Matthew Perry (actor)

Infobox actor
name = Matthew Perry

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caption = Perry in 2007
birthdate = birth date and age|mf=yes|1969|8|19
location = Williamstown, Massachusetts
deathdate =
birthname = Matthew Langford Perry
othername =

Early life and education

Perry was born in Williamstown, Massachusetts. His mother, Suzanne Jane Louise Morrison (née Langford), is a Canadian journalist and former press secretary to Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, and his father, John Bennett Perry, is an American actor and former model. [ [http://www.filmreference.com/film/19/Matthew-Perry.html Matthew Perry Biography (1969-) ] ] [ [http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~battle/celeb/perry.htm 1 ] ] [ [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C04EFDB1E3AF93BA2575BC0A9649C8B63 FILM; The Fame He Craved Came, but It Wasn't Enough] "New York Times"] Perry holds dual US/Canadian citizenship. His parents divorced before his first birthday and his mother is re-married to Keith Morrison, a broadcast journalist. Perry was raised by his mother in Ottawa. While growing up in Ontario, Perry took a keen interest in tennis and soon became a top-ranked junior player. He was enrolled at Rockcliffe Park Public School, Lisgar Collegiate Institute, and Ashbury College.

Career

1980s

Perry moved from Ottawa to Los Angeles to pursue acting. For high school, he attended The Buckley School in Sherman Oaks. While at Buckley, Perry was featured as George Gibbs in "Our Town" and appeared as a junior in a production of "The Miracle Worker". Patty Duke attended and praised the young Perry's convincing role as Helen's brother Jimmy. He was also featured in "The Sound of Music" as a junior. In his senior year, director Tim Hillman had planned a production of "The Elephant Man" specifically to feature Perry as John Merrick along with Vanessa Smith, and future Les Misérables star Lisa Capps. He then got his professional break at age 18. On being cast in "A Night in the Life of Jimmy Reardon" with River Phoenix, Perry withdrew from "Elephant Man" and ended his high school acting career. Perry also pursued improv comedy at the LA Connection in Sherman Oaks while still in high school, quickly becoming a featured performer.

After some guest appearances in late 1980s television, it was his intention to enroll at the University of Southern California, but when he was offered the lead role of Chazz Russell in "Second Chance" he became noticed on the acting scene. Perry originally starred alongside Kiel Martin when the series premiered in 1987, but after 13 episodes the format changed: "Second Chance" became "Boys Will Be Boys", Perry was elevated to top-billing status, and the plots re-focused on the adventures of Chazz and his teenage friends. Despite the shift, the show ran for only one season. When it concluded, Perry stayed in Los Angeles and made guest appearances on television programs, such as "Growing Pains" and "Beverly Hills 90210" in which he portrayed a suicidal teenager.

1990s

In the midst of his many continuing guest roles on TV, Perry was a regular on the 1990 CBS farcial sitcom "Sydney", playing the younger brother of Valerie Bertinelli's title character. Three years later, he landed his second TV starring role on the ABC sitcom "Home Free", which only lasted 13 episodes in the spring of 1993. By then, Perry was making his mark, and was instantly cast in a new dramatic pilot titled "LAX 2193". The project was slow to take off, so as a backup option, he attempted to secure an audition for the pilot "Six of One", later to be known as "Friends", by Marta Kauffman and David Crane, both of whom he had worked with on "Dream On". However, due to previous commitments to the pilot "LAX 2194", he was not initially considered for an audition. When he did eventually get a reading, he landed the part he is best known for, the role of Chandler Bing.

The program was hugely successful and Perry, along with his co-stars, gained wide renown among television viewers. The program also earned him Emmy nominations in 2002 for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series along with Matt LeBlanc, but he lost to Ray Romano.

As well as his successful career on "Friends", Perry has appeared in films such as "Fools Rush In" (alongside father, John Bennett Perry and Salma Hayek), "Almost Heroes", "Three to Tango", "The Whole Nine Yards" (alongside Bruce Willis) and its sequel "The Whole Ten Yards", and "Serving Sara".

2000s

While known primarily for his comedic roles, Perry has carved out a career in drama as well, particularly in his portrayal of Associate White House Counsel Joe Quincy in Aaron Sorkin's "The West Wing". His three appearances in that series (twice in the fourth season and once in the fifth) earned him two Emmy nominations for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series in 2003 and 2004. Perry is referred to in the show prior to his guest appearance--Donna Moss seeks him out (off screen) in the episode "20 Hours in LA." He also appeared as attorney Todd Merrick in two episodes near the end of Ally McBeal's 5-season run, including a 2-hour special intended to revive the legal comedy-drama.

After "Friends" wrapped up, Perry made his directorial debut in an episode of the 4th season of the American comedy-drama "Scrubs" (which he also guest starred in, as "Murray Marks" an operator of a small airport's traffic control team. Murray is asked to donate a kidney to his father Gregory, played by Perry's real father).

He starred in the TNT movie, "The Ron Clark Story", which premiered on August 13, 2006. Perry played Ron Clark, a small town teacher who relocates to the toughest class in the country. He received a Golden Globe nomination as well as an Emmy nomination for the performance.

In 2006–2007, Perry appeared in Aaron Sorkin's hour-long drama "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip". Perry played Matt Albie alongside Bradley Whitford's Danny Tripp, a writer-director duo brought in to help save a failing sketch show. Perry's character was considered to be substantially based on Sorkin's own personal experiences, particularly in television. [ [http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117936967?categoryid=14&cs=1 "Variety" announces Matthew Perry in "Studio 60"] ]

In 2006 he began filming "Numb", a comedy drama about a chronically depressed writer. The film's tentative release date has been pushed back several times, but was finally released to DVD on May 13, 2008. He also appeared in David Mamet's "Sexual Perversity in Chicago" in London. [cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/reviews/3030605.stm|title=Perry debuts in tame Perversity|publisher=BBC News|year=2007|accessdate=2007-09-10] In Q1 of 2009, he will appear in the film 17 Again. He is set to co-write, executive produce, and star in a new Showtime series called "The End of Steve."

Guest Starred on The Simpsons

Personal life

During his work on "Friends", Perry developed an addiction to alcohol. While trying to deal with his alcoholism, he then became addicted to Vicodin. He first started taking prescription drugs after a jetski accident in 1997 and checked himself into Hazelden, a rehabilitation clinic. In 2000 he was hospitalized with pancreatitis as a result of his addictions. During that summer he lost 20 pounds, appearing noticeably thinner during the 7th season premiere of "Friends", in a scene that continued directly from the 6th season finale. [cite web | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/994247.stm | title='Wild times' over, says Perry | accessdate=2007-02-10 | publisher=BBC News] He has been to numerous rehabilitation centers, including Hazelden in Minnesota, Promises in Malibu, California, and a hospital outpatient clinic in Marina del Rey, California. Perry also smokes cigarettes.

During the filming of "Serving Sara", Perry checked into rehab. The last 13 days of filming were held up until he was well enough to return. The filming schedule on "Friends" was altered so scenes not featuring his character Chandler were shot first.cite web | url=http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0208/22/lkl.00.html | title=Interview with Matthew Perry | accessdate=2007-02-10 | publisher=CNN | date=2002-08-22] His recovery once again caused weight fluctuations, which are particularly noticeable in "Serving Sara".

He is also an enthusiastic Ottawa Senators fan, sporting a shirt with the Senators logo in the film "The Whole Nine Yards" and often attending playoff games in Ottawa.

Filmography

Awards

Emmy Awards

*Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or Movie The Ron Clark Story (2007) - Nominated
*Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series The West Wing (2003, 2004) - Nominated
*Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series Friends (2002) - Nominated

Golden Globes

*Best Performance by an Actor in a Mini-Series or a Motion Picture Made for Television The Ron Clark Story (2007) - Nominated

American Comedy Awards

*Funniest Supporting Male Performer in a TV Series Friends (1996) - Nominated (with David Schwimmer)

Kids' Choice Awards

*Favorite Television Actor Friends (2002) - Nominated

Satellite Awards

*Best Actor in a Series, Drama Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip (2006) - Nominated

Screen Actors Guild Awards

*Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries The Ron Clark Story (2007) - Nominated
*Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series Friends (1999-2004) - Nominated for all 6 years (Whole cast)

TV Guide Awards

*Editor's Choice Friends (2000) - Won (Whole cast along with Jane Sibbett and John Christopher Allen)

TV Land Awards

*Most Wonderful Wedding Friends (2006) - Nominated (with Courteney Cox)

Teen Choice Awards

*Choice TV Actor - Comedy Friends (2004)

References

External links

*imdb name|id=0001612|name=Matthew Perry
* [http://www.moviehole.net/news/20020812_199.html Matthew Perry interview]