Las Vegas Weekly

October 30, 2009 · 8:04 AM

Dennis Hopper cancels all travel to fight prostate cancer

By Robin Leach

Oscar winner Helen Mirren and two-time Oscar nominee Dennis Hopper.

Photo: Tao

Our thoughts and prayers this morning are with legendary actor Dennis Hopper, chairman of our CineVegas Film Festival, who has canceled all of his travel plans to battle prostate cancer. The diagnosis was confirmed early today for the 73-year-old screen star, artist and photographer.

Dennis is being treated through a program at USC Medical Center, according to his manager Sam Maydew, who added: “We’re hoping for the best.”

Dennis was hospitalized in New York while visiting there this month. He had just completed filming Season 2 of Starz’s TV version of Crash, the 2006 Oscar-winning movie released in 2004.

Photo: Scott Doctor/www.greatscottstudios.com

Dennis Hopper.

Dennis has canceled travel plans to appear at an exhibition of his photography and artwork at the Australian Center for the Moving Image in Melbourne. The show, “Dennis Hopper & The New Hollywood,” celebrates him as a filmmaker, artist and key figure in the evolution of America’s cultural scene from the 1950s to today.

The star and director of Easy Rider (1969) made his debut in two James Dean movies: Rebel Without a Cause (1955) and Giant (1956). He went on to be hailed for his roles in Apocalypse Now, Hoosiers and Blue Velvet.

He has been married five times, including the monthlong marriage to singer-actress Michelle Phillips. His present marriage to Victoria Duffy began in 1996, and their daughter Gaelin was born in 2003.

Dennis became chairman of our CineVegas Film Festival, which in the past 10 years before its 2010 hiatus had become one of the fastest-growing film festivals in the world. Dennis, beloved by many here in Las Vegas, was responsible for bringing many Hollywood stars here to be honored, including his friends Jack Nicholson, James Caan, Sean Penn, Jon Voight, Sir Ben Kingsley, Angelica Huston, Helen Mirren, Charlize Theron and Holly Hunter.

Photo: Ethan Miller/Getty Images

Robin Leach and Dennis Hopper share a cigar.

At the CineVegas opening night at the Brenden Theatres in the Palms in 2007, Dennis welcomed the cast of Ocean’s Thirteen, including George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Andy Garcia and Ellen Barkin. The screening raised more than $1 million for Don Cheadle’s Not On Our Watch Darfur, Sudan, charity.

In the many years I’ve known Dennis, he has always been the warmest, kindest and most charming of Hollywood superstars. He’s made for wonderful interviews and is a tireless supporter of CineVegas.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to him and his family this morning as he courageously takes on the fight for his health.

Robin Leach has been a journalist for more than 50 years and has spent the past decade giving readers the inside scoop on Las Vegas, the world’s premier platinum playground.

Follow Robin Leach on Twitter HERE.

Follow Vegas DeLuxe on Twitter HERE.

Follow VDLX Editor Don Chareunsy on Twitter HERE.

Share This