Peter Fonda
Biography
Peter Henry Fonda (February 23, 1940 – August 16, 2019) was an American male actor born in New York City. He was the son of Henry Fonda, the younger brother of Jane Fonda, and the father of Bridget and Justin Fonda. Often credited as Pete, he built a career that included 168 listed acting credits. Fonda was associated with the counterculture of the 1960s. He received an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Screenplay for Easy Rider (1969) and a nomination for Best Actor for Ulee’s Gold (1997). He won the Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama for Ulee’s Gold and the Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor – Series, Miniseries or Television Film for The Passion of Ayn Rand (1999).
Career overview
Peter Henry Fonda was born on February 23, 1940 in New York City, New York, USA. He was the son of actor Henry Fonda, the younger brother of actress Jane Fonda, and the father of Bridget and Justin Fonda. Often credited as Pete, he pursued a career in acting that spanned several decades and amassed 168 credited roles, establishing him as a prolific figure in American film and television.
Fonda’s work earned significant critical recognition. He received an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Screenplay for the 1969 film Easy Rider, a project closely associated with the counterculture of the 1960s. Later, his performance in Ulee’s Gold (1997) garnered an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor and secured the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama. He also won the Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor – Series, Miniseries or Television Film for his role in The Passion of Ayn Rand (1999).
Peter Fonda died on August 16, 2019 at the age of 79, leaving a legacy marked by both his extensive body of work and his influence on the cultural movements of his era.
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Frequent co-stars
Career timeline
Full filmography
- Henry Fonda for President (2025) as Self (archive footage)
- The Fondas: A Cinematic Dynasty (2023) as Self - Actor (archive footage)
- The Last Full Measure (2020) as Jimmy Burr
- The Movies That Made Us (2019) as Self (archive footage)
- Woody Guthrie All-Star Tribute Concert 1970 (2019) as Narrator
- Boundaries (2018) as Joey
- You Can't Say No (2018) as Buck Murphy
- The Ballad of Lefty Brown (2017) as Edward Johnson
- The Most Hated Woman in America (2017) as Reverend Harrington
- Ride with Norman Reedus (2016) as Self
- Close Encounters with Vilmos Zsigmond (2016) as Self
- The Runner (2015) as Rayne Pryce
- The Harvest (2015) as Grandfather
- Jesse James: Lawman (2015) as Mayor
- The Blacklist (2013) as Geoff Perl
- The Ultimate Life (2013) as Jacob Early
- As Cool as I Am (2013) as Gerald
- House of Bodies (2013) as Henry Lee Bishop
- Copperhead (2013) as Avery
- Smitty (2012) as Jack
- Sunset Strip (2012) as Self
- Harodim (2012) as Solomon Fell
- Magical Mystery Tour Revisited (2012) as Self
- Corman's World (2011) as Self - Actor
- The Trouble with Bliss (2011) as Seymour Bliss
- On the Trail of Easy Rider: 40 Years On... Still Searching for America (2011) as Self
- The Big Fix (2011) Executive Producer
- The Perfect Age of Rock 'n' Roll (2011) as August West
- Off The Boulevard (2011)
- Hawaii Five-0 (2010) as Jesse Billings
- American Bandits: Frank and Jesse James (2010) as Marshal Kane
- The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day (2009) as The Roman
- No Subtitles Necessary: Laszlo & Vilmos (2009) as Self
- Journey to the Center of the Earth (2008) as Edward Dennison
- Japan (2008) as Alfred
- Californication (2007) as Himself
- Ghost Rider (2007) as Mephistopheles / Mephisto
- 3:10 to Yuma (2007) as Byron McElroy
- Wild Hogs (2007) as Damien Blade
- Becoming John Ford (2007) as Self
- The Gathering (2007) as Thomas Carrier
- Spirit of Vengeance: Making Ghost Rider (2007) as Self
- Cobrador: In God We Trust (2007) as Mr. X
- Desert Dreamers (2006) as Narrator (voice)
- Supernova (2005) as Dr. Austin Shepard
- Supernova (2005) as Dr. Austin Shepard
- Harley-Davidson: The Spirit of America (2005) as Self
- The Heart Is Deceitful Above All Things (2004) as Grandfather
- Back When We Were Grownups (2004) as Dr. Will Allenby
- A Thief Of Time (2004) as Harrison Houk
- John Carpenter: The Man and His Movies (2004) as Self
- Jack Nicholson: The Joker Is Wild (2004) as Self
- Nice to Meet You, Please Don't Love Me! (2004) as Himself
- Easy Riders, Raging Bulls: How the Sex 'n' Drugs 'n' Rock 'n' Roll Generation Saved Hollywood (2003) as Self
- The Maldonado Miracle (2003) as Father Russell
- Return of the "Hired Hand" (2003) as Himself
- The Laramie Project (2002) as Doctor Cantway
- Wooly Boys (2001) as A.J. "Stoney" Stoneman
- Welcome to Hollywood (2000) as Peter Fonda
- Thomas and the Magic Railroad (2000) as Grandpa Burnett Stone
- South of Heaven, West of Hell (2000) as Shoshonee Bill
- Second Skin (2000) as Merv Gutman
- The Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn (1999) as Self - Guest
- The Passion of Ayn Rand (1999) as Frank O'Connor
- The Limey (1999) as Terry Valentine
- Easy Rider: Shaking the Cage (1999) as Self
- Born to the Wind (1999) as Narrator
- The Tempest (1998) as Gideon Prosper
- Independent's Day (1998) as Self - Interviewee
- HARDtalk (1997)
- Ulee's Gold (1997) as Ulee Jackson
- Henry Fonda: Hollywood's Quiet Hero (1997) as Self
- Painted Hero (1997) as Ray the Cook
- The Daily Show (1996) as Self - Guest
- Escape from L.A. (1996) as Pipeline
- E! True Hollywood Story (1996)
- Grace of My Heart (1996) as Guru Dave (voice)
- Don't Look Back (1996) as Mouse
- Nadja (1995) as Dracula / Dr. Van Helsing
- Born to Be Wild (1995) as Himself
- At Sundance (1995) as Self
- ER (1994) as Pierce Tanner
- Space Ghost Coast to Coast (1994)
- Love and a .45 (1994) as Vergil Cheatham
- Molly and Gina (1994) as Larry Stanton
- In the Heat of the Night: Give Me Your Life (1994) as Marcantony Appfel
- Late Show with David Letterman (1993) as Self - Guest
- Late Night with Conan O'Brien (1993) as Self - Guest
- Deadfall (1993) as Pete
- Bodies, Rest & Motion (1993) as Motorcycle Rider
- South Beach (1993) as Jake
- Warren Oates: Across the Border (1993) as Self
- Harley-Davidson: The American Motorcycle (1993)
- Fonda on Fonda (1992) as Self
- Family Express (1991) as Nick
- Time of Indifference (1991) as Leo
- Crazy About the Movies: Dennis Hopper (1991) as Self
- Fatal Mission (1990) as Ken Andrews
- Fatal Mission (1990) Writer
- The Rose Garden (1989) as Herbert
- Mercenary Fighters (1988) as Virelli
- Sound (1988) as Roberto Lovari
- Hollywood Uncensored (1987) as Self - Host
- Hawken's Breed (1987) as Hawken
- Certain Fury (1985) as Rodney
- A Reason to Live (1985) as Gus Stewart
- Signatures of the Soul (1984) as Presenter
- Spasms (1983) as Dr. Tom Brasilian
- Dance of the Dwarfs (1983) as Harry Bediker
- Peppermint-Peace (1983) as Mr. Frieden
- It's All Right, My Friend (1983) as Gonzy Traumerai
- Split Image (1982) as Kirklander
- Wetten, dass..? (1981) as Self
- The Cannonball Run (1981) as Chief Biker
- Heut' abend (1980) as Self
- Fridays (1980) as Self
- The Hostage Tower (1980) as Mike Graham
- Wanda Nevada (1979) as Beaudray Demerille
- Wanda Nevada (1979) Director
- High-Ballin' (1978) as Rane
- Roger Corman: Hollywood's Wild Angel (1978) as Self
- Auf los geht's los (1977) as Self
- Outlaw Blues (1977) as Bobby Ogden
- Futureworld (1976) as Chuck Browning
- Fighting Mad (1976) as Tom Hunter
- Killer Force (1976) as Bradley
- Les Rendez-vous du dimanche (1975) as Self
- Race with the Devil (1975) as Roger
- 92 in the Shade (1975) as Tom Skelton
- Dirty Mary Crazy Larry (1974) as Larry
- Open Season (1974) as Ken
- The American Film Institute Salute to ... (1973) as Self
- Idaho Transfer (1973) Director
- Two People (1973) as Evan Bonner
- Not So Easy (1973) as Himself
- Film '72 (1971) as Self
- V.I.P. Schaukel (1971) as Self
- The Last Movie (1971) as Young Sheriff
- The Hired Hand (1971) as Harry Collings
- The Hired Hand (1971) Director
- Easy Rider (1969) as Wyatt
- Easy Rider (1969) Producer
- Easy Rider (1969) Writer
- The Dick Cavett Show (1968) as Self - Guest
- Spirits of the Dead (1968) as Baron Wilhelm Berlifitzing (segment "Metzengerstein")
- The Movie Orgy (1968) as Self (archive footage)
- Certain Honorable Men (1968) as Robbie Conroy
- The New Cinema (1968) as Self
- The Trip (1967) as Paul Groves
- The Wild Angels (1966) as Heavenly Blues
- 12 O'Clock High (1964) as Lt. Andy Lathrop
- Lilith (1964) as Stephen Evshevsky
- Carol for Another Christmas (1964) as Marley Grudge (uncredited)
- The Young Lovers (1964) as Eddie Slocum
- Arrest and Trial (1963) as Alex Bakalyan
- Channing (1963) as Everett Partridge
- Tammy and the Doctor (1963) as Dr. Mark Cheswick
- The Victors (1963) as Weaver
- The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (1962) as Self
- The Merv Griffin Show (1962) as Self
- The Alfred Hitchcock Hour (1962) as Verge Likens
- The Mike Douglas Show (1961) as Self
- The Defenders (1961) as Gary Foster
- The New Breed (1961) as Ronnie Bryson
- Naked City (1958) as Joey Selken
- Wagon Train (1957) as Orly French
- The Oscars (1953) as Self
- Hallmark Hall of Fame (1951) as Dr. Will Allenby
- What's My Line? (1950) as Self - Mystery Guest
- Golden Globe Awards (1944) as Self - Presenter
- Golden Globe Awards (1944) as Self (uncredited)
- Golden Globe Awards (1944) as Self - Nominee
- Golden Globe Awards (1944) as Self - Nominee / Presenter
- Borderland as Medicine Man
- Skate God as Skylar
- The Return of the Smothers Brothers as Self