When news broke in late February that Luke Perry had suffered a massive stroke, the world was shocked. Even though he was no longer playing teen heartthrob bad boy Dylan McKay, Luke had always maintained his popularity, never being known for bad boy antics in the real world.
In recent times he had become beloved of a new generation, as the father of Archie in the TV reboot Riverdale.
So his sudden death was a complete tragedy. We present here a biography of the talented, admirable, nice guy Luke Perry.
When and how did Luke Perry die?
At 12.44 pm on the 4th March, 2019, Luke Perry passed away and the news that he was dead left the world shocked.
According to the death certificate, his cause of death was an “ischemic cerebrovascular accident.” Luke suffered a stroke on February 27, 2019, in his Los Angeles home.
In the 911 call, a woman can be heard asking the operator to tell the ambulance to hurry. The paramedics arrived around 9.40 am before taking him to the local hospital where he remained for five days, under observation.
Us Weekly reports that his family had to make the heartbreaking decision to take him off life support.
“He never regained consciousness. Things were so dire that they put him under heavy sedation. He was gone, basically, by the time he got to the hospital,” a source told People magazine.
How old was Luke Perry when he passed away?
Luke died at the age of 52 years old. He was buried on March 11, 2019, in Dickson, Tennessee. His family asked that instead of flowers, donations be made to charities.
How tall is Luke Perry?
The actor had a height of 1.78m.
Where was Luke Perry born?
Luke was born Coy Luther Perry III in Mansfield, Ohio, on October 11, 1966.
Who are Luke Perry’s parents?
Luke was born to Ann Perry, a homemaker, and Coy Luther Perry Jr., a steelworker, however the pair split in 1972. Ann then married a construction worker named Steve Bennet and together they had another child.
His biological father died in 1980 from a heart attack.
He had two siblings, a brother Tom and a sister Amy.
Where did Luke Perry live?
He grew up in Fredericktown, Ohio, and in 1984 moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in acting. At the time of his death he was living in Sherman Oaks in Los Angeles but he also had a farm near Nashville in Tennessee since the mid-1990s.
What is Luke Perry’s net worth?
Celebrity Net Worth claims that the star was worth $US10 million ($AUD14 million).
What high school did Luke Perry go to?
Before his acting career took off, Luke Perry went to Fredericktown High School in Ohio and even took the position as the school mascot, Freddie Bird.
“He had an outgoing personality. He was funny,” said teacher Betty Weller to Knox Pages of Luke’s time at school. “He would be somebody who liked to be in front of people.”
What did Luke Perry look like when he was young?
Aside from a few extra wrinkles, Luke’s looks had not changed that much over the years.
See photos of Luke in high school here
But it was at the age of 24 that Luke Perry reached heartthrob status taking on the role of Dylan in Beverly Hills, 90210.
Are Luke Perry and Matthew Perry related?
Despite their common last name, the two aren’t related.
Was Luke Perry ever married?
On November 20, 1993, Luke celebrated a wedding to saleswoman Rachel Minnie Sharp in Beverly Hills after dating for two years.
They had two children together, a son, Jack Perry, in 1997 and a daughter, Sophie Perry, in 2000. Sadly, Luke and Minnie divorced in 2003.
Why did Luke and Minnie Sharp get divorced?
It’s not clear why Luke and Minnie split in 2003 but it does seem that their split was amicable, with Minnie at Luke’s bedside at the time of his passing.
Did Luke and Minnie remain friends after their divorce?
Despite their divorce, Luke and Minnie remained good friends and shared joint custody of their two children. They remained so close, Minnie was also there when he passed away.
Did Luke Perry and Shannen Doherty ever date in real life?
Although their chemistry was electric on Beverly Hills, 90210, playing Dylan and Brenda, in real life Shannen Doherty and Luke Perry never actually dated, despite many rumours of a romantic relationship.
However, the two were great friends off set and remained so after Shannen left the show.
“I have so many memories with Luke that make me smile and that are forever imprinted on my heart and mind,” Shannen said after his death.
Did Luke Perry and Jennie Garth ever date in real life?
Although being close friends, the pair decided that they wouldn’t work being romantically linked and never dated.
Rumours of a relationship between the pair surfaced after her split with husband Peter Facinelli, but Luke was just being a supportive friend.
Who else has Luke Perry dated?
Despite not dating his 90210 co-stars, Perry had a few relationships with other actresses. There were rumours of him dating Jerry Maguire star Kelly Preston in 1990 before she married John Travolta in 1991.
In a 1991 interview with People, Luke confessed that he had dated a lot of girls but didn’t reveal any names. However, he did mention that his only serious girlfriend before then was Baywatch star Yasmine Bleeth. They had lived together in Manhattan but split before he went back to Los Angeles.
From 1991 to 1992, Perry was in a relationship with his Kristy Swanson, his co-star in the Buffy the Vampire Slayer movie. They remained great friends after they broke up and she posted a sincere message on Twitter after Luke passed.
He was also romantically linked with Renee Zellweger in 2007 after they were spotted having dinner together.
There were also rumours that Luke Perry was gay, because of his close friendship with Alexis Arquette.
Alexis’s sister, actress Patricia Arquette, cleared up the situation, saying to ET, “He and Lex were friends since they were kids and I remember many years ago, the height of the 90210 craze, they all said, ‘Alexis Arquette is dating Luke. Luke is secretly gay.’ And Luke said, ‘I’m not going to say that’s not true, even though Alexis and I are just best friends because that would be to say there’s something wrong with it, and there’s nothing wrong with it.'”
When Luke Perry died was he in a relationship?
At the time of his passing, Luke was engaged to former part-time actress and therapist, Wendy Madison Bauer.
They kept their relationship relatively quiet until March 2019 and more details about how they got together are unknown.
She was at his side when he passed.
According to TMZ, the couple were set to get married on August 17, 2019.
In a statement to People, Wendy said, “I want to express my gratitude to everyone for the outpouring of love and support. The countless, heartwarming stories of Luke’s generosity and kindness have been a great source of solace during this difficult time.”
They had been together for over 11 years.
Did Luke Perry ever visit Australia?
Yes. Watch video from Luke Perry’s visit to Australia in 2012 here
Does Luke Perry have kids?
Luke has two children with former wife Minnie Sharp and shared joint custody of them after their divorce.
His daughter Sophie is 18 and working in Africa and his son Jack is 21 and a professional wrestler signed with All Elite wrestling.
Many spoke of Perry as an amazing father who was “a super great, very hands-on dad” and who “was always attending his kids’ school and after-school functions when they were younger. He loved just hanging out with them and being present. He was so proud of everything they accomplished.”
“He was a lot of things to a lot of people. To me, he was always Dad. He loved supported me in everything, and inspired me to be the best that I could possibly be,” said Jack after his father died.
What TV shows was Luke Perry in?
Luke Perry appeared in many TV series and made guest appearances many popular shows.
He is most famous for appearing in:
Beverly Hills, 90210 (TV Series) 1990-2000
Dylan McKay / Billy McCoy / Peter Brinkley
Riverdale (TV Series) 2016-2019
Fred Andrews
Oz (TV Series) 2001-2002
Reverend Jeremiah Cloutier
Jeremiah (TV Series) 2002-2004
Jeremiah
and for guest starring roles in
Criminal Minds (TV Series) 2008
Benjamin Cyrus
Major Crimes (TV Series) 2014
Jon ‘Jonny’ Worth
What character did Luke Perry play in Beverly Hills, 90210?
In the show Luke played bad boy heartthrob Dylan McKay for 199 episodes.
How did playing Dylan in 90210 change Luke Perry’s life?
Before claiming the greatest role of his acting career as Dylan Mckay, Luke Perry was almost unknown in the industry and had only landed roles in soap operas Loving and Another World previously.
At the time of his casting in 90210, he was doing odd jobs including laying asphalt and working in a doorknob factory, according to The Guardian.
By portraying the teenage rebel in Beverly Hills, 90210, Luke was quickly propelled into the limelight. He became so famous, he once had to make his escape from ardent fans in a laundry basket. Although he enjoyed working on the show, he was not so keen on the hysteria of being a teen pin-up.
Friends from his hometown say he never changed after becoming famous and kept that down-to-earth nature.
After his 90210 gig, he starred in many TV shows and movies, becoming a household name who was still widely popular even 29 years after the first 90210 episode aired.
What movies was Luke Perry in?
Post-90210 fame, the actor starred in many movies, most notably:
Buffy the Vampire Slayer 1992 as Pike
The Fifth Element 1997 as Billy
Love in Paradise 2016 as Avery
Did Luke Perry smoke?
In an interview for WHO in 1991 he revealed that he smoked Marlboro Lights however he has also acknowledged that he could “take or leave” them.
How many people have had a Luke Perry poster on their bedroom wall?
It is hard to know exactly how many posters of Luke Perry covered teen bedroom walls at the height of the 90210 frenzy but considering how popular he was with teenagers – at its peak, the show was watched by 21 million viewers in the US alone – … probably very many!
Did Luke Perry ever do a sex scene?
Perry had never starred in a sex scene but was captured fully nude in HBO drama Oz.
What are Luke Perry’s best fashion moments?
During the 90s, Luke Perry grasped men’s fashion wearing rolled up long-sleeved shirts, Chuck Taylors with no socks and ill-fitting blue jeans, all complemented by the dashing scar on one of his eyebrows.
What are Luke Perry’s most famous hairstyles?
When he was younger Perry’s hairstyles consisted of a 1950s style pompadour look cut short, with a flipped up front that provided extra height.
He also brought back long sideburns, together with costar Jason Priestly, and was often compared with James Dean for his similar hairstyles. As he grew older Perry kept his locks similar with short sides and a sweptback hairline.
What will Luke Perry be remembered for?
“Luke had a goal early on it seemed like, and he had the fortitude and attitude to persevere and achieve that goal,” Fredericktown High School classmate Scott Mast said of Luke, who was voted “Biggest Flirt” by his year. “I had a lot of admiration for a person that can do that kind of thing.
And Scott is not alone in his admiration of Luke.
His popularity is still so great, he was even used as the cover of AARP magazine in 2016, and his enduring legacy lives on.
As his fiancee Wendy said in the statement to People after his death, “We have found comfort … in the knowledge that our lives were touched by an extraordinary man. He will be dearly missed.”
And now, there is a school in Malawi named after Luke Perry. RIP
