Peter Fonda

Peter Fonda
February 23, 1940
New York, New York

Born into acting, this Pisces lives to act and plans to die acting as well.

'I want to die in the saddle. I love writing, producing, acting, directing.'

Peter Fonda's Tarot Reading

Peter Henry Fonda was born in New York City to Frances Ford Seymour and actor Henry Fonda. He has one sister, actress Jane Fonda. He attended drama school at Nebraska's University of Omaha and, following in his father's footsteps, performed with the Omaha Community Playhouse. According to IMdb.com, the Playhouse was a 'local amateur theater troupe directed by Dorothy Brando' (Marlin Brando's mom). 'Brando's a family friend,' explained Peter. 'His mother gave my father a shot to be in a play at the Omaha Community Playhouse. That was the first production he was in.'

Next came an apprenticeship at the Cecilwood Theatre in New York City. From there it was on to Broadway and a role in Blood, Sweat and Stanley Poole. He moved to Hollywood and began his film career with small roles in Tammy and the Doctor (1963), The Victors (1963), Lilith (1964), The Young Lovers (1964) and Roger Corman's The Wild Angels (1966) in which he plays a Hells Angel chapter president named Heavenly Blues. This was his first turn as the outlaw biker type he went on to portray many times -- right up to 2007 as Mephisto in Ghost Rider and Damien Blade in Wild Hogs. In 2000 he was inducted into the American Motorcycle Association (AMA) Motorcycle Hall of Fame.

His portrayal of Wyatt or 'Captain America' in Easy Rider (1969) established him as a counter-culture hero, along with co-star Dennis Hopper. He and Hopper co-wrote the screenplay with Terry Southern. Peter produced the film while Dennis directed, establishing the two in other areas of the film industry as well. In Peter's words, 'Henry Fonda's son: That's how everybody identified me until Easy Rider came along. Good old Captain America.' In Cannonball Run (1981) he reprised his Easy Rider character in a cameo appearance.

In 1971 he directed and starred in The Hired Hand. He performed in Two People (1973), Dirty Mary, Crazy Larry (1974), Open Season (1974), Race with the Devil (1975), 92 in the Shade (1975), Killer Force (1976), Futureworld (1976), Fighting Mad (1976), Outlaw Blues (1977) and High-Ballin' (1978). In 1979 he directed his famous father in Wanda Nevada. 'If I have enough ego to say I'm a writer, a director, a producer and an actor,' stated Peter, 'I should have the energy and the knowledge to write a scene for this great actor named Henry Fonda and direct him in it and have it work.'

His father died on August 12, 1982 in Los Angeles, California. Although he had previously admitted, 'Getting out from under the shadow of Henry Fonda was difficult,' at the time of his father's death, he said, 'My slate is clean. I didn't like the fact that he died, but it didn't destroy me. All the hate, anger and angst I'd had about him over the years was gone.'

Other films include Split Image (1982), Peppermint-Frieden (1983), Dance of the Dwarfs (1983), Daijobu, mai furendo (1983), Certain Fury (1985), Hawken's Breed (1987), Mercenary Fighters (1988), The Rose Garden (1989), Fatal Mission (1990), South Beach (1992), Family Express (1992), Deadfall (1993), Bodies, Rest and Motion (1993), Molly and Gina (1994) and Love and a .45 (1994). He played Dracula/Dr. Van Helsing in Nadja (1994) and a 'hippie surfer' in Escape from L.A. (1996). In Grace of My Heart (1996) he was 'Guru Dave.' Peter was nominated for a Best Actor Academy Award as well as a Screen Actors Guild Award for his portrayal of Ulysses 'Ulee' Jackson in Ulee's Gold (1997). That same year he appeared in Painted Hero (1997) followed by roles in The Passion of Ayn Rand (1999), The Limey (1999), South of Heaven, West of Hell (2000), Thomas and the Magic Railroad (2000), Second Skin (2000), Wooly Boys (2001), The Laramie Project (2002) and The Heart Is Deceitful Above All Things (2004). In the video game 'Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas' (2004) his is the voice of yet another hippie, named The Truth. He played a loner living in a residence hotel in Japan (2006) and in 2007 he appeared in Ghost Rider, Wild Hogs and 3:10 to Yuma.

Sun in Pisces shows that at heart Peter is a dreamer -- very mellow and approachable. The world of his imagination is as real to him as anything in the outer world. Mystical, artistic, musical and emotional, he has a rich inner life, though he may seem rather quiet outwardly. He has great sensitivity and empathy with others. He is tolerant, accepting people unconditionally regardless of their flaws or outward appearance. He has deep compassion for the suffering of his fellow creatures and often feels their pain as if it were his own. He sympathizes with the misfits of society. He is capable of giving selflessly, living a life of devoted and compassionate service to others as a healer, physician, social worker or minister. However, he tends to give indiscriminately, to let others take advantage of his kindness and to encourage the weak to remain so by becoming dependent upon him. Moderation and self-discipline are not his strong points. He is a lover and a peacemaker rather than a fighter and tries to avoid open conflict.

His gifts lie in the realm of the creative, artistic or musical. He responds very strongly to beauty and to love. Sun sextile Mars means he can be an inspiring leader of a team or group effort. His dynamism and energy evoke the same in others. Having directed his father, Peter recalls, 'After we finished his scene, Dad wrote me a letter saying that in his 41 years of making motion pictures, he had never seen a crew so devoted to their director, nor a director so devoted to his crew. 'He wrote, 'You are a very good director, son, and I love you very much. Your dad.' He had never used those words with me before. I passed that letter around the company. For without the company, the letter would never have been written.'

Sun quincunx Pluto suggests he is apt to be a fanatic in some way. His extremism may seem (and actually be) obsessive and somewhat blind. That is, he doesn't always consciously understand why he feels as driven or intense about a given course of action as he does. There is a strong element of fate or inevitability in his life. A significant death or loss -- such as his mother's suicide in 1950 -- is likely to have influenced him profoundly. He may consciously seek out intense, life-or-death experiences as well.

Mercury in Pisces makes him more poet than scientist, for his mind does not function in a strictly linear fashion. The language of music, art or poetry is natural to him and he is able to think in highly abstract and symbolic terms. As a child he probably daydreamed a good deal. As an adult he helped create one of the first -- and greatest -- rock and roll soundtracks in American film history. Using Steppenwolf's 'Born to Be Wild' as well as tracks by the Byrds, Jimi Hendrix and other seminal bands of the late 'sixties Easy Rider is as famous for its music as it is for its outlaw characters.

Mercury sextile Uranus tells us Peter's intellectual interests are inclined to be offbeat or unusual. Anything ground-breaking, experimental or creatively inspired is right up his alley. He may not have the patience to study these things in depth, but he has an instinctive grasp of them. Mercury opposition Neptune says his mind is strongly influenced by imagery or fantasy. He sees the world with the eyes of an artist.

Venus in Aries means his feelings of love and desire are easily aroused but it may be difficult to sustain his romantic interest. He enjoys a partner who is vibrant and alive, someone with a strong independent streak. On October 8, 1961 he married Susan Brewer. They had two children, Bridget and Justin Fonda, and were divorced on April 16, 1972. On November 11, 1975 he and Portia Rebecca Crockett were married. They are still together.

Venus conjunct Jupiter makes him big-hearted and open-handed with his money and his affection. He has an optimistic, friendly attitude towards others and tends to bring out their finer side. With Venus conjunct Mercury/Mars his expectations about romance can be intense. He is inclined to exaggerate and could have arguments about his loved ones. Neptune opposition Sun/Venus suggests he has a vivid imagination and tends to see life through rose-colored glasses. Stating the obvious, the stars indicate Peter is a great visionary who could be an excellent writer or actor.

Mars in Taurus guarantees that once he sets his mind on a goal, his determination and commitment to it are extraordinary. He pursues his ambitions tenaciously. He is a reliable and productive worker who prefers a regular routine with definite hours and clearly defined responsibilities. Mars conjunct Saturn tells us he is very serious about reaching his goals and feels that keeping his nose to the grindstone is the only way to do it. He exercises great self-control, even self-denial, in order to accomplish his aims. He meets obstacles stoically and struggles patiently through difficult circumstances. He feels that he must rely on himself alone, that it's all on his shoulders. He can be a harsh disciplinarian, expecting far too much from himself and others. Mars square Pluto reiterates he has a powerful will and when he wants something, he pursues it passionately and relentlessly until he achieves it. He may be so driven by his desire that he loses all objectivity. Intense power struggles are likely.

Jupiter in Aries signifies that he believes strongly in the power of each individual's ability to achieve anything in life through his or her own initiative and effort. The more he relies on himself, the better he feels. He finds it difficult to ask for or accept outside help. The joy of competing -- and especially winning -- runs deep in him.

Saturn in Aries warns he has difficulty asserting his will honestly and openly. He may suppress anger and hostility. Saturn square Pluto repeats -- again -- that once he decides what he wants to do, he will pursue it tenaciously. He has an inclination to be a bit of a fanatic although others may not know how driven he feels. Saturn quincunx Neptune reveals at times he struggles with nebulous worries and fears. He may be afraid of the inner workings of his own mind and soul, feeling uneasy with anything intangible. He has to work hard to overcome being overly serious regarding the spiritual side of life, especially if his religious upbringing emphasized guilt and retribution. Reorienting himself in the direction of spiritual optimism will do much to lift the cloud of worry that settles over him occasionally.

With N. Node opposition Venus/Saturn he may have an inner fear of separation. He could feel left out or ignored at times. He may not have received much affection while he was growing up or he may have had to share it with others. He could find it difficult to show his love. 'It took us years to find out that he loved us very much,' recalls Peter about his own father's affection, 'because it was so hard for him to express it.'

N. Node opposition Mars/Jupiter ensures that he is able to achieve good cooperation with people. Others see him as a welcome comrade. He likes to work hand-in-hand with everyone and has an excellent sense of teamwork.

'I want to be on set and die hearing the words: Where's Peter?'