Just to let everyone know, Rerun died today. God Bless.

From E! online.com

Fred "Rerun" Berry Dead

by Joal Ryan
Oct 22, 2003, 3:25 PM PT



Fred Berry was well into his 20s when he was cast as a high schooler on the 1970s sitcom What's Happening!! Well into middle age, he was still playing the role.

Berry, who portrayed the beret-wearing, suspender-clad teen known as Rerun on the 1976-79 series and was rarely without his signature accessories during the nearly quarter-century since, was found dead in his Los Angeles apartment Tuesday, E! has learned. He was 52.

Berry's agent, Arlene Thorton, says the actor died in his bed sometime between Monday night and Tuesday morning. The Los Angeles coroner is planning to perform an autopsy to determine cause of death. There were no signs of foul play, Thorton said.

Berry recently cameoed in the David Spade comedy Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star and looked for love on E!'s Star Dates. According to IMDb.com, Berry was a veteran groom, marrying six times to four women.

He played himself in an episode of NBC's Scrubs last April. Per usual, he wore the Rerun red beret and the Rerun red suspenders.

Until recently, Berry had been one of the on-demand telephone friends for the new service HollywoodIsCalling.com.

"I bet you that I've made more calls than anyone on this service," Berry told the Washington Post in August.

Never able to shake the role that made him famous, Berry reprised his Rerun self in 1985-86 for the updated What's Happening!! series, What's Happening Now!

we will all miss you thanks for being a part of our growing up

This is crazy! Why are people dying in their '50s?? First John Ritter and Nell Carter, now Fred! All were shocking too. Rest in peace, Fred.

Very sad and shocked to hear this. I've been enjoying the first season episodes a great deal with the recent dvd release. He definitely brought alot of life to that show and will be missed.

I just heard! God bless him. He was great!

Rest in Peace Fred Barry you will be Missed by all your Fans
I just cant belive this First John Ritter and Nell Carter and Now Fred Barry.

Actor Fred 'Rerun' Berry Dies at Age 52



Oct 22, 7:49 PM (ET)

By ANTHONY BREZNICAN

LOS ANGELES (AP) - 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.HollywoodIsCalling.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.

Sad News! :(

This is just crazy. I saw him this summer on E. Goodbye Rerun. R.I.P.:(

This is very sad and unexpected. 2003 has not been a good year for celebrities. It seems that so many have died this past year. What's Happening was definitely one of my favorite shows during its' original run. I used to watch it every week. Rerun definitely made that show. He had an awesome character.

Signed,
Respectfully,
Dutch

Yeah bad..Bob Hope and Kate Hepburn. Ritter, Bronson, Gregory Hines, John Entwhistle, June Carter & Johnny Cash, Richard Simmons and now my fave sitcom actor ever.
Fred Berry. A sweet, loveable fellow.
I am kinda down now.
:(

Originally posted by El_Presidente
Yeah bad..Bob Hope and Kate Hepburn. Ritter, Bronson, Gregory Hines, John Entwhistle, June Carter & Johnny Cash, Richard Simmons and now my fave sitcom actor ever.
Fred Berry. A sweet, loveable fllow.
I am kinda down now.
:(

Richard Simmons?!!! He's not dead!!! And John Entwistle died last year!


Bob

Man I am sorry, Mr Entwhistle died last year. Correct.
In re: Richard Simmons: One can dream, can't one?

Bob Hope and Kate Hepburn. Ritter, Bronson, Gregory Hines, John Entwhistle, June Carter & Johnny Cash

Also Buddy Epsen (Beverly Hillbillies) and Donald O'Connor (Francis the Talking Mule); Also, I just heard this morning that Jack Elam died. He was in MANY westerns, both movies and television.

Signed,
Respectfully,
Dutch

It's very sad, he even stopped by these boards to say hello.

This is a terrible year.
Another part of of my childhood laid to rest.

Goodbye Fred.
Rest in Peace.

Originally posted by hoosierelvisfan
Also Buddy Epsen (Beverly Hillbillies) and Donald O'Connor (Francis the Talking Mule); Also, I just heard this morning that Jack Elam died. He was in MANY westerns, both movies and television.

Signed,
Respectfully,
Dutch


Im a dork. I forgot the great Donald O Conner and Buddy Ebsen.
Yes those too, and Jack Elam.
And Gordon Jump.

Originally posted by Brian Damage
It's very sad, he even stopped by these boards to say hello.

he did????

I don't think we'll have Art Carney around much longer.
I hear he is very ill.:(:(

Originally posted by El_Presidente
I don't think we'll have Art Carney around much longer.
I hear he is very ill.:(:(

True, but Carney has lived a long life and has had a great career. Fred Berry was still relatively young. Unfortunately, he probably did a lot of damage to himself over the years with drugs and eating and multiple wives, hence his young demise.

What's Happening!! also didn't have a long life, if you think about it. It was only on for three years before it's cancellation. I will never forget it because it was the same year that Welcome Back, Kotter was cancelled.

Has there been any response to Fred Berry's death from his surviving castmates?

This saddens me so. RIP our friend.:(

Originally posted by Dr. Thong
True, but Carney has lived a long life and has had a great career. Fred Berry was still relatively young. Unfortunately, he probably did a lot of damage to himself over the years with drugs and eating and multiple wives, hence his young demise.

What's Happening!! also didn't have a long life, if you think about it. It was only on for three years before it's cancellation. I will never forget it because it was the same year that Welcome Back, Kotter was cancelled.

Has there been any response to Fred Berry's death from his surviving castmates? Ernest Thomas and Haywood Nelson were on Entertainment Tonight. They were very sad.

God Bless Fred "Rerun" Berry....:(

Originally posted by hoosierelvisfan
Also Buddy Epsen (Beverly Hillbillies) and Donald O'Connor (Francis the Talking Mule); Also, I just heard this morning that Jack Elam died. He was in MANY westerns, both movies and television.

Signed,
Respectfully,
Dutch

Damn..how can ANYONE forget Gregory Peck???

Over the last couple of months, a lot of celebrities in the 50 to 55 age range have died. Its seems almost unreal! This is why we have to live each say as if it were our last. Fred Berry will surely be missed. My condolensces to the family and his closest friends.:(

Originally posted by jarri
Over the last couple of months, a lot of celebrities in the 50 to 55 age range have died. Its seems almost unreal! This is why we have to live each say as if it were our last. Fred Berry will surely be missed. My condolensces to the family and his closest friends.:(

I know, it's sad. Shirley was only 52 when she died as well.

I just found out about this forum. Fred Berry was always one of my favorite TV personalities. I grew up on watching What's Happening back in the 70's This show was one of our only sources for learning how to "LOCK" since this dance was not something you'd learn at a school.

This was such sad news to hear about this loss.

He and his family are in my prayers and memory.

God Bless

PEACE

This has been a truly terrible year
RIP Rerun

Oh man.......last night I told my wife that Rerun had died; she looked stunned and told she wasn't old enough to watch the original show but she remembers watching Rerun reruns. That sounded weird but I knew what she meant.