Peter Fonda, Hollywood legend, and Easy Rider
Star dies after lung cancer battle
Easy Rider actor and writer Peter Fonda has
died aged 79 after respiratory failure from lung cancer, his family have said.
The son of Henry Fonda and the brother of
Jane Fonda died at his home in Los Angeles on Friday morning.
In a statement, his family said: "It is
with deep sorrow that we share the news that Peter Fonda has passed away.
"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 honour of Peter, please raise a
glass to freedom."
Born into Hollywood royalty as Henry Fonda's
only son, Fonda carved his own path with his non-conformist tendencies and
earned an Oscar nomination for co-writing the counter-culture classic Easy
Rider.
Although Fonda never achieved the status of
his father or even his older sister Jane, the impact of Easy Rider was enough
to cement his place in popular culture.
He never won an Academy Award but would later
be nominated for his leading performance as a Vietnam veteran and widowed
beekeeper in Ulee's Gold.
