Editing Fred Berry (section)

==Career==
Berry was born on March 19, 1951, in [[St. Louis, Missouri]], and grew up in the inner-city projects. He had aspirations of becoming a successful dancer and actor as a child. Early in his career, Berry was a member of the Los Angeles–based dance troupe [[The Lockers]], with whom he appeared on the third episode of ''[[Saturday Night Live]]'' in 1975. He additionally appeared on the dance music show ''[[Soul Train]]'', and was featured in the program's signature line dance segment doing the memorable early 1970s dance step "the slo-mo".<ref>{{YouTube|r7MiG2fe8lE}}</ref>

Berry achieved more widespread fame playing the character Freddie "Rerun" Stubbs on the [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] sitcom ''What's Happening!!'', which aired from 1976 to 1979 as he was in his mid 20s. The role was originally set for a skinny and white actor. The character was called Rerun as a [[sobriquet]] because he continuously repeated all of his classes during summer school. Rerun became one of the show's top characters, wearing a trademark red beret and suspenders while sporting the dance moves that Berry previously used during his time with The Lockers. In 1985, Berry returned to reprise his role in the series ''[[What's Happening Now!!]]''. He was fired before the first season ended due to a salary dispute, in which Berry requested more money than the rest of the cast.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.tvparty.com/recwhats3.html|title=What's Happening!!: Up From the Ashes| website=TVparty!| access-date=9 June 2010}}</ref>

Berry struggled with drug and alcohol issues throughout his life. In 1996, he told People magazine, “I was a millionaire by the time I was 29, but then the stress of success got to me. The fat jokes got to me. And I got heavily into drugs and alcohol.” In a 1996 interview, he said that he had been experimenting with drugs and alcohol since he was a teenager, and becoming more successful meant he could afford more drugs. Berry attempted suicide three times, but later recovered and spent his time visiting many churches.<ref>{{cite news| date=2003-10-24| title=Fred Berry, 52; Actor Became a Minister After Playing 'Rerun' on 1970s' 'What's Happening!'| url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2003-oct-24-me-berry24-story.html| access-date=2021-04-03| newspaper=Los Angeles Times| language=en-US}}</ref>

During the 1990s, Berry became a motivational speaker and [[Baptist]] minister,<ref name="watn.berry">{{cite news| url=http://edition.cnn.com/2002/SHOWBIZ/TV/07/30/watn.berry/index.html| title=Catch up with 'What's Happening!' star Fred Berry| last=Kappes| first=Serena| date=2002-07-30| work=CNN Entertainment| access-date=1 September 2016}}</ref> and lost 100&nbsp;lbs after being diagnosed with type 2 [[diabetes]].<ref name="peopleobit">{{cite magazine| url=http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,625398,00.html| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081007203255/http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,625398,00.html| url-status=dead| archive-date=October 7, 2008| title='70s Star Fred 'Rerun' Berry Dead at 52| last=Silverman| first=Stephen M.| date=2003-10-23| magazine=[[People (magazine)|People]]| access-date=9 August 2012}}</ref>

In 2001, he appeared as himself on the second Classic TV Stars edition of The Weakest Link where he was the first contestant voted off.