Vagabond by Tim Curry
First line: “Honey, you’re the third Tim Curry to call today,” she said, and hung up the phone.
Summary: Tim Curry has had a career that has spanned decades with some of the most memorable characters on stage and screen. In his memoir he explores his childhood as the son of a military chaplain, the start of his love for performing, the iconic roles throughout his career and overcoming the challenges following his stroke.
My Thoughts: I absolutely love Tim Curry. I always look forward to watching Rocky Horror Picture Show at Halloween (at times going to the midnight shows at the Orpheum). He stars alongside the Muppets in Muppet Treasure Island which is one of my favorite movies. Then I see him every Christmas as the creepy hotel worker in Home Alone 2. He can do so much and has been a part of my viewing life since I was a kid. When I saw that he was releasing an autobiography this year, which also coincides with the 50th anniversary of Rocky Horror and 40th anniversary of Clue, I immediately added it to my TBR.
Rather than reading it I decided to listen to the audiobook, especially since he reads it himself. It was a fascinating stroll through the ups and downs of his life and career. He makes a point at the start that he will not discuss personal relationships but focus on his work. For an actor who has spent so long in the public eye he has stayed very private about his personal life and he kept it that way here too. But as a reader I never even noticed the exclusion. He had so many stories about his work that he didn’t even need it.
After finishing the book I was just blown away by how much he has done, seen and lived. Listening to him reminisce was fascinating and to hear the behind the scenes stories made me love him and his work even more. If you love Rocky Horror or Clue or any of his other movies then this should be a must read. It will give you a new appreciation for the man who made these characters what they are.
