Ernest Perry, Jr. (30 May 1947 – 23 November 2023; age 76) is the actor who played Charlie Whatley in the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine fifth season episode "Rapture".
His previous television credits include an episode of T. J. Hooker (starring William Shatner, James Darren, and Richard Herd and also guest-starring John Mahon), the pilot episode of Courthouse (starring Dan Gauthier and Jacqueline Kim), and two episodes of ER (one with Deep Space Nine guest stars Robert Kerbeck, Lily Mariye, and Tim de Zarn, and another with Mariye, Kirsten Dunst and William Schallert).
In addition to his TV credits, he had roles in such films as Fred Williamson's The Big Score (1983, co-starring Ed Lauter), The Color of Money (1986, with Bill Cobbs), and A Rage in Harlem. He and fellow Deep Space Nine guest actor Frank Kopyc appeared as doormen in Dunston Checks In (1996, starring Jason Alexander). The following year, Perry appeared in Liar Liar along with fellow Deep Space Nine guest stars Anne Haney, Eric Pierpoint, Amanda Carlin, James W. Jansen, Randy Oglesby, and Benjamin Brown. Perry was most recently seen in Roll Bounce (2005).
He died on in Schiller Park, Illinois, USA, at the age of 76 [1]