US actress and comedian Carol Burnett has led tributes for her “dear friend” and Annie co-star Tim Curry who died aged 80, saying: “Nobody could play lovable villains better than he could”.

Curry’s versatile career spanned stage and screen with notable film credits including transvestite alien scientist Dr Frank-N-Furter in The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975), Pennywise in It (1990), and the concierge in Home Alone 2: Lost In New York (1992).

He also starred in the 1982 musical film Annie playing con-artist and brother Daniel Francis “Rooster” Hannigan to Carol Burnett’s Miss Hannigan where he plots with his girlfriend to pose as Annie’s parents to gain a reward.

Burnett paid tribute to her former co-star and friend, sharing a video from the film which featured a dance sequence on the staircase of the New York orphanage.

She said: “We had such a wonderful time working together on Annie.

“Nobody could play lovable villains better than he could. He was a dear friend. I was blessed to know him.”

He went on to portray a range of characters including the Dancing Clown Pennywise in the TV miniseries adaptation of Stephen King’s horror novel, IT.

The author paid tribute to the actor in a post on Threads and said: “Tim Curry, the original Pennywise. RIP”

Michael McKean, who starred alongside Curry in the 1985 murder mystery film Clue, also paid tribute to the actor in a heartfelt post on X.

He said: “My last conversation with Tim Curry was about life and love and laughter.

“The grim physical state he found himself in has now ended, a blessing. Our blessing was that we had Tim Curry in our lives. RIP, my friend.”

Welsh actor Luke Evans, who starred as Dr Frank in the Broadway revival of The Rocky Horror Picture Show said the actor was an “inspiration”.

He said: “He was a force, a bright fierce flame, an exquisite charm and that rich vocal tone, he was an inspiration to me and so many more people for the roles he played and the effect had on so many of us.

“There will only be one Tim Curry.”

The Muppets Instagram account also paid tribute to the actor who starred in 1996’s Muppet Treasure Island as ship cook Long John Silver.

The post said: “Few humans have earned the title of honorary Muppet more than the legendary Tim Curry.

“As a performer he was unparalleled – witty, charming, unnerving, and deeply funny. We will always consider it one of our greatest treasures to have been part of Long John Silver’s crew. Thank you for everything, Tim.”