RIP Dolly Parton and Tim Curry

The deaths of Dolly Parton and Tim Curry were the big news pieces this week, at least in the circles I swim in. The close proximity of them passing, and their shared age, gave me flashbacks to the great celebrity die-off of 2016, which kicked off with David Bowie and just went through the rest of that horrible year.

It's a little late to consider it such a big wave, and while both deaths are sad, there isn't the feeling of careers being cut short - after all, Bowie had just released Blackstar, and Alan Rickman and Prince could have continued acting and singing, respectively, for years if they hadn't died that year, whereas Tim Curry had retired from acting and Dolly Parton had released her last studio album in 2023 (though with release and touring cycles, that didn't mean she was done with recording).

Still, I was struck by the outpouring of grief, particularly for Dolly - I've seen multiple outlets and commentators suggest she was the last person all Americans could agree on. That said, she'd already become the patron saint of the internet, much like Betty White before her, being acclaimed as a woman in a traditionally male field who not only became instantly recognizable but never seemed to have a bad word to say about anyone. And you know, I don't habitually look for Trump's thoughts on celebrity deaths, but even he couldn't seem to think of anything shitty to say about her.

Whereas, for me, the passing of Tim Curry means one less of those British actors, like Alan Rickman, who had that grounding in classic theater and who'd worked with some of the greatest of the previous generation. Curry might never have been a household name, but he was in so many movies and shows over the years, and he looked so distinctive, that of course everyone knew him. And not only that, but his Pennywise still put Bill Skarsgård's to shame.

Both passings are a reminder that time goes on, and the familiar faces or voices you grew up with eventually fall silent. At least Dolly leaves behind a legacy of love, and Tim Curry leaves behind a legacy of deeply scarring generations of children, whether as the Lord of Darkness or Pennywise, and of making older versions of those kids roar with laughter for his role in Rocky Horror Picture Show. Both worthwhile legacies!