Two-time Oscar nominee Peter Fonda, who became a counterculture icon when he co-wrote, produced and starred in seminal 1969 road movie " Easy . I jumped off the couch and ran for my life with Dad in hot pursuit. He also played a charismatic cult leader in Split Image (1982), a film that also starred James Woods, Karen Allen and Brian Dennehy. The Fonda family confirmed to PEOPLE in an exclusive statement that Peter died on Friday at age 79 after suffering respiratory failure due to lung cancer. Jane Fonda's little brother, Peter Fonda, died on August 16, 2019. Category: Richest Celebrities Actors . "[40][44] Backlash to Fonda's tweets resulted in a call for a boycott of his newest film, Boundaries, and other Sony projects. Her birth father, George Tuttle Brokaw, was a lawyer from a rich family in Manhattan's Upper East Side. Period," she said on Twitter. He Had A Type Courtesy of Jane Fonda Jane says she later found out that Frances had retrieved a razor from the home and slit her own throat in the mental institution on her 42nd birthday. She graduated from Ithaca College with a degree in Television-Radio (and an appearance in the NCAA Women's Volleyball Final Four!). [24] Fonda directed and starred in the Western film The Hired Hand (1971). He was 79. Frances Ford Seymour's daughter, "Little Frances," or "Pan," was often overlooked in the Fonda household. "[I] climbed onto the couch next to him, and he noticed I was sucking on the candy," Peter said, (viaPeople). According to People, the family confirmed the news in a statement that said the actor died after suffering respiratory failure due to lung cancer. Actor Peter Fonda, the star and co-writer of "Easy Rider" and the son of acting legend Henry Fonda and brother of Jane Fonda, has died, his family confirmed Friday. Jane would never see her mother again and still struggles with feelings of guilt about that day. Sometimes, he would have to front some of his own funds to get films made, including for12 Angry Men. He was my sweet-hearted baby brother. Peter was arrested for marijuana possessionin 1966, the same year he protestedfor the rights of young peoplein a riot on the Sunset Strip. His death was officially ruled 'respiratory failure from lung. After she passed, Peter wrote in his memoir that "no one ever talked about Mom. It was directed by Jack Bender and starred Fonda, John Glover, Harold Perrineau, and Katherine Heigl.[31]. However, the death of his mother proved difficult for Peter to deal with, to digest. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. A rep for Peter confirms he passed Friday morning at his his home in Los Angeles, and was surrounded by family. Peter Fonda, the star, co-writer and producer of the 1969 cult classic Easy Rider, has died at the age of 79. Fonda originally was to support George Chakiris, but graduated to the lead when Chakiris revealed he could not ride a motorcycle. Jane committed to showing up for the Washington, D.C. Fire Drill Friday protests, using her celebrity to call attention to the important issue. "[48], Fonda died from respiratory failure caused by lung cancer at his home in Los Angeles on August 16, 2019, at the age of 79. Fonda was also known for taking roles for admirable reasons, regardless of the likelihood of box office success. [23] The guitarist and composer Robbie Robertson, of The Band, was so moved by an advance screening that he approached Fonda and tried to convince him to let him write a complete score, even though the film was nearly due for wide release. During the trip, a photograph captured a moment of Jane sitting on an anti-aircraft gun in Hanoi, which became quite a PR problem for the actress back home. I want you to know that,' Peter wrote. The talker of. Upon his return to New York, Fonda joined the Cecilwood Theatre in 1960. Despite their tough relationship, Peter followed in his fathers footsteps and went on to study acting in college and made his professional stage debut in 1961 in the Broadway production of Blood, Sweat, and Standley Poole. PETER FONDA, the Hollywood legend and brother to Jane Fonda has passed away after battling from lung cancer. He was such a sensitive, sweet, vulnerable kid.. Jane also disclosed that shortly before her death, her mother visited their house accompanied by a nurse. Fonda died of respiratory failure due to lung cancer at his Los Angeles home, his family said in a statement Friday. They later had Jane and her brother Peter Fonda. Fonda made his professional stage debut on Broadway in 1961 in Blood, Sweat and Stanley . That's what I suffered since I was 6 years old.". I jumped off the couch and ran for my life with Dad in hot pursuit. That's not true. Fonda later appeared in a series of films in the 1980s of varying genres Daijbu, My Friend (1983), shot in Japan; Dance of the Dwarfs (1983); Peppermint Peace[de] (1983), shot in Germany; Spasms (1983), a Canadian horror film with Oliver Reed; A Reason to Live (1985), a TV movie; Certain Fury (1985), with Tatum O'Neal; Mercenary Fighters (1988); Hawken's Breed (1988), a Western; Sound (1988); Gli indifferenti (1989) with Liv Ullmann; and The Rose Garden (1989). Actor: Easy Rider. As we grieve, we ask that you respect our privacy.. Praises QB Ahead Of Free Agency Decision, Allegations He Cheated with Costar Raquel Leviss, 2023 EHM PRODUCTIONS,INC. All Rights Reserved. Still, he said, there were bonding moments as Peter recalled how Henry would carve out a special time for us to have lunch together almost every day while Jane and [half-sister] Pan were at school.. But Peter wanted to be free of his father's shadow in the midst of the '60s beatnik movement. "But you can learn, so I studied how to be a parent. The actor was beloved by his family and fans alike, and the statement announcing his death encouraged fans to toast the beloved actor by raising a glass to freedom.. The band Buffalo Springfield protested the department's handling of the incident in their song "For What It's Worth". The last film he acted in was The Last Full Measure which is expected to be released later this year. To help cope with the bombshell, Peter threw himself into work and began acting in films, including Tammy and the Doctor, The Victors, Ulees Gold, The Hired Hand, The Trip, and 1966s Wild Angels, opposite Nancy Sinatra and Bruce Dern. Henry requested a divorce so he could marry a woman 23 years his junior. Peter Fonda - who has died aged 79 - was nearly 30 when Easy Rider emerged in the summer of 1969, but, despite good work . For his work on the project, Peter earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Screenplay. Actor Peter Fonda prompted an outraged reaction on 20 June 2018, when he suggested in a tweet that he and other opponents of President Donald Trump's "zero-tolerance . Fonda, Hopper and Southern were nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay. Just a month before he died, Peter Fonda attended a screening of . The night he came back, we gathered in the living room and listened to many stories, Peter wrote. In his 1998 book, Dont Tell Dad: A Memoir, Peter said his moms death was something that his forbidding figure father, who was remote and often away on set, lied about and subsequently ignored. His sister Jane Fonda wrote in a statement, "He was my sweet-hearted baby brother. [35][36], In 2000, a Golden Palm Star on the Palm Springs, California, Walk of Stars was dedicated to him. His starring role in Easy Rider was the turning point in his career, but reality and fiction had already become blurred for Peter as he leaned into the hippie counterculture. Having been in and out of mental institutions, Fonda's mother killed herself at age 42 while institutionalized. The pair tied their knot in Hawaii (2011). In 1999, Fonda won the Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor for his work inThe Passion of Ayn Rand. Celebrities who had problems with their in-laws. He took the lead role in a cast that also featured Warren Oates, Verna Bloom and Beat Generation poet Michael McClure. For years, Peter viewed the legendary actor, who was remote and often away on set, as a starchy man opposed to the archetypal decent man the world had come to know in the movies. The Hollywood icon died at the age of 79 on August 17, following an ongoing battle with lung cancer. Some American lawmakers as well as the Veterans of Foreign Wars saw her actions as treasonous and sought retaliation against her. Jane revealed in an interview withHarper's Bazaar that her father embedded unhealthy beauty expectations in his daughter. He picked me up by my small, terrified neck and carried me into my bedroom, giving me the spanking of my life, Peter said. Fans around the world are mourning the death of Hollywood legend Peter Fonda. Unfortunately, lung cancer affects one in every 16 people in the United States, and a new diagnosis is made every two and a half minutes. Unfortunately, smoking was nearly ubiquitous during the 60s, and Fonda, as a counter-culture rebel in the 60s, was no stranger to cigarettes. Peter Fonda health: Hollywood star has died from lung cancer - what are the signs? She suffered from bulimia well into her thirties, saying thatshe mostly survived oncigarettes, coffee, and strawberry yogurt. Get TMZ breaking news sent right to your browser! His net worth was estimated to be $40 million at the time of his death. It is with deep sorrow that we share the news that Peter Fonda has passed away, his family announced in a statement. It is with deep sorrow that we share the news that Peter Fonda has passed away, the family said. [3][4] He and Jane had a half-sister, Frances de Villers Brokaw (19312008), from their mother's first marriage. [34], In the 1990s, Fonda appeared in an advertisement for American Express. Both had starred decades earlier in 1969's . He had a good supporting role in Escape from L.A. (1996) from John Carpenter and was in Don't Look Back (1996). Jane was on Dads lap. "Peter Fonda helped The Beatles write a hit song during 1965 acid trip." New York Post, August 16, 2019. He has two children with his wife, actors Bridget Fonda and Justin Fonda. He was 77 . In my mind, the actor who died Friday from lung cancer at the age of 79 was still Wyatt, his character in Easy Rider, looking for America atop a "chopped" Harley-Davidson with his wingman Billy (the late Dennis Hopper). She had endured a heavy dose of trauma before becoming Henry Fonda's stepdaughter with her biological father drowning in a swimming pool at 51 years old, her half-sister died in a car accident at 19 years old, and, of course, her mother would commit suicide while Little Frances was in her twenties. Dennis Hopper claimed Terry Southern's only contribution to the film was the title. For most of his life, Peter, who died on Friday after suffering respiratory failure due to lung cancer, was estranged from his father. According to People, the family confirmed the news in a statement that said the actor died after suffering respiratory failure due to lung cancer. the iconic actor died from lung cancer back in August 2019. [18], Fonda next played the male lead in Corman's film The Trip (1967), a take on the experience and "consequences" of consuming LSD, which was written by Jack Nicholson. Fonda's work in the 2000s included parts in South of Heaven, West of Hell (2000), Second Skin (2000), Thomas and the Magic Railroad (2000) Wooly Boys (2001), The Laramie Project (2001), The Maldonado Miracle (2003), Capital City (2004), The Heart Is Deceitful Above All Things (2004), A Thief of Time (2004), Back When We Were Grownups (2004), Supernova (2005), and El cobrador: In God We Trust (2006). Easy Rider (1969) For a brief moment, Peter Fonda was one of the most important people in American cinema. Writing and directing, theyre very powerful, and photographing and recording, theyre all energetic and powerful positions, but the stress is on the actor in all the medias: stage, film and television. Fonda later directed the science fiction film Idaho Transfer (1973). He was 79. He followed his films up with guest star roles in TV shows likeChanning, Arrest and Trial, The Alfred Hitchcock Hour,and12 OClock High. It's never too late.". Peter Fonda Got Emotional Seeing His Final Film 'The Last Full Measure' A Month Before He Died. He appeared with Christian Bale and Russell Crowe. But unlike some of his contemporaries, Fonda, who died last week at 79 of lung cancer, was not a simpleminded nostalgist. How did Peter Fonda die? Fonda's final role in "The Last Full Measure" comes to movie screens . In the early 1960s, he scored work on Broadway in the show Blood, Sweat and Stanley Poole. His career was defined by 'Easy Rider' Born. Jane admits she felt unprepared to be a mother. Explore Peter Fonda's Bio-Wiki, net worth & salary in 2023. [17], Fonda's first counterculture-oriented film role was as a biker in Roger Corman's B movie The Wild Angels (1966). Lung cancer Around the same time, he co-starred with Lindsay Wagner in Two People (also 1973) for director Robert Wise, in which he portrayed a Vietnam War deserter. "I was raised in the '50s," Jane said (via Today). Peter Fonda, who broke out from under the legendary Fonda family name with 1969's Easy Rider, has died. A then-10-year-old Peter and 12-year-old Jane were told by Henry that their mother had suffered a heart attack while in the hospital. CELEBRITY Sobriety 01/03/23. Something we had never done before, he continued. Well, I dont smoke cigarettes, Fonda confessed he replied, earning some laughter from the audience. Recommended Lists: Actor Peter Fonda tragically passed away on August 16 at the age of 79 after suffering respiratory failure due to lung cancer. It changed Fonda's life forever: Where in New York he had been scraping together pennies, in Tinseltown he landed a leading role in The Farmer Takes a Wife. I had never heard the term PTSD. He portrayed a taciturn North Florida beekeeper and Vietnam veteran who tries to save his son and granddaughter from a life of drug abuse. Info. Copyright 2023 The Inquisitr. After some more action with High-Ballin' (1978), Fonda returned to directing, with the controversial drama Wanda Nevada (1979), wherein the 39-year-old Fonda starred as the "love" interest of the then 13-year-old Brooke Shields. He then matriculated in Westminster School, a Connecticut boarding school in Simsbury, where he graduated in 1958.[8]. Despite multiple hardships within their family, the Fondas found support and camaraderie among one another as time passed and managed to heal some wounds. His children include actors Bridget Fonda and Justin Fonda. Fonda was born on February 23, 1940, in New York City, the only son of actor Henry Fonda (19051982) and his wife Frances Ford Seymour (19081950); his older sister is actress Jane Fonda (born 1937). Margaret is suing for damages. Peter Fonda, Star of 'Easy Rider,' Dies at 79. Though it only accounts for 13 percent of all cancer diagnoses, it is incredibly deadly, claiming the lives of 25 percent of all cancer victims, according to Lungevity. Both actors struggled to break away from his legacy but found their own powerful voices in time. And couldn't find it anywhere." One of the . He was such a sensitive, sweet, vulnerable kid.. Jack Nicholson was nominated for a Best Supporting Actor Oscar. Club. As the political climate changed, the public backlash of her Hanoi trip died down, and she finished the 1979-1980 season as the top ranking female box office star . . "I am very sad. His final portrayal was in the Vietnam War movie The Last Full Measure, whose director Todd Robinson, has recounted that Peter Fonda was able to view that film in its entirety before his death, and got emotional upon viewing it. The film was a box-office hit that year. What is this character actually bringing to us? Dad lay in his bed, very weak. This was sampled by Psychic TV on their 1988 LP recording Jack the TAB. Fonda was top billed in The Hostage Tower (1980), a television movie based on a story by Alistair MacLean. Peter almost died at the age of eleven years old after he accidentally . Not because he was the son of Hollywood stalwart Henry Fonda or the younger brother of activist actress Jane Fonda. Peter Fonda in "Easy Rider" (1969, American International Pictures) Peter Fonda came from the sixties. Previously, the Hollywood veteran was married to his first wife named Susan Jane Brewer in 1961. Before his death, Peter was blissfully living his married life with his third wife, Margaret DeVogelaera. TMZ broke the story the iconic actor died from lung cancer back in August 2019. Once he graduated, Fonda studied acting in Omaha, Nebraska, his father's home town. The owner of the local diner, a man with whom Id chatted all summer, sat down next to me at the bar. According to the will, leaving his birth children and stepdaughter with no assets did not come from a place of animus. [Peter] passed away peacefully on Friday morning, August 16 at 11:05 a.m. at his home in Los Angeles surrounded by family.. Only the title Easy Rider came from him . It forces focus. Joelle Goldstein is a TV Staff Editor for PEOPLE Digital. She also admitted later in life that she had been molestedas a child, raped in adulthood, and fired from a job because she wouldn't sleep with her boss. There's no fences on the roads I ride and I don't ride freeways. His influence was somewhat responsible for amping up her activism work, which would later get her into legal trouble. Its peak was probably reached when Fonda, who has died aged 79 of lung cancer, played Captain America in the 1969 road movie Easy Rider, although he took everyone by surprise when, after years. The intense incident Henry's father exposed him to at such a young age influenced his disdain for violence and instilled a sense of duty in him to assist in fighting social injustice. Powered by. But even more scrutiny comes when you directly and unapologetically oppose authority. Peter Fonda was notorious for being a drug addict in his early years as an adult and he famously quoted once that he didn't trust anybody who didn't take drugs. While living in Montana with Crockett and her son Thomas, Peter reached out to his father by offering him a role in the 1979 film Wanda Nevada. We ate sandwiches and drank large beers. His final marriage came in June of that year to Margaret Parky DeVogelaere. He had the lead in Painted Hero (1997). When I walked toward [my family] they told me to go through the closed doors and into the living room. At the time of his death, he was in pre-production for a movie called Skate God, expected to release in 2020, according to his IMDb. She received the infamous "Hanoi Jane" title in 1972, when Fonda toured North Vietnam, where shespokeagainst the U.S. military's policy in Vietnam and begged pilots to stopbombing non-military targetsonnumerous radio programs. ", Like Jane, Peter also recalls being lied to about his mother's cause of death, and he wouldn't learn the truth of her suicide until years later. He also appeared in the last scenes of the biker comedy Wild Hogs as Damien Blade, founder of the biker gang Del Fuegos and father of Jack, played by Ray Liotta. Yes! His father, Henry Fonda, made a brief appearance as well, and it is the only film in which they performed together.[28]. [10] He followed this with a support part in The Victors (1963), a bleak look at American soldiers in World War II, directed by Carl Foreman. The Hollywood icon died at the age of 79 on August 17, following an ongoing battle with lung cancer. Fonda, 79 years old, passed away peacefully on Friday morning, August 16th at 11:05am at his home in Los Angeles surrounded by family. [I] climbed onto the couch next to him, and he noticed I was sucking on the candy, Peter recalled in his memoir after returning to the living room. Getty Peter Fonda has died at age 79. On August 16th, 2019, veteran Hollywood star Peter Fonda passed away at age 79. Jane, Peter, and Little Frances were iced out of their father's will and would not receive any of his estate after he passed away. Peter opened up later in life about having post-traumatic stress disorder from a very young age. In 2002, Fonda was inducted into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame. By clicking Accept All Cookies, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Jane Fonda on Her 'Sweet-Hearted' Little Brother Peter's Final Days: 'He Went Out Laughing', Jessica Biel Is 'Forever Grateful' for Working with Peter Fonda on Her First Movie Role, Kate Hudson, Ava Duvernay & More Celebs Mourn Peter Fonda's Death: 'There Will Never Be Another', Diane Ladd Remembers How Peter Fonda Saved Her During Filming: 'His Courage Always Shined Through', Peter Fonda on the Pain of Losing His Mom to Suicide and How He Reconciled with His Dad Henry, Jack Nicholson's Life and Career in Photos, Celebrities Who Starred With Their Kids in Movies and TV Shows, Helen Mirren's Extraordinary Life and Career in Photos, Jean-Louis Trintignant, Legendary French 'Amour' Actor, Dead at 91, Lee Lawson, 'Guiding Light' Star, Dead at 83, William Daniels' Celebrated Career and Life in Photos. I went back to the ranch, satisfied that I had parted with my father in a very pure way, he added. Henry Fonda's movie star persona was the wholesome All-American with a conscience. I went to Grandma, and she told me Mother had died of a heart attack, in a hospital.. Its very stressful, and getting out on the sea is very non-stressful. Moreover, in producing, co-writing and starring in Dennis . Actor Peter Fonda, best-known for his iconic role as a free-spirited motorcycle rider in the 1969 counterculture classic Easy Rider, died Friday at his home in Los Angeles at the age of 79. He was in The Passion of Ayn Rand (1998), then appeared in the crime film The Limey (1999) as Terry Valentine, an aging rock music producer who accidentally kills his younger girlfriend. It was almost as if she never lived.". The official cause of death was respiratory failure due to lung cancer.. After the success of Easy Rider, both Hopper and Fonda were sought for film projects. Dennis Hopper played the garrulous "Billy". I opened the doors and saw Jane, Grandma and Dad sitting on the couches, Peter recalled in his memoir. By denying that cigarettes caused his death, but the fire did, you are focusing on the cause of death as a pathologist might -- death as a result of burns, smoke inhalation . According to his children, Henry was very shy, and he was afraid to convey strong emotion offscreen. He was 79.. [7], In August 1966 Fonda was charged with possession of marijuana,[15] and was later acquitted in December of that year. Read also Surely all families have hardships on some level, but the consequence of fame is that hoards of strangers are welcome to judge and pick apart your most intimate secrets. She has been with the brand for five years, beginning her time as a digital news writer, where she covered everything from entertainment news to crime stories and royal tours. American actor PETER FONDA passed away on August 16, 2019 at his home in Los Angeles, USA. We've reached out to the hospital for comment, so far no word back. Their mother committed suicide in a mental hospital when Peter, her youngest, was ten. [49][50], Following Fonda's death, his sister Jane Fonda made the following statement: "I am very sad. I sat there for two or three minutes, speechless Everyone else knew. Fonda gave up cigarettes and coffee ages ago, and wouldnt dream of drinking Los Angeles water, much less wash his hair with ithe uses distilled water instead, the newspaper wrote in a 1997 article. Margaret Fonda is suing Providence Saint Joseph's Health Center in Santa Monica and a number of its doctors, claiming they negligently failed to properly consult, diagnose and treat the late actor. You have to be focused and in my life, in this business, focus is hard to find sometimes. [37], Fonda was married three times, he married his first wife Susan Brewer in 1961; together they have two children, Bridget and Justin. Despite the strong cast and positive reviews, the film failed to find an audience. I hugged him so hard, I could feel the pacemaker in his chest. Peter Fonda, the son of Henry Fonda and the younger brother of Jane Fonda, has died, PEOPLE confirms. [6] Their complex relationship only seemed to worsen in the 1950s when his mother Frances Ford Seymour Fonda tragically died by suicide. Vanessa met up with her mother after she was released from a night in jail. But because he had made $60 million on a $384,000 road movie. [19] Fonda then traveled to France to appear in the portmanteau horror movie Spirits of the Dead (1968). He was the son of Henry Fonda, younger brother of Jane Fonda, and father of Bridget Fonda.He was a prominent figure in the counterculture of the 1960s. Date of Death: August 16, 2019. Ad. Peter Fonda Dead at 79 After Respiratory Failure from Lung Cancer: 'Please Raise a Glass to Freedom', Jane Fonda on Her 'Sweet-Hearted' Little Brother Peter's Final Days: 'He Went Out Laughing', Ohio Boy, 14, Fatally Shoots Dad Before Turning Gun on Himself, Bodies Found by Mom, Celebrities Who Starred With Their Kids in Movies and TV Shows, Wil Wheaton Reveals He Considered Suicide as a Teen but 'Didn't Know How': 'I Am a Survivor', Robert McNamara's Son Craig Remembers Playing with JFK Jr. and Caroline Kennedy After JFK's Death, How Molly Shannon's Loss of Her Mom and Sister in Tragic Car Crash Inspired Her 'SNL' Character, Mom Says Son Who Died of Suicide Suffered from 'Guilt' Over Dad's COVID Death, died on Friday after suffering respiratory failure due to lung cancer. Prior to joining PEOPLE, Joelle was employed atThe Hollywood Reporter. He bellowed that I was a liar. Peter was 79 years old at the time of death. Margaret alleges Peter died due to the hospital and doctors' failure to perform those duties. She spent his last days with him, and she found his death difficult to process. The Easy Rider star revealed all about his near-fatal episode during a . Fonda also portrayed Mephistopheles, one of two main villains in the film Ghost Rider (also 2007). Fonda continued to work in television, guest starring in Channing, Arrest and Trial, The Alfred Hitchcock Hour, and 12 O'Clock High. "It is with deep sorrow that we share the news that Peter Fonda has passed away," his family announced in a statement. [7], Peter attended the Fay School in Southborough, Massachusetts, and was a member of the Class of 1954. More recently, Peter was featured on television series, including CSI: NY, Hawaii Five-O, The Blacklist, and Milo Murphys Law. The Fondas weren't just movie stars. Peter Fonda, the tall, lanky actor who became a star and a counterculture sex symbol in the film "Easy Rider," carrying on the Hollywood dynasty begun by his father, Henry Fonda, died. Patriarch Henry Fonda is known for his roles in Westerns like My Darling ClementineandThe Ox-Bow Incident as well asacclaimed classics such as 12 Angry Men and The Grapes of Wrath,and he won an Oscar for On Golden Pond later in his acting career. This is an enormous loss not just for his family but also for film buffs everywhere. In it they play out an incestuous theme. Fonda's later appearances include American Bandits: Frank and Jesse James (2010) for Fred Olen Ray; The Trouble with Bliss (2011); episodes of CSI: NY; Smitty (2012); Harodim (2012); As Cool as I Am (2013); Copperhead (2013); The Ultimate Life (2013); The Harvest (2013); HR (2014); House of Bodies (2014); Jesse James: Lawman (2015); The Runner (2015) with Nicolas Cage; The Ballad of Lefty Brown (2017); The Most Hated Woman in America (2017); Borderland (2017); You Can't Say No (2018); and Boundaries (2018) with Christopher Plummer. "As I was growing up he was making films like 12 Angry Men and The Grapes of Wrath, playing characters who spoke up for justice, who fought for the underdog. However, though Peter may have smoked while younger, he told the Los Angeles Times that he gave up the habit in later years. Peter, who became a movie star and counterculture icon with his 1969 movie Easy Rider, was born in New York City to screen legend Henry Fonda and Frances Ford Seymour. His breakout role, however, came in 1969 when he starred as Wyatt in Easy Rider, which he also produced and co-scripted. As a member of a Hollywood dynasty, Peter Fondas life was filled with triumphs but the son of screen legend Henry Fonda certainly had his fair share of trauma as well. Jane Fonda, sister of Peter Fonda, has released a statement following his death today at the age of 79. [38] Fonda married his third wife Margaret DeVogelaere, in 2011. His cause. He also tested for the role of John F. Kennedy in PT-109. Although he wanted to play the character in the sequel, he was replaced by Ciarn Hinds. Peter Fonda died on 16 August 2019, at the age of 79, from respiratory failure due to lung cancer, at his home in Los Angeles.