Tim Curry forever twisted the image of clowns with his terrifying portrayal of Pennywise in 'It'

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Set us as preferred “It’s not a man.It’s IT!”Stephen King’s epic novel “It” injected a devilish twist on the traditionally joyful image of circus clowns with his introduction of Pennywise, a deadly clown who feeds on children.

The murderous entity has earned iconic status in pop culture thanks to its central role in “It,” “It: Chapter Two” and HBO’s “It: Welcome to Derry.”But though Bill Skarsgård’s eerie portrayal of Pennywise in the films and TV series has won high acclaim, it’s Tim Curry’s Pennywise in the 1990 ABC miniseries “It” that is considered by some horror buffs to be the most iconic version of the creature — or at minimum, the most memorable.Movies Tim Curry, the beloved and versatile star who famously commanded attention as the seductive mad scientist Dr.

Frank-N-Furter in the cult classic musical ‘Rocky Horror Picture Show,’ has died.He was 80.Curry, who died Tuesday at 80, made a gleefully evil turn as a clown that sparked nightmares for legions of Gen X and millennial viewers that continue to haunt to this day.

His Pennywise is among the career-defining roles that showcased the actor’s uncanny ability to morph into a villain, whether it was as Dr.Frank-N-Furter in “The Rocky Horror Picture Show,” the Lord of Darkness in “Legend” or Rooster Hannigan in “Annie.”Curry’s performance is even more impressive given his limited screen time — his scattered appearances as Pennywise total less than 20 minutes over a three-hour running time.

But he makes all of his brief scenes count, whether he’s in a storm drain, emerging from the drain in a shower room or standing in a marsh, and his gravelly voice layers a number of chilling moments.The two-part adaptation of “It” aired on ABC in November 1990, and drew a huge audience, attracting a reported 30 mi...