Omg Rerun died!! - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

DustBunny · 10-22-2003, 08:07 PM

This is horrible. We lost another TV-friend, everybody.

Actor Fred 'Rerun' Berry Dies at Age 52

By ANTHONY BREZNICAN, AP Entertainment Writer

LOS ANGELES - 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 (news) 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 (news) comedy film "Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star."

Funeral services were unclear late Wednesday.

Moonshadow · 10-22-2003, 08:13 PM

wow that is so sad...

Pitooey · 10-22-2003, 08:16 PM

This is another SAD day for me.......... I loved Fred Berry.......

*Pleasant Tomorrow* · 10-22-2003, 08:22 PM

Are you kidding me? I've never even seen that show before, but I've seen him on some specials and I thought he was really cool. That's just awful. And he was young, too.

RIP

KerriBerri687 · 10-22-2003, 08:28 PM

R.I.P

musicradio77 · 10-22-2003, 09:06 PM

I've never seen Fred Berry on "What's Happening" and "What's Happening Now". I used to watch that show since I was a kid. Another great comedian is gone.

*PinkLady* · 10-22-2003, 09:10 PM

52? That's too damn young. I've never seen What's Happening, but I still thought he was cool. RIP

David · 10-22-2003, 09:19 PM

awwwwwww this is so sad!!

RIP Fred Berry aka Rerun

Rickenbacker · 10-22-2003, 09:27 PM

Oh no! He was *just* on that VH1 70s thing! Man.

2003 is one crap year for celebrity deaths.

MaydayMalonesGirl · 10-22-2003, 09:41 PM

52? Another young death. RIP Fred

dandelion wine · 10-22-2003, 10:51 PM

This sucks!! We're losing way too many this year.

Crimson and Clover · 10-22-2003, 10:51 PM

RIP Fred

dawsongirl · 10-23-2003, 12:27 AM

I just saw him on I Love the 70s! Wow....well, I heard of two today now.

ABlairican Pie · 10-23-2003, 12:44 AM

OH NO!!!!! NOT RERUN!!!!!!!!!

THIS YEAR IS BEGINNING TO REALLY SUCK FOR CELEBRITY DEATHS!!!

ThomasE · 10-23-2003, 12:44 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by little insomniac
This sucks!! We're losing way too many this year.

Isn't that the truth?

10-22-2003, 08:07 PM	#1
DustBunny "Step by Step" Forum Regular Join Date: Sep 09, 2003 Location: Happy Jason Bateman is back on t.v.! Posts: 568	Omg Rerun died!! This is horrible. We lost another TV-friend, everybody. Actor Fred 'Rerun' Berry Dies at Age 52 By ANTHONY BREZNICAN, AP Entertainment Writer LOS ANGELES - 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 (news) 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 (news) comedy film "Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star." Funeral services were unclear late Wednesday.
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10-22-2003, 08:16 PM	#3
Pitooey Member Forum Star Join Date: Feb 15, 2001 Location: Rocking in Transylvania. Posts: 15,042	This is another SAD day for me.......... I loved Fred Berry.......
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10-22-2003, 08:22 PM	#4
Pleasant Tomorrow Member Forum Addict Join Date: Feb 19, 2003 Location: New York Posts: 69,525	Are you kidding me? I've never even seen that show before, but I've seen him on some specials and I thought he was really cool. That's just awful. And he was young, too. RIP
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10-22-2003, 08:28 PM	#5
KerriBerri687 defying gravity Senior Member Join Date: Jan 13, 2001 Location: you'll find me in Emerald City...I'm the green one with the flying monkeys Posts: 2,869	R.I.P
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10-22-2003, 09:06 PM	#6
musicradio77 Disney Expert Forum Veteran Join Date: Jul 14, 2003 Location: Brooklyn, NY USA Posts: 6,475	I've never seen Fred Berry on "What's Happening" and "What's Happening Now". I used to watch that show since I was a kid. Another great comedian is gone.
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10-22-2003, 08:13 PM	#2
Moonshadow Banned Banned!! Frequent Poster Join Date: Oct 22, 2003 Location: Over the Rainbow Posts: 332	wow that is so sad...

10-22-2003, 09:10 PM	#7
PinkLady Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Jun 04, 2002 Posts: 7,457	52? That's too damn young. I've never seen What's Happening, but I still thought he was cool. RIP

10-22-2003, 09:19 PM	#8
David mcphee. Forum Superstar Join Date: Jan 30, 2003 Location: jacksonville, FL. Posts: 28,115	awwwwwww this is so sad!! RIP Fred Berry aka Rerun
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10-22-2003, 09:27 PM	#9
Rickenbacker Member Forum Regular Join Date: Jan 15, 2003 Location: NYC Posts: 507	Oh no! He was just on that VH1 70s thing! Man. 2003 is one crap year for celebrity deaths.

10-22-2003, 09:41 PM	#10
MaydayMalonesGirl ACID! POLICEHHHH! Forum Star Join Date: Apr 24, 2003 Location: in a van down by the river. Posts: 18,393	52? Another young death. RIP Fred

10-22-2003, 10:51 PM	#11
dandelion wine ~ Forum Superstar Join Date: Jul 20, 2003 Location: Behind the Couch Posts: 34,967	This sucks!! We're losing way too many this year.
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10-22-2003, 10:51 PM	#12
Crimson and Clover Member Forum Star Join Date: Jun 09, 2002 Location: NC Posts: 17,345	RIP Fred
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10-23-2003, 12:27 AM	#13
dawsongirl Member Forum Icon Join Date: Jan 04, 2001 Posts: 53,128	I just saw him on I Love the 70s! Wow....well, I heard of two today now.

10-23-2003, 12:44 AM	#14
ABlairican Pie Member Forum Superstar Join Date: Dec 12, 2001 Location: Living where cats reign more Supreme than a pizza. Posts: 31,620	Rerun OH NO!!!!! NOT RERUN!!!!!!!!! THIS YEAR IS BEGINNING TO REALLY SUCK FOR CELEBRITY DEATHS!!!
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