Tim Curry’s 9 most iconic video game roles

Tim Curry’s 9 Most Iconic Video Game Roles: A Legacy of Voice Acting Brilliance

Tim Curry, a name synonymous with unforgettable characters on stage and screen, also left an indelible mark on the world of video games. Long before “prestige voice acting” became a buzzword, Curry approached even seemingly small roles in adventure games with the same passion and flair he brought to his larger projects. His recent passing leaves a void, but his contributions to gaming remain a testament to his versatility and talent.

Frankenstein: Through the Eyes of the Monster (1995)

In this first-person point-and-click adventure, players control Frankenstein’s monster as he explores Dr. Frankenstein’s castle. Curry voiced Dr. Frankenstein himself, a moment when FMV titles were a novelty in the gaming industry. When the monster awakens, Curry delivers a chilling line: “Can you hear me? Anything? Perhaps you can read lips. No, no, you must be able to hear. Perhaps the cat’s got your tongue. You’ve no idea how close to the truth that statement is.”

Toonstruck (1996)

This point-and-click adventure features Christopher Lloyd as an animator pulled into his own cartoon world, blending live-action with hand-drawn animation. Curry voices Count Nefarious, the villainous character who introduces himself with mock-formal menace: “Silence! That’s COUNT Nefarious to you, little man. Master of the Malevolands, bane of Cutopia, and soon, supreme ruler of the world! So, please, show a little respect.”

Wing Commander 3: Heart of the Tiger (1994)

Wing Commander 3″>Wing Commander 3, a space combat sim from Origin Systems, was built around extensive FMV cutscenes starring Mark Hamill. Curry played the Kilrathi antagonist Melek, delivering an unusual concession instead of a threat: “We are surrendering to you, Heart of the Tiger… It is an action unlike any we have ever taken, but it is time the Kilrathi find new ways.”

The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius: Jet Fusion (2003)

Based on the Nickelodeon TV series, this platformer cast Jimmy Neutron against a villain who kidnapped a spy character. Curry voiced Professor Finbarr Calamitous, delivering a ridiculous line designed to delight kids and parents: “Oh, I’m so scared. I might wet my pants. Big, rough and tough Jet Fusion is terrifying me… Who’s going to save you? A little boy with an outrageously large head and puny arms?”

The Wild Thornberrys Rambler (2000) / The Wild Thornberrys Movie (2002)

For a generation, this was their first exposure to Tim Curry as Nigel Thornberry, the eccentric wildlife documentarian. His catchphrase, “Smashing!” showed up in both games and the show. These games followed the family as they globe-trotted into wild predicaments: “Indeed, we Thornberrys seem to be in a bit of a jam in locations all about the globe, no less! I hope you’re ready to sally forth into the unknown, because we need your help.”

Gabriel Knight (1993-1999)

Gabriel Knight games”>The Gabriel Knight games feature Gabriel Knight, a struggling novelist who investigates ritual killings. Curry voices the title character. (If you’re looking for the first game, know that the version currently sold on Steam is a 2014 remake with an entirely new voice cast.)

Through these three games, Gabriel uncovers his family’s duty as a “shadow hunter,” investigates werewolf attacks in Bavaria, and chases vampires in France. Early on, Gabriel presses a priest for the meaning of a phrase: Father Johnston: “It means ‘don’t eat the chili.'” Gabriel: “Hmph! Shows how much you know!”

Brütal Legend (2009)

Brütal Legend”>Brütal Legend, an open-world action game from Double Fine, stars Jack Black as a roadie transported into a fantasy world. Emperor Doviculus was originally written for heavy metal singer Ronnie James Dio, but the character’s tone shifted to camp, making Curry perfect. had a simple explanation for the swap: Anyone who’d seen Curry’s performance as the Lord of Darkness in the 1985 film Legend would understand why he was right for Doviculus. When Curry delivers this line: “You have your mother’s eyes. And I will too. On a necklace.”

Dragon Age: Origins (2009)

Dragon Age: Origins”>Dragon Age: Origins features the player character uniting a kingdom against an ancient threat. Curry voices Arl Rendon Howe, whose betrayal drives much of the game’s story. As Howe, Curry delivers a sinister line: “Your family squandered glory that was rightfully mine. How suitable that their deaths should raise me to the ear of a king.”

Command and Conquer: Red Alert 3 (2008)

Command and Conquer: Red Alert 3″>Command and Conquer: Red Alert 3 features Curry as Premier Anatoly Cherdenko, the Soviet leader. Later in the campaign, Cherdenko delivers an escape plan: “I’m escaping to the one place that hasn’s been corrupted by capitalism… SPACE!” A 2022 Vice oral history later revealed that this was the first take of the line, filmed at the end of a long shooting day, and that Curry’s struggle not to laugh was his reaction to reading it for the first time.

Fittingly, after Curry’s death, fans used that same line: “He didn’s die, he simply escaped to the one place that hasn’t been corrupted by capitalism,” in countless social posts and comments on videos paying tribute to Tim Curry’s career. A fitting end for an actor who made the absurd feel exactly right.