TV's Fred 'Rerun' Berry Dies in Sleep in L.A.
Posted: Thu Oct 23, 2003 2:43 pm
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Comic actor Fred "Rerun" Berry, rotund star of the 1970s urban sitcom "What's Happening!," has died at age 52, his agent said on Thursday.
Berry, who had long battled diabetes and had suffered a stroke in August, died in his sleep at his Los Angeles home and was found in his bed by a friend on Tuesday, agent Tracy Mapes told Reuters.
The St. Louis native sprang to fame as Freddie "Rerun" Stubbs on "What's Happening!!," which ran on ABC from 1976 to 1979, then returned to television briefly in the 1980s retitled "What's Happening Now!"
The show centered on the big-city antics of Rerun and his two pals, Raj and Dwayne. Rerun, forever wearing a red beret and suspenders, was the most clownish of the three and often ended up with his foot in his mouth.
More recently, he was featured on an episode of E! Entertainment Television's celebrity dating show "Star Dates," and among the former child stars appearing as themselves in the David Spade movie "Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star."
He also guest-starred in a recent episode of the NBC hospital comedy "Scrubs," performing his trademark disco-esque "Rerun" dance.
Berry, who had long battled diabetes and had suffered a stroke in August, died in his sleep at his Los Angeles home and was found in his bed by a friend on Tuesday, agent Tracy Mapes told Reuters.
The St. Louis native sprang to fame as Freddie "Rerun" Stubbs on "What's Happening!!," which ran on ABC from 1976 to 1979, then returned to television briefly in the 1980s retitled "What's Happening Now!"
The show centered on the big-city antics of Rerun and his two pals, Raj and Dwayne. Rerun, forever wearing a red beret and suspenders, was the most clownish of the three and often ended up with his foot in his mouth.
More recently, he was featured on an episode of E! Entertainment Television's celebrity dating show "Star Dates," and among the former child stars appearing as themselves in the David Spade movie "Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star."
He also guest-starred in a recent episode of the NBC hospital comedy "Scrubs," performing his trademark disco-esque "Rerun" dance.