Print Story
X
The world is mourning the loss of actor, writer and producer Matthew Perry as well as the passing of his alter ego, Chandler Bing. Mr. Bing was one of the six lead characters from the show, Friends. It may have run from 1994 to 2004 but what Matthew Perry’s Chandler Bing meant to each of us cannot be summed up in a few words. The cultural impact he had on comedy and viewers as they watched it – in their good hours or bad – was an individual experience as well as the study of the evolution of a deeply loved and cherished character. Matthew Perry’s Chandler Bing developed an even more constant global following when the show found a place on the streaming giant, Netflix. Nonetheless, it would be a shame to not take a closer look at some of his other characters that showcase his nuanced take on acting and approach to each role.
1. In which television series did Matthew Perry play a recurring role as a despicable, villainous political animal as he runs for higher office?
A) The Odd Couple
B) Mr. Sunshine
C) The Good Wife
D) The Good Fight
E) All of the above
2. Why did Hollywood’s A-list actor, Bruce Willis, agree to appear in Friends in a
hilarious cameo?
A) Because the producers of the series convinced him to
B) Because he lost a bet to Matthew Perry
C) Because nearly a dozen
Hollywood stars had done so and it became the rite of passage for big league
actors.
D) None of the above
3. During the final days of Friends, Matthew Perry
appeared in an Aaron Sorkin series as a lawyer and his arc on the series, on two seasons in a cameo, fetched him two Emmy nominations?
A) Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip
B) Sports Night
C) The Newsroom
D) The West Wing
4. In the short-lived series, Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, who was his co-lead from an earlier show?
A) Bradley Whitford
B) Allison Janney
C) Timothy Busfield
D) All of the above
Answers
1. E) This question is totally rigged because Matthew Perry does appear in all these shows. However, it is in The Good Wife and its spin-off series, The Good Fight that the actor – in the role of Mike Kresteva - shows his flair as an actor who can be villainous, loathsome and employs heinous tactics to get what he wants and makes you dislike him from the word go.
2. B) Matt Perry and Bruce Willis co-starred in the film, The Whole Nine Yards, which Willis predicted would not be a success. His co-star Matthew Perry thought otherwise. Willis lost the bet as the film was a success and made more than 100 million dollars. It compelled Bruce Willis to appear on the sixth season of Friends.
3. D) In 2003 and again in 2004, Matthew Perry toned down his obvious sarcastic humour for a role in The West Wing as White House counsel, Joe Quincy. He toned down his comedic flair and played the role in a clever, quiet manner, as a loyal member of the team who uncovers a massive plot. It was this arc that led to two Emmy nominations (and a future series with Aaron Sorkin).
4. A) Aaron Sorkin employed all of these actors when he created Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip. But, while all worked with Matthew Perry on The West Wing and Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, Bradley Whitford and Matthew Perry played the co-leads on the show. The Sorkin series was based on a Saturday Night Live-style show with both actors playing its executive producers and Matthew Perry’s Matt Albie essaying head writer in what will always be a beloved and a brilliant dramatic role that lived for one season.
