Dennis Hopper filmography explained

Dennis Hopper (May 17, 1936May 29, 2010) was an American actor, director, writer, film editor, photographer and artist. He made his first television appearance in 1955, and appeared in two films featuring James Dean, 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 villains King Koopa in Super Mario Bros (1993), and Howard Payne 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, Easy Rider,[3] Apocalypse Now,[4] and Hoosiers[5] have been selected for preservation in the National Film Registry.

As actor

YearTitleRoleNotes
1955Rebel Without a CauseGoon
I Died a Thousand TimesJoeUncredited
1956GiantJordan Benedict III
1957Gunfight at the O.K. CorralBilly Clanton
Napoleon Bonaparte
SayonaraMP in Kelly's house / MP at Tokyo airportVoice, Uncredited
1958From Hell to TexasTom Boyd
1959Hatfield Carnes
1960Key WitnessWilliam "Cowboy" Tomkins
1961Night TideJohnny Drake
1964Short film
Tarzan and Jane Regained... Sort of
1965Dave Hastings
1966Queen of BloodPaul Grant
1967Max
Cool Hand LukeBabalugats
LukeHimselfShort film
The Glory StompersChino
1968Panic in the CityGoff
Hang 'Em HighThe Prophet
HeadLong haired guy in restaurantExtra, uncredited
1969Easy RiderBilly
True GritMoon
1970HimselfDocumentary
1971Kansas
HimselfDocumentary
1972Crush ProofHimselfCameo
1973Kid BlueBickford Waner
1976Mad Dog MorganDaniel Morgan
1977Tracks1st Sgt. Jack Falen
Tom Ripley
The Sorcerer's ApprenticeA Spy
1978Flesh ColorMel
CIA contro KGBMedford
1979Apocalypse NowPhotojournalist
BloodbathChicken
1980Out of the BlueDon
1981King of the MountainCal
1982Human HighwayCracker
1983Rumble FishFather
The Osterman WeekendRichard Tremayne
White StarKenneth Barlow
1984Jungle WarriorsDeleted scenes
The Inside ManMiller
1985A Hero of Our TimeMoguelShort film
O.C. and StiggsSponson
My Science ProjectBob Roberts
1986Riders of the Storm The Captain
Lieutenant 'Lefty' Enright
River's EdgeFeck
Blue VelvetFrank Booth
HoosiersShooter
1987RebornRev. Tom Hartley
Black WidowBen Dumers
Straight to HellI.G. Farben
Running Out of LuckVideo Director
Flash Jensen
1989Blood RedWilliam Bradford Berrigan
ChattahoocheeWalker Benson
SelfDocumentary short film[6]
1990FlashbackHuey Walker
Catchfire Milo
1991Caesar
Eye of the StormMarvin Gladstone
HimselfDocumentary
1992Sunset HeatCarl Madson
1993Boiling PointRudolph 'Red' Diamond
Red Rock WestLyle from Dallas
Super Mario Bros.King Koopa
True RomanceClifford Worley
1994ChasersDoggie
SpeedHoward Payne
1995Search and DestroyDr. Luther Waxling
WaterworldDeacon
1996Carried AwayJoseph Svenden
BasquiatBruno Bischofberger
Space TruckersJohn Canyon
The Last Days of Frankie the FlyFrankie
1997The BlackoutMickey Wayne
Top of the WorldCharles Atlas
Road EndsSheriff Ben Gilchrist
Mr. BUnreleased[7]
Cannes ManHimselfCameo
Who Is Henry Jaglom?HimselfDocumentary
1998Meet the DeedlesFrank Slater
Welcome to HollywoodHimselfCameo
1999TycusPeter CrawfordDirect-to-DVD
EDtvHenry 'Hank' Pekurny
Straight ShooterFrank Hector
Jesus' SonBill
Roland / Salvatore
Bad City BluesCleveland Carter
Robert Rauschenberg: Inventive GeniusNarratorVoice
Documentary
William S. BurroughsDocumentary
2000The ApostateLewis Garou
The Spreading GroundDet. Ed DeLongpre
Lured InnocenceRick Chambers
Vincent SwanDirect-to-DVD
Michael AngelLewis GarouDirect-to-DVD
Luck of the DrawGiani PontiDirect-to-DVD
Held for RansomJD
2001TickerAlex Swan
ChokeHenry ClarkDirect-to-DVD
Knockaround GuysBenny Chains
L.A.P.D.: To Protect and to ServeCaptain ElsworthDirect-to-DVD
2002UnspeakableWarden Earl Blakely
LeoHorace
The Piano PlayerRobert NileDirect-to-DVD
2003Frank Sinatra
New Scenes from AmericaHimself – ActorShort film
Easy Riders, Raging BullsHimselfDocumentary
2004LegacyCHP OfficerShort film
Out of SeasonHarry Barlow
Krebs
2005AmericanoRiccardoDirect-to-DVD
House of 9Father Duffy
El NiñoDirect-to-DVD
Land of the DeadKaufman
Inside Deep ThroatNarratorVoice
Documentary
Sketches of Frank GehryHimselfDocumentary
2006Hoboken HollowSheriff Greer
10th & WolfMatty Matello
MemoryMax Lichtenstein
Rising Son: The Legend of Skateboarder Christian HosoiNarratorVoice
Documentary
HimselfDocumentary
2008SleepwalkingMr. Reedy
Hell RideEddie Zero
ElegyGeorge O'Hearn
Swing VoteDonald Greenleaf
Palermo ShootingFrank
An American CarolThe Judge
HimselfDocumentary
BananazHimselfDocumentary
2010Alpha and OmegaTonyVoice
Released posthumously
2016The Last Film FestivalNick TwainReleased posthumously
2018The Other Side of the WindHimselfCameo
Released posthumously
2020Jay Sebring....Cutting to the TruthHimselfDocumentary
Released posthumously
I denotes film preservation in the United States National Film Registry.

Filmmaking credits

YearTitle width=65DirectorWriterNotes
1964Mary Jennifer at the Beach Short film
1967 The Trip Uncredited
1969 Easy Rider
1971 The American Dreamer Documentary
The Last Movie Also editor
1980 Out of the Blue
1988 Colors
1990Catchfire Credited as Alan Smithee
The Hot Spot
1994 Chasers
2000Homeless Short film
2008Pashmy DreamShort 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.

YearTitleRoleNotes
1954Cavalcade of AmericaEpisode: "A Medal for Miss Walker"
1955MedicRobertEpisode: "Boy in the Storm"
The Public DefenderFrankieEpisode: "Mama's Boy"
Letter to LorettaRoss MortonEpisode: "Inga II"
1956Kings RowTod MonaghanEpisode: "Carnival"
Screen Director's PlayhouseSteve RedmanEpisode: "High Air"
PaulyEpisode: "Carnival"
1956–1957CheyenneAbe Larson / Utah kid / Roden's Ranch Hand3 episodes
1957ConflictEd Novak2 episodes
SugarfootBilly the KidEpisode: "Brannigan's Boots"
1958Studio OneDavid Williams2 episodes
Swiss Family RobinsonFritzTelevision film
1958–1959Zane Grey TheaterVernon 'Vern' Tippert / Denny Sunrise2 episodes
Vernon Tippert / Johnny Clover2 episodes
1959LeightonEpisode: "Wake Up to Terror"
1960MikeEpisode: "Goldie Meets Mike"
Adam SpencerEpisode: "Millionaire Julie Sherman"
Gerald CollinsEpisode: "No One"
1961Naked CityVinnie WinfordEpisode: "Shoes for Vinnie Winford"
87th PrecinctAndrew MasonEpisode: "My Friend, My Enemy"
The InvestigatorsAdrian BrewsterEpisode: "The Mind's Own Fire"
1962General Electric TheaterFred JudsonEpisode: "The Hold-Out"
Surfside 6TraskEpisode: "Vendetta Arms"
1962–1963Alfred Carter Jr / Jason Thomas2 episodes
1963Peter VollmerEpisode: "He's Alive"
Ross KendrickEpisode: "Requiem at Dancer's Hill"
Wagon TrainEmmett LawtonEpisode: "The Emmett Lawton Story"
EspionageFernoEpisode: "The Weakling"
RhymerEpisode: "The Wrecker"
1964Petticoat JunctionAlan LandmanEpisode: "Bobbie Jo and the Beatnik"
Arrest and TrialColey MitchumEpisode: "People in Glass Houses"
Peter DevlinEpisode: "To Set It Right"
BonanzaDev FarnumEpisode: "The Dark Past"
1965GunsmokeBilly KimboEpisode: "One Killer on Ice"
ConvoyRoger SmallEpisode: The Many Colors of Courage"
1966Jud SaltEpisode: "South Wind"
PassengerEpisode: "Rendezvous with Yesterday"
1967Combat!Zack FielderEpisode: "A Little Jazz"
Vern ReedEpisode: "Find a Sonnett, Kill a Sonnett"
Leon Grell / Jimmy Sweetwater2 episodes
1980Wild TimesDoc Holliday2 episodes
1985StarkLieutenant Ron BlissTelevision film
1986Stark: Mirror ImageLieutenant Ron BlissTelevision film
1987, 1990Saturday Night LiveHimself (host)2 episodes
1988Black Leather JacketNarratorVoice
Television film
1991DoublecrossedBarry SealTelevision film
Paris TroutParis TroutTelevision film
Fishing with JohnHimselfEpisode: "Dennis Hopper Parts 1 & 2"
1992NailsHarry 'Nails' NilesTelevision film
The Heart of JusticeAustin BlairTelevision film
1994Witch HuntH. P. LovecraftTelevision film
1995Dennis Hopper: L.A. BluesHimself (host)Television special
1996Samson and DelilahGenerale TariqTelevision film
1997King of the HillHimself (guest voice)Episode: "Hank's Got The Willies"
2000Jason and the ArgonautsPelias2 episodes
200224Victor Drazen5 episodes
FlatlandSmithPilot
The GrooveniansDad/King NormanVoice
Television short
James Richardson2 episodes
2003SuspenseNarratorVoice
Television film
2004Las VegasJon CastilleEpisode: "New Orleans"
Ronnie PurnellTelevision film
2005–2006E-RingCol. Eli McNulty23 episodes
2007EntourageHimselfEpisode: "Malibooty"
2008–2009CrashBen Cendars26 episodes

Video games

YearTitleRoleNotes
1994Mr. Beautiful
1998Black DahliaWalter Pensky
2002Steve Scott
2009Deadly CreaturesGeorge Struggs
2021Steve ScottArchival recordings
Remaster of Grand Theft Auto: Vice City only.

References

General
Specific

Notes and References

  1. News: Gamarekian. Barbara. Library of Congress Adds 25 Titles to National Film Registry. The New York Times. October 19, 1990. June 4, 2010.
  2. Librarian of Congress Adds 25 Films to National Film Registry. Library of Congress. December 20, 2005. June 4, 2010.
  3. Hooray for Hollywood – Librarian Names 25 More Films to National Registry. Library of Congress. November 16, 1998. June 4, 2010.
  4. Librarian of Congress Names 25 More Films to National Film Registry . Library of Congress. December 27, 2000. June 4, 2010.
  5. Librarian of Congress Names 25 More Films to National Film Registry . . December 18, 2001 . June 4, 2010 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20091207100732/http://www.loc.gov/film/nfr2001.html . December 7, 2009 .
  6. News: Bennett. Lennie. March 16, 2006. The people's pop artist. Tampa Bay Times. St. Petersburg, Florida. 23W. May 25, 2024. Newspapers.com.
  7. News: The wild, untold story of The Good Life. Little White Lies. February 11, 2017. February 24, 2017.