Hollywood Icon Peter Fonda Dies, Aged 79

Peter Fonda

by James White |
Updated on

Peter Fonda, legendary actor, countercultural icon, director, Oscar nominee and member of the Fonda dynasty, has died. He was 79.

Born in New York City to Henry Fonda (a respected actor in his own right) and Frances Ford Seymour, Fonda had a brush with death early in life, accidentally shooting himself in the abdomen on his 11th birthday. Though not wanting to live in the shadow of his famous, distant father, Fonda began to study acting in Henry's old home town, Omaha, Nebraska. He'd go on to attend the University Of Nebraska and join the Omaha Community Playhouse.

Dropping out of university, Fonda performed at the Cecilwood Theatre in New York before making his way to Broadway and the play Blood, Sweat And Stanley Poole.

TV guest roles followed, before he landed his film debut opposite Sandra Dee in Tammy And The Doctor. But it was Roger Corman's low-budget biker film Wild Angels that really gave his career its first kick. He followed that with The Trip, written by Jack Nicholson and which began to cement him as part of the counterculture he'd already begun to favour in real life. When he, Dennis Hopper and Nicholson decided to do their own thing, the result was landmark road trip film Easy Rider, directed by Hopper. Rider would go on to spur the next generation of indie filmmaking, and brought their ethos to mainstream movies.

Fonda's time in film was something of a rollercoaster, with bright patches and some less-than-significant roles. He directed and starred in Western The Hired Hand and future cult science fiction feature Idaho Transfer. Wanda Nevada marked the first (and last) time he'd share the screen with his father.

It was 1997's Ulee's Gold that truly brought him back to attention, as Fonda scored an Oscar nomination for his performance as a reclusive beekeeper who has to pull his dysfunctional family back together. Other notable films included Futureworld , The Limey and 3:10 To Yuma.

Fonda is survived by his sister, Jane, daughter Bridget, son Justin and third wife Margaret DeVogelaere.

"It is with deep sorrow that we share the news that Peter Fonda has passed away,” reads the family's statement about his death. "Peter passed away peacefully on Friday morning, August 16 at 11:05am at his home in Los Angeles surrounded by family. The official cause of death was respiratory failure due to lung cancer. In one of the saddest moments of our lives, we are not able to find the appropriate words to express the pain in our hearts. As we grieve, we ask that you respect our privacy. And, while we mourn the loss of this sweet and gracious man, we also wish for all to celebrate his indomitable spirit and love of life. In honor of Peter, please raise a glass to freedom."

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