It lasted for ten seasons and the series finale attracted more than 50 million viewers in the US alone. But if the end of Friends in 2004 was a source of great sorrow for its fans worldwide, it appears that for the cast, it was an occasion for a dinner party.
Farewell Dinner Photos Revealed
Never-before-seen photographs of the stars gathered at an intimate farewell meal to mark the end of the show have emerged in a sale from Matthew Perry's estate. The actor, who spent a decade making millions laugh as the wisecracking Chandler Bing in Friends, died of a drugs overdose in 2023 at the age of 54.
More than 130 items from his estate will be auctioned next month to raise money for the Matthew Perry Foundation, a charity established after his death to help those battling addiction.
The farewell meal photos are contained in a photo album titled The One With The Last Supper, a reference to the way episodes of Friends were named. Believed to have been given to Perry by Jennifer Aniston after filming wrapped in 2004, the album features photographs of the cast gathered around a dining table. Tucked inside is a handwritten note signed: 'Jenny.'
In one picture, Perry snuggles up with co-star Courteney Cox. In another, he appears deep in thought as David Schwimmer grins at the camera. Others at the table include David Crane and Marta Kauffman, the co-creators of Friends.
Other Auction Items
Among the other lots is a signed script from the Friends pilot episode, featuring signatures from Perry and co-stars Aniston, Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, and Schwimmer. The script has already attracted bids of $15,000 (approximately £11,100). Another signed script from the two-part finale, The Last One, stands at $8,500 (£6,300), while a collection of Season Ten scripts, including The One With Ross's Tan and The One Where Joey Speaks French, currently sits at $3,600 (£2,700).
Fans can also bid on Perry's Motorola flip phone, his wallet and American Express card, and a navy Boss blazer. A leather-bound copy of his memoir Friends, Lover And The Big Terrible Thing is also included in the sale, along with a 1995 Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series.
Roberta Kramer, of Heritage Auctions, said: 'It's a combination of all kinds of things. Things relating to his work on Friends and other shows and films, but a lot of very personal things too.'
In April, Jasveen Sangha, known as the Ketamine Queen, admitted selling the ketamine that led to Perry's death in a Jacuzzi at his home in Los Angeles and was sentenced to 15 years in prison.
