On Monday, March 4, actor Luke Perry died after suffering a severe stroke on February 27 and never regaining consciousness. Being only 52 years old, his death was a complete shock to everyone and blindsided those who know and love him.
Perry is best known for his roles on “Riverdale” and “Beverly Hills, 90210.” On “Riverdale,” Perry played Fred Andrews, Archie’s dad, and on Beverly Hills, 90210, he was well-known for playing Dylan McKay.
Photo from cwtv.com
Among the aftermath of this beloved star’s death, “Riverdale” shut down production for a few of the following days. In response, executive producer’s of the CW television series said:
We are deeply saddened to learn today about the passing of Luke Perry. A beloved member of the ‘Riverdale,’ Warner Bros. and CW family, Luke was everything you would hope he would be: an incredibly caring, consummate professional with a giant heart, and a true friend to all. A father figure and mentor to the show’s young cast, Luke was incredibly generous, and he infused the set with love and kindness. Our thoughts are with Luke’s family during this most difficult time.
After graduating high school, Perry moved to Los Angeles to pursue an acting career. He was not successful at first and got repeatedly rejected from roles. In 1987, after many auditions, Perry finally got the role of Ned Bates on the ABC soap opera “Loving.”
When he then landed the role of Dylan McKay on “90210,” Perry became the show’s teen heart-throb. He rose to fame and people knew his name. “Beverly Hills, 90210” was a big hit, and the entire cast stole the hearts of fans everywhere. The character he played, Dylan, was the bad-boy outcast among the rest of the rich and proper kids at West Beverly Hills High School.
Photo from buzzfeednews.com
Perry starred in “Beverly Hills, 90210” for six seasons, but his time on the show ended in 1995. He went off to broaden the horizons of his acting career but ultimately ended up returning to “90210” for two final seasons.
With the end of “90210,” Perry decided to focus on a family. He married Rachel “Minnie” Sharp in 1993, only to get divorced ten years later in 2003. Together they share two kids, Jack and Sophie.
Although he is best known for his roles on television shows, he made appearances in some movies as well. Perry played the love interest of Kristy Swanson in the original “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” and in 1994 he had a role in a a film called “8 Seconds.” He is also known for doing the voices for characters in the cartoons, “The Incredible Hulk” and “Mortal Kombat.”
In 2016, Perry joined the cast of “Riverdale” and began filming. The cast had become like his family, and they are all lost and deeply saddened by his death. Both the cast and “Riverdale” fans know that the show will not be the same without him.
