Dennis Hopper dead at 74 after long battle with prostate cancer

Actor Dennis Hopper died Saturday at his Venice home of complications from prostate cancer, a friend of the actor said.

Hopper, whose battle with the disease was revealed in October, was 74.

In addition to his illness, Hopper had made headlines recently in light of the messy divorce proceedings with wife Victoria Duffy; he accused Duffy of stealing $1.5 million worth of his art.

But on this day we forget the scandal.

He gave us photography. He gave us art. He gave us "Easy Rider." 

More from the Los Angeles Times obituary:

In a more than five-decade acting career that was influenced early on by working with James Dean and studying at the Actors Studio, he made his film debut as one of the high school gang members who menace Dean in the 1955 classic "Rebel Without a Cause.

Hopper went on to appear in more than 115 films, including "Giant," "Cool Hand Luke," "Hang 'Em High," "True Grit," "Apocalypse Now," "The American Friend," "Rumble Fish," "Speed," "True Romance" and "River's Edge."

But it's his role as the long-haired, pot-smoking biker Billy opposite Peter Fonda's Wyatt (Captain America) in the hit movie "Easy Rider" that gave Hopper his most enduring claim to fame.

The low-budget tale of two bikers on an ultimately tragic cross-country odyssey after scoring a big cocaine sale, "Easy Rider" became a generational touchstone.

The movie, which boasted a star-making performance from a little-known Jack Nicholson as a boozy small-town lawyer who goes along for the ride and gets his first taste of marijuana, set old-guard Hollywood back on its heels.

Earlier this year, he received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Share with us your favorite Hopper film(s) below in the comments.

--Yvonne Villarreal

Top photo: Dennis Hopper earlier this year. Credit: Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times

Bottom photo: Hopper and Peter Fonda in 1969's "Easy Rider." Credit: Columbia Pictures Industries Inc.

A new Times database puts readers on the sidewalks of Hollywood, using more than a century of archives to track the lives of the stars, including recent Oscar winners Jeff Bridges and Sandra Bullock and recent honorees Dennis Hopper and Russell Crowe. 

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Dennis Hopper is near death and short on cash, divorce attorney says

Actor Dennis Hopper is dying and too weak to face a deposition by his wife's divorce lawyer, according to a court filing Wednesday.

But he's not too weak to accuse wife Victoria Duffy of stealing $1.5-million worth of his art, including a portrait of him done by Andy Warhol. 

The actor weighs only 100 pounds, his doctor said in the filing, and is unable to participate in long conversations. Previous filings have been more positive about Hopper's health and hopeful about chemotherapy results, KTLA reports. The actor also says in the filing that he has only about $300,000 total in liquid assets.

Hopper is scheduled to receive his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Friday; his doctor has given him the OK to go to that event. Viggo Mortenson will be on hand for the induction ceremony.

Dennis Hopper, battling prostate cancer, files for divorce

Dennis Hopper, who has been battling prostate cancer since last fall, has filed for divorce from Victoria Duffy, his wife of nearly 14 years.

"I wish Victoria the best, but only want to spend these difficult days surrounded by my children and close friends," the 73-year-old actor said in a statement. He has just begun another round of chemotherapy treatment.

Hopper cited "irreconcilable differences" for the split from his fifth wife, though reports suggest that (how do we put this nicely?) financial considerations might be fueling the move. Hopper's rep said the two were "having trouble" but have still been living together.

'Easy Rider' Dennis Hopper has prostate cancer

Dennis Hopper has been diagnosed with prostate cancer and will cancel his upcoming projects and travel plans to focus on treatment in Los Angeles.

Hopper, 73, is being treated through a "special program" at USC, says his manager, Sam Maydew.

The actor, whose roles over more than 40 years number in the hundreds, was hospitalized overnight in early October for treatment of dehydration. Lately he's been working on the Starz original TV version of the Oscar-winning film "Crash."

In addition to his cultural icon status and overall cool factor set in stone with films like "Easy Rider," Hopper is an artist and photographer with an exhibit, "Dennis Hopper and the New Hollywood," set to open Nov. 12 in Melbourne, Australia.

Remember what we said earlier this week about prostate cancer being the cancer diagnosed most often in men? Read more about prostate cancer there.

Good vibes going out to Dennis.

-- Christie D'Zurilla

Photo: Dennis Hopper as Ben Cendars in the television series "Crash." Credit: Starz