John Bennett Perry (born January 4, 1941) is an American retired actor, singer and model. He is the father of the actor Matthew Perry.

Early life and education Perry was born on January 4, 1941, in Williamstown, Massachusetts, the son of businessman, bank director and civic leader Alton L. Perry (1906–2003) and Maria (née Bennett; 1906–1971). He attended college at St. Lawrence University, where he was a member of Phi Sigma Kappa fraternity.

Career Perry began his career focusing on singing, being part of the Serendipity Singers and with his stage credits including the 1967 musical Now Is the Time for All Good Men. He also appeared as an extra in the crowd scene in the "Tomorrow Belongs to Me" segment in the 1972 film Cabaret. Perry portrayed the clean-shaven "sailor" in the Old Spice commercials of the 1970s and 1980s.

Perry has appeared in numerous films such as Lipstick (1976), Midway (1976), The Legend of the Lone Ranger (1981), Only When I Laugh (1981), Independence Day (1996) and George of the Jungle (1997), and on such television programs as The West Wing, L.A. Law, Days of Our Lives, Little House on the Prairie, Centennial, 240-Robert, Nakia, Falcon Crest, Murder, She Wrote, Diagnosis Murder and Magnum, P.I.. He played General Douglas MacArthur in the 1989 film Farewell to the King.

In the 1978–79 TV season, he and Stephanie Edwards co-hosted EveryDay, a syndicated daytime talk/variety series that also featured Murray Langston, Tom Chapin, Bob Corff and Anne Bloom. He and Edwards were both nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Host or Hostess in a Talk, Service or Variety Series, losing to Phil Donahue of The Phil Donahue Show.

He appeared alongside his son Matthew Perry in the 1997 movie Fools Rush In, and in the episode "My Unicorn" of the sitcom Scrubs, each time as the father of his real-life son's character. He also appeared in the episode of Friends with the title "The One with Rachel's New Dress", playing the father of Rachel Green's boyfriend Joshua.

Personal life From 1968 to 1970, he was married to Suzanne Langford, press secretary to former Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau. The couple had a son together, Matthew Perry (1969–2023), who also became an actor. After the couple divorced, Langford returned to Ottawa, Ontario with their son, and Perry moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in acting. When their son Matthew was 14 years old, he moved back to the U.S. to live with Perry. Perry married Debbie Boyle in 1981 and five years later the couple had a child together.

Perry's son Matthew died on October 28, 2023, at age 54, from an apparent drowning, stemming from a ketamine overdose.

Filmography Film YearTitleRoleNotes1976LipstickMartin McCormick1976MidwayARM1c Walter G. Chochalousek1981The Legend of the Lone RangerRanger Captain Dan Reid1981Only When I LaughVincent Heller (Lou)1989Farewell to the KingGeneral MacArthur1996Independence DaySecret Serviceman1996The Evening StarSitcom Parent1997Fools Rush InRichard Whitman1997George of the JungleArthur Stanhope1998CirclesBob Miano1998Ground ControlSenator Rutherford2002The Sweetest ThingJudy's Father2007AgendaJohn Linney2007Protecting the KingVernon Presley2008LoadedEvan Price2011Bob's New SuitBuster

Television YearTitleRoleNotes1972Bobby Jo and the Good Time BandJeffTelevision movie1973–1974Police StorySergeant Chick TorpiRecurring role (5 episodes)1974MannixSteve WalkerEpisode: "Walk a Double Line"1974Nakiaunknown roleEpisode: "The Moving Target"1975Kung FuDeputy Hank ArcherEpisode: "Battle Hymn"1975S.W.A.T.Johnny BrewerEpisode: "The Vendetta"1975Barbary CoastCommander StarkEpisode: "An Iron-Clad Plan"1977Little House on the PrairieAndrew Hobbs / Frank JamesEpisode: "The Aftermath"1978EverydayHimself (Host)2 episodes– "#1.1"– "#1.11"Nominated – Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Host or Hostess in a Talk, Service or Variety Series1978–1979CentennialMahlon ZendtMiniseries (2 episodes)– "The Wagon and the Elephant" (1978)– "The Storm" (1979)1979–1981240-RobertDeputy Theodore Roosevelt 'Trap' Applegate IIISeries regular (16 episodes)1981A Matter of Life and DeathShad FlemingTelevision movie1982Walt Disney's Wonderful World of ColorRussell DonovanEpisode: "Tales of the Apple Dumpling Gang"1982Today's F.B.I.ParrishEpisode: "Tapper"1982Money on the SideTom WestmoreTelevision movie1982Seven Brides for Seven BrothersEckworthEpisode: "Heritage"1983I Married Wyatt EarpJohn BehanTelevision movie1983Little House on the PrairieRussell MatthewsEpisode: "Once Upon a Time"1983Teachers Onlyunknown roleEpisode: "Rex, the Wonder Husband"1983Wizards and WarriorsColterEpisode: "The Dungeon of Death"1983Lottery!unknown roleEpisode: "Phoenix: Blood Brothers"1983Emerald Point N.A.S.JoeEpisode: "#1.6"1984The Duck FactoryBrett Higgens / ArnoldEpisode: "It Didn't Happen One Night"1984The Love BoatGeorge WashburnEpisode: "Only the Good Die Young/Honey Beats the Odds/The Light of Another Day"1984Paper DollsMichael CaswellSeries regular (13 episodes)1985The Other LoverPeter FieldingTelevision movie1985I Dream of Jeannie... Fifteen Years LaterWes MorrisonTelevision movie1985Magnum, P.I.Stephen ParkerEpisode: "Rapture"1985–1986Falcon CrestSheriff Floyd GilmoreSeries regular (21 episodes)1986HotelDrew HaywoodEpisode: "Harassed"1987The Last FlingJason ElliotTelevision movie1987IndependenceSheriffTelevision movie1987ThrobBobbyEpisode: "Party Games"1987Poker AliceFrank HartwellTelevision movie1987Rags to RichesTom HonkersonEpisode: "Wilderness Blues"1987Pursuit of HappinessFast PhilEpisode: "Advice and Consent"1987Murder, She WroteJudge Perry SillmanEpisode: "When Thieves Fall Out"1988NightingalesRoger TaylorTelevision movie1988L.A. LawRichard LauderbauchEpisode: "Romancing the Drone"1988HunterSteven StagEpisode: "Dead on Target (Part 1 & 2)"1989She Knows Too MuchMatthew BreamTelevision movie1989False WitnessDr. StinerTelevision movie1991Over My Dead BodyRaymondEpisode: "Naked Brunch"1992SecretsDan AdamsTelevision movie1992CoachArthur BlackmoreEpisode: "Dateline-Bangkok"1992Silk StalkingsRonald BunchEpisode: "Irreconcilable Differences"1993Civil WarsAdam HunterEpisode: "Dances with Sharks"1993Murder, She WroteDan RemsenEpisode: "Lone Witness"1993Home FreeJudge Quentin CavanaughEpisode: "Front Page"1995RenegadeTed RadfordEpisode: "Rancho Escondido"1995CBS Schoolbreak SpecialWinston HalpernEpisode: "Kids Killing Kids"1995Eye of the StalkerDuncan EmersonTelevision movie1996Pier 66Senator PowersTelevision movie1996Night StandColin HunterEpisode: "Gays in the Military"1998The Wonderful World of DisneyMr. Norman ZapruderEpisode: "Safety Patrol"1998FriendsMr. BurginEpisode: "The One with Rachel's New Dress"1998JAGRoland Sims2 episodes– "Yesterday's Heroes"– "Wedding Bell Blues"1998The Army ShowNelson CaesarEpisode: "J. Paul Caesar"1998–1999Air AmericaFrank ArnettRecurring role (6 episodes)1999Veronica's ClosetByron BlairEpisode: "Veronica's from Venus/Josh's Parents Are from Mars"1999Nash BridgesFrank MorganEpisode: "Hide and Seek"19993rd Rock from the SunHamilton BellEpisode: "Dick v. Strudwick"1999–2000Family LawSenator Harlan BellRecurring role (3 episodes)1999–2001It's Like, You Know...Barney the AnchormanRecurring role (3 episodes)2000Diagnosis MurderRobert BrantiganEpisode: "Man Overboard"2001The West WingRepresentative Bill. DEpisode: "Two Cathedrals"2002ProvidenceCharles FrankRecurring role (3 episodes)20037th HeavenDetective Terry Richardson2 episodes– "Stand Up"– "High Anxiety"2003Threat MatrixSenator OttoEpisode: "Flipping"2004ScrubsGregory MarksEpisode: "My Unicorn"2005CutsDennisEpisode: "Mack Daddies"2005Veronica MarsPrincipal Alan Moorehead2 episodes– "Ahoy, Mateys!"– "My Mother, the Fiend"2006Principal Dennisunknown roleEpisode: "Heiress Bridenapped"2006Our HouseJudgeTelevision movie2006The CloserWalter LangerEpisode: "Heroic Measures"2008Dirty Sexy MoneyHal MathesonEpisode: "The Birthday Present"2009Cold CaseAl 'Baltimore Red' Soddenheim '09Episode: "November 22nd"2011Mr. SunshineHowardEpisode: "The Best Man"

References

External links

Bio at Yahoo! Movies