Christian Brando Dies

According to a report from TV's The Insider, Christian Brando, the oldest son of late acting legend Marlon Brando, passed away at 1:47 a.m. PT Saturday at Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center in L.A. The cause of death is believed to be pneumonia.

Christian, himself an occasional actor, was more noted for his legal troubles than his theatrical skills. In 1990, he was convicted of manslaughter for the shooting death of his sister's boyfriend, Dag Droilet. He was released from prison in 1996.

However, in 2001, Brando, whose mother was Welsh actress Anna Kashfi, found himself embroiled in more scandal. Bonnie Lee Bakley, the wife of actor Robert Blake, was shot in her car. It soon came out that Bonnie had been dating Christian on the side. Brando was never specifically named as a suspect and Blake ultimately stood trial for the murder. He was acquitted on criminal charges, but later found liable for her death in a civil case.

And then in 2005, Christian was sentenced to three years of probation following charges of spousal abuse against his then-wife Deborah.