Why care that today is 72 year old rehabbed into Republicanism Dennis Hopper's birthday? He cowrote & directed Easy Rider. Admittedly more a period piece than an enduring work, the film's original sound track is one of the best in my library. It features the only song I've ever heard (so far) by the Holy Modal Rounders, the classic Don't Bogart that Joint from the short-lived group Fraternity of Man and this one from the Byrds.

Several lost years, life changes and 17 years later, Hopper played the sick & dangerous Frank Booth in David Lynch's film Blue Velvet, for whom minor character Hector karaoked one of Roy Orbison's best works.