Luke Perry speaking at the 2018 San Diego Comic Con International, for "Riverdale", at the San Diego Convention Center in San Diego, California.

Actor Luke Perry Dead at 52

Actor Luke Perry, a Gen-X heartthrob best known for his work on Riverdale and Beverly Hills: 90210 has died.

Perry was best known for his role in the teen drama about a group of wealthy classmates in southern California, but went on to distinguish himself in other television shows and films, such as the in cult classic films The Fifth Element and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Later, he landed a recurring role in the Archie Comics-based television series Riverdale.

Perry was born in Mansfield, Ohio and began acting in earnest at age 16, moving to Los Angeles to pursue his career in the 1980s. After landing a few bit parts and daytime soap opera jobs, he landed the role that would make him a household name.

He suffered the stroke the same day that Fox announced it planned a series reboot that includes some of the original characters.

Perry’s death was first reported by entertainment site TMZ:

Luke passed away [March 4 2019] morning at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Burbank. According to his rep, Luke was surrounded by his children Jack and Sophie, fiance Wendy Madison Bauer, ex-wife Minnie Sharp, mother Ann Bennett, step-father Steve Bennett, brother Tom Perry, sister Amy Coder, and other close family and friends.

As we first reported, he was rushed to the hospital last Wednesday morning after suffering the stroke while at his Sherman Oaks, CA home.

His reps said doctors had sedated Luke, hoping to give his brain a fighting chance to recover from the trauma of the stroke … but apparently, the damage was too extensive.

Perry was 52.