Matthew Perry Friends actor who played Chandler Bing dies of apparent drowning at 54
Matthew Perry has died. He was 54. The actor, who was best known for playing Chandler Bing on Friends, was found dead at a Los Angeles-area home on Saturday.
“Friends” star Matthew Perry was found dead Saturday in a hot tub at his Los Angeles home, law enforcement sources said. He was 54.
Around 4 p.m., authorities were called to his residence, where he was found in an unresponsive state. The sources, who requested anonymity due to the ongoing investigation, did not specify the cause of death. It was also reported that no drugs were located at the location, and law enforcement sources have not indicated any suspicion of foul play.
“We are devastated by the passing of our dear friend Matthew Perry,” Warner Bros. Television Group, which produced “Friends,” said in a statement to The Times.
Perry was best known for his role as one of the core cast members on “Friends,” NBC’s Generation X sitcom from the ’90s.
On “Friends,” Perry played Chandler Bing, a statistical analyst who used sarcasm and one-liners. The show was a blockbuster for television, dominating prime time alongside "Seinfeld." It ran for 10 seasons, from 1994 to 2004.
Perry also appeared in several other hits, including “Boys Will Be Boys,” “Growing Pains,” Beverly Hills, 90210,” “The West Wing” and “Scrubs.” Raised in Ottawa, Canada, Perry had a successful run as a top-ranked tennis player competing in Canadian juniors. He essentially left the sport to pursue acting when he moved to L.A. at age 15. He joined the cast of “Friends” at age 24.
NBC, the network that aired "Friends," said it was saddened by Perry's death.
“We are incredibly saddened by the too soon passing of Matthew Perry,” NBC, which aired the series for all 10 seasons, said in its own statement to The Times.
"He brought so much joy to hundreds of millions of people around the world with his pitch-perfect comedic timing and wry wit," NBC said in a statement. "His legacy will live on through countless generations," NBC emphasized.
Source: Los Angeles Times & Newsroom
