Luke Perry is pictured attending the 2017 CW Upfront on May 18, 2017 in New York City.Photo:Monica Schipper/WireImage
Monica Schipper/WireImage
Monday marks five years since the sudden death ofLuke Perryat age 52 on March 4, 2019. In honor of the late actor, below is PEOPLE’s cover story from the archive about his shocking death.
Nearly two decades afterLuke Perry’s seminal television seriesBeverly Hills, 90210went off the air, his friendships with his former costars endured. Just last week he texted with close palTori Spellingand caught up withJennie Garth, proudly sharing with her a photo ofhis 18-year-old daughter Sophie, who had recently embarked on a volunteer trip to Malawi. It would be the last time they would speak with him.
Luke Perry People Magazine Cover in 2019.
Coy Luther Perry III was born and raised in the village of Fredericktown, Ohio, to Coy Sr., a steelworker, and Ann, a homemaker. “I love where I come from,” Perry, then 25, told PEOPLEin 1991.“ The people there are good people. When they say‘ Thank you,’ they mean it. A lot of people say nice things to me out here [in Los Angeles] because they’re getting paid to.” High school classmate Rachel Mackall says, “He never stopped being ‘hometown,’ and we loved him for it.”
Perry’s parents divorced when he was 6, and he had a turbulent relationship with his father (“It sucked,” he said in 1991), but he grew close to his stepfather Steve Bennett, whom his mother married when Perry was 12. “He’s the one who taught me the important things I needed to know about being a man,” Perry said.
In high school, Perry, who was named “Biggest Flirt” in his yearbook, also showed off his budding talent, entertaining crowds as Freddie Bird, the school mascot. “He had so much spunk,” recalls his adviser Betty Weller. “He said he was going to be a movie star.” Sure enough, after high school, a determined Perry headed to L.A.
The ‘Beverly Hills, 90210’ cast is pictured posing for a portrait on set in September 1991 in Los Angeles, California.
“Man, I hate those two f—ing words,” Perry said in 1991. “I’m a simple guy. . . . I don’t need a whole lot.” Adds Potter: “It was hard for him to go anywhere. But he didn’t let it go to his head. He was more like, ‘This is crazy.’ ” So Perry did his best to stay out of the limelight, settling into a quiet life at home in the San Fernando Valley, where he lived with three Vietnamese potbellied pigs and eventually, furniture saleswoman Sharp, whom he wed in 1993.
After their children were born, Perry had a renewed focus. “As soon as he became a dad, that was it,” says a source. “He didn’t care about being famous or being a ‘celebrity.’ He knew what was important.” Exceedingly private, Perry continued to retreat from the spotlight while he leaned into his role as a father, though he maintained a steady flow of work (see sidebar). “He adored his kids beyond words,” says costar Tori Spelling. “Luke was one of the kindest and most humble human beings I’ve ever known. He was so proud of Jack and Sophie.” His pride in his children continued as they grew older, with Sophie embark-ing on community building with One World Center in Malawi, and Jack, a fledgling pro wrestler whom Perry was known to film from the stands during matches.
Even those who weren’t related to Perry came to feel a familial bond. “He truly was family to me,” Spelling says. “A protector and a brother.”90210costarShannen Dohertyrecalls seeing the sweetly devoted side of the actor during a lunch date just a few weeks before his death. “He chose the restaurant based on who would allow his dog,” she tells PEOPLE. “I walked in and there he was, smiling, with his dog Penny and her bed under the booth, happy as can be.”
(L-R) KJ Apa as Archie Andrews and Luke Perry as Fred Andrews on ‘Riverdale’.Dean Buscher/The CW
Dean Buscher/The CW
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Perry also remained a faithful advocate for Fight Colorectal Cancer, an organization whose work encouraged Perry to undergo a colonoscopy in 2015 that revealed precancerous cells.“I want people to be proactive about their health,” Perry told PEOPLEin 2017. “If I had waited, it could have been a whole different scenario.”
Instead it appeared Perry had much to look forward to, including another shot atwedded bliss. Perry, who amicably split with Sharp in 2003,found love again with his fiancée, Bauer, 44. Says Patricia Arquette of their relationship: “He had found true joy and happiness with [Wendy].”
In a sadly ironic twist,Beverly Hills, 90210’s upcoming Fox reboot was announced the very day of Perry’s stroke. The actor hadn’t signed on to join some of his castmates on a trip back to their famous zip code. But Perry’s legacy as an accomplished costar, faithful friend and loving father will long be remembered. “God, please give [Luke] a seat close to you,” close friend and90210costarIan Zieringwrote in a tribute to his friend. “He deserves it.”
source: people.com
