Entertainment
Luke Perry: Beloved Actor and Father
Reporter Celeste Barber
On October 11, 1966 beloved actor and father, Coy Luke Perry III was born to his mother Ann Bennett and father Coy Luther Perry Jr. However, in 1972 when Perry was six they divorced. Ann Bennett later on married, construction worker Steve Bennett.
It wasn’t always paradise with Luke and his biological father. Unfortunately the two never reconciled and his father died due to a fatal heart attack in 1980.
Perry was raised in Fredericktown, Ohio by his mother and stepfather alongside him was along his older brother Tom and younger sister Amy and step sister Emily.
Perry looked up to his role model stepfather, Steve Bennett. Perry goes on to described him to People’s magazine as “the one who taught [him] the important things [he] needed to know about being a man.”
During school Perry was known as a daydreamer; he was never interested in the curriculum. After surviving to graduation Perry moved to California, to pursue his acting dream in 1984.
In 1987, Perry scored his first break as Ned Bates in the daytime TV drama Loving. However, prior to that he was in 1982 he was featured on the TV series Voyagers! Afterwards Perry starred in 90 other TV series and movies!
Although from 2008-2013 Perry became every girl’s bad boy crush when he starred as Dylan McKay on the hit TV series 90210.
A People’s magazine article said Perry “introduced himself on the show’s second episode as “mad, bad and dangerous to know,” a nod to the British poet Lord Byron”.
After his big break on 90210 Perry was offered a role as Mr. Andrews in the upcoming teen TV series Riverdale.
Although upon receiving the offer, Perry was hesitant because of the entire new generation Riverdale came with. Although “...Perry has a lot of respect for his co-star and on-screen son, KJ Apa. Perry has been in the shoes of the younger actors on Riverdale and knows what it's like to be the next big thing. He sees their passion and exudes pride for the young man he is proud to call his friend”. Perry told The Hollywood Reporter in 2017, "I like playing the dad because I like being a dad, and I think it's a great character in the milieu of this show that I'm the grounded one, I'm the guy who really cares about KJ, who cares about doing a good job and being a good construction worker. I love that."
Aside being an actor, Perry was also an astonishing father to his two children, daughter Sophie Perry and son Jack Perry, whom he had with former spouse Rachel Sharp.
He also was a soon to be husband again to fiancee Wendy Madison Bauer. Now Perry never publicly announced the engagement to Bauer, “but his rep revealed in a statement that “fiancée” Bauer, 44, was among the love ones who surrounded Perry…”.
On February 27, 2019 Perry was rushed to the hospital after suffering a massive stroke. Perry was reported dead on March 4, 2019 due to the effects of the stroke he suffered five days prior. “He passed away... at St. Joseph's Hospital in Burbank, California. He was surrounded by his close family and friends including his children, Sophie and Jack”.
No one will ever forget Perry and all that he did for children growing up, he played a character who showed how a child should be truly loved. Perry was dearly loved by many and will be missed tremendously.