Dennis Hopper dies of cancer at 74

The actor and director Dennis Hopper has died from prostate cancer at the age of seventy four.
He rose to prominence with roles alongside James Dean in the 1950s classics Rebel Without a Cause and Giant.
But it was his Oscar-nominated screenplay for Easy Rider – which he also directed and starred in with Peter Fonda and Jack Nicholson – that sent him to the top of Hollywood’s A-list.
But after this, it was a while before he would recapture the glory. After several years of alcoholism and drug addiction, he drew on his experiences to return to the big screen with memorable roles in films such as Apocalypse Now, Blue Velvet and Speed.
He also returned to directing, with films including the hard-hitting police drama Colors and the moody thriller The Hot Spot.
With Catchfire, Hopper also became one of the most high profile figures in Hollywood to end up with one of his films bearing an “Alan Smithee” credit.
He also took a number of other artistic endeavours seriously, including photography, sculpting and painting and exhibited at the highest level.
Dennis Hopper had a difficult personal life, with five marriages, the last of which involved acrimonious divorce proceedings, while he was on his death bed.

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