Academy Award Nominee Peter Fonda Dead At 79

Peter Fonda (image via screen capture)

Peter Fonda, son of acting legend Henry Fonda, the younger brother of Jane Fonda and the father of Bridget Fonda, has passed away at the age of 79 at his home in Los Angeles.

The cause of death was respiratory failure due to lung cancer.

From The Hollywood Reporter:

Fonda received an Academy Award nomination as a screenwriter for Easy Rider, which he shared with Dennis Hopper and Terry Southern.

Fonda and Hopper dreamed up the idea of two motorcyclists who hit it big with a drug deal and take off across the country, ostensibly to attend Mardi Gras. Their trek was "in search of America," emblematic of the '60s zeitgeist of rebellion and drug experimentation.

Featuring Jack Nicholson as their alcoholic, back rider/lawyer, the film was a low-budget, colossal hit.

Nearly 30 years after Easy Rider, Fonda's performance in Ulee's Gold (1997) as a beekeeper and sullen Vietnam War veteran whose family had nearly fallen apart earned him a best actor Oscar nom.

The family statement concluded: "In honor of Peter, please raise a glass to freedom."

Actor Peter Fonda, the star and co-writer of "Easy Rider" and the son of acting legend Henry Fonda and brother of Jane Fonda, is dead at 79, his family confirmed Friday https://t.co/wCE6lBBQgn pic.twitter.com/LE3NXJ2JuQ

— CBS Evening News (@CBSEveningNews) August 16, 2019