ANOTHER GOODBYE TO ANOTHER GOOD FRIEND

               Born May 17, 1936, Dodge City, Kansas. Countercultural icon, rebel, and longtime Republican, Dennis Hopper is an American actor, filmmaker, a prolific photographer, painter, and sculptor whose works are exhibited worldwide. After the end of World War II, his family moved to Kansas City, Missouri, where the young Hopper attended Saturday art classes at the Kansas City Art Institute taught by Thomas Hart Benton. Ten years before he co-wrote, directed and appeared in the seminal '60s film "Easy Rider," Hopper was first a painter of abstract expressionist work, and he ran with a crowd that included Jasper Johns, Roy Lichtenstein and David Hockney.

His painting style ranges from abstract impressionism to photorealism and often includes references to his cinematic work and to other artists. Hopper struck up a friendship early in his acting career with actor Vincent Price, whose passion for art influenced Hopper's interest in art. One of the first art works Hopper owned was an early print of Andy Warhol's Campbell's Soup Cans bought for $75.

A disastrous fire in Bel Air and Brentwood, Calif., in 1961 consumed nearly 300 of his paintings. It was a near-fatal blow, but from the ashes Hopper took up, in a serious way, black-and-white photography.

Noted writer Terry Southern profiled Hopper in Better Homes and Gardens magazine as an up and coming photographer "to watch" in the mid 1950s. His photography is known for portraits from the 1960s. During this period he created the cover art for the Ike & Tina Turner

album River Deep - Mountain High (released in 1966).  Holding true to his unpredictable style, Hopper jumped ship and voted for Obama in 2008, citing Sarah Palin's V.P. nod, as the reason. These days, the father of 4 viewed himself primarily as artist rather than actor.  Sadly, it was revealed in early 2010 that Hopper was suffering from inoperable and terminal prostate cancer, which was in its latter stages.

All we can say is, its been one hell of a ride.......Thanks for letting us come along!

                        R.I.P. EASY RIDER!      5/29/2010