Luke Perry, "Beverly Hills, 90210" star, dies at 52
Luke Perry, best known for his role on FOX's "Beverly Hills, 90210" in the 1990s, died Monday after suffering a "massive stroke" last week, a representative told CBS News. He was 52.
"He was surrounded by his children Jack and Sophie, fiancé Wendy Madison Bauer, ex-wife Minnie Sharp, mother Ann Bennett, step-father Steve Bennett, brother Tom Perry, sister Amy Coder, and other close family and friends," the rep said in a statement.
"The family appreciates the outpouring of support and prayers that have been extended to Luke from around the world, and respectfully request privacy in this time of great mourning. No further details will be released at this time."
Perry recently starred as Fred Andrews on the hit Netflix show "Riverdale," a teen drama in its third season. The show is based on the characters of Archie Comics, which first began publishing their famous "Archie" comic strips in 1941.
Perry spoke about relating to his role as Archie's father in a 2017 interview with Entertainment Tonight.
"I think in some ways this character is the closest thing to me that I've ever played because he's a guy that loves his kid. That's really all he's about," he said. "That's what I'm about."
Perry was born in Mansfield, Ohio, and grew up nearby in Fredericktown. After graduating high school, he moved to Los Angeles to pursue acting. He eventually landed small roles in soap operas and a Twisted Sister music video in 1985.
His big break came when he was cast as Dylan McKay in "Beverly Hills, 90210," which premiered in 1990. The show propelled him to the status of a teen idol, which translated into roles in "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," "Terminal Bliss" and "8 Seconds."
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Ian Ziering, who co-starred with Perry on "90210," said on Instagram that he would "forever bask in the loving memories we've shared over the last thirty years."
Another cast member, Christine Elise McCarthy tweeted saying she was "devastated" and "still in shock."
A revival of the original "90210" had just been announced on the day Perry was hospitalized. His biggest turn as an actor may happen after his death, when he appears on the big screen this summer in Quentin Tarantino's film "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood."
Brian Pascus and Kevin Frazier contributed to this report.
