Dennis Hopper ordered to pay wife

Apr 6, 2010, 16:36 GMT

Dennis Hopper has been ordered to pay his estranged wife $12,000 a month.

The 73-year-old actor - who is suffering from terminal prostate cancer - was not in court yesterday (05.04.10) to hear Superior Court Judge Amy Pellman rule that he must pay Victoria Duffy $8,000 a month in spousal support and $4,000 in child support for their seven-year-old daughter Galen.

Against the wishes of the 'Easy Rider' star - whose legal team described him as "desperately ill" - the judge also ruled that Victoria, his wife of 14 years, can continue to live on the actor's compound in Venice, California, until the details of their divorce are finalised.

The rulings come after months of arguments between the former couple - which has seen Victoria allege the actor's three children from previous marriages have turned him against her and want her to be cut from his will, while Dennis applied for a court order that ensured his 42-year-old spouse must stay at least 10ft away from him in order to eliminate unnecessary stress.

During the hearing, the judge told both sides there need to be "street-cleaning on both sides of this street," pointing out that Galen needs to prepare for the loss of her father.

She added: "Having her extended family in a war with her mother is not in her best interests."

Another hearing on how to divide the actor's life insurance policy will take place next month.