Chandler Bing (Matthew Perry)

Matthew Perry is an only child. His mother Suzanne, a former Canadian TV anchor, is married to Canadian anchorman Keith Morrison and has four children, and his father, John Bennet Perry, has also remarried and has a daughter. The elder Perry is perhaps best known to TV viewers as the guy in the "Old Spice" commercials.

Perry, when growing up, was orginally supposed to become a pro tennis player and was good enough to become the #2 ranked junior player in Canada for a time. However, a disasterous debut match in the US ended that dream and launched him into his father's profession: acting.

Perry auditioned for the movie "A Night in the Life of Jimmy Reardon" and won a part beside the late River Phoenix. Perry, like many of his co-stars, Perry has done his share of failed TV sitcoms such as "Boys Will Be Boys", "Home Free" or "Second Chance". He has also appeared on shows like "Beverly Hills 90210" and "Growing Pains".

Before he got the part of Chandler, Matthew Perry had been disgusted by the lack of good parts on TV and had attempted to write a sitcom pilot with a friend of his for NBC called "Maxwell's House". The show's premise (a bunch of twentysomething friends hanging out together) was interesting enough that NBC expressed interest, but decided to pass on the show in favor of something called "Friends". The rest, as they say, is history.

his role:

Chandler was a data processor who didn't care for his job. However, in the middle of the first season he recevied a promotion to be manager over other data processors. Some co-workers thought he was gay, as did some women in college. So did Mr. Heckles, the former neighbor who lived (and died) downstairs. Chandler has a very hard time asking women out as well as breaking up with them, I.E. the horrid Janice. He seems to get stuck with Janice repeatedly. Chandler enjoyed a long (by his standards) and promising relationship with Kathy, who was originally Joey's girlfriend but was a much better match for Chandler. Unfortunately, it didn't last. Recently, he and Monica ended up in bed together, after spending most of Ross' rehearsal dinner consoling each other. That these two would get together has been desired by fans and hinted by various sub-plots.

Monica and Chandler continued their romance and tried to keep it a secret. But eventually everyone found out. While in Las Vegas, they decide to get married. While waiting their turn at the chapel, they discovered Ross and Rachel (who were very drunk) have just been married.

Chandler's mother writes romance novels and embarasses Chandler greatly. He used to smoke and sometimes still has trouble. He lives with Joey across the hall from Monica and Rachel.

As for Chandler's age, we only know that he knew Ross in college before Ross fell for Carol; he would therefore appear to be around Ross' age. We also know he's been at the same company for over nine years (five as of "TOW the Stoned Guy", a first season episode). If we assume that he took that 'temp' job right out of college, it places his college graduation in '89 and fixes his age around 31. There may have been more recent indications of Chandler's age (I.E. has the 5th season mentioned anything?). But I haven't been keeping track, because I just don't care that much!