Dennis Hopper Dies at Age 74

May 29, 2010 — -- Dennis Hopper, the director, star and co-writer of "Easy Rider" and an edgy actor in numerous other films, has died at age 74 after a lengthy illness, his production company Easy Rider Productions confirmed.

Hopper died at 8:15 a.m. PT at his home in Venice, Calif., from complications of prostate cancer, a friend, Alex Hitz, told the Reuters news service.

Though he may be best known for "Easy Rider," the 1969 cult classic, Hopper's film and television career extended back into the 1950s and he stayed active up until recently.

He also was considered something of a Hollywood wild man, whose battles with drugs, alcohol and erratic behavior may have helped stall his career in periods both before and after "Easy Rider."

Nevertheless, he enjoyed an acting comeback in the 1980s and afterwards on the strength of films such as "Apocalypse Now" (1979), "Rumble Fish" (1983) and "Blue Velvet" (1986).

Despite his declining condition in recent months, Hopper recently appeared in Hollywood to receive a star on The Hollywood Walk of Fame in March. Surrounded by his children and colleagues, the actor appeared to be in good spirits, smiling, laughing and waving.

"Everything I learned in life I learned from you," he told a crowd of supporters at the star ceremony, referring to Hollywood. "This means so much to me. Thank you very much everyone, and Hollywood."

By the time of his death, Hopper also had become well known for his paintings and photography, as well as an avid collector of art.

However, Hopper's final days were marked by his bitter divorce battle, in which he claimed his estranged wife, Victoria Duffy-Hopper, stole valuable artwork and other property and kept him away from their 6-year-old daughter, Galen.

In a March statement, Hopper claimed the stolen items included silver flatware, Egyptian cotton linens, Venetian glass pieces and wood furniture from Africa, with a total worth of more than $1.5 million.

The month before, Hopper filed court papers claiming Duffy-Hopper hid Galen from him for long periods of time. He said he spent Christmas "in utter distress" after Duffy-Hopper took Galen to Boston, a trip he learned about from her attorney.

She, meanwhile, accused him of being verbally abusive and mentally incapable of making decisions for himself or in the best interests of Galen.

In his final days, Hopper made financial arrangements for his estranged wife and family. According to court documents filed in March, Duffy-Hopper will receive $250,000 from her late husband's $1 million life insurance policy and the balance will go to his estate. Hopper also arranged for Galen and his three other adult children from previous marriages to receive a "substantial portion" of the insurance. His will remains to be seen.

The actor dealt with marital woes throughout his five marriages.

In 1970, he wed Michelle Phillips of the Mamas and Papas -- but their union lasted a grand total of eight days. Phillips later told Vanity Fair that she was subjected to "excruciating" treatment while with the actor.