Matthew Perry biography
Matthew Langford Perry (born August 19, 1969) is a Canadian-United States Emmy-, Golden Globe- and Screen Actors Guild award nominated actor and comedian, best known for his role as Chandler Bing in the popular television sitcom
Friends, a part he played for 10 years. He recently portrayed Matt Albie on the NBC series
Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip. Perry will also appear in the film
17 Again (film), set for a release in 2009.
Early life and education
Perry was born in Williamstown, Massachusetts. His mother, Suzanne Jane Louise Morrison (married and maiden names Langford), is a Canadian journalist and former press secretary to Canada Prime Minister of Canada Pierre Trudeau, and his father, John Bennett Perry, is an American actor and former model. Perry holds dual US/Canadian citizenship. His parents divorced before his first birthday and his mother is re-married to Keith Morrison, a broadcast journalist. Perry was raised by his mother in Ottawa. While growing up in Ontario, Perry took a keen interest in tennis and soon became a top-ranked junior player. He was enrolled at Rockcliffe Park Public School, Lisgar Collegiate Institute, and Ashbury College.
Career
1980s
Perry moved from Ottawa to Los Angeles to pursue acting. For high school, he attended The Buckley School in Sherman Oaks. While at Buckley, Perry was featured as George Gibbs in
Our Town and appeared as a junior in a production of
The Miracle Worker. Patty Duke attended and praised the young Perry's convincing role as Helen's brother Jimmy. He was also featured in
The Sound of Music as a junior. In his senior year, director Tim Hillman had planned a production of "The Elephant Man (play)" specifically to feature Perry as John Merrick along with Vanessa Smith, and future Les Misérables star Lisa Capps. He then got his professional break at age 18. On being cast in
A Night in the Life of Jimmy Reardon with River Phoenix, Perry withdrew from
Elephant Man and ended his high school acting career. Perry also pursued improv comedy at the LA Connection in Sherman Oaks while still in high school, quickly becoming a featured performer.
After some guest appearances in late 1980s television, it was his intention to enroll at the University of Southern California, but when he was offered the lead role of Chazz Russell in
Second Chance he became noticed on the acting scene. Perry originally starred alongside Kiel Martin when the series premiered in 1987, but after 13 episodes the format changed:
Second Chance became
Boys Will Be Boys, Perry was elevated to top-billing status, and the plots re-focused on the adventures of Chazz and his teenage friends. Despite the shift, the show ran for only one season. When it concluded, Perry stayed in Los Angeles and made guest appearances on television programs, such as
Growing Pains and
Beverly Hills 90210 in which he portrayed a suicidal teenager.
1990s
In the midst of his many continuing guest roles on TV, Perry was a regular on the 1990 CBS farcial sitcom
Sydney, playing the younger brother of Valerie Bertinelli's title character. Three years later, he landed his second TV starring role on the American Broadcasting Company sitcom
Home Free (TV Series), which only lasted 13 episodes in the spring of 1993. By then, Perry was making his mark, and was instantly cast in a new dramatic pilot titled
LAX 2193. The project was slow to take off, so as a backup option, he attempted to secure an audition for the pilot
Six of One, later to be known as
Friends, by Marta Kauffman and David Crane (television), both of whom he had worked with on
Dream On (TV series). However, due to previous commitments to the pilot
LAX 2194, he was not initially considered for an audition. When he did eventually get a reading, he landed the part he is best known for, the role of Chandler Bing.
The program was hugely successful and Perry, along with his co-stars, gained wide renown among television viewers. The program also earned him Emmy nominations in 2002 for Primetime_Emmy_Award_for_Outstanding_Lead_Actor_-_Comedy_Series along with Matt_LeBlanc, but he lost to Ray_Romano.
As well as his successful career on
Friends, Perry has appeared in films such as
Fools Rush In (alongside father, John Bennett Perry and Salma Hayek),
Almost Heroes,
Three to Tango,
The Whole Nine Yards (film) (alongside Bruce Willis) and its sequel
The Whole Ten Yards, and
Serving Sara.
2000s
While known primarily for his comedic roles, Perry has carved out a career in drama as well, particularly in his portrayal of Associate White House Counsel Joe Quincy in Aaron Sorkin's
The West Wing (TV series). His three appearances in that series (twice in the fourth season and once in the fifth) earned him two Emmy Award nominations for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series in 2003 and 2004. Perry is referred to in the show prior to his guest appearance--Donna Moss seeks him out (off screen) in the episode "20 Hours in LA." He also appeared as attorney Todd Merrick in two episodes near the end of Ally McBeal's 5-season run, including a 2-hour special intended to revive the legal comedy-drama.
After
Friends wrapped up, Perry made his directorial debut in an episode of the 4th season of the American comedy-drama
Scrubs (TV series) (which he also guest starred in, as "Murray Marks" an operator of a small airport's traffic control team. Murray is asked to donate a kidney to his father Gregory, played by Perry's real father).
He starred in the TNT movie,
The Ron Clark Story, which premiered on August 13, 2006. Perry played Ron Clark, a small town teacher who relocates to the toughest class in the country. He received a Golden Globe nomination as well as an Emmy nomination for the performance.
In 2006–2007, Perry appeared in Aaron Sorkin's hour-long drama
Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip. Perry played Matt Albie alongside Bradley Whitford's Danny Tripp, a writer-director duo brought in to help save a failing Sketch comedy. Perry's character was considered to be substantially based on Sorkin's own personal experiences, particularly in television.
In 2006 he began filming
Numb (film), a comedy drama about a chronically depressed writer. The film's tentative release date has been pushed back several times, but was finally released to DVD on May 13, 2008. He also appeared in David Mamet's
Sexual Perversity in Chicago in London. In Q1 of 2009, he will appear in the film 17 Again (film). He is set to co-write, executive produce, and star in a new Showtime series called "The End of Steve."
Personal life
During his work on
Friends, Perry developed an addiction to alcohol addiction. While trying to deal with his alcoholism, he then became addicted to Vicodin. He first started taking prescription drugs after a jetski accident in 1997 and checked himself into Hazelden, a drug rehabilitation. In 2000 he was hospitalized with pancreatitis as a result of his addictions. During that summer he lost 20 pounds, appearing noticeably thinner during the 7th season premiere of
Friends, in a scene that continued directly from the 6th season finale. He has been to numerous rehabilitation centers, including Hazelden in Minnesota, Promises in Malibu, California, California, and a hospital outpatient clinic in Marina del Rey, California, California. Perry also smokes cigarettes.
During the filming of
Serving Sara, Perry checked into rehab. The last 13 days of filming were held up until he was well enough to return. The filming schedule on
Friends was altered so scenes not featuring his character Chandler were shot first. His recovery once again caused weight fluctuations, which are particularly noticeable in
Serving Sara.
He is also an enthusiastic Ottawa Senators sports fanatic, sporting a shirt with the Senators logo in the film
The Whole Nine Yards and often attending playoff games in Ottawa.
Matthew Perry in the news
Howard Perry - Times Record News
Howard PerryTimes Record News... Bryce and Matthew Perry and Shaye Rogers. Memorials may be made to the First Baptist Church in Henrietta, Texas, United We Build, Building Fund.and more »
read moreStudents bring new dimension to Stourbridge nightlife - Stourbridge...
Students bring new dimension to Stourbridge nightlifeStourbridge NewsInter College Events (ICE) is the brainchild of Robert Shropshire, Matthew Hale and Matthew Perry who host themed parties in top venues for people aged 15 ...and more »
read moreGolf course expert Perry to assist at British Open - Gulf Weekly
Golf course expert Perry to assist at British OpenGulf WeeklyBahrain-based golf course expert Matthew Perry will be walking in the same footprints as Tiger Woods and Colin Montgomerie next month having been selected ...and more »
read moreMini reviews - Augusta Chronicle
Mini reviewsAugusta ChronicleAugusta Exchange, Evans, Masters 17 AGAIN ( ***, PG-13): Matthew Perry gets the chance to relive high school as Zac Efron. Masters DRAG ME TO HELL (PG-13): ...and more »
read moreCricket: Elvaston cling to top spot - Derby Evening Telegraph
Cricket: Elvaston cling to top spotDerby Evening TelegraphSam Wetton (33) and Matthew Perry (34) supported Ellerington, while James Kyte took 3-94 and Richard Wood 3-61 for Marehay.and more »
read moreHappy Canada Day! America's 50 Favorite Canadians! - TheIns...
Happy Canada Day! America's 50 Favorite Canadians!TheInsider.comMatthew Perry (Chandler of TV show “Friends”, douche) 47. Hayden Christensen (limited ability actor; Anakin Skywalker/ Darth Vadar in the later “Star Wars” ...and more »
read moreSearch Results - San Jose Mercury News
Search ResultsSan Jose Mercury News... “Numb†: A depressed screenwriter (Matthew Perry) goes through a variety of therapists trying to determine what’s real, then finds a girlfriend; ...and more »
read moreNow playing - Arizona Daily Star
Now playingArizona Daily StarMatthew Perry, Zac Efron. Rated PG-13.102 minutes. Gateway, Crossroads, Oracle View. Star Trek *** 1/2 — JJ Abrams directs this franchise reboot, ...and more »
read moreSTLE and Chemidex announce strategic partnership - Machinery and Eq...
STLE and Chemidex announce strategic partnershipMachinery and Equipment Magazine... industry by helping lubricant formulators accelerate their innovation processes," said Matthew Perry, vice-president of sales and marketing at Chemidex. ...and more »
read moreMovies Friday - Abilene Reporter-News
Movies FridayAbilene Reporter-NewsComedy with Matthew Perry, Zac Efron, Leslie Mann. PG-13, 102 minutes. HH “AWAY WE GO” (PC-6) A couple expecting a baby set out on a strange journey to find ...and more »
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