voice work.”

In 2015, Curry made her first public appearance at the Actors Fund Tony Awards viewing party in Los Angeles, where she was in a wheelchair. Later that year, he attended a commemorative event. 40th anniversary of “The Rocky Horror Picture Show”.

In a rare on-camera interview with Fox News in 2016, Curry provided details about his recovery and outlook.

“I’m fine and still doing voice work. I’ve done a few things since then.” [the stroke]but I’m not going to dance anytime soon,” he said.

Curry was pictured with Marcia Hurwitz in 2015. (Allen Berezovsky/Getty Images)

When asked how she stays positive, she said, “It’s not hard to maintain. It’s a part of me.”

In October 2020, Curry participated in a livestreamed Rocky Horror Picture Show event to raise money for the Wisconsin Democratic Party.

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Last month, Curry attended the 50th anniversary celebration of “The Rocky Horror Picture Show,” where he spoke to the audience in detail about his health.

The actor attended the 40th anniversary celebration of “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” in 2015. (Michael Tran/Film Magic)

“I can’t walk yet. So I’m sitting in this stupid chair and it’s very limiting,” Curry told the crowd during a special screening at the Academy Museum in LA. Hollywood Reporter. “So I won’t be singing or dancing any time soon. I still have serious problems with my left foot.”

In addition to the paralysis, Curry wrote in Vagabond that he experienced other lasting effects from the stroke.

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“I’m worried that I’ve become more impatient than I used to be. I’m more impatient than I used to be,” he wrote. “It can also be very painful when handled by caregivers, especially on the left side, which is more sensitive.”

“My short-term memory is also flying,” Curry continued. “It’s still very frustrating and it’s been tough adjusting to it, but I’ve gained a new relationship with long-term memory, which is pretty accurate.”

“I wasn’t practicing it before my stroke. I was always positive. I didn’t want to go back to my childhood home or to the stages, sets, and studios of my past. But it was surprisingly, oddly therapeutic. And given the constraints of my current condition, sometimes a trip down memory lane can be the only adventure I have.”

Patricia Quinn, Lou Adler, Barry Bostwick, Nell Campbell, and Tim Curry attend the Academy Museum’s 50th Anniversary Celebration of “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” with Tim Curry and Shins of the Flesh held at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, Ted Mann Theater on September 26, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images)

He also described other life changes, including moving into a one-story home that he renovated to suit his needs. But Curry explained that she still finds joy in creativity, directing garden projects from her wheelchair and enjoying the company of friends. He also said his humor remains intact.

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“I’ve dabbled in all sorts of different attitudes about my destiny in life, but I always land on the ‘bright side of life,'” he said. “It is boring and annoying to live in complete darkness, both to oneself and to those with whom one is with. There is no mischief, no charm, no laughter, no pleasure to be with or to be with.”

“As for the future, it’s a very uncertain place for me. That’s the way I like it,” Curry added. “My discomfort and disability Still, I want to play again. To fall in love again. To experience the full range of human emotions and experiences. ”

“Vagabond: A Memoir” is currently in theaters.