Tim Curry, the British actor whose distinctive voice brought to life the eccentric character Nigel Thornberry in the animated series The Wild Thornberrys, passed away on August 25 at his Los Angeles home, according to Deadline and Animation Magazine. He was 80 years old. The cause of death has not been officially announced, though Curry had dealt with serious health complications since a stroke in 2012 that required brain surgery and left him using a wheelchair, as reported by Cartoon Brew.

Voice Acting Legacy

Curry’s voice acting was a defining part of his four-decade-long career, with over 150 roles across animation, video games, and other voice-over work, according to Cartoon Brew. He became a household name in the 1990s and early 2000s as the voice of Nigel Thornberry, a passionate and quirky wildlife documentarian who captured the imaginations of Nickelodeon viewers from 1998 to 2004. He also voiced the character in The Wild Thornberrys Movie (2002), Rugrats Go Wild (2003), and other projects.

Known for his theatrical delivery, Curry’s Nigel was marked by his strangled vowels, enthusiastic delivery, and frequent exclamations of “Smashing!” Decades later, the character has become a viral meme on social media, as noted in Cartoon Brew. The role was especially ironic for Curry, as he performed it with his original British accent, despite having initially taken up voice work to practice an American accent, as he explained in a 1992 interview.

Reactions from Co-Stars and Fans

Lacey Chabert, who voiced Nigel’s daughter Eliza, shared on Instagram, “I’ll forever cherish the wonderful memories of working with Tim on The Wild Thornberrys. He was always so incredibly kind to me and encouraging. He will be so very missed.”

Danielle Harris, who played the moody older sister Debbie, added, “How lucky I felt to share the stage with him for 7 years. I recorded with Tim more than anyone on the cast and my face would literally hurt from laughing leaving the recording studio. Tim’s uncanny humor and naughty wit was like no other and I just absolutely adored him. He will be missed.”

Flea of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, who voiced the jungle boy Donnie, wrote, “I was a kid who dressed in mom’s makeup and [lamé] dress and went to see Rocky Horror at the Tiffany theater on Sunset. I loved Tim Curry. We worked together later for a few years on The Wild Thornberrys and I was excited to hang out with him and cut up, the sincere and funny voices. He was kind, smart and funny as hell. God bless him; beautiful and cosmic journeys to you Tim.”

Posthumous Real Estate Sale

Hours after his passing, a potential buyer emerged for Curry’s former Los Feliz home, according to Promiflash. The house, which he had purchased in 1993 for $650,000 and sold in 2001 for $2.6 million, is now listed for $7.5 million. The historic property, originally built in 1922, features four bedrooms, three and a half bathrooms, and a blend of European-inspired decor and original architectural elements such as hand-painted walls, copper accents, and stained glass windows.

Tim Curry’s legacy in animation and live-action cinema remains profound. His work in The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975), Legend (1985), and as Pennywise in It (1990) solidified his place in pop culture. In animation, he voiced numerous beloved characters, including Mr. Curry in Paddington Bear, MAL in Captain Planet and the Planeteers, and Auntie Whispers in Over the Garden Wall, according to Animation Magazine (German and Spanish editions).