Perlich's career began with a small part in John Hughes' hit 1986 teen comedy Ferris Bueller's Day Off, which came after he had dropped out of high school in the 10th grade. Thus began his appearances in a series of bit parts on television and in teen films such as Can't Buy Me Love (1987), Plain Clothes (1988), Gleaming the Cube, Lost Angels and Drugstore Cowboy (1989). He was also in the films Rush (1991), Cliffhanger (1993), Maverick (1994), “Shake, Rattle and Rock”(1994), Georgia (1995), Beautiful Girls (1996),“Homeward Bound II: Lost in San Francisco”(1996) House on Haunted Hill (1999) and Blow (2001). He had a recurring role as J. H. Brodie on Homicide: Life on the Street (1997). He also had recurring roles on television series such as Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1998), "Charmed" (2005), My Name Is Earl (2006), and Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles (2008), as well as appearing in an episode of the fourth season of Burn Notice (2010). He is also featured in the music videos "No Excuses" by Alice in Chains and "Naked Eye" by Luscious Jackson.