To say 52 is far too young seems such the given. Because, of course, it is. The fact that the one-time "Beverly Hills 90210" star was enjoying success in a second series looking to have the same type of run, which is rare, adds additional insult to injury.
Perry's career began in soaps, but once cast as bad boy surfer Dylan McKay on the iconic Aaron Spelling 90's series he actually did run with it. He gave a fantastic turn in the underappreciated feature film "8 Seconds," playing rodeo legend Lane Frost. The film was directed by Oscar winner John Avildsen ("Rocky"), and featured an early appearance by Renee Zellweger. Then there was the film version of "Buffy The Vampire Slayer," which few millennials seem to realize predates the long-running TV series. Perry showed a deft comedic side here.
Movie stardom dogged him solely due to the sideburns sensation he and co-star Jason Priestley created during their run on "90210." 'Cuz he had the chops, plus was the rare Hollywood celebrity who always seemed chill, affable, and not prone to taking himself so seriously - even if brooding Dylan McKay did.
I'd be remiss if I didn't mention his "Fart-Man" sketch with Howard Stern on MTV many years back. A blast.
But it's the 52 that is what's most unnerving about it all. I'll be 52 in June. It's like it's "the new 72." RIP.