Phil Robertson — the star of the popular A&E reality television series Duck Dynasty, a professional hunter and businessman — has died at the age of 79, his son and daughter-in-law announced on social media today. The Duck Commander patriarch was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s last December.
“We celebrate today that our father, husband, and grandfather, Phil Robertson, is now with the Lord,” the family said in a statement on Instagram and Facebook. “He reminded us often of the words of Paul, ‘you do not grieve like those who have no hope. For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.’
The post continued, “Thank you for the love and prayers of so many whose lives have been impacted by his life saved by grace, his bold faith, and by his desire to tell everyone who would listen the Good News of Jesus. We are grateful for his life on earth and will continue the legacy of love for God and love for others until we see him again.
“We know so many of you love him and have been impacted by his life. We’re having a private service for now, but we’ll share details soon about a public celebration of his life,” the statement concluded, with a reference to 1 Corinthians 2.
Last year, Robertson’s son Jase gave details about his father’s condition, noting that he was “just not doing well” and “really struggling,” he said on the family’s Unashamed podcast. He added that the family’s focus at the time was to “make him more comfortable” amid a further diagnosis of “some sort of blood disease that’s causing all kinds of problems. It’s accelerated and it’s causing problems with his entire body.” Despite being in immense pain and facing memory issues, Jase Robertson said his dad was keen to return to the Christianity podcast, which was first launched in 2019.
In 2023, Robertson’s life was the basis for Fathom Events’ biopic The Blind, which became the company’s highest-grossing feature upon release. The faith-based film, helmed by Andrew Hyatt and written by Stephanie Katz, traced Robertson’s origin story to 1960s Louisiana; as his demons and addiction threaten to tear his family apart, he seeks redemption in an unlikely place. Starring Aron Von Andrian, Amelia Eve, Brielle Robillard and Matthew Erick White, the pic grossed upward of $17 million at the box office.
The Duck Dynasty patriarch first rose to prominence during the 11-season-run of the reality series, which ran from 2012 and 2017, documenting the close-knit Robertson clan and its multimillion-dollar hunting and outdoor recreation enterprise. An entertainment phenomenon, the A&E show broke viewership records throughout its tenure, setting multiple records for most-watched episodes, most-watched series and most-watched telecast in A&E’s history. In 2013, Robertson was suspended by the cable network after he made anti-gay remarks in an interview with GQ; however, the suspension lasted no more than 10 days following fan outcry.
Known for their lengthy beards and Evangelical Christian views, multiple episodes drew more than 9 million viewers with one of the seasons averaging 9.4 million viewers throughout. The original show now streams on Fox Nation, which launched followup Duck Family Treasure in 2022, centering on sons Jase Robertson and Jep Robertson.
Earlier this year, A&E announced a reboot of the mothership series, called Duck Dynasty: The Revival, which will premiere June 1, focusing on heir to the Duck Commander legacy Willie Robertson and wife Korie Robertson, as they navigate an expansive family life. The original announcement noted that Phil Robertson would not appear in the show given his diagnosis.
Robertson published a memoir called Happy, Happy, Happy: My Life and Legacy as the Duck Commander alongside co-author Mark Schlabach in 2013. He attended Louisiana Tech University on a football scholarship and was thought to have the goods to go pro, but was more interested in hunting, eventually receiving his bachelor’s and then master’s degree in education from there.
An outspoken conservative and Christian, he married wife Marsha Kay in 1966, and is survived by his five children (including a daughter from an extramarital affair), brother, daughter-in-law and six grandchildren.
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