1969 Indie Hit Ranked Among 'Greatest American Movies' Used Real Drugs

The late, great Dennis Hopper was known for his scene-stealing work in front of the lens, but he also made a name for himself as director.

The first feature film helmed by Hopper, who died in 2010 at age 74, was Easy Rider - and it certainly went down in history.

Released on July 14, 1969, the independent production was a box office success, reportedly making $60 million on a budget of just $400,000. Decades later, the counterculture film is still considered groundbreaking for helping to spark the so-called New Hollywood era that ran rampant in the 1970s.

Currently, Easy Rider can spotted on the American Film Institute's list of 100 Greatest American Movies of All Time. Here's the official synopsis, per Rotten Tomatoes:

Wyatt (Peter Fonda) and Billy (Hopper), two Harley-riding hippies, complete a drug deal in Southern California and decide to travel cross-country in search of spiritual truth. On their journey, they experience bigotry and hatred from the inhabitants of small-town America and also meet with other travelers seeking alternative lifestyles. After a terrifying drug experience in New Orleans, the two travelers wonder if they will ever find a way to live peacefully in America...

Easy Rider also made its stamp on cinema for the incorporation of authentic drugs during production. Per Far Out Magazine, co-star Jack Nicholson once said, while reflecting on the making of Easy Rider, "We were all stoned the night we shot the campfire scene... Each time I did a take or an angle, it involved smoking almost an entire joint."

In a 2009 interview with Extra, Fonda confirmed he was smoking "real pot" with co-stars Nicholson, 89, and Hopper in the memorable campfire scene. There was marijuana on set, but Fonda says not to believe any past rumors about LSD use.

"We did not take LSD, no matter what the rumors say," Fonda told the magazine. "You can't make a movie when you're ripped like that."

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This story was originally published April 29, 2026 at 3:35 PM.