LOS ANGELES: Actor Matthew Perry, who gained fame in the 1990s as the wise-cracking Chandler Bing in the hit U.S. television comedy "Friends," was found dead at age 54 on Saturday at a Los Angeles-area home, several news outlets reported.

The Los Angeles Times and TMZ.com, both citing unnamed law enforcement sources, reported that Perry was found dead in a hot tub or jacuzzi.

NBC News, citing an unnamed representative for the actor and a law enforcement source, reported the actor was found dead of an apparent drowning at his home in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles.

Reuters could not immediately confirm the reports independently.

Perry was best known for his longtime role as Bing in the hugely successful "Friends," which ran for 10 seasons on the NBC network from 1994 to 2004, co-starring Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, David Schwimmer, Matt LeBlanc and Lisa Kudrow.