Who Is Still Alive From ‘Easy Rider’?

Lauren Novak July 14, 3:44 pm

EASY RIDER, Peter Fonda, Dennis Hopper, 1969 — Everett Collection

Easy Rider had its US premiere on July 14, 1969, and quickly became more than just a movie; it was a turning point in American film history. The Dennis Hopper-directed movie epitomized ’60s counterculture with its freewheeling spirit and unforgettable soundtrack, and captured something raw and restless about America at the time.

Easy Rider told the story of two bikers, Wyatt (a.k.a. Captain America) and Billy, who, flush with cash from a recent drug deal, set out on a cross-country journey to find freedom — only to discover how deeply divided the country really was.

Shot largely without a traditional script, and fueled by improvisation and real drugs, the film shook up Hollywood and opened the door for a new kind of filmmaking. It also turned a spotlight on a group of then-young actors, including Peter Fonda, Dennis Hopper and Jack Nicholson.

Here’s a look at who’s still alive from Easy Rider and what they’ve been up to since.

Jack Nicholson (88)

George Hanson

Everett Collection; Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images

Nicholson may have only joined the film partway through, but his role as Southern lawyer George Hanson stole the show. Easy Rider was a turning point in his career, launching him into a new level of stardom that would continue with Five Easy Pieces, Chinatown and One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. Now 88, Nicholson has stepped away from public life in recent years, making very few appearances and choosing to live quietly in Los Angeles. He most recently appeared at Saturday Night Live‘s 50th anniversary special in the star-studded audience.

Toni Basil (81)

Mary

Everett Collection; Rebecca Sapp/Getty Images for The Recording Academy

Best known for her 1981 hit song “Mickey,” Toni Basil had a small but memorable role in Easy Rider as one of the women who takes an LSD trip with the bikers in a New Orleans cemetery. At the time, she was already a dancer and choreographer as well. Now 81, Basil has continued to work behind the scenes in choreography, directing and dance, and she remains active on social media. Her passion for movement and art is still going strong more than five decades later.

Sabrina Scharf (81)

Sarah

EASY RIDER, from left: Luana Anders, Luke Askew, Sabrina Scharf, Peter Fonda, 1969

Everett Collection

Scharf played Sarah, one of the women living in the hippie commune where Wyatt and Billy stop during their cross-country journey. After acting in the late ’60s and early ’70s, with appearances in Funny Girl and Star Trek, Scharf stepped away from the spotlight. Now 81, she has lived a quieter life outside of Hollywood, but her work in Easy Rider still resonates with fans.

In Memoriam

Peter Fonda (Wyatt “Captain America”) died on August 16, 2019 at the age of 79 from lung cancer.

Dennis Hopper (Billy) died on May 29, 2010 at the age of 74 from prostate cancer.

Karen Black (Karen) died on August 8, 2013 at the age of 74 from cancer.

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