Life of Friends star Matthew Perry was a tale of two halves

The life of beloved US actor Matthew Perry was tale of two halves (Matt Sayles/AP)

Matthew Perry was the star of era-defining sitcom Friends, but behind the scenes his life was dogged with addiction.

The US actor was one of the best-known and best-paid television stars during the decade from 1994 when Friends first aired, following the lives of a group of six friends in their 20s living in New York.