Fred Berry, the actor famous for playing “Rerun” Stubbs on the TV sitcom, “What’s Happening!” died on Oct. 21 from natural causes. He was 52.
Like his TV counterpart, Berry wore a red beret and suspenders in real life. He appeared on “What’s Happening!” from 1976 to 1979, and on its mid-1980s revival series, “What’s Happening Now!” Berry found his success hampered, however, by heavy marijuana and cocaine use. He said that by the time the first series ended, he had spent more than $1 million on drugs, cars, homes and other luxuries. To make ends meet, he charged to appear at shopping malls.
Berry says he abandoned drugs in 1986 to become a public speaker and minister at the New Shiloh Church Ministry in Alabama. His final acting job was in a cameo role in the David Spade comedy, “Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star.”
October 23, 2003 by
Fred Berry
Categories: Actors
Fred Berry was a great actor. He will be truly missed.
I have recently started watching WhatHappenning on cable, and it is so refreshing to see fred berry sweet and funny and clean good humer. I am so sad to hear that he passed away. My condolences to his family. To me he will always be alive in spirit.Sincerely, Virginia
I’ve been wathcing What’s Happening for 4 years and whaen I went to wikipedia.org, I look up all the actors and wqas so sad to hear that Fred Berry (Rerun) Shirley Hemphill(Waitress) and Mabel King (Momma)had died mainly because of diabetes. I’m glad Ernest Thomas (Roger) and Haywood Nelson (Dywane) are still living.I want to see them in the future