'Billy Jack' star Tom Laughlin dies

Trey Barrineau | USA TODAY

Tom Laughlin, who created the popular 1970s big-screen vigilante Billy Jack, has died, The Los Angeles Times reports. He was 82.

Laughlin's daughter told the Associated Press that he died Thursday at Los Robles Hospital and Medical Center in Thousand Oaks, Calif. Teresa Laughlin says the cause of death was complications from pneumonia.

Laughlin wrote, directed and starred in four films about Billy Jack, a half-Indian Vietnam War veteran who uses his martial-arts expertise to battle small-town bigots and baddies. Three of the movies were big hits -- 1967's The Born Losers, 1971's Billy Jack and 1974's The Trial of Billy Jack. The fourth, 1977's Billy Jack Goes to Washington, was never released in theaters.

Laughlin also pioneered modern movie-promotion techniques for The Trial of Billy Jack. According to The Wrap, the groundbreaking campaign "included TV trailers during national news and an 'opening day' nationwide release that helped shape the future of film distribution."

After leaving Hollywood, Laughlin became interested in politics, and he ran for president three times.

A statement posted on BillyJack.com says Laughlin is survived by his wife of 60 years, Delores (who co-starred in his Billy Jack films), three children and five grandchildren.

Here's the most famous scene from 1971's Billy Jack.