Historical Figure
Matthew Perry
1969–2023
American and Canadian actor (1969–2023)
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"BBC News Debate on Drug Addiction with Peter Hitchens" — 2013
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Biography
Matthew Langford Perry was an American and Canadian actor. He gained international fame for starring as Chandler Bing on the NBC television sitcom Friends (1994–2004). Perry also appeared on Ally McBeal (2002) and received Primetime Emmy Award nominations for his performances in The West Wing (2003) and The Ron Clark Story (2006). He played a leading role in the NBC series Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip (2006–2007), and also became known for his leading film roles in Fools Rush In (1997), Almost Heroes (1998), Three to Tango (1999), The Whole Nine Yards (2000), Serving Sara (2002), The Whole Ten Yards (2004), and 17 Again (2009).
Timeline
The story of Matthew Perry, told in moments.
Friends premiered on NBC. Perry played Chandler Bing. The show ran for 10 seasons and became one of the most-watched sitcoms in television history. By the end, the six leads each earned $1 million per episode.
His addiction to Vicodin and alcohol became severe during Friends' peak years. He's said he doesn't remember filming three entire seasons. He went to rehab multiple times. Kept working through it.
Published his memoir, Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing. It detailed decades of addiction, 15 stomach surgeries, and a brief period where his heart stopped for five minutes. It became a bestseller.
Died at 54 in his Los Angeles home. Cause of death: acute effects of ketamine, with drowning as a contributing factor. Five people were charged for supplying him the drug. He'd spent his final years as an advocate for addiction recovery.
In Their Own Words (1)
Artifacts (15)
Head-and-shoulders portrait of Commodore Matthew Perry LCCN2006677640
Ikoku Ochibe Kago, artist
The Mission of Commodore Perry to Japan in 1854 (BM 2013,3002.1)
Painted by:Hibata Ōsuke 樋畑翁輔(prepatory sketches, and possibly the scroll)
Narrative of the Expedition of an American Squadron to the China Seas and Japan
"Narrative of the Expedition of an American Squadron to the China Seas and Japan" recounts Commodore Matthew Perry's historic mission to open Japan to the West in the mid-19th century. This detailed...
Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing: The Powerful Memoir from the Beloved Star of Friends
'There's never been a more honest or raw memoir . . . and it may just save lives' Daily Mail 'Funny, fascinating, compelling . . . also a wonderful read for fans of Friends' The Times 'HI, MY NAME IS...
Getting married is a big adjustment for us, and for a private citizen like Carol...
When the couple returned from their honeymoon, a mass of reporters were waiting on their doorstep. John said, "Getting married is a big adjustment for us, and for a private citizen like Carolyn even...
She crafted herself, she re-invented herself, and invented that persona. That's ...
couraged by Gone Girl director David Fincher to base her character, Amy Dunne, on Bessette Kennedy. Fincher said of Bessette Kennedy: "She crafted herself, she re-invented herself, and invented that...
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