“Vagabond” By Tim Curry – Tim Curry Tells Some – A Book Review

If you’re a fan of pop culture in the last fifty years, chances are you have come across the name Tim Curry. He has portrayed some of the most iconic roles across TV and film. From cult classic villains and iconic monsters like Dr. Frank-N-Furter and Pennywise the Clown. Despite some major setbacks in his recent life, Tim Curry gives us a peek into his world with his autobiography, Vagabond.

A Storied Career…

The book begins with a humorous anecdote about Tim Curry attempting to obtain tickets to a sold-out midnight screening of The Rocky Horror Picture Show for himself and his friends. When he arrives, the organizers call him a fake and try to kick him out until he provides proper ID. This is the first of many tales Curry recounts from his storied career. This leads into a tease of the details about the stroke he had in 2012. Which has left him wheelchair-bound for over a decade now.

Curry’s outlook on his life is pretty optimistic all things considered. He admittedly didn’t have much to complain about, but he is just self-deprecating enough to be humble. There were multiple points where I audibly laughed out loud. Curry states in his intro that this book is not a tell-all because books like that mostly bore him. That being said, he does throw out a little shade, but the targets are few and far between.

He admits to having some drug and alcohol problems as a way to numb unresolved emotions, but does not go into any discussions of recovery; again, sidestepping the tell-all aspects people expect in an autobiography. Curry dedicates most chapters to his professional life, leaving his most personal details under wraps. While a lot of autobiographies bear all, Curry keeps most of these personal aspects hidden, which is his right.

It would be much more of a flaw of this book if Curry didn’t have the career he’s had. As for what’s covered in this book, Tim Curry dedicates about a chapter to each of his most iconic roles, except Rocky Horror, which gets two chapters: one for the stage play and one for the movie. You’ll also find chapters on Clue, It, and even some of the stage plays he’s done like Amadeus and Spamalot.

The Audio Version

I listened to the audio version of the book, and Tim Curry read it himself. If you’ve seen him in the time since he’s had his stroke; you’d know it’s sometimes difficult to watch illness immobilize a once vibrant performer. Even more so when it’s one whose voice is synonymous with some of our favorite pieces of animation. Especially when you can hear him strain his voice as he recites passages to us. Sometimes to the point that he is almost hoarse.

There are, however, moments where he sounds like his old self. All in all, it feels like everyone involved is consciously aware of this. It also probably meant the world to him to be able to do it. That’s not to say this book is any type of pity party. Something else Curry admits he is not a fan of, and nothing that comes across in the text or his performance.

For more Book Reviews from the NI team, click HERE!

Overall Grade: 8/10

I’d say it’s about time we got a book from Tim Curry, but he was probably right to wait until he was comfortable telling the story of his life. While I don’t believe there are too many revelations for even the most die-hard Tim Curry fan, there are plenty of laughs. Curry’s retelling of his life is worth picking up even for the moderate fan. By the end, it will leave you shivering in antici-

Vagabond: A Memoir by Tim Curry is available through Hachette Book Group.

Check out Forrest’s review of John Candy: I Like Me, here.

Are you a Tim Curry fan? Let us know some of your favorite moments of him.