Chandler Bing of “Friends,” played by Matthew Perry, has passed away. He was 54. Capt. Scot Williams of the LAPD’s Robbery-Homicide section has verified the deceased. He indicated that it will be some time before the cause of death was known, but that there were no signs of foul play.
American viewers recognized Mr. Perry from his appearances in more than 200 episodes spanning all 10 seasons of “Friends,” an NBC smash about a group of New York City young professionals. Mr. Perry co-starred with such A-listers as David Schwimmer, Lisa Kudrow, and Jennifer Aniston.
Chandler Bing, played by Mr. Perry, was known for his biting wit. Even though it initially aired in 1994, “Friends” continues to be a hit with viewers of all ages. Although he is most recognized for his role on “Friends,” Mr. Perry actually spent nearly four decades working on television. His first credit came in 1979, when he appeared as a toddler on an episode of the police drama “240-Robert.”
At age 24, he was cast as Chandler Bing. Among his many TV appearances in the 2010s was his lead part as Ben Donovan, general manager of the Sunshine Center, a San Diego sports and entertainment stadium, in the ABC sitcom “Mr. Sunshine,” which aired in 2011.
In it, he portrayed a sour, introspective loner who was turning 40. Mr. Perry also starred in the 2015–2017 CBS adaptation of “The Odd Couple,” as Oscar Madison opposite Thomas Lennon’s Felix Unger.
“I was a guy who wanted to become famous,” Mr. Perry told The New York Times in a 2002 interview. “There was steam coming out of my ears, I wanted to be famous so badly. You want the attention, you want the bucks, and you want the best seat in the restaurant. I didn’t think what the repercussions would be.”
In 1997, Mr. Perry checked himself into treatment for what was said to be a dependency on painkillers. He was admitted to the hospital in 2000 with pancreatitis, an inflammation of the pancreas that can be brought on by excessive drinking or drug usage.
This year, he had more than a dozen stomach operations, two weeks in a coma, nine months with a colostomy bag, and a brief spell on life support all due to his addiction.
Mr. Perry, who was two years clean at the time, participated in a televised “Friends” cast reunion in which the actors re-enacted scenes from the program in familiar locations like the Central Perk coffee shop. As soon as the news of Mr. Perry’s death spread, mourners all around the world began paying tribute to him online.
“Matthew Perry lived a complicated life, but his effortless capacity to make people laugh was a remarkable gift,” wrote New York writer Brandon Lewis on X. Dr. John Leeds, a British gastroenterologist, wrote in a post, “Listened to his book over the summer where he so eloquently describes his struggles with drugs and alcohol.”
Matthew Perry lived a complicated life, but his effortless capacity to make people laugh was a remarkable gift. Chandler Bing was a TV icon because of what Perry brought to the character. Wishing him peace, and thinking of his loved ones, including the cast and crew of Friends. pic.twitter.com/mCcbd0etZW
— Brandon Lewis @ NYFF (@blewis1103) October 29, 2023
So sad to hear that Matthew Perry has died. Listened to his book over the summer where he so eloquently describes his struggles with drugs and alcohol.
He played so many roles but I will always love and remember Chandler Bing.
RIP pic.twitter.com/e2t1hdQqIz— Dr John Leeds (@NEndoscopy) October 29, 2023
And BTS’s RM, who has admitted he watched “Friends” to improve his English, shared a photo of a younger, happier Mr. Perry on his Instagram story without any commentary.
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