Dennis Lee Hopper (May 17, 1936 – May 29, 2010) was an American actor, filmmaker and artist. As a young man, Hopper became interested in acting and eventually became a student of the Actors' Studio. He made his first television appearance in 1954, and appeared in two films featuring James Dean, Rebel Without a Cause (1955) and Giant (1956). During the next 10 years, Hopper appeared frequently on television in guest roles, and by the end of the 1960s had played supporting roles in several films. He directed and starred in Easy Rider (1969), winning an award at the Cannes Film Festival and was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay as co-writer. "With its portrait of counterculture heroes raising their middle fingers to the uptight middle-class hypocrisies, Easy Rider became the cinematic symbol of the 1960s, a celluloid anthem to freedom, macho bravado and anti-establishment rebellion." Film critic Matthew Hays notes that "no other persona better signifies the lost idealism of the 1960s than that of Dennis Hopper." He was unable to build on his success for several years, until a featured role in Apocalypse Now (1979) brought him attention. He subsequently appeared in Rumble Fish (1983) and The Osterman Weekend (1983), and received critical recognition for his work in Blue Velvet and Hoosiers, with the latter film garnering him an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor. He directed Colors (1988) and played the villain in Speed (1994). Hopper's later work included a leading role in the television series Crash. Hopper's last performance was filmed just before his death: The Last Film Festival, slated for a 2011 release. Hopper was also a prolific and acclaimed photographer, a profession he began in the 1960s.
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Golden Raspberry Awards
Worst Supporting Actor
National Society of Film Critics Awards
Best Supporting Actor
Known For
True Romance
(1993)
Clifford Worley
Blue Velvet
(1986)
Frank Booth
River's Edge
(1987)
Feck
Speed
(1994)
Howard Payne
Apocalypse Now
(1979)
Photojournalist
Edtv
(1999)
Henry 'Hank' Pekurny
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2
(1986)
Lieutenant 'Lefty' Enright
Waterworld
(1995)
Deacon
Giant
(1956)
Jordan "Jordy" Benedict III
Gunfight at the O.K. Corral
(1957)
Billy Clanton
Hang 'em High
(1968)
Prophet
Rebel Without a Cause
(1955)
Goon
Easy Rider
(1969)
Billy
True Grit
(1969)
"Moon"
Cool Hand Luke
(1967)
Babalugats
Black Widow
(1987)
Ben Dumers
Full Filmography
Acting
Rebel Without a Cause
(1955)
Goon
I Died a Thousand Times
(1955)
Joe (uncredited)
Giant
(1956)
Jordan "Jordy" Benedict III
New York Premiere Telecast 'Giant'
(1956)
Self
Gunfight at the O.K. Corral
(1957)
Billy Clanton
The Story of Mankind
(1957)
Napoleon Bonaparte
Sayonara
(1957)
MP in Kelly's House / MP at Tokyo Airport (voice) (uncredited)
The James Dean Story
(1957)
Self
From Hell to Texas
(1958)
Tom Boyd
Swiss Family Robinson
(1958)
Fritz
The Young Land
(1959)
Hatfield Carnes
Disneyland '59
(1959)
Self
Key Witness
(1960)
William "Cowby" Tomkins
Night Tide
(1961)
Johnny Drake
Tarzan and Jane Regained... Sort of
(1964)
Tarzan (Double)
Screen Test: Dennis Hopper
(1964)
Himself
The Thirteen Most Beautiful Boys
(1964)
The Sons of Katie Elder
(1965)
Dave Hastings
Andy Warhol Screen Tests
(1965)
Self
Queen of Blood
(1966)
Paul Grant
Screen Test #3
(1966)
Cool Hand Luke
(1967)
Babalugats
The Trip
(1967)
Max
The Glory Stompers
(1967)
Chino
Hang 'em High
(1968)
Prophet
Panic in the City
(1968)
Goff
Head
(1968)
Dennis Hopper (uncredited)
Easy Rider
(1969)
Billy
True Grit
(1969)
"Moon"
The Last Movie
(1971)
Kansas
The American Dreamer
(1971)
Himself
Crush Proof
(1972)
Dennis Hopper
Yoko Ono: This Is Not Here
(1972)
Self
Kid Blue
(1973)
Bickford Waner
Bloodbath
(1975)
Chicken
James Dean: The First American Teenager
(1975)
Self
Mad Dog Morgan
(1976)
Daniel Morgan
Tracks
(1976)
1st Sgt. Jack Falen
To Shoot a Mad Dog
(1976)
Self
The American Friend
(1977)
Tom Ripley
The Sorceror's Apprentice
(1977)
A Spy
Last In, First Out
(1978)
Medford
Flesh Color
(1978)
Mel
Apocalypse Now
(1979)
Photojournalist
Out of the Blue
(1981)
Don
King of the Mountain
(1981)
Cal
Reborn
(1981)
Rev. Tom Hartley
Human Highway
(1982)
Cracker / Stranger
Rumble Fish
(1983)
Father
The Osterman Weekend
(1983)
Richard Tremayne
White Star
(1983)
Kenneth Barlow
Dennis Hopper's Russian Dynamite Death Chair Act
(1983)
Himself
The Inside Man
(1984)
Miller
My Science Project
(1985)
Bob Roberts
Stark
(1985)
Lieutenant Ron Bliss
A Hero of Our Time
(1985)
Casey
Blue Velvet
(1986)
Frank Booth
Hoosiers
(1986)
Shooter
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2
(1986)
Lieutenant 'Lefty' Enright
Some Kind of Genius
(1986)
Himself
Stark: Mirror Image
(1986)
Lieutenant Ron Bliss
River's Edge
(1987)
Feck
Straight to Hell
(1987)
I.G. Farben
O.C. and Stiggs
(1987)
Sponson
The Pick-up Artist
(1987)
Flash Jensen
Black Widow
(1987)
Ben Dumers
Running Out of Luck
(1987)
Video Director
The American Way
(1987)
Captain
Blue Peanuts
(1987)
Snoopy
Santabear's High Flying Adventure
(1987)
(voice)
Out of the Blue and Into the Black
(1987)
Self
No Frank in Lumberton
(1988)
Blood Red
(1989)
William Bradford Berrigan
Black Leather Jacket
(1989)
Narrator
Rabbit Ears - The Fisherman and His Wife
(1989)
Storyteller (voice) (uncredited)
Catchfire
(1990)
Milo
Flashback
(1990)
Huey Walker
Chattahoochee
(1990)
Walker Benson
Motion and Emotion: The Films of Wim Wenders
(1990)
Self
Superstar: The Life and Times of Andy Warhol
(1990)
Self
Scenes from the Life of Andy Warhol: Friendships & Intersections
(1990)
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker's Apocalypse
(1991)
Self
The Indian Runner
(1991)
Caesar
Paris Trout
(1991)
Paris Trout
Doublecrossed
(1991)
Barry Seal
Eye of the Storm
(1991)
Marvin Gladstone
SnowwhiteRosered
(1991)
Self
Picture This: The Times of Peter Bogdanovich in Archer City, Texas
(1991)
Self
Crazy About the Movies: Dennis Hopper
(1991)
Self (uncredited)
The Heart of Justice
(1992)
Austin Blair
Sunset Heat
(1992)
Carl Madson
Nails
(1992)
Harry 'Nails' Niles
True Romance
(1993)
Clifford Worley
Red Rock West
(1993)
Lyle from Dallas
Boiling Point
(1993)
Rudolph 'Red' Diamond
Super Mario Bros.
(1993)
King Koopa
The Revenge of the Dead Indians
(1993)
Himself
Willie Nelson: The Big Six-O
(1993)
Self
Kris Kristofferson: His Life and Work
(1993)
Self
Speed
(1994)
Howard Payne
Chasers
(1994)
Doggie
Witch Hunt
(1994)
H. Phillip Lovecraft
Marlon Brando: The Wild One
(1994)
Self
Waterworld
(1995)
Deacon
Search and Destroy
(1995)
Dr. Waxling
James Dean and Me
(1995)
Self (uncredited)
Dark and Deadly: Fifty Years of Film Noir
(1995)
Himself
Basquiat
(1996)
Bruno Bischofberger
Space Truckers
(1996)
John Canyon
The Last Days of Frankie the Fly
(1996)
Frankie
Carried Away
(1996)
Joseph Svenden
Samson and Delilah
(1996)
Generale Tariq
The Fine Art of Separating People from Their Money
(1996)
Self - Host
Return to 'Giant'
(1996)
Self
Rediscovering a Rebel
(1996)
Self / Goon (archive footage)
The Blackout
(1997)
Mickey
Road Ends
(1997)
Sheriff Ben Gilchrist
Cannes Man
(1997)
Self
Vincent Price: The Versatile Villain
(1997)
Self
Who Is Henry Jaglom?
(1997)
Self
U2: A Year in Pop
(1997)
Narrator (voice)
Meet the Deedles
(1998)
Frank Slater
Top of the World
(1998)
Charles Atlas
Welcome to Hollywood
(1998)
Dennis Hopper
The A-Z of Separating People from their Money
(1998)
Himself
Straight Shooter
(1999)
Frank Hector
Edtv
(1999)
Henry 'Hank' Pekurny
A Tribute To Johnny Cash
(1999)
Self
Bad City Blues
(1999)
Cleveland Carter
The Source
(1999)
William S. Burroughs
Easy Rider: Shaking the Cage
(1999)
Self
The Venice Project
(1999)
Roland / Salvatore
Forever Hollywood
(1999)
Self
The Pursuit of Happiness
(1999)
Himself
Tycus
(2000)
Peter Crowford
Spreading Ground
(2000)
Det. Ed DeLongpre
Jesus' Son
(2000)
Bill
The Prophet's Game
(2000)
Vincent Swan
Luck of the Draw
(2000)
Giani Ponti
Held for Ransom
(2000)
JD
Lured Innocence
(2000)
Rick Chambers
The Apostate
(2000)
Lewis Garou
The Ten Commandments of Creativity
(2000)
Self
Knockaround Guys
(2001)
Benny Chains
Choke
(2001)
Henry Clark
Emmanuelle: A Hard Look
(2001)
Himself
Ticker
(2001)
Alex Swan
L.A.P.D.: To Protect And To Serve
(2001)
Captain Elsworth
Andy Warhol: The Complete Picture
(2001)
Himself
Jazz Seen
(2001)
Self
The Piano Player
(2002)
Robert Nile
Leo
(2002)
Horace
I Don't Know Jack
(2002)
Self
Mysteries of Love
(2002)
Self
When Hippies Ruled The World
(2002)
Himself
Flatland
(2002)
Smith
1 Giant Leap
(2002)
Self
The Groovenians
(2002)
Dad/King Normans
Easy Riders, Raging Bulls: How the Sex, Drugs and Rock 'n' Roll Generation Saved Hollywood
(2003)
Self
Unspeakable
(2003)
Warden
The Night We Called It a Day
(2003)
Frank Sinatra
New Scenes from America
(2003)
Himself - Actor
A Decade Under the Influence
(2003)
Self
Dennis Hopper: Create (or Die)
(2003)
Self
Out of Season
(2004)
Harry Barlow
The Keeper
(2004)
Krebs
The Last Ride
(2004)
Ronnie Purnell
Dennis Hopper: The Decisive Moments
(2004)
Self
Tell Them Who You Are
(2004)
Self
Alpha to Omega: Exposing 'The Osterman Weekend'
(2004)
Self (archive footage)
Land of the Dead
(2005)
Kaufman
Champion
(2005)
Self
Inside Deep Throat
(2005)
Narrator (voice)
Americano
(2005)
Riccardo
House of 9
(2005)
Father Duffy
The Crow: Wicked Prayer
(2005)
El Niño
Rebel Without a Cause: Defiant Innocents
(2005)
Himself
10th & Wolf
(2006)
Matty Matello
Memory
(2006)
Max Lichtenstein
Hoboken Hollow
(2006)
Sheriff Greer
The Art of Football from A to Z
(2006)
Self
Gorillaz | Demon Days Live
(2006)
Narrator (voice)
Rising Son: The Legend of Skateboarder Christian Hosoi
(2006)
Narrator (voice)
Wanderlust
(2006)
Himself
The Sixth Element: The Ross Clarke-Jones Story
(2006)
Narrator
The Real James Dean
(2006)
Self
Andy Warhol: A Documentary Film
(2006)
Self
50 Films to See Before You Die
(2006)
Self
Sketches of Frank Gehry
(2006)
Self
The Holy Modal Rounders: Bound to Lose
(2007)
Self
Brando: An Icon Is Born
(2007)
Himself
Swing Vote
(2008)
Donald Greenleaf
Elegy
(2008)
George O'Hearn
Palermo Shooting
(2008)
Frank
Hell Ride
(2008)
Eddie Zero
Sleepwalking
(2008)
Mr. Reedy
Chelsea on the Rocks
(2008)
Himself
An American Carol
(2008)
Judge Clarence Henderson
The Brothers Warner
(2008)
Self - Actor
Not Quite Hollywood
(2008)
Self
The Cool School
(2008)
Self
Bananaz
(2008)
Narrator (voice)
Stanley Kramer: A Man's Search for Truth
(2008)
Self
Ferlinghetti: A Rebirth of Wonder
(2009)
Himself
13 Most Beautiful… Songs for Andy Warhol's Screen Tests
(2009)
Himself
B movie
(2009)
Himself
No Subtitles Necessary: Laszlo & Vilmos
(2009)
Self
Alpha and Omega
(2010)
Tony (voice)
Stardust
(2010)
Self (uncredited)
Beautiful Darling
(2010)
Self (archive footage)
Blue Velvet: The Lost Footage
(2011)
Frank Booth
Corman's World
(2011)
Various Roles (archive footage)
Scene Missing
(2012)
Self
Yo! The Story of ‘Yo! MTV Raps’
(2012)
Self (archive footage)
Llyn Foulkes One Man Band
(2013)
Himself
Roland Klick: The Heart Is a Hungry Hunter
(2013)
Himself
Magician: The Astonishing Life and Work of Orson Welles
(2014)
Self - Filmmaker (archive footage)
The Last Film Festival
(2016)
Nick Twain - Producer
'Blue Velvet' Revisited
(2016)
Self
Dennis Hopper: Uneasy Rider
(2016)
Self (archive footage)
Along for the Ride
(2016)
Self (archive footage)
Taylor & Ultra: On the 60s, The Factory, and Being a Warhol Superstar
(2016)
Self (archive footage)
The Other Side of the Wind
(2018)
Dennis Hopper
They'll Love Me When I'm Dead
(2018)
Self (archive footage)
Jay Sebring… Cutting to the Truth
(2020)
Self
Hopper/Welles
(2020)
Self
Wim Wenders, Desperado
(2020)
Self (archive footage)
Spirit of Golf
(2023)
to Crinkle their Wrist, Perfumed Splendour
(2023)
Frank Booth (archive footage)
Super Mario Bros: The Lasanga Workprint
(2024)
King Koopa
Directing
The Trip
(1967)
Second Unit Director
The Glory Stompers
(1967)
Co-Director
Easy Rider
(1969)
Director
The Last Movie
(1971)
Director
Out of the Blue
(1981)
Director
Colors
(1988)
Director
Catchfire
(1990)
Director
The Hot Spot
(1990)
Director
Chasers
(1994)
Director
Homeless
(2000)
Director
Pashmy Dream
(2008)
Director
Writing
Easy Rider
(1969)
Screenplay
The Last Movie
(1971)
Story
The American Dreamer
(1971)
Writer
Out of the Blue
(1981)
Writer
Pashmy Dream
(2008)
Writer
Editing