Luke Perry, best known for his starring role in TV drama Beverly Hills, 90210, has died. He was 52.
Perry, who was born in Ohio, got his first taste of performing as the mascot for his High School, Fredericktown. But, like many growing up wanting to act, he found few opportunities, and moved to Los Angeles shortly after graduation in search of work. He held odd jobs while waiting to score roles, and then went to New York, going out on hundreds of auditions before landing a TV advert. From there, he appeared in a Twisted Sister music video and on soap operas.
His big break came when he landed the one of the main roles on Beverly Hills, 90210, playing Dylan McKay, the brooding son of a millionaire. The part instantly rocketed him to fame, landing him teen idol status. During his run on the show, he also appeared as Pike in 1992's Buffy The Vampire Slayer.
Announcing a need to find other, more challenging work, he left the show in 1994 and featured in a variety of indie movies, TV movies and smaller roles in big films such as The Fifth Element. He would return to 90210 in 1998.
Other roles included work on prison drama Oz, post-apocalyptic sci-fi drama Jeremiah and a variety of voice-over parts, sometimes playing himself. On the big screen, Perry appeared in the likes of Redemption Road, 2015's Black Beauty and 8 Seconds. On stage, he's taken on roles in shows including When Harry Met Sally and The Rocky Horror Show.
More recently, Perry has been a part of the Riverdale ensemble, playing Fred Andrews, and shot a role in Quentin Tarantino's next film, Once Upon A Time In Hollywood, which will arrive on screens on 9 August. The actor suffered a major stroke at his home in California on 27 February, and died of complications resulting from it. He's survived by two children.
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