Tim Curry has died at 80, closing the curtain on a remarkable career defined by theatrical flair, unmistakable voice work and a gift for making eccentric characters unforgettable. Best known to many fans for his performances in “Clue” and “The Rocky Horror Picture Show,” Curry later found a powerful second lane in animation. Among his standout voice roles was the sinister Hexxus in “FernGully: The Last Rainforest,” a performance that underscored his effortless command of villainy. That same talent surfaced again in DC animation, where he voiced G. Gordon Godfrey on “Young Justice.”
Curry brought Godfrey to life with polished, cutting diction and a controlled menace that suited the character perfectly. In “Young Justice,” Godfrey is a television news host whose public persona is built around deep suspicion of aliens and relentless criticism of the Justice League, especially whenever disaster strikes Earth. The twist, revealed later, is that he is secretly aligned with Darkseid, voiced by Michael-Leon Wooley. For longtime comics readers, that connection tracks: Godfrey is adapted from Jack Kirby’s Glorious Godfrey, a master manipulator and propagandist known for turning public opinion against superheroes.
Curry voiced G. Gordon Godfrey during Season 2 of “Young Justice,” before James Arnold Taylor stepped into the role in Season 3. The change followed Curry’s stroke, which significantly reduced the amount of work he was able to take on. Both actors gave Godfrey the necessary edge, but Curry’s version carried a particularly unsettling realism. Unlike many comic book villains who announce themselves through spectacle, Godfrey weaponized the media and public fear — a kind of threat that feels disturbingly familiar.
Tim Curry almost played another iconic DC villain
Fox Kids
G. Gordon Godfrey may not rank among Tim Curry’s most famous characters, but the performance remains a sharp example of what made him so compelling. The role was relatively limited on “Young Justice,” yet Curry made every appearance count. His Godfrey seemed to simmer just beneath the surface, his anger carefully disguised as professional composure. Even more troubling, Curry gave him enough charm and confidence to make it easy to understand how ordinary viewers inside the show’s world might be pulled into his rhetoric.
Curry also came close to playing DC’s most iconic villain. Before Mark Hamill became the definitive animated voice of the Joker on “Batman: The Animated Series,” Curry was originally cast in the part. The documentary “Stay Tooned! Presents — Batman: The Animated Series” includes clips of the Joker performed with Curry’s voice, offering a rare glimpse at what might have been. By several accounts, the performance may have been almost too effective.
Producer Eric Radomski explained in the documentary, “Tim came with a natural theatrical sort of presence with his delivery, which was something we definitely wanted. We didn’t want the Joker to be a bumbling, goofy, idiot.” The issue, it seems, was tone. Batman voice actor Kevin Conroy put it plainly: “Tim Curry was crazy scary. And Mark [Hamill] was crazy funny and scary.” In hindsight, Curry losing the Joker role may have spared pop culture an oddly fitting overlap. After all, between Pennywise and the Clown Prince of Crime, he nearly became the voice behind two of fiction’s most terrifying evil clowns.
