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He died today reportedly surrounded by friends and family at his modern art-filled Venice home in Los Angeles. He had been fighting prostate cancer since 2009. He was 74. Dennis Hopper was a Hollywood original from the start, memorable despite average looks in small roles in Rebel Without A Cause and Giant while still in his late teens. But it was the actor-writer-director’s cool embrace of the hippie counterculture and stark indictment of straight society in Easy Rider that brought him both fame and acclaim within the movie community — especially after it grossed $40 million at a cost of a mere $350K. Afterward, his very public addiction to drugs and alcohol eclipsed his immense talent, and it took him years to live down that and the failure of his next film The Last Movie. In his later years, Hopper became the consummate character actor in films as polar opposite as Apocalypse Now, Blue Velvet, Hoosiers as well as Speed, directed Colors, and received two Academy Award nominations.
R.I.P. Dennis Hopper
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NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NOOOOOOOO!!!!!! THIS SUCKS!!
I only recently learned of Dennis Hopper’s passing and was shocked. The world has truely lost a remarkable man with talent beyond comparrison to anyone I have ever seen. You will be sadly missed Mr. Hopper, but you will live on through your work on screen. My prayers are with your family! God Bless!
The voice of a generation that continued to push the edge of cool for decades after he burst onto the screen. A truly big loss.
Oh no. RIP.
Such a loss. RIP Dennis.
Too bad he had all that nastiness with his wife.. How sad for his last days and i am sure she feels terrible about it.
Here’s some of clips from his most iconic roles — it makes you realize Dennis Hopper was very under estimated: Dennis Hopper dead at 74? – Video Retrospective
Luckily I posted the LA Times Video of Dennis receiving his STAR on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on my blog. His last public appearance, I do believe. Just click my notname. Rock on out with style Brotha!
What the fuck do they mean by average looks and who puts that in an obituary unless that was how the person marketed himself?! In my time, Dennis Hopper’s reputation and career was built on addiction and lunacy. However, when I finally saw Rebel Without a Cause in the early 90s, I was shocked by how pretty he was in his youth. He has these blue eyes that twinkled, dimples and luscious lips. After that, I was able to see past old, messed up characters he portrayed. My favorite performances of Dennis Hopper are from The Pick-up Artist, Flashback and Basquiat. It’s a shame that he will most likely be immortalized as a dirty hippie or psychotic.
I met him once while working at a gallery that hosted a show of his art. He was laid back, avuncular, treated everybody the same no matter who/what they were, and at the time, about two years ago, supernaturally healthy looking, very happy. His wife was with him and they seemed like a nice couple, she seemed genuinely pleased for him. Skip the tabloid shit that distorted the picture, actors like Dennis Hopper don’t really exist anymore. They may again, but for now, we have to put up with careerist, corporate, smug, boring celebrity types. Until things change again. RIP Dennis.
Thanks for your memory…
I, too, thank you for a wonderful memory.
If you’re referencing the exhibit of his work at the gallery on Wilshire, in the Miracle Mile, you worked among a fascinating display of vitality and creativity — I was struck by the austere beauty of his work.
I, for one, am immediately suspect of any person or group that labels one “radical”, as the person so labeled usually is in possession of the fact — if I may paraphrase Kubrick — and well aware of the 800 pound primate funkin’ up the room. Said person does not buy into the okey-doke. Mr. Hopper was one of those folks.
A penchant for marching to his own internal metronome set Hopper apart from many of his contemporaries, if for no other reason that he realized trying to fit someone else’s ideal was bad for business. I choose to remember this renaissance man for what he represented — freedom. Pure and simple.
R.I.P, Mr. Hopper
the world just got significantly less interesting… RIP Dennis. Best wishes to his family and friends.
Don’t worry, Dennis. You didn’t blow it.
I worked with Dennis on “BLUE VELVET”. What stands out in my mind from that movie was when we wrapped the show he got Jack Nance on an airplane and escorted him personally to a rehab facility in Los Angeles. He was a great guy to work with and he’ll be sadly missed. RIP Dennis.
Bianca:
In an industry where plenty of actors did (and still) got by on a pretty face rather than any actual acting talent, I don’t think the reference was totally out of line. Sure, Hopper never looked like a dog’s arse in a ten-car pile-up, but he was never a conventional Hollywood pretty boy either. That’s not a bad thing.
Well said, landofthedead! I am so sad today. RIP one of the great ones.
RIP
What a sad couple of days. A true blue artist in every way. I hope he’s chillin’ somewhere with a joint in one hand and Pabst Blue Ribbon in another. He deserves it. RIP Dennis.
I met Dennis for the first time in London in the early 80′s. I was gigging and he was showing his film, “the Last Movie”. It had been mothballed for years. He was a big hero of mine and I was agog. The man who introduced us said, “You guys should go have a drink.” Dennis’s eyes were twinkling and I thought, if I go get a drink with Dennis Hopper I will not be back here tonight for this show. I will be in a bar making history, getting drunk with Dennis Hopper. So I did not go get a drink with Dennis. Fate would have it that we would work together a dozen years later on an HBO movie entitled “Witchhunt” directed by Paul Schrader and produced by Gail Anne Hurd. We were both sober by that time. I was touched that he was so complimentary to me when he sensed I was nervous on set. It meant a lot. Most stars don’t do that sort of thing. One morning he came barrelling into the make-up trailer very excited because he had been cast in “Waterworld” – I said, “You’re Dennis Hopper how big a deal can it be?” He said, “Since the old days, the studios won’t work with me. This is my first studio picture in a long while.” He was so happy to be brought back into the fold. I also remember than he got a huge kick out of his death scene in “True Romance” and at the time would watch it repeatedly in his trailer, laughing his ass off. I have met many of my heroes, most are let-downs. Dennis was a good guy and a power of example for many of us.
Nice stories. Thanks for sharing. A sad day for many.
Thanks for the kind words and amazing stories Eric. Dennis Hopper was a true independent film pioneer and amazing filmmaker/actor. May he rest in peace and never be forgotten.
Best,
Jeff
Dennis Hopper jumpstarted the independent film movement. He helped David Lynch’s career with his compelling performance in BLUE VELVET. He was a photographer that chronicled his age and as well as a painter, collector, and patron. He helped Frank Gehry before there was a Frank Gehry. He was a kind and generous soul and will be missed.
Amazing talent, always excited to see what this unique talent was going to do next. He will be missed, R.I.P.
So long, Easy Rider.
Hope they don’t play any Mario Bros. footage in your tribute reel.
I loved him as “Father” in Rumble Fish. Still one of my favorite Coppola films, too.
I was too young to see Easy Rider at the movies, so my first real encounter with him on screen was True Grit, where he’s tragic in a small but amazing moment. For me, though, Hopper became truly great in two movies, Blue Velvet and Apocalypse Now. The first is obvious, axiomatic, as they say, but his contribution to the latter is profoundly under-appreciated. Without Hopper’s advance man craziness, I’m not sure anyone would have bought the looniness of Brando in that role. I only wish he’d had a few more great roles at the end.RIP
“But it was the actor-writer-director’s cool embrace of the hippie counterculture and stark indictment of straight society in Easy Rider…”
Actually Easy Rider was a counterculture film that indicted both straight society and the hippies.
Rest in peace, Dennis Hopper. You were one of the great ones.
I met Dennis at a Seymour Cassel birthday party. We talked art, cigars, golf and women – a perfect night, a true gentleman. RIP…
Why isn’t anyone talking about his final unreleased film “The Last Film Festival”?