The Stephen King Series That “Traumatised an Entire Generation”
Stephen King once revealed that the 1990 ABC miniseries adaptation of his novel It left a lasting mark on an entire generation.
In an essay for Literary Hub, King wrote, “What nobody counted on, least of all me, was the fact that an entire generation, now old enough to attend an R-rated film, had been traumatised as children by Tim Curry, who played Pennywise the Dancing Clown in an ABC-TV miniseries (budget: a measly $12 million).”
The two-part miniseries, directed by Tommy Lee Wallace and adapted by Lawrence D. Cohen, follows a group of kids known as the Losers Club who face a shape-shifting monster that exploits their deepest fears.
Most famously, the monster takes the form of Pennywise, an evil clown. King described Curry’s performance as chilling, adding, “Tim Curry was great as Pennywise, giving children across America (and perhaps the rest of the world) reason to fear the offer of a red balloon and the promise, ‘We all float down here.’”
Filmed over three months in Vancouver, Canada, the miniseries had a budget of $12 million, which was double the typical TV budget at the time.
Despite initial concerns from critics and the network about airing it during November sweeps, It became ABC’s biggest success of 1990, drawing nearly 30 million viewers across its two-night broadcast. The first part was watched in 17.5 million households, while the second part rose to 19.2 million. It also became the most recorded television program of the month, with nearly two million viewers using VCRs to tape it, according to A.C. Nielsen.
The miniseries received mixed critical responses but earned significant accolades. It was nominated for two Emmy Awards, an Eddie Award, a Youth in Film award, and a People’s Choice Award for Best Miniseries. It won two awards, including an Emmy for Outstanding Music Composition for Richard Bellis and an Eddie Award for editing.
King also shared that he insisted on seeing the miniseries before it aired, telling Fangoria, “It’s my damn book and I worked on it for three years.”
The cast included Tim Curry as Pennywise, Richard Thomas, John Ritter, Harry Anderson, Jonathan Brandis, and Tim Reid. The story alternates between the kids’ first encounter with Pennywise in 1960 and their return as adults in 1990.
Over time, Curry’s portrayal of Pennywise became iconic. Several publications now consider him one of the scariest clowns ever put on screen. The miniseries has inspired a 2020 documentary, Pennywise: The Story of It, and even an alternate history short film titled Georgie.
It also reached international audiences, airing in France in 1993 under the title Il est revenu, and in the UK on BBC One in 1994, attracting millions of viewers.
The 1990 miniseries remains a landmark in television horror, remembered both for its cultural impact and for cementing Tim Curry’s legacy as one of the most terrifying clowns in entertainment history.
Have something to add? Let us know in the comments!
