When it comes to inhabiting unforgettable, show-stopping characters, no one delivered quite like Tim Curry. The actor had a gift for making even small roles the highlight of a film and elevating projects to a level that made you want to rewatch them again and again and again. Whether you were first introduced to Curry as Dr.
Frank-N-Furter in The Rocky Horror Picture Show or the nightmare-inducing Pennywise in IT or know him best as the menacing concierge at the Plaza Hotel in Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, odds are he’s been circling the rim of your entertainment orbit for many years, which has made his passing in August 2026 almost like losing an old friend. But thanks to the expansive (and sometimes terrifying) cast of characters Curry has created throughout his illustrious career, a vast collection of his body of work is available to enjoy for generations to come. And while I highly suggest watching Curry-related content year-round, for many fans he will forever have a special connection to the Halloween season.
There are, of course, his most popular hits like Rocky Horror, IT, Legend, and even Clue that give off the perfect spooky vibe. However, there is one project of his that I feel tends to get overlooked during this most sacred time of year. I’m referring to the 1986 musical made-for-TV adaptation, The Worst Witch.
Based on Jill Murphy’s 1974 children’s book by the same name, the story centers around Mildred Hubble, a young witch and student at Miss Cackle's Academy for Witches who has a penchant for messing up. In short, as the title kinda gives away: She is “the worst witch” at her school. Or at least that’s how most of her instructors and classmates make her feel.
It’s a classic underdog story that ultimately ends with Mildred proving that she’s worthy, both to herself and everyone else around her. So how does Curry factor into the equation? He inhabits the role of the Grand Wizard Egbert Hellibore, who is spoken about and lauded numerous times throughout the story in an almost God-like sense before showing up briefly at the very end of the film.
Yet, despite his very small amount of screen time, the actor (in classic Curry fashion) totally steals the show with an incredible musical number you truly have to see to believe. The song is titled “Anything Can Happen on Halloween” and features Curry wearing a stylish cape and fabulous bat bowtie as a series of Halloween-related visuals fly across the screen. Are the graphics the most terrifying part of the musical number?
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