Once a prominent villain on the screen, Timothy Curry has seemingly faded away from the limelight since his life-altering stroke in July 2012.
However, what fans might be surprised to learn is that the 77-year-old has been the voice artist for numerous children’s films, including Ribbit and Saving Santa.
Back in 1973, Tim Curry’s film debut was as Dr Frank-N-Furter in cult classic The Rocky Horror Show.
Tim then portrayed dark characters such as Lord Of Darkness in the film Legend (1985).
Appearing on film and stage, Tim’s stroke saw him lose the mobility of his legs.
Having been in a wheelchair since 2012, the Cheshire-born Englishman is otherwise in good health.
The effects of a stroke
The Stroke Association cautioned “all strokes are different”; for some, the effects can be minor while, for others, it can lead to serious long-term problems.
Physical effects from a stroke can range from muscle weakness to paralysis or stiffness.
The charity elaborates: “Nearly three-quarters of stroke survivors in the UK have leg weakness, and over three-quarters have arm weakness.
“If your muscles are weak you could have difficulties with walking, moving your arms or holding things.”
A stroke can lead to lingering communication problems, such as aphasia, dysarthria and apraxia of speech.
Going into each one, aphasia is the reduced ability to speak and understand what others say. Aphasia can also affect a person’s ability to read and write.
Aphasia is a “common problem after a stroke”, but the condition will affect people in different ways.
“Dysarthria happens when you’re not able to control the muscles in your face, mouth and throat very well, so it’s difficult to speak clearly,” The Stroke Association notes.
“This can mean that your speech becomes slurred or slow or that your voice sounds quiet.”
As for apraxia of speech, it means you are unable to move the muscles in your face, mouth or throat when you’re speaking, making it difficult for others to understand you.
Anybody who would like more information on which disabilities a stroke can lead to can find out more at The Stroke Association.