Breaking the Mold
After a number of years appearing on television and doing small film roles, Hopper co-wrote, directed and starred in Easy Rider. A psychedelic, often rambling story about a cross-country trip on motorcycles, the film surprised many by enjoying box office success and earning its writers an Academy Award nomination for best original screenplay. Made for a not much more than $1 million, the movie also re-wrote the rules of the Hollywood system, by saying that that there were no rules; its success highlighted how out of touch the studios were with the growing youth market.

• Actor-Director Dennis Hopper Dies at 74