<html><head><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=us-ascii"></head><body dir="auto"><div><span></span></div><div><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=us-ascii"><div><span></span></div><div><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span></span></div><div><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Courtesy of CNN at:</div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><a href="http://www.cnn.com/2013/12/15/showbiz/billy-jack-tom-laughlin-obit/">http://www.cnn.com/2013/12/15/showbiz/billy-jack-tom-laughlin-obit/</a></span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"> </span></div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">----------------------------------</div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><strong style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px;"><h1 style="padding: 0px; margin: 15px 0px 0px 10px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 600px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">'Billy Jack' actor-writer Tom Laughlin dies at 82</h1></strong></div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><strong style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px;"><br></strong></div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><strong style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px;">Los Angeles (CNN)</strong><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> </span><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">-- Tom Laughlin, the actor who wrote and starred in the "Billy Jack" films of the 1970s, died Thursday, his family confirmed Sunday. He was 82.</span></div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Laughlin's Billy Jack character was a heroic Native American ex-Army Green Beret who used his karate skills to fight racism and oppression.</span></div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The second of the series -- titled "Billy Jack" -- was a low-budget independent film that became a box-office blockbuster in 1971. Laughlin's vigilante character defends a counterculture "Freedom School" from townspeople who harass and discriminate against the Native American students.</span></div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The film was criticized by those who saw its central theme as a message that violence was an answer to injustice.</span></div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Laughlin resorted to renting theaters himself to show the film after Hollywood studios refused to distribute it.</span></div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The Billy Jack character first appeared in "The Born Losers" in 1967, fighting a motorcycle gang. Laughlin co-wrote and directed the film.</span></div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Laughlin later attempted a political career, putting his name on presidential primary ballots in 1992, 2004 and 2008.</span></div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Laughlin's acting career began with TV and film roles in the 1950s, including a "lover boy" role in Sandra Dee's 1959 beach movie "Gidget."</span></div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">His wife of 60 years, Delores Taylor, also acted in his "Billy Jack" films.</span></div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Laughlin died near his Thousand Oaks, California, home Thursday, his family said.</span></div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">He is survived by his wife, three children and five grandchildren.</span></div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">--------------------</span></div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Photo of Tom Laughlin as 'Billy Jack', circa 1971.</span></div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><img src="cid:8A2BC0E4-18FD-47CA-AB35-62BE7AD76E6E" alt="131215174231-tom-laughlin-story-top.jpg" id="8A2BC0E4-18FD-47CA-AB35-62BE7AD76E6E" width="640" height="360"></div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">--------------------</div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><div style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 12px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Utkal, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 18px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><strong style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px;">STORY HIGHLIGHTS</strong></div><ul class="cnn_bulletbin cnnStryHghLght" style="padding: 0px; margin: 9px 0px 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 12px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Utkal, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; line-height: 18px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><li style="padding: 0px 0px 9px 7px; margin: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 11px; font-family: arial; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 14px; background-image: url(http://i.cdn.turner.com/cnn/.e/img/3.0/global/red_bull.gif); background-color: transparent; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); background-position: 0px 5px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat;">The Billy Jack character was a Native American ex-Green Beret vigilante</li><li style="padding: 0px 0px 9px 7px; margin: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 11px; font-family: arial; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 14px; background-image: url(http://i.cdn.turner.com/cnn/.e/img/3.0/global/red_bull.gif); background-color: transparent; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); background-position: 0px 5px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat;">The low-budget "Billy Jack" became a box-office blockbuster in 1971</li><li style="padding: 0px 0px 9px 7px; margin: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 11px; font-family: arial; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 14px; background-image: url(http://i.cdn.turner.com/cnn/.e/img/3.0/global/red_bull.gif); background-color: transparent; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); background-position: 0px 5px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat;">The film was criticized for its message that violence was an answer to injustice</li></ul></div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">--------------------</div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">"One Tin Soldier" (theme song)</div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><a href="http://www.tomandrodna.com/Songs/One_Tin_Soldier.mp3">http://www.tomandrodna.com/Songs/One_Tin_Soldier.mp3</a></div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"> </div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">----------------------------------</div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Rest well, Mr. Laughlin.</div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br><div>Seeya 'round town, Moscow, because . . .</div><div><br></div><div>"Moscow Cares" (the most fun you can have with your pants on)</div><div><a href="http://www.MoscowCares.com">http://www.MoscowCares.com</a></div><div> </div><div><div>Tom Hansen</div><div>Moscow, Idaho</div><div><br></div><div>"<span style="font-size: medium; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); ">There's room at the top they are telling you still</span><span style="font-size: medium; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); "> </span></div><span style="font-size: medium; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); ">But first you must learn how to smile as you kill </span><br style="font-size: medium; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); "><span style="font-size: medium; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); ">If you want to be like the folks on the hill."</span></div><div><font size="3"><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);"><br></span></font></div><div><font size="3"><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);">- John Lennon<br></span></font><div> </div></div><div><br></div></div></div></div></div></body></html>