When I heard that Dennis Hopper had died, my first thought was, “We won’t see his likes again.”
 Much has been written about Dennis (meet him for five minutes and he insists on first names), but what hasn’t been said is how genuine and kind he was.
 It was early 2004 and we had met, unexpectedly, at Ago, the trendy restaurant on L.A.’s Melrose Avenue.  The restaurant was crowded, noisy, and vibrating with energy of the celebrities, who were at home in the place owned by a consortium which included Robert DeNiro.
 Suddenly, I recognized a familiar voice. I turned and there was Dennis Hopper at the next table, close enough to touch. “Hey Dennis,” I said. “How’s it going?” I had spoken to him at many Hollywood events and he always greeted me as if he remembered every time.
Photo of Mr. Hopper by: Alice O’Neill