“Friends” star Matthew Perry was found dead at his Los Angeles home yesterday from an apparent drowning, Fox News Digital confirmed. The actor was 54.
While tributes pour in from famous friends and costars, it’s worth noting that Perry also had some industry connections a bit closer to home, including his father, actor John Bennett Perry who appeared alongside his son in his film “Fools Rush In,” and his stepfather, true crime icon Keith Morrison.
Perry was born in 1969 in Williamstown, Massachusetts, to the senior Perry and mother Suzanne Morrison, a journalist and former press secretary to Canadian prime minister Pierre Trudeau.
While his name may not be as instantly recognizable as his son’s, Perry’s father had a long, successful career in acting. Getting his start on television in the early 70s, he’s known for his recurring role as Sheriff Floyd Gilmore on “Falcon Crest.” Art also imitated life when he played the father of Perry’s character in 1997’s “Fools Rush In.”
‘FRIENDS’ STAR MATTHEW PERRY DEAD AT 54
Matthew Perry died on Oct. 28 at his home in Los Angeles. (Gregg DeGuire)
He also appeared in an episode of “Friends” in 1998. In addition to acting, he has worked as a singer and a model. Perhaps his best claim to fame is his long-running role in Old Spice ads, appearing in commercials for the brand in the 70s and 80s.
John Bennett Perry is Matthew Perry’s father. (Frazer Harrison)
Perry’s mother, born Suzanne Langford, also has a background in modeling, although she is much better known for her work in journalism. While she served under Pierre Trudeau as his press secretary, Perry attended school with his son and current prime minister, Justin Trudeau.
Matthew Perry with mom Suzanne and sister Emily. (Gregg DeGuire/WireImage)
In a 2017 appearance on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!”, the actor recalled getting into a fight with the Canadian leader when they were children, explaining that he and a friend “both beat him up. I think he was excelling in a sport that we weren’t, so it was pure jealousy … I think he was the only kid in school that we could beat up. … I’m not bragging about this. This is terrible. I was a stupid kid. I didn’t want to beat him up.”
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There didn’t seem to be any hard feelings, as after the story came to light Trudeau reached out to Perry on X, formerly Twitter, to say, “I’ve been giving it some thought, and you know what, who hasn’t wanted to punch Chandler? How about a rematch @MatthewPerry ?”
When the news of Perry’s death broke last night, Trudeau posted a tribute.
“Matthew Perry’s passing is shocking and saddening. I’ll never forget the schoolyard games we used to play, and I know people around the world are never going to forget the joy he brought them,” he said. “Thanks for all the laughs, Matthew. You were loved – and you will be missed.”
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In 1981, Perry’s mother married fellow journalist Keith Morrison, who went on to become known for his work in true crime reporting, most notably on “Dateline.” The two have four children together.
Keith Morrison crosses the police tape down the street from where Matthew Perry’s house in Pacific Palisades Saturday night. (Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times)
Keith Morrison, Matthew Perry’s stepfather, is seen outside of Perry’s home on October 28, 2023 in Pacific Palisades, California. Matthew Perry was found deceased at his home. (Photo by MEGA/GC Images) (MEGA/GC Images)
In 2020, Morrison spoke highly of Perry to People, saying, “He’s one of those people who always is the center of the room for a reason and it was so as a kid. On the hockey team, I used to take him off to his hockey games on Saturday mornings. It was like Matthew and the hockey team. He was the one who scored all the goals. He was the guy. The same on the tennis court. He was extremely, extremely good on the tennis court and very intense. He’s an intense, talented, focused character. He’s very bright. That was always the case as he was growing up.”
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Keith Morrison was photographed outside of Matthew Perry’s home along with the actor’s mother and father. (MEGA/GC Images)
Speaking on his stepson’s fast rise to fame after being cast on “Friends,” Morrison said, “He was at a stage where [he was questioning] if this acting thing was going to work or not. Then suddenly, boy did it ever. A million things have sprung from that, but him being selected for a role like that does not surprise me one bit. It matched his particular sense of humor precisely, whether they wrote that for him knowing what he was like or whether he adapted it more for himself, probably a combination of the two. But that character is Matthew. Yeah, and it always has been him. He’s just a talented soul, a smart guy.”
“He’s a good guy. We love having him around.”
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Perry’s parents, including Morrison, were photographed arriving at Perry’s home last night as police tape surrounded the residence.