News | Entertainment
6 Jul 2025 5:01
NZCity News
NZCity CalculatorReturn to NZCity

  • Start Page
  • Personalise
  • Sport
  • Weather
  • Finance
  • Shopping
  • Jobs
  • Horoscopes
  • Lotto Results
  • Photo Gallery
  • Site Gallery
  • TVNow
  • Dating
  • SearchNZ
  • NZSearch
  • Crime.co.nz
  • RugbyLeague
  • Make Home
  • About NZCity
  • Contact NZCity
  • Your Privacy
  • Advertising
  • Login
  • Join for Free

  •   Home > News > Entertainment

    Hells Angels founding member Sonny Barger has died aged 83 from liver cancer

    The biker, writer, self-styled outlaw and 'Sons of Anarchy' actor passed away on Wednesday (29.06.22) surrounded by his fourth wife, Zorana, and other loved ones


    In a Facebook post, published after his death, Barger said: "If you are reading this message, you'll know that I'm gone. I've asked that this note be posted immediately after my passing."

    He went on in the post: "I've lived a long and good life filled with adventure. And I've had the privilege to be part of an amazing club.

    "Although I've had a public persona for decades, I've mostly enjoyed special time with my club brothers, my family, and close friends.

    "Keep your head up high, stay loyal, remain free, and always value honour."

    Real name Ralph Hubert Barger, he said in his memoir the Hells Angels were merely a small club in San Francisco before he came onboard.

    He created the Oakland Hells Angels in California, the biker club's most significant 'charter', and is credited with building it into a globally recognised gang.

    Barger defended the group despite it facing accusations from several authorities of being a criminal organisation.

    One of its biggest controversies involved a Rolling Stones fan being fatally stabbed by a member at the band's free Altamont Concert in 1969.

    Barger's former lawyer Fritz Clapp confirmed on Thursday (30.06.22) Barger had died at home with stage four liver cancer.

    He said: "He'd lived a long life, and he'd been ill for some time.

    Everybody around him had pretty much been prepared emotionally for it."

    Barger's run-ins with the law included being acquitted along with three others in 1972 of murdering a Texas drug dealer and setting a home alight.

    His rap sheet also included arrests for drink driving, assaults with deadly weapons, kidnapping, drug-dealing and racketeering, and he was jailed on drugs charges and for possession of a weapon by a convicted felon.

    Barger was diagnosed in the 1980s with throat cancer after years of heavy smoking, and underwent surgery to have his vocal chords removed.

    It prompted him to start an anti-smoking campaign under the message:

    "Want to be a rebel? Don't smoke as the rest of the world."

    His books included Barger's autobiography 'Hell's Angel', along with the 'Let's Ride' motorcycling guide.

    He features heavily in Gonzo journalist Hunter S Thompson's 'Hell's

    Angels: The Strange and Terrible Saga of the Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs'

    book, as well as Tom Wolfe's 'The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test', published in 1968.

    Barger, who played Lenny 'The Pimp' Janowitz' in 'Sons of Anarchy' had surgery for prostate cancer in 2012, resulting in the removal of his prostate and he was dec lared free of cancer until the disease was detected in his liver.

    © 2025 Bang Showbiz, NZCity

     Other Entertainment News
     05 Jul: Jessie J is feeling "positive and grateful" following her breast cancer surgery, but she is "missing being an active mum" and has stopped taking pain medication
     05 Jul: Olivia Munn has alleged a director tried to "ruin her chances" of working after a disagreement on set
     05 Jul: Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson has thanked Jelly Roll for helping him through a "very hard" time
     05 Jul: Annabelle Dexter-Jones and Daniel Humm are married
     05 Jul: Martin Short was stunned when Meryl Streep admitted she was nervous on her first day filming Only Murders in the Building
     05 Jul: Quinta Brunson is "looking forward" to her future away from Abbott Elementary
     05 Jul: Nelly and Ashanti take very different approaches to parenting
     Top Stories

    RUGBY RUGBY
    The basketball might of the United States isn't fazing the Junior Tall Blacks ahead of their historic Under-19 World Cup semifinal, overnight in Switzerland More...


    BUSINESS BUSINESS
    The Toyota's RAV4's held it's top spot as the favourite passenger car - in a standout month for vehicle sales More...



     Today's News

    Accident and Emergency:
    A homicide investigation is now being carried out after a baby found with critical injuries at a Foxton Beach house died in hospital 4:46

    Basketball:
    The basketball might of the United States isn't fazing the Junior Tall Blacks ahead of their historic Under-19 World Cup semifinal, overnight in Switzerland 21:57

    Entertainment:
    Jessie J is feeling "positive and grateful" following her breast cancer surgery, but she is "missing being an active mum" and has stopped taking pain medication 21:36

    Rugby:
    An agonising three-point defeat for the Maori All Blacks ... but a historic win for Scotland ... on Sky Sport 21:17

    Entertainment:
    Olivia Munn has alleged a director tried to "ruin her chances" of working after a disagreement on set 21:06

    Entertainment:
    Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson has thanked Jelly Roll for helping him through a "very hard" time 20:36

    Entertainment:
    Annabelle Dexter-Jones and Daniel Humm are married 20:06

    Entertainment:
    Martin Short was stunned when Meryl Streep admitted she was nervous on her first day filming Only Murders in the Building 19:36

    Entertainment:
    Quinta Brunson is "looking forward" to her future away from Abbott Elementary 19:06

    Environment:
    Torrential rain has unleashed deadly flash floods along the Guadalupe River in south-central Texas 18:37


     News Search






    Power Search


    © 2025 New Zealand City Ltd