Bob Rafelson Cause of Death: Oscar-Nominated Director Dead at 89

Bob Rafelson, an Oscar-nominated director, died. He was 89.

Rafelson's ex-wife, Gabrielle, first confirmed the tragic news about his death. It was later confirmed by multiple news outlets, including The Hollywood Reporter and Deadline.

She also disclosed that the director passed away in his home in Aspen, Colorado. Meanwhile, Bob Rafelson's cause of death was noted as natural causes.

His fans and colleagues paid tribute to him following the news, recalling the contributions he made to the industry.

One said, "R.I.P. Bob Rafelson, one of the under-appreciated titans of New Hollywood. Head, Five Easy Pieces, and The King Of Marvin Gardens are all masterpieces, and so many of his other films like Stay Hungry and the remake of The Postman Always Rings Twice are worth checking out."

"Producer-director-indie Bob Rafelson defined Hollywood maverick. He went his own way with such films as Five Easy Pieces, The King of Marvin Gardens, The Postman Always Rings Twice. I hung out with at him the 1987 Havana Film Festival, and fell for his bluster and sweet charm," Anne Thompson said.

RIP Bob Rafelson. I interviewed him 12 years ago about the Criterion BBS box set. He didn't like doing interviews but he was proud of this set and agreed to talk to the AVC to promote it. It was a fun conversation, though it may not always sound like it. https://t.co/uFgqpTKi2q https://t.co/ND4Gb51jSf pic.twitter.com/n8FjBW5Alr
— Noel Murray (@NoelMu) July 24, 2022

Remembering Bob Rafelson

Among the programs and flicks he made, fans remembered him the most for his works in "The Monkees." Rafelson and Bert Schneider created the NBC show in 1966 after the success of the 1964 film "A Hard Day's Night."

The series went on to last for two seasons with 58 episodes. Despite its short-lived stint, it became a "pop-culture" phenomenon that helped the creators score a 1967 Emmy for Outstanding comedy series.

After the series was canceled, he helped The Monkees to big-screen though "Head."

"They felt he had done his work with them, and their audience was already defecting. But Bob felt he wanted to complete the cycle. He felt the truth of The Monkees' story had not been told - their manipulation, protest, and substantial talents. He felt the true story, in abstract [form], would be more than worth the telling," his wife said to The Guardian in 2011.

Rafelson famously collaborated with Jack Nicholson, as well. The duo worked together on seven features including "Easy Rider" (1969), "Five Easy Pieces" (1970), and "The King of Marvin Gardens" (1972).

The director then scored Oscar nominations for his works in "Five Easy Pieces" and an encore in Peter Bogdanovich's The Last Picture Show.

His other titles include, "He Sais," "Hearts and Minds," "The Postman Always Rings Twice," "Mountains of the Moon," "Blood and Wine," "Man Trouble," and "No Good Deed."