TCM preps Hopper tribute

Fans of the late actor Dennis Hopper don’t have to wait long to watch some of his biggest hits one more time

This Tuesday (June 8), TCM will roll out five films featuring the iconic actor, who succumbed to prostate cancer last week at the age of 74.

Hopper became a symbol for the ’60s counterculture with the 1969 classic “Easy Rider,” only to switch ideological sides years later when a fellow actor, Ronald Reagan, assumed the Oval Office.

But fans will most likely remember his indelible screen persona – a perennially feisty presence you couldn’t tear your eyes away from.

Bravo to TCM for serving up some of his biggest films, rather than trotting out more forgettable features like “Flashback.”

But couldn’t they have found room on the schedule for “Blue Velvet?”

Here’s the lineup courtesy of TCM’s press release:

8 p.m. (ET) “The Sons of Katie Elder” (1965) – Dennis Hopper co-stars with John Wayne and Dean Martin in this rowdy Western about the sons of a frontier woman determined to learn why their mother died penniless.
10:15 p.m. “True Grit” (1969) – Hopper found himself in the presence of “The Duke” once again with this Western about an aged marshal who helps a girl find her father’s killer. John Wayne earned an OscarÒ for his performance.
12:30 a.m. “Rebel Without a Cause” (1955) – Hopper made his film debut as one of the rebellious youngsters in Nicholas Ray’s searing portrait of teen angst. James Dean, Natalie Wood and Sal Mineo star.
2:30 a.m. “Easy Rider” (1969) – Hopper became one of the most iconic figures of his generation with this groundbreaking film about a trio of societal dropouts heading to New Orleans for Mardi Gras. Not only did he direct and star in the film, he also earned an Oscar nomination for his work on the screenplay with co-star Peter Fonda and Terry Southern. Jack Nicholson and Karen Black co-star.
4:15 a.m. “Night Tide” (1963) – Hopper stars as a lonely sailor who falls in love with a mysterious woman who plays a mermaid on the Santa Monica pier. Linda Lawson co-stars in this unique, dreamy drama written and directed by Curtis Harrington.

Update: Yahoo! Movies serves up a slideshow honoring the late actor.

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