Robert Downey Sr passes away at 85

Robert Downey Sr, director of the countercultural satire Putney Swope and the father of actor Robert Downey Jr, passed away on Wednesday (July 7) in New York. Downey Jr shared the news on Instagram by posting a black and white picture of his late father.

He wrote, “Last night, dad passed peacefully in his sleep after years of enduring the ravages of Parkinson’s… He was a true maverick filmmaker.” He added that according to his stepmother’s calculations, she and his father were happily married for just over 2,000 years. Downey Sr’s filmmaking career started in the 60s with his Indie projects. He later worked on big-budget films like Greaser’s Palace and Up the Academy. He also appeared in Boogie Nights, Magnolia, and Tower Heist. The father and son duo also appeared in several films together, including 1988’s Johnny Be Good.