Luke Perry would have turned 60 on October 11, and it is still hard to believe he is gone. Born in Mansfield, Ohio, in 1966, Perry became the face of teen television in the 1990s and then, in a quieter second act, one of its most respected adults. He died on March 4, 2019, after a stroke, at just 52.
The anniversary of his birth is a chance to remember the work, and the man his colleagues keep describing with such warmth.
Luke Perry Was The Heart Of ‘90210’
As Dylan McKay on Beverly Hills, 90210, Perry was the brooding center of the show from 1990 through 1995, with a return at the end of the decade. He wore the fame uneasily, which only made audiences trust him more.
A Second Generation Found Him On ‘Riverdale’
Decades later he introduced himself to a new audience as Fred Andrews, the steady father on Riverdale, and was mid-run when he died. His 90210 castmates have never stopped honoring him, as Jason Priestley shared when he talked about how he processed losing his close friend. His full life and career show a man who valued the work over the spotlight.
Sixty years. He should have had so many more.
