Hopper battling prostate cancer

October 31, 2009 10:04:32 AM

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Actor and artist Dennis Hopper is battling prostate cancer, his manager confirmed Friday.

Hopper, 73, is undergoing treatment at the University of Southern California and has cancelled upcoming appearances to concentrate on recovery, his manager Sam Maydew confirmed to AFP.

"We're hoping for the best," Maydew said in an email to AFP.

Hopper had been due to visit Australia next week to oversee the installation of an exhibition in Melbourne titled "Dennis Hopper and the New Hollywood" at the Australian Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI).

Hopper has appeared in several classic films during a career spanning more than half a century. A notable early role came in the James Dean hit "Rebel Without a Cause" in 1955, and he later appeared in 1969's "Easy Rider", "Apocalypse Now" (1979) and "Blue Velvet" (1986).