Born 60 Years Ago Today, This Beloved '90s TV Star Left Us Far Too Soon

For fans of '90s television, today is both a day of celebration and sorrow as it marks what should have been Luke Perry's 60th birthday. Perry was born Coy Luther Perry III in Mansfield, Ohio on October 11, 1966. He began his acting career in the 1980s, and rose to prominence as a teen idol in the '90s thanks to his role as Dylan McKay on "Beverly Hills, 90210." Around that time, Perry also enjoyed roles in popular films like "The Fifth Element" and the original "Buffy the Vampire Slayer."

Later in his career, Perry went back to his teen drama roots, albeit in a very different way. Now playing the parent of a brooding teenager rather than a brooding teenager himself, Perry starred as Fred Andrews — father of KJ Apa's Archie Andrews — on The CW's "Riverdale" starting in 2017. Tragically, however, this would prove to be one of his final roles. In March 2019, Perry unexpectedly died as the result of a stroke at the age of 52. But while Perry unquestionably died far too soon, the outpouring of love and support that followed proved how much of an impact he made over the course of his life and career.

Luke Perry's sudden death in the spring of 2019 shocked his fans not only because he was so young, but also because they were still actively watching him on TV every week. When the news broke of Perry's death that March, "Riverdale" was smack in the middle of its third season on The CW. In the immediate aftermath, the series temporarily halted production in his honor. Perry's final appearance as Fred Andrews, which had already been filmed, came during the show's Season 3 finale, which aired that April.

Fast-forward to October 9, 2019 — just two days shy of what would have been Perry's 53rd birthday — and "Riverdale" aired its Season 4 premiere, which was dedicated to his memory. In the episode, the character of Fred himself unexpectedly dies, which leaves the town both reeling from his loss and celebrating his life. The episode even featured a special guest appearance by Perry's close friend and former "90210" co-star Shannen Doherty, who also sadly died at the age of 53 just five years later.

"The script is beautiful. The tribute to him is beautiful," Doherty said of the then-upcoming "Riverdale" Season 4 premiere during an appearance on "Live with Kelly and Ryan" in August 2019. "They sent me the script, and I read it ... and I just started sobbing, and I was like, 'Yes.' Like, 'Of course — of course I'll be a part of this,'" she continued.

When Luke Perry died in March 2019, he left behind his fiancée, Wendy Madison Bauer, as well as two adult children, Jack and Sophie Perry, both of whom he shared with ex-wife Rachel Sharp. While Sophie largely lives a private life away from the spotlight, Jack seems to have inherited not only his famous father's looks but also his love for show business. That being said, he took a slightly different path than Luke did.

Rather than becoming an actor in the traditional sense, Jack pursued a career in pro-wrestling. Since January 2019, Jack — also known by the moniker "Jungle Boy" — has been signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW), where he has become a multi-time champion (and reclaimed his birth name). In addition to his work as a pro-wrestler, Jack also worked as a production assistant on the 2019 Quentin Tarantino film "Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood," which marked his late father's final film role.

Despite what's now multi-generational fame, Jack says Luke was always very down to earth. "It's hard to explain what he was like," the pro-wrestler told Chris Van Vliet of his "90210" star father in January 2022. "I think the world has such a, like, built-up perception of who he was and all that. But he was just ... He was from Ohio. And he just really was, like, an Ohio boy — full on," Jack shared.