Fans of Luke Perry were devastated when the actor died suddenly from a stroke on March 4 at the age of just 52. Luke Perry touched many generations of fans from his early career playing Dylan McKay on “Beverly Hills 90210” to a whole new generation of teenage fans with his role as Fred Andrews in the CW hit “Riverdale”. Since his death earlier this month, the producers of “Riverdale” have continued to dedicate all episodes to Perry’s memory. It’s unclear how the show will handle the death of the actor in the series. Executive Producer and the show’s creator, Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa has said that everyone on the set of “Riverdale” is still in shock over Perry’s death. With only a few episode left with Perry in them, the show will need to find a way to address the death of the character of Fred Andrews.
While by now, the series’ writers and producers have certainly come up with a plan, fans have speculated that Fred Andrews could die of natural causes or in a car accident. It’s also possible that the character would leave the show when his son decides to protect him form the many mysteries that surround the show. No matter how Fred Andrews is written off the series, it’s going to be difficult for everyone involved to let go of the character. Luke Perry was an integral part of the show and touched the lives of everyone attached to the show. Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa has already made it clear that the memory of Perry will continue to be honored on “Riverdale” for as long as the show continues to air.
Luke Perry
Coly Luther Perry III was born in Ohio on October 11, 1966. Soon after graduating from high school, Luke followed his dream of becoming an actor and moved to Los Angeles, California. He worked odd jobs and appeared in a Twisted Sister video. He got many acting parts including on soap operas “Loving” and “Another World”.
90210
Luke Perry’s big break came in 1989 when Perry was cast on “Beverly Hills 90210”. The heartthrob played Dylan McKay, a millionaire’s son on the teen show. Perry also found some roles in film. He left “90210” in 1995 but returned to the show a few years later. Perry would go on to guest star in several television shows including “Spin City”, “Will & Grace”, “Law & Order: SVU” and “Criminal Minds”. He also had roles in several films and in the theater throughout his career.
Riverdale
Most recently Luke Perry found himself in another teen show, the CW’s “Riverdale”. Perry played Fred Andrews, the father of Archie Andrews in “Riverdale”, a teen drama and mystery based on the characters from the Archie Comics. As Luke Perry’s scenes will continue to be seen in the next few episodes of “Riverdale”, the producers have made a point to dedicate each episode in his memory including shared memories of Perry by the show’s cast and crew. How will the show face Fred Andrew’s impending death?
Fred Andrews faced death in the first season of “Riverdale” when he was shot by the “Black Hood”. The nearly fatal incident was difficult for Fred’s son, Archie (played by KJ Apa), to face. It’s difficult to imagine Fred Andrews surviving the incident only to face death again. It would be difficult to see Fred die from natural causes or, some have speculated, die in a car accident. Fans of the shows think it’s possible that the character of Fred Andrews will be sent away by Archie to protect his dad from one of the G & G missions.
The loss of Fred Andrews is certain to be as heartbreaking as the loss of Luke Perry. Perry brought a lot to “Riverdale” and its ensemble cast. As Archie’s dad, Fred was a good dad and brought help to the small, mysterious town of Riverdale. The cast and crew of the show have said that Perry was like a father figure to everyone on the set.
In addition to his role as Fred Andrews on “Riverdale”, Luke Perry also had a role in the upcoming Quentin Tarantino film “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” playing Wayne Maunder. The movie follows Hollywood stunt doubles in the 1960’s during the time of the Charles Manson murders. The black comedy film stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt and Margot Robbie. Following Luke Perry’s death, the Reelz channel is making a documentary of Perry’s life, “Luke Perry: In His Own Words”.
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