Fred Berry

For a while in the 1970s, Fred Berry was one of the biggest stars on American television. The former dancer, who became a star in the sitcom What's Happening!! (1976) ballooned until his weight became a threat to his health. He battled with food, drink, drugs and women, marrying 6 times to 4 women in total. Diabetes was diagnosed, he lost more than 100 pounds and turned to religion. Born in St Louis, Missouri, in 1951, Berry danced with The Lockers, but it was the sitcom deal in 1976 that gave him his big break. The series ran for three seasons. After it was canceled, Berry struggled with personal problems and with the search for another star vehicle. The series was popular through reruns and a further series (What's Happening Now! (1985) was picked up in 1985 and ran for three years, after which Berry gave up acting for religion. He returned to the screen in 1998 in the action movie In the Hood (1998), and his final role was a cameo in Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star (2003) in 2003. Berry died on October 21, 2003, aged 52.