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Luke Perry died at the young age of 52 after suffering a massive stroke. His mother, Ann Bennett, and stepfather, Steve Bennett, were by his side along with other members of his family when he died. Luke was never close to his biological father, Coy Luther Perry, Jr. In fact, his father had died many years earlier when Luke was just a teenager. Here’s what you need to know about his biological dad, Coy.
1. Luke Perry’s Father, a Steelworker, Died of a Heart Attack in His 30s
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Luke Perry’s father, Coy Luther Perry, Jr., was only 35 when he died. Luke was just a teenager when his dad died of a heart attack. But they weren’t close. Although Luke did attend his dad’s funeral, he said they never reconciled. His dad was a steelworker.
2. Luke’s Parents Divorced When He Was Only Six & His Mom Remarried Six Years Later
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Luke Perry was born in Fredericktown, Ohio to Ann Bennett and Coy Luther Perry, Jr. His father was a steelworker, and his mother was a homemaker. Luke Perry’s full name is Coy Luther “Luke” Perry III. Perry has a younger sister, Amy, an older brother, Tom, and a stepsister, Emily.
Luke Perry’s parent’s divorced in 1972 when he was only six. His mom married Steve Bennett, a construction worker, when Luke Perry was 12.
3. Luke Said He Was Estranged from His Dad Because‘I Don’t Like Anybody Who Hurts My Mom’
“Beverly Hills, 90210” and “Riverdale” star Luke Perry has died at age 52, less than a week after suffering a “massive” stroke. Fans remember him well as the cool Dylan McKay, and more recently, Archie’s dad Fred Andrews. t.co/wNnXwBsmoy
Luke and his father were estranged up until his dad died. Luke’s relationship with his biological father was tense, Biography noted. In fact, Luke told People in 1991 that his relationship with his biological father “sucked” and he used to be bitter about it, but not anymore. Luke tried not to talk too much about his dad, except to say: “I don’t like anybody who hurts my mom.”
Luke’s brother, Tom, told People that “there was definitely a clash of personalities” when it came to Luke and his biological dad.
4. He Told Vanity Fair That His Dad Was Violent, Frightening & Drank Too Much
In a 1992 interview with Vanity Fair, Luke Perry revealed more about his dad than he had shared anywhere else. “He was violent. He was a drunk. He treated my mother very poorly. Had I been big enough at the time, I would have beat his ass. But I wasn’t. So I always felt that I should have been able to protect her better, but I was a six-year-old kid.”
He said his frustration stems from feeling helpless as a six-year-old, unable to help his mom. He told Vanity Fair: “I saw very clearly as a six-year-old kid what the problems were. Looking back at it all now, it was pretty frightening.”
When filming 90210, he said that he tried to emphasize to the writers that the kids see things clearly and were able to talk about real issues on a real level, based on what he went through as a child.
“I saw what was going on. I knew what was happening as much as they tried to shelter me from it. I was aware.”
5. Luke Once Said He Wished His Stepdad Was His ‘Real Dad’
Luke Perry and @kj_apa open up about playing father and son on #Riverdale – and weigh in on Perry’s “Beverly Hills, 90210” doll!
Luke and his stepfather, Steve Bennett, were incredibly close. Luke once told People that Steve “is the greatest man I know. I love him. I wish he was my real father. He’s the one who taught me the important things I needed to know about being a man.”
Luke’s mom Ann told People that Steve would take Perry and his brother with him to work and teach them about the construction business. She said, “Steve used to take Luke and his brother to work with him on weekends, and they learned a lot about the construction business. They learned what it really was to put in a hard day’s physical labor.”
His stepdad’s construction background is reminiscent of the role Luke Perry played on Riverdale.