John Bennett Perry

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John Bennett Perry
John Bennett Perry 2008.jpg
Perry in 2008
Born (1941-01-04) January 4, 1941 (age 84)
Alma mater St. Lawrence University
OccupationActor
Years active1967–2011
Spouses
  • Suzanne Langford
    (m. 1968;div. 1970)
  • Debbie Boyle
    (m. 1981)
Children2, including Matthew Perry

John Bennett Perry (born January 4, 1941) is an American retired actor, singer, and model. He is the father of the late actor Matthew Perry.

Contents

Early life

Perry was born on January 4, 1941, in Williamstown, Massachusetts, [1] the son of businessman, bank director and civic leader Alton L. Perry (1906–2003) and Maria (née Bennett; 1906–1971). [2] He attended college at St. Lawrence University, where he was a member of Phi Sigma Kappa fraternity. [3]

Career

Perry began his career focusing on singing, being part of the Serendipity Singers and with his stage credits including the 1967 musical Now Is the Time for All Good Men .[ citation needed ] He also appeared as an extra in the crowd scene in the "Tomorrow Belongs to Me" segment in the 1972 film Cabaret .[ citation needed ] Perry portrayed the clean-shaven "sailor" in the Old Spice commercials of the 1970s and 1980s. [4]

Perry has appeared in numerous films such as Lipstick (1976), Midway (1976), The Legend of the Lone Ranger (1981), Only When I Laugh (1981), Independence Day (1996) and George of the Jungle (1997), and on such television programs as The West Wing , L.A. Law , Days of Our Lives , Little House on the Prairie , Centennial , 240-Robert , Nakia , Falcon Crest , Murder, She Wrote , Diagnosis Murder and Magnum, P.I. . He played General Douglas MacArthur in the 1989 film Farewell to the King .

In the 1978–79 TV season, he and Stephanie Edwards co-hosted EveryDay, a syndicated daytime talk/variety series that also featured Murray Langston, Tom Chapin, Bob Corff and Anne Bloom. He and Edwards were both nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Host or Hostess in a Talk, Service or Variety Series, losing to Phil Donahue of The Phil Donahue Show . [5]

He appeared alongside his son Matthew Perry in the 1997 movie Fools Rush In , and in the episode "My Unicorn" of the sitcom Scrubs , each time as the father of his real-life son's character. [6] He also appeared in the episode of Friends with the title "The One with Rachel's New Dress", playing the father of Rachel Green's boyfriend Joshua. [7]

Personal life

From 1968 to 1970, he was married to Suzanne Langford, a former press secretary to former Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau. The couple had a son together, Matthew Perry (1969–2023), who also became an actor. After the couple divorced, his ex-wife returned to Ottawa, Ontario with their son. Perry then moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in acting. Matthew later moved back to the U.S to live with him when he was 15 years old. [8] [9] Perry married Debbie Boyle in 1981 and five years later the couple had a child together. [10]

Perry's son Matthew died on October 28, 2023, at age 54, from an apparent drowning, stemming from a ketamine overdose. [11] [12] [13]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
1976 Lipstick Martin McCormick
1976 Midway ARM1c Walter G. Chochalousek
1981 The Legend of the Lone Ranger Ranger Captain Dan Reid
1981 Only When I Laugh Vincent Heller (Lou)
1989 Farewell to the King General MacArthur
1996 Independence Day Secret Serviceman
1996 The Evening Star Sitcom Parent
1997 Fools Rush In Richard Whitman
1997 George of the Jungle Arthur Stanhope
1998CirclesBob Miano
1998 Ground Control Senator Rutherford
2002 The Sweetest Thing Judy's Father
2007AgendaJohn Linney
2007 Protecting the King Vernon Presley
2008LoadedEvan Price
2011Bob's New SuitBuster

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
1972Bobby Jo and the Good Time BandJeffTelevision movie
1973–1974 Police Story Sergeant Chick TorpiRecurring role (5 episodes)
1974 Mannix Steve WalkerEpisode: "Walk a Double Line"
1974 Nakia unknown roleEpisode: "The Moving Target"
1975 Kung Fu Deputy Hank ArcherEpisode: "Battle Hymn"
1975 S.W.A.T. Johnny BrewerEpisode: "The Vendetta"
1975 Barbary Coast Commander StarkEpisode: "An Iron-Clad Plan"
1977 Little House on the Prairie Andrew Hobbs / Frank JamesEpisode: "The Aftermath"
1978EverydayHimself (Host)2 episodes
– "#1.1"
– "#1.11"
Nominated – Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Host or Hostess in a Talk, Service or Variety Series
1978–1979 Centennial Mahlon ZendtMiniseries (2 episodes)
– "The Wagon and the Elephant" (1978)
– "The Storm" (1979)
1979–1981 240-Robert Deputy Theodore Roosevelt 'Trap' Applegate IIISeries regular (16 episodes)
1981A Matter of Life and DeathShad FlemingTelevision movie
1982 Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color Russell DonovanEpisode: "Tales of the Apple Dumpling Gang"
1982 Today's F.B.I. ParrishEpisode: "Tapper"
1982 Money on the Side Tom WestmoreTelevision movie
1982 Seven Brides for Seven Brothers EckworthEpisode: "Heritage"
1983 I Married Wyatt Earp John BehanTelevision movie
1983 Little House on the Prairie Russell MatthewsEpisode: "Once Upon a Time"
1983 Teachers Only unknown roleEpisode: "Rex, the Wonder Husband"
1983 Wizards and Warriors ColterEpisode: "The Dungeon of Death"
1983 Lottery! unknown roleEpisode: "Phoenix: Blood Brothers"
1983 Emerald Point N.A.S. JoeEpisode: "#1.6"
1984 The Duck Factory Brett Higgens / ArnoldEpisode: "It Didn't Happen One Night"
1984 The Love Boat George WashburnEpisode: "Only the Good Die Young/Honey Beats the Odds/The Light of Another Day"
1984 Paper Dolls Michael CaswellSeries regular (13 episodes)
1985 The Other Lover Peter FieldingTelevision movie
1985 I Dream of Jeannie... Fifteen Years Later Wes MorrisonTelevision movie
1985 Magnum, P.I. Stephen ParkerEpisode: "Rapture"
1985–1986 Falcon Crest Sheriff Floyd GilmoreSeries regular (21 episodes)
1986 Hotel Drew HaywoodEpisode: "Harassed"
1987 The Last Fling Jason ElliotTelevision movie
1987IndependenceSheriffTelevision movie
1987 Throb BobbyEpisode: "Party Games"
1987 Poker Alice Frank HartwellTelevision movie
1987 Rags to Riches Tom HonkersonEpisode: "Wilderness Blues"
1987 Pursuit of Happiness Fast PhilEpisode: "Advice and Consent"
1987 Murder, She Wrote Judge Perry SillmanEpisode: "When Thieves Fall Out"
1988 Nightingales Roger TaylorTelevision movie
1988 L.A. Law Richard LauderbauchEpisode: "Romancing the Drone"
1988 Hunter Steven StagEpisode: "Dead on Target (Part 1 & 2)"
1989She Knows Too MuchMatthew BreamTelevision movie
1989False WitnessDr. StinerTelevision movie
1991 Over My Dead Body RaymondEpisode: "Naked Brunch"
1992SecretsDan AdamsTelevision movie
1992 Coach Arthur BlackmoreEpisode: "Dateline-Bangkok"
1992 Silk Stalkings Ronald BunchEpisode: "Irreconcilable Differences"
1993 Civil Wars Adam HunterEpisode: "Dances with Sharks"
1993 Murder, She Wrote Dan RemsenEpisode: "Lone Witness"
1993Home FreeJudge Quentin CavanaughEpisode: "Front Page"
1995 Renegade Ted RadfordEpisode: "Rancho Escondido"
1995 CBS Schoolbreak Special Winston HalpernEpisode: "Kids Killing Kids"
1995 Eye of the Stalker Duncan EmersonTelevision movie
1996 Pier 66 Senator PowersTelevision movie
1996Night StandColin HunterEpisode: "Gays in the Military"
1998 The Wonderful World of Disney Mr. Norman ZapruderEpisode: "Safety Patrol"
1998 Friends Mr. BurginEpisode: "The One with Rachel's New Dress"
1998 JAG Roland Sims2 episodes
– "Yesterday's Heroes"
– "Wedding Bell Blues"
1998 The Army Show Nelson CaesarEpisode: "J. Paul Caesar"
1998–1999 Air America Frank ArnettRecurring role (6 episodes)
1999 Veronica's Closet Byron BlairEpisode: "Veronica's from Venus/Josh's Parents Are from Mars"
1999 Nash Bridges Frank MorganEpisode: "Hide and Seek"
1999 3rd Rock from the Sun Hamilton BellEpisode: "Dick v. Strudwick"
1999–2000 Family Law Senator Harlan BellRecurring role (3 episodes)
1999–2001 It's Like, You Know... Barney the AnchormanRecurring role (3 episodes)
2000 Diagnosis Murder Robert BrantiganEpisode: "Man Overboard"
2001 The West Wing Representative Bill. DEpisode: "Two Cathedrals"
2002 Providence Charles FrankRecurring role (3 episodes)
2003 7th Heaven Detective Terry Richardson2 episodes
– "Stand Up"
– "High Anxiety"
2003 Threat Matrix Senator OttoEpisode: "Flipping"
2004 Scrubs Gregory MarksEpisode: "My Unicorn"
2005 Cuts DennisEpisode: "Mack Daddies"
2005 Veronica Mars Principal Alan Moorehead2 episodes
– "Ahoy, Mateys!"
– "My Mother, the Fiend"
2006Principal Dennisunknown roleEpisode: "Heiress Bridenapped"
2006Our HouseJudgeTelevision movie
2006 The Closer Walter LangerEpisode: "Heroic Measures"
2008 Dirty Sexy Money Hal MathesonEpisode: "The Birthday Present"
2009 Cold Case Al 'Baltimore Red' Soddenheim '09Episode: "November 22nd"
2011 Mr. Sunshine HowardEpisode: "The Best Man"

References

  1. Benjamin, Ruth; Rosenblatt, Arthur (2006). Who Sang what on Broadway, 1866-1996: The singers (L-Z). McFarland. p. 602. ISBN   9780786421893 via Google Books.
  2. "Alton Perry obituary". iBerkshires. February 4, 2003. Retrieved April 8, 2017.
  3. Phi Sigma Kappa, ed. (1986). Hills and a Star (8 ed.). Indianapolis, Indiana: Phi Sigma Kappa Fraternity. pp. 76–78.
  4. Wild, David (May 18, 1995). "'Friends': Six Lives on Videotape". Rolling Stone. Retrieved October 29, 2023.
  5. Hoffman, Steve (May 18, 1979). "'Donahue' Tops Emmys Again for Daytime TV". The Cincinnati Enquirer. p. A-10. Retrieved October 29, 2023 via Newspapers.com.
  6. Schonfeld, Alexandra (October 31, 2023). "All the Projects Matthew Perry and His Dad, John Bennett Perry, Both Starred In". People . Retrieved July 28, 2024.
  7. Wehniainen, Grace (November 25, 2023). "Matthew Perry's Dad Appeared On Friends & Fans Totally Missed It". Bustle. Retrieved July 28, 2024.
  8. Kennedy, Dana (August 18, 2002). "The Fame He Craved Came, but It Wasn't Enough" . The New York Times . Archived from the original on June 26, 2019.
  9. "Mr. and Mrs. John Bennett Perry". Ottawa Citizen . September 23, 1968. Archived from the original on January 24, 2020.
  10. "📸 Matthew Perry in (his sister) Mia's wedding - August 30th, 2014. His picture with the baby just killed me 🥺❤". facebook.com.
  11. Gariano, Francesca (October 29, 2023). "Matthew Perry said his sisters, brother 'never turned their backs' on him. Everything to know about his 5 siblings". Today. Retrieved October 29, 2023.
  12. Winton, Richard; Brennan, Matt; Sheets, Connor (October 28, 2023). "'Friends' star Matthew Perry dead at 54, found in hot tub at L.A. home" . Los Angeles Times .
  13. Haring, Bruce (November 3, 2023). "Matthew Perry Funeral Attended By 'Friends' Co-Stars And Family In L.A." Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved November 4, 2023.