Actor-director and Hollywood bad boy Dennis Hopper, who created the hit 1969 film Easy Rider died today in Venice, Calif. Hopper, who was 74, had been fighting prostate cancer.
He starred in a number of films including Rebel Without a Cause, Apocalypse Now, Hoosiers and Blue Velvet. But after a strong start in the industry, Hopper hit some bumps along the road after earning a reputation for being difficult to work with. He had dealt with drug and alcohol problems for years.
Most recently he was in the headlines after filing for divorce from his fifth wife, Victoria Duffy.
See pictures of Dennis Hopper’s life and career.
Read TIME’s obituary on Dennis Hopper.
—By Frances Romero