Actor Fred 'Rerun' Berry Dies
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Actor Fred 'Rerun' Berry Dies at Age 52
Oct 22, 6:50 PM EST
Fred Berry, the bulb-shaped, squeaky-voiced actor famous for playing
red-beret-wearing Rerun on the 1970s TV sitcom "What's Happening!" has died
at age 52, police said Wednesday.
Berry died Tuesday at his home in Los Angeles of apparent natural causes,
police Officer Jason Lee said. The county coroner was investigating the
exact nature of the death, but friends said Berry had been in ill health due
to a recent stroke.
He wore his red beret and suspenders in real life, and it was unclear
whether he originally brought his own style to the character of Rerun or
whether he was forever mimicking the character that made him famous.
Rerun was a 1970s version of latter-day goofball TV characters like Steve
Urkel from "Family Matters": loud, a little whiny, a little dim and
definitely geeky. "What's Happening!", which ran from 1976-1979, focused on
three teenage friends — Rerun, Raj and Dwayne — who learn about life, women
and trouble while growing up in Los Angeles.
Among the more famous episodes was one in which Rerun joined a bizarre cult
and another in which he got busted for making bootlegged tapes of a Doobie
Brothers concert.
The name Rerun, according to Berry, referred to the character's
brainlessness: In the summer, he had to rerun all the classes he failed
during the school year.
Berry's success on the show was clouded by his heavy use of marijuana and
cocaine. "There were dealers right there in the studio, people that worked
there," he said in 1996. "In the '70s, it was like that on a lot of TV
shows. It was the Hollywood lifestyle then. Everybody was doing it."
By the time "What's Happening!" ended, Berry said he had blown more than a
million dollars on drugs, cars, homes and an airplane. With no acting jobs
heading his way, Berry tried to live off his fame by charging to appear at
shopping malls.
Even later in life, he was still cashing in: lately, he earned money by
calling fans on the telephone with the service www.HollywoodIsCalli ng.com.
About $30 would earn a fan a 30 second call.
Berry's love life was another complication. He married a dancer while in his
20s, and the two divorced, remarried and divorced again. Berry repeated that
performance with his second wife, whom he married and divorced twice (most
recently in 1991). He also married and divorced two other women.
Rerun brought Berry another brief moment of success in 1985, when "What's
Happening!" was revived as the syndicated "What's Happening Now!" Berry quit
in a contract dispute after the first season and the show ended in 1987.
By 1986, Berry says, he abandoned drugs and started to speak at churches,
schools and other groups, finally working as a minister in Madison, Ala., at
the New Shiloh Church Ministry.
He was still dabbling in show business. Berry recently appeared on the TV
shows "Star Dates" on the E! Entertainment Network, MTV's "Doggy Fizzle
Televizzle" with Snoop Dogg and in a cameo role in the David Spade comedy
film "Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star."
Funeral services were unclear late Wednesday.By 1986, Berry says, he
abandoned drugs and started to speak at churches, schools and other groups,
finally working as a minister in Madison, Ala., at the New Shiloh Church
Ministry.
He was still dabbling in show business. Berry recently appeared on the TV
shows "Star Dates" on the E! Entertainment Network, MTV's "Doggy Fizzle
Televizzle" with Snoop Dogg and in a cameo role in the David Spade comedy
film "Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star."
Funeral services were unclear late Wednesday.
Ray Double
seeing it?
What's up with the remaining, living cast members?
Ray
Jude Cormier
"Ray Double" <ramb...@mindspring.com> wrote in message
news:b5cgpvsmlmipjrtsh...@4ax.com...
> I don't remember "What's Happening Now!". Does anybody remember
> seeing it?
I do......ran in the mid 80s for three seasons.
> What's up with the remaining, living cast members?
Danielle Spencer is a veternarian.
don't know what Haywood Nelson or Ernest Thomas is doing.