Book Review | Vagabond by Tim Curry

Vagabond by Tim Curry

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Tim Curry’s memoir does not follow the same formula as most celebrity memoirs. He has not set out to dish the dirt on colleagues or write a tell-all of his love life. In fact, he makes it quite clear in the introduction that you can throw those expectations out the window. Curry’s primary goal is to discuss his relationship with acting– how he chooses roles, the joy he finds in playing new character types, his struggles to balance music and acting, and what parts of his life have influenced how he has approached his most renowned roles. Woven into the narrative is a pleasantly polite and charming tone paired with a witty humor that just worked for me. 

Never having the opportunity to meet Curry personally, I could only go off of the vibrancy of his character portrayals to piecemeal an idea of who he is. His charisma and beautiful way with words absolutely came to life in this book, but I was shocked to find that he’s really quite reserved. He reveres the English language. Curry’s ability to write was shockingly beautiful and engaging. I am sad he’s never published a book before now. 

The focus of the memoir was on Curry’s professional career, but he pulls back the curtain in the opening chapters to reveal his family life. He moved around a lot as a child while his father was in the Navy. It is here he begins to learn his vagabond nature, which arms him for his experiences later in life. His father passes, and Curry grows up with his sister under the cold parenting style of his mother. 

The book takes us on a whirlwind tour of some of Curry’s most notable roles. His debut as Dr. Frank-n-Furter on stage kicks off his career. Curry’s insight on the difference between acting on stage as Frank versus acting for a camera was incredibly brilliant. It is so fun to rewatch Rocky Horror Picture Show and know exactly what Curry was thinking or intending with certain scenes. Curry takes on the role of Pennywise the Dancing Clown in Stephen King’s It despite being deeply unsettled by clowns. We dive into some of his voice acting career, though it’d take a 1,000 page book to try to touch on all of his voice roles. We get insight on his time in Clue, Home Alone 2, and many others. He finally lays to rest once and for all the internet rumor that he acted so well in The Muppet’s Treasure Island because he thought he was a Muppet himself. 

Curry narrates the audiobook himself. I’ve listened to many of his audiobook narrations  throughout my life (I actually preferred his recordings over Lemony Snicket’s in A Series of Unfortunate Events!), but nothing prepared me for the experience I would have with this audiobook. Curry has always been a master of his voice. His charisma shines through his characters regardless if his likeness was being captured by camera or he was recording a voice acting gig. The charm and charisma were certainly present in this memoir, but Tim Curry’s mastery over his own voice has become a battle due to his stroke in 2012. The strength and clarity of his voice would wax and wane between takes. I was taken aback by my own emotional response to hearing Curry’s voice in its current state, but very quickly settled into the listening experience. There was still an incredible amount of warmth and energy behind his voice, despite the difficulties he may have had articulating. Curry still managed to give a distinct voice and character to anyone he quoted, and his smile was audible any time he cracked a joke or made a quip.

According to Goodreads, people have rated the book poorly because Curry did not hire someone else to read his book, but I strongly agree with his decision to record his own audiobook. Society has become increasingly uncomfortable with the realities of our mortality. Humans age. Our voices will change and our bodies’ capabilities may diminish. This instinct to avoid the realities of aging is particularly true in how we view celebrities. Their value is on how youthful they can look, and these sentiments trickle down into the everyday world for many people. Have patience and love for the beloved older or ailing people in your life. There’s a wealth of experiences they can share with you. Listening to Tim Curry narrate his book spoke volumes to how the human body is capable of brilliance despite a major illness, disability, or old age. I felt like I had the chance to pull up a chair next to him and listen to him speak wisdom from the heart. There’s such an incredible amount of talent in that man. It’s made all the more clear by his performance despite the effects of his stroke. My only real complaint is that the book ever had to end. 

I don’t know if this memoir would be so well loved by anyone but a pre-existing Tim Curry fan. Perhaps someone who loves acting and wants to read about an accomplished actor’s relationship with the craft would enjoy this one? I watched Rocky Horror Picture Show for the first time at far too young an age, but I was so smitten with the energy and glamor of Frank-n-Furter that my relationship with Curry’s work was immediately off to a fantastic start. It took a long time for me to finish this memoir, because I constantly needed to stop and take trips down memory lane. I listened to my record of the RHPS soundtrack many, many times in the past couple weeks. I’ve watched clips of his roles on YouTube and I still want to sit down and watch the full movies. I had no idea Curry had a (though short-lived) career as a musician. Many commutes to and from work were spent listening through some of his songs. I particularly loved “Working on My Tan” and “I Do the Rock.” Though not lyrically deep or provocative by any means, they are just fun songs akin to The B52’s. I can always appreciate a song that is fun for the sake of fun. 

All this to say, I loved this memoir. I haven’t stopped thinking about it since I finished it. I am certain I’ll revisit sections after rewatching any of Curry’s movies. I don’t think this is the celebrity memoir most readers would expect, but it was perfect for a fan of Tim Curry’s.