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Luke Perry grew up in the small town of Mansfield, Ohio, before moving to California as a teenager to chase his dream of becoming an actor. After attending nearly 300 auditions, he finally landed his breakout role as Dylan McKay in the hit series 'Beverly Hills, 90210'.
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Perry rose to fame during his time on the wildly popular teen series 'Beverly Hills, 90210', initially leaving after season 6 and later returning for season 9. He continued to build his career with roles in projects like 'Red Wing' and the original 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer' film. In 2002, he made his Broadway debut, playing "Brad" in 'The Rocky Horror Show'.
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After that, Perry’s career took off. Most recently, he played the role of Archie's dad on the CW's hit show 'Riverdale'. He also appeared in Quentin Tarantino's film 'Once Upon a Time in Hollywood', which centered around the Charles Manson era.
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Luke Perry also made a mark in voice acting, lending his talent to a variety of animated series, including 'Biker Mice' from 'Mars', 'Mortal Kombat: Defenders of the Realm', 'The Legend of Calamity Jane', 'The Incredible Hulk', 'Pepper Ann', 'Pound Puppies', and many more.
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The 'Riverdale' star passed away from an "ischemic cerebrovascular accident," the most common type of stroke. This occurs when a blood clot blocks a blood vessel, cutting off blood and oxygen to a part of the brain, according to his death certificate, which was obtained by 'TheWrap'.
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Perry died on March 4 at Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center in Burbank, California, after being hospitalized the prior Wednesday following a massive stroke.
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"He was surrounded by his children, Jack and Sophie, fiancée 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 family appreciates the outpouring of support and prayers from around the world and respectfully requests privacy during this time of great mourning," a spokesperson for Perry said in a statement
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Lili Reinhart, who plays "Betty" on 'Riverdale', just said on social media, "I'm finding it hard to grasp that he will no longer be around to give long hugs and share his wisdom and kindness with all of us." Lili followed with another tweet saying, "I just can't believe it."
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'Riverdale' execs tell 'TMZ', "Luke was everything you would hope he would be: an incredibly caring, consummate professional with a giant heart, and a true friend to all. A father figure and mentor to the show's young cast, Luke was incredibly generous, and he infused the set with love and kindness. Our thoughts are with Luke's family during this most difficult time."
Luke Perry, beloved for his roles in 'Beverly Hills, 90210' and 'Riverdale', passed away suddenly in 2019. The actor suffered a massive stroke at just 52, leaving fans and co-stars in shock and grief.
His passing was a reminder of how sudden and devastating strokes can be, and it prompted many to raise awareness about stroke prevention and symptoms. This gallery reflects on his life, career, and the legacy he left behind.