Matthew Perry, known for his role as Chandler Bing in ‘Friends,’ was born into the entertainment world, as his father, John Bennett Perry, is also an actor, who appeared in various films, including ‘George of the Jungle’ and ‘The Sweetest Thing,’ the science-fiction classic ‘Independence Day,’ and TV shows like ‘Veronica Mars.’
However, his parents split up when he was less than a year old, and he grew up under his mother’s care. When NBC News’ Katie Couric asked him about his parents’ divorce in a 2004 conversation, the actor said:
“I was one. Yeah. So, I didn’t blame myself quite yet. But…”
Perry continued, recalling his memories of his father:
“That was mostly the way that I saw my father when I was young — on TV shows, and you know, getting shot through a door on Mannix or something like that. That’s my Dad.”
John shared the screen with his son in the 1997 film ‘Fools Rush In’ and in an episode of ‘Scrubs,’ both times portraying the father of Matthew’s on-screen character. The Perry family connection even extended to ‘Friends,’ where John made a cameo appearance in season four, episode 18, titled ‘The One With Rachel’s New Dress.’
In ‘Friends,’ John Bennett Perry’s character briefly appears as the father of Rachel Green’s boyfriend, Joshua. When Rachel and Joshua visit his parents’ house, they mistakenly believe they have the place to themselves. However, Joshua’s parents unexpectedly return from their holiday, catching Rachel in a difficult situation.