Actor Luke Perry, Known For 'Beverly Hills, 90210' Role, Dies At 52

AUDIE CORNISH, HOST:

Former teen heartthrob Luke Perry died today at age 52 after suffering a stroke last week. His fellow cast members from the '90s hit "Beverly Hills, 90210" are expressing sympathy today. NPR's Mandalit del Barco has this remembrance.

(SOUNDBITE OF JOHN DAVIS' "THEME FROM BEVERLY HILLS, 90210")

MANDALIT DEL BARCO, BYLINE: In "Beverly Hills, 90210," Luke Perry was the high school stud Dylan McKay. He drove a motorcycle. He surfed. He wore an earring. And he had lots of relationships. Here's his bad-boy character talking to one of his girlfriends, Brenda.

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(SOUNDBITE OF TV SHOW, "BEVERLY HILLS, 90210")

LUKE PERRY: (As Dylan McKay) Truth is I don't know. I loved you more than I ever thought I could love anybody. Maybe that was a problem. It was just too intense for both of us.

DEL BARCO: By the end of the series in 2000, Perry's brooding character had struggled with alcohol and drug abuse, and he watched his bride get killed.

Just last week, Fox announced a revival of the show with most of the original cast members except Perry, who was busy acting as Archie Andrews' father on the show "Riverdale." In that role, he was an overprotective father of the live-action comic book character.

(SOUNDBITE OF TV SHOW, "RIVERDALE")

PERRY: (As Fred Andrews) Where'd you sneak off to last night?

KJ APA: (As Archie Andrews) You heard that?

PERRY: (As Fred Andrews) Son, I've been hearing you sneak out since you were 8 years old going to Jughead's treehouse.

DEL BARCO: Perry was born in Mansfield, Ohio, and started out on TV in the 1980s as a teenager in daytime soap operas such as NBC's "Another World." Over the years, he acted on TV shows such as "Oz" and "Body Of Proof" and in the films "Buffy The Vampire Slayer" and "The Fifth Element." Perry also lent his voice to cartoons, such as "The Incredible Hulk," "Mortal Kombat: Defenders Of The Realm." And he even made an animated cameo on "The Simpsons," making balloons with Krusty the Clown.

(SOUNDBITE OF TV SHOW, "THE SIMPSONS")

DAN CASTELLANETA: (As Krusty the Clown) Look, kids, a horsey. And what are you making, sideshow Luke Perry?

PERRY: (As Luke Perry) A 19th century carousel.

DEL BARCO: More recently, Luke Perry filmed a role for Quentin Tarantino's upcoming movie about Charles Manson called "Once Upon A Time In Hollywood." Mandalit del Barco, NPR News. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.