What was Dennis Hopper’s Net Worth?
Dennis Hopper, a renowned American actor, filmmaker, and artist, had a net worth of $40 million at the time of his death from prostate cancer on May 29, 2010.
Hopper gained recognition for his role as the director, cowriter, and costar of the groundbreaking 1969 independent road film “Easy Rider.” He continued to have a prolific career, starring in notable films such as “Apocalypse Now,” “Blue Velvet,” and “Speed,” among others.
Beyond film and television, Hopper was a prolific painter, photographer, and sculptor whose work was exhibited in various locations, including Washington, D.C., Minneapolis, Amsterdam, Vienna, and Paris. Hopper was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame two months before his passing, alongside friends Jack Nicholson and Viggo Mortensen.
Early Life and Education
Dennis Hopper was born on May 17, 1936 in Dodge City, Kansas and grew up in Kansas City, Missouri. He later moved to San Diego, California where he attended Helix High School and studied acting at the Old Globe Theatre. Hopper also took art classes at the Kansas City Art Institute and attended the Actors Studio in New York City.
Dennis Hopper’s Film Career
Dennis Hopper made his feature film debut in 1955, playing a goon in the James Dean drama “Rebel Without a Cause.” He subsequently had supporting roles in various films such as “Gunfight at the O.K. Corral,” “From Hell to Texas,” and “Key Witness.” In 1961, he had his first leading role in the supernatural thriller “Night Tide” and later appeared in “The Sons of Katie Elder” alongside Dean Martin and John Wayne. Hopper also appeared in films such as “Cool Hand Luke,” “Hang ‘Em High,” and “True Grit.”
In 1969, Hopper had his breakthrough with the independent road film “Easy Rider,” which marked his directorial debut. He also starred in the film alongside Peter Fonda, Jack Nicholson, and Terry Southern, and cowrote the script. “Easy Rider” became a landmark film of the counterculture and was enormously influential on the burgeoning New Hollywood era of filmmaking. The production was beset by creative conflicts, but the film was a smash hit, grossing $60 million on a budget of less than $500,000.
Dennis Hopper’s Career in Film
After the success of “Easy Rider,” Hopper directed and starred in “The Last Movie,” but it failed to match the success of his earlier work. He continued to act in films like “Mad Dog Morgan,” “The American Friend,” and “Flesh Color.” In 1979, he had notable roles in “The Sky is Falling” and “Apocalypse Now.”
At the start of the 80s, Hopper directed and starred in “Out of the Blue,” followed by appearances in “King of the Mountain” and “Human Highway.” He reunited with Francis Ford Coppola for “Rumble Fish” and went on to act in “The Osterman Weekend,” “O.C. and Stiggs,” and “My Science Project.”
1986 was arguably Hopper’s biggest year in film, with standout performances in “Blue Velvet” and “Hoosiers,” earning him an Academy Award nomination for the latter. He also appeared in “Riders of the Storm,” “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2,” and “River’s Edge.” Hopper’s other notable credits in the 90s include “Super Mario Bros.,” “True Romance,” and “EDtv.”
Later in his career, Hopper acted in “Land of the Dead,” “Elegy,” “Swing Vote,” “Palermo Shooting,” and “An American Carol.”
Television Career
Dennis Hopper had a prolific career on both the big and small screens. He made his first television appearance in 1954 and continued to appear in numerous shows throughout the decades. In the 60s, he was in episodes of “The Twilight Zone,” “Bonanza,” and “Gunsmoke,” among others. He returned to television in 1980 and went on to appear in various television films, including “Paris Trout” and “Samson and Delilah.” In 2002, he had a recurring role on “24” and played Colonel Eli McNulty on “E-Ring” from 2005 to 2006. His final television role was playing Ben Cendars on the television adaptation of “Crash” from 2008 to 2009.
Dennis Hopper’s Involvement in Photography and Painting
Dennis Hopper was not only known for his work in film and television, but also for his involvement in photography and painting. He created cover art for Ike & Tina Turner’s 1966 album “River Deep – Mountain High” and shot portraits for major magazines. Some of his subjects included Andy Warhol, Paul Newman, and Jane Fonda. As a painter, Hopper’s style ranged from photorealism to abstraction. He was also an art collector and had his own work and collection exhibited around the world.
Dennis Hopper’s Personal Life
Dennis Hopper was married and divorced multiple times. His first marriage, to actress Brooke Hayward, lasted from 1961 to 1969, and produced a daughter named Marin. Next, Hopper was married to Michelle Phillips for eight days in 1970. He wed his third wife, Daria Halprin, in 1972; they had a daughter named Ruthanna and divorced in 1976. Later, in 1989, Hopper married Katherine LaNasa, with whom he had a son named Henry. They divorced in 1992. He wed his fifth and final wife, Victoria Duffy, in 1996. The couple had a daughter named Galen, and had a messy divorce in 2010 which was finalized just months before he died.
After his death, Victoria contested the pre-nup she signed in 1996 which entitled her to a one time payment of $250,000 funded through his life insurance policy plus 25% of the remainder of his estate which included his art collection and homes in both New Mexico and Los Angeles.
In the 1970s Hopper became extremely addicted to cocaine, sometimes taking about three grams a day. Soon, he disappeared into the Mexican desert on a substance high and laid in a coffin with 17 sticks of dynamite. Hopper checked into rehab in 1983.
In 2009, it was announced that Hopper had been diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer. By the next year, his condition worsened, and he reportedly weighed only 100 pounds. On May 29, 2010, he passed away in his Los Angeles home at the age of 74.
Dennis Hopper’s Venice Estate Sold for $5 Million
A month after the death of actor and filmmaker Dennis Hopper, his family listed his estate in Venice, California for $6.2 million. Hopper had acquired the first of what became five connected parcels for $21,000 in 1985, and over the years he bought three additional surrounding properties. In 1999, he bought the home next door. However, there were no buyers for the estate and the price was eventually reduced to $5.8 million.
After a few months, the family accepted an offer of $5 million in August 2012. While the final selling price was lower than the initial asking price, it still represented a significant return on Hopper’s investment over the years.
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