Dennis Hopper (born, May 17, 1936 died, May 29, 2010) was an American actor, filmmaker, photographer and artist. He made his first television appearance in 1955, and appeared in three films featuring James Dean, East of Eden (1955) Rebel Without a Cause (1955) and Giant (1956). Over the next ten 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 Writing (Original Screenplay) as co-writer. He had a featured role in Apocalypse Now (1979). 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). Hopper starred in the 1990 Motion Picture Flashback which was inspired by the 1960s Love Movement. He also played the villain in Speed (1994). A total of six films starring Dennis Hopper have been selected for preservation in the National Film Registry. Hopper died of prostate cancer on May 29, 2010, 12 days after his 74th birthday and two months after he received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Filmography[]
Hopper's film career spanned 55 years and encompassed appearances in over 150 films. Of those films: Rebel Without a Cause,[1] Giant,[2] Cool Hand Luke,[2] Easy Rider,[3] Apocalypse Now,[4] and Hoosiers[5] have been selected for preservation in the National Film Registry.
As actor[]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1955 | Rebel Without a Cause | Goon | |
| 1955 | I Died a Thousand Times | Joe | Uncredited |
| 1956 | Giant | Jordan Benedict III | |
| 1957 | Gunfight at the O.K. Corral | Billy Clanton | |
| 1957 | The Story of Mankind | Napoleon Bonaparte | |
| 1957 | Sayonara | MP in Kelly's house/MP at Tokyo airport | Uncredited voice |
| 1958 | From Hell to Texas | Tom Boyd | |
| 1959 | The Young Land | Hatfield Carnes | |
| 1960 | Key Witness | William "Cowboy" Tomkins | |
| 1961 | Night Tide | Johnny Drake | |
| 1964 | Tarzan and Jane Regained... Sort of | ||
| 1965 | The Sons of Katie Elder | Dave Hastings | |
| 1966 | Queen of Blood | Paul Grant | |
| 1967 | The Tri | Max | |
| 1967 | Cool Hand Luke | Babalugats | |
| 1968 | The Glory Stompers | Chino | |
| 1968 | Hang 'Em High | The Prophet | |
| 1968 | Panic in the City | Goff | |
| 1968 | Head | Long haired guy at filmshoot in restaurant | Extra |
| 1969 | Easy Rider | Billy | |
| 1969 | True Grit | Moon | |
| 1971 | The Last Movie | Kansas | |
| 1972 | The Other Side of the Wind | ||
| 1972 | Crush Proof | ||
| 1973 | Kid Blue | Bickford Waner | |
| 1974 | The Towering Inferno | Dennis Hopper | |
| 1975 | Nahsville | Dennis Hopper | |
| 1976 | Mad Dog Morgan | Daniel Morgan | |
| 1977 | Tracks | 1st Sgt. Jack Falen | |
| 1977 | The American Friend | Tom Ripley | |
| 1977 | Template:Interlanguage link multi | A spy | |
| 1978 | Flesh Color | Mel | |
| 1978 | Last In, First Out | Medford | |
| 1979 | Apocalypse Now | Photojournalist | |
| 1979 | Bloodbath | Chicken | |
| 1980 | Out of the Blue | Don | |
| 1981 | Template:Interlanguage link multi | Rev. Tom Hartley | |
| 1981 | King of the Mountain | Cal | |
| 1982 | Human Highway | Cracker | |
| 1983 | Rumble Fish | Father | |
| 1983 | The Osterman Weekend | Richard Tremayne | |
| 1983 | Template:Interlanguage link multi | Kenneth Barlow | |
| 1984 | Jungle Warriors | Uncredited | |
| 1984 | The Inside Man | Miller | |
| 1985 | O.C. and Stiggs | Sponson | |
| 1985 | My Science Project | Bob Roberts | |
| 1986 | Riders of the Storm | The Captain | |
| 1986 | The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 | Lieutenant 'Lefty' Enright | |
| 1986 | River's Edge | Feck | |
| 1986 | Blue Velvet | Frank Booth | |
| 1986 | Hoosiers | Shooter | |
| 1987 | Running Out of Luck | Video Director | |
| 1987 | Black Widow | Ben Dumers | |
| 1987 | Straight to Hell | I.G. Farben | |
| 1987 | The Pick-up Artist | Flash Jensen | |
| 1989 | Blood Red | William Bradford Berrigan | |
| 1989 | Chattahoochee | Walker Benson | |
| 1990 | Flashback | Huey Walker | |
| 1990 | Catchfire | Milo | |
| 1991 | The Indian Runner | Caesar | |
| 1991 | Eye of the Storm | Marvin Gladstone | |
| 1992 | Sunset Heat | Carl Madson | |
| 1993 | Boiling Point | Rudolph 'Red' Diamond | |
| 1993 | Super Mario Bros. | King Koopa | |
| 1993 | Red Rock West | Lyle from Dallas | |
| 1993 | True Romance | Clifford Worley | |
| 1994 | Chasers | Doggie | |
| 1994 | Speed | Howard Payne | |
| 1995 | Search and Destroy | Dr. Luther Waxling | |
| 1995 | Waterworld | Deacon | |
| 1996 | Carried Away | Joseph Svenden | |
| 1996 | Space Truckers | John Canyon | |
| 1996 | Basquiat | Bruno Bischofberger | |
| 1996 | The Last Days of Frankie the Fly | Frankie | |
| 1997 | The Good Life | Mr. B | Unreleased |
| 1997 | The Blackout | Mickey Wayne | |
| 1997 | Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery | Dennis Hopper | |
| 1997 | Road Ends | Sheriff Ben Gilchrist | |
| 1997 | Top of the World | Charles Atlas | |
| 1998 | Tycus | Peter Crawford | Direct-to-DVD |
| 1998 | Meet the Deedles | Frank Slater | |
| 1999 | Justice | Uncredited | |
| 1999 | Lured Innocence | Rick Chambers | |
| 1999 | The Black And The White | Oliver Chamberlain | |
| 1999 | The Prophet's Game | Vincent Swan | |
| 1999 | EDtv | Henry 'Hank' Pekumy | |
| 1999 | Straight Shooter | Frank Hector | |
| 1999 | Jesus' Son | Bill | |
| 1999 | Venice Project | Roland/Salvatore | |
| 1999 | Bad City Blues | Cleveland Carter | |
| 2000 | Michael Angel | Lewis Garou | |
| 2000 | The Spreading Ground | Det. Ed DeLongpre | |
| 2000 | Luck of the Draw | Giani Ponti | |
| 2000 | Held for Ransom | JD | |
| 2001 | Ticker | Alex Swan | |
| 2001 | Choke | Henry Clark | |
| 2001 | Knockaround Guys | Benny Chains | |
| 2001 | L.A.P.D.: To Protect and to Serve | Captain Elsworth | |
| 2002 | Unspeakable | Warden Earl Blakely | |
| 2002 | Leo | Horace | |
| 2002 | The Piano Player | Robert Nile | |
| 2003 | The Night We Called It a Day | Frank Sinatra | |
| 2003 | The Target | Robert Nile | |
| 2004 | Legacy | CHP Officer | |
| 2004 | Bad Boy's 10th Anniversary... The Hits | Victor Castiglione | Uncredited Direct-to-video |
| 2004 | The Keeper| | Krebs | |
| 2004 | Out of Season | Harry Barlow | |
| 2005 | House of 9 | Father Duffy | |
| 2005 | Americano | Riccardo | Direct-to-DVD |
| 2005 | The Crow: Wicked Prayer | El Niño | Direct-to-DVD |
| 2005 | Land of the Dead | Kaufman | |
| 2006 | 10th & Wolf | Matty Matello | |
| 2006 | Memory | Max Lichtenstein | |
| 2006 | Hoboken Hollow | Sheriff Greer | |
| 2008 | Hell Ride | Eddie Zero | |
| 2008 | Sleepwalking | Mr. Reedy | |
| 2008 | Elegy | George O'Hearn | |
| 2008 | Swing Vote | Donald Greenleaf | |
| 2008 | Palermo Shooting | Frank | |
| 2008 | An American Carol | The Judge | |
| 2009 | All About Steve | Dennis Hopper | |
| 2009 | 9 | Roddy | Voice |
| 2010 | Alpha and Omega | Tony | Voice Released posthumously |
| 2016 | The Last Film Festival | Nick Twain | Released posthumously |
| 2018 | The Other Side of the Wind | Lucas Renard | In post production |
I denotes film preservation in the United States National Film Registry.
As a writer, director, or editor[]
| Year | Title | Credited as | Notes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Writer | Director | Editor | |||
| 1967 | The Trip | Template:Yes | Uncredited Second unit director | ||
| 1969 | Easy Rider | Template:Yes | Template:Yes | — | |
| 1971 | The American Dreamer | Template:Yes | Documentary | ||
| The Last Movie | Template:Yes | Template:Yes | Template:Yes | — | |
| 1980 | Out of the Blue | Template:Yes | Template:Yes | Uncredited as writer | |
| 1988 | Colors | Template:Yes | — | ||
| 1990 | Catchfire | Template:Yes | Credited as Alan Smithee | ||
| The Hot Spot | Template:Yes | — | |||
| 1994 | Chasers | Template:Yes | — | ||
| 2000 | Homeless | Template:Yes | Short film | ||
Television[]
Early in his career, Hopper made multiple appearances on television series, beginning with a single appearance on the anthology series Cavalcade of America. Hopper continued guest starring on television throughout the 1950s and '60s. Late in his career, Hopper returned to television with a recurring role on 24, a one-time appearance on Las Vegas, and starring roles on E-Ring and Crash.
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1954 | Cavalcade of America | Episode: "A Medal for Miss Walker" | |
| 1955 | Medic | Robert | Episode: "Boy in the Storm" |
| 1955 | The Public Defender | Frankie | Episode: "Mama's Boy" |
| 1955 | Letter to Loretta | Ross Morton | Episode: "Inga II" |
| 1956 | Kings Row | Tod Monaghan | Episode: "Carnival" |
| 1956 | Screen Director's Playhouse | Steve Redman | Episode: "High Air" |
| 1956 | Template:Sortname | Pauly | Episode: "Carnival" |
| 1956–1957 | Cheyenne | Abe Larson / Utah kid / Roden's Ranch Hand | 3 episodes |
| 1957 | Conflict | Ed Novak | 2 episodes |
| 1957 | Sugarfoot | Billy the Kid | Episode: "Brannigan's Boots" |
| 1958 | Studio One | David Williams | 2 episodes |
| 1958–1959 | Zane Grey Theater | Vernon 'Vern' Tippert / Denny Sunrise | 2 episodes |
| 1958-1959 | Template:Sortname | Vernon Tippert / Johnny Clover | 2 episodes |
| 1958 | Swiss Family Robinson | Fritz | Television film |
| 1959 | Template:Sortname | Leighton | Episode: "Wake Up to Terror" |
| 1960 | Template:Sortname | Mike | Episode: "Goldie Meets Mike" |
| 1960 | Template:Sortname | Adam Spencer | Episode: "Millionaire Julie Sherman" |
| 1960 | Template:Sortname | Gerald Collins | Episode: "No One" |
| 1961 | Naked City | Vinnie Winford | Episode: "Shoes for Vinnie Winford" |
| 1961 | 87th Precinct | Andrew Mason | Episode: "My Friend, My Enemy" |
| 1961 | The Investigators | Adrian Brewster | Episode: "The Mind's Own Fire" |
| 1962 | General Electric Theater | Fred Judson | Episode: "The Hold-Out" |
| 1962 | Surfside 6 | Trask | Episode: "Vendetta Arms" |
| 1963 | Template:Sortname | Peter Vollmer | Episode: "He's Alive" |
| 1963 | Template:Sortname | Ross Kendrick | Episode: "Requiem at Dancer's Hill" |
| 1963 | Wagon Train | Emmett Lawton | Episode: "The Emmett Lawton Story" |
| 1963 | Espionage | Ferno | Episode: "The Weakling" |
| 1963 | Template:Sortname | Rhymer | Episode: "The Wrecker" |
| 1962–1963 | Template:Sortname | Alfred Carter Jr / Jason Thomas | 2 episodes |
| 1964 | Petticoat Junction | Alan Landman | Episode: "Bobbie Jo and the Beatnik" |
| 1964 | Arrest and Trial | Coley Mitchum | Episode: "People in Glass Houses" |
| 1964 | Template:Sortname | Peter Devlin | Episode: "To Set It Right" |
| 1964 | Bonanza | Dev Farnum | Episode: " The Dark Past" |
| 1965 | Gunsmoke | Billy Kimbo | Episode: "One Killer on Ice" |
| 1965 | Convoy | Roger Small | Episode: The Many Colors of Courage" |
| 1966 | Template:Sortname | Jud Salt | Episode: "South Wind" |
| 1966 | Template:Sortname | Passenger | Episode: "Rendezvous with Yesterday" |
| 1967 | Combat! | Zack Fielder | Episode: "A Little Jazz" |
| 1967 | Template:Sortname | Vern Reed | Episode: "Find a Sonnett, Kill a Sonnett" |
| 1967 | Template:Sortname | Leon Grell / Jimmy Sweetwater | 2 episodes |
| 1980 | Wild Times | Doc Holliday | 2 episodes |
| 1985 | Stark | Lieutenant Ron Bliss | Television film |
| 1986 | Stark: Mirror Image | Lieutenant Ron Bliss | Television film |
| 1987, 1990 | Saturday Night Live | Himself (host) | 2 episodes |
| 1988 | Black Leather Jacket | Narrator | Voice Television film |
| 1991 | Doublecrossed | Barry Seal | Television film |
| 1991 | Paris Trout | Paris Trout | Television film |
| 1992 | Nails | Harry 'Nails' Niles | Television film |
| 1992 | The Heart of Justice | Austin Blair | Television film |
| 1994 | Witch Hunt | H. Philip Lovecraft | Television film |
| 1995 | Dennis Hopper: L.A. Blues | Himself (host) | Television special |
| 1996 | Samson and Delilah | Generale Tariq | Television film |
| 2000 | Jason and the Argonauts | Pelias | 2 episodes |
| 2002 | Flatland | Smith | Pilot |
| 2002 | Template:Sortname | Dad/King Norman | Voice Television short |
| 2002 | Firestarter: Rekindled | James Richardson | Television film |
| 2003 | Suspense | Narrator | Voice Television film |
| 2002 | 24 | Victor Drazen | 5 episodes |
| 2004 | Las Vegas | Jon Castille | Episode: "New Orleans" |
| 2004 | Template:Sortname | Ronnie Purnell | Television film |
| 2005–2006 | E-Ring | Col. Eli McNulty | 23 episodes |
| 2007 | Entourage | Dennis Hopper | Episode: "Malibooty" |
| 2008–2009 | Crash | Ben Cendars | 26 episodes |
Video games[]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | Black Dahlia | Walter Pensky | |
| 1994 | Hell: A Cyberpunk Thriller | Mr. Beautiful | Voice |
| 2002 | Grand Theft Auto: Vice City | Steve Scott | Voice |
| 2009 | Deadly Creatures | George Struggs | Voice |