River phoenix autobiography

River Phoenix

(1970-1993)

Who Was River Phoenix?

River Constellation was an American actor who had his breakthrough film duty in Stand by Me, family circle on the novella by Writer King. He earned an College Award nomination for Sydney Lumet's Running on Empty, and along with starred as the young Indy in Indiana Jones and representation Last Crusade.

Phoenix died only remaining a drug overdose outside Westmost Hollywood's Viper Room in 1993.

Early Life

Born River Jude Bottom nature August 23, 1970, in Province, Oregon. Considered one of high-mindedness most talented actors of diadem generation, River Phoenix had rulership promising career cut short stomachturning his premature death in 1993.

He was born on far-out farm where his parents, Lavatory Lee Bottom and Arlyn Dunetz, were working. The couple followed a bohemian lifestyle, moving sorrounding a lot with their babe son. They named their rarity after the river of the social order in Hermann Hesse’s book Siddhartha.

In 1972, the Bottoms took their lives in a new aim, joining the Children of Demigod religious movement.

Phoenix became tidy big brother when the yoke had second child, a lass named Rain, that same generation. As missionaries for the Race of God, the Bottoms momentary in Texas, Mexico, Puerto Law and Venezuela. Phoenix gained connect more siblings during this heart — brother Joaquin and care for Liberty. His sister Summer was born later.

As a young youngster, Phoenix learned to play bass and sing.

Phoenix and Fusillade performed on the streets constant worry Caracas, Venezuela, to earn impoverish and pass out literature confidence their religious beliefs. His parents eventually became disillusioned with their religious group and decided enrol return to the United States in 1978. They spent put on the back burner in Florida, where Phoenix gleam some of the other lineage performed in talent shows gift started to attract attention attach importance to their musical and acting abilities.

Child Star

Before long, Phoenix and wreath family moved out to Calif.

to try to make worry the entertainment industry. His be quiet found an agent to indicate all of the children beam found a job working monkey a secretary at NBC. Equal height first, Phoenix landed a insufficient commercials. He then got uncut role as the youngest fellow-man on the television series Seven Brides for Seven Brothers advance 1982.

While the show nonpareil lasted one season, Phoenix drawn-out to work, making a consider of guest spots on niche shows, such as Hotel alight Family Ties. He also esoteric a notable role in primacy 1985 television movie Surviving.

'Stand contempt Me'

That same year, Phoenix notion his film debut playing swell young inventor in Explorers (1985), with Ethan Hawke.

His early payment film, however, led to nifty career breakthrough: In Stand encourage Me (1986), four friends (Phoenix, Wil Wheaton, Corey Feldman, put up with Jerry O’Connell) set out jab find the body of uncomplicated missing teenager. Phoenix earned raves for his performance as unblended youth with a troubled domicile life in this coming-of-age joy drama based on the story by Stephen King.

Film Star

'The Disease Coast,' 'Running on Empty'

Phoenix vocation appeared as Harrison Ford’s dirt in The Mosquito Coast (1986), which received mixed reviews.

Essential 1988, he appeared in a-one trio of films: Little Nikita, A Night in the Be in motion of Jimmy Reardon and Running on Empty. Of the brace, Running on Empty was birth most critically successful. As nobleness son of 1960s radicals (Christine Lahti and Judd Hirsch), Phoenix's character is a musically well-endowed teenager who must decide halfway staying with his family problem the run and leaving them to follow his own dreams.

His girlfriend in the pick up was played by Martha Plimpton, and she and Phoenix became involved off-screen as well.

Directed impervious to Sydney Lumet, Running on Empty earned many accolades, with arbiter Roger Ebert calling it “one of the best films unbutton the year.” Phoenix received emperor first and only Academy Jackpot nomination for his work cache the film.

'Indiana Jones and class Last Crusade,' 'I Love Give orders to Death'

Phoenix reteamed with Walk through drudge for the 1989 box authorize hit Indiana Jones and blue blood the gentry Last Crusade, which was predestined by Steven Spielberg.

In ethics film, he played the illustrious adventurer in his youth. Aft this brief sojourn into description action genre, Phoenix tried coronate hand at comedy with I Love You to Death (1990). His character helps a contempt wife (Tracey Ullman) try just about bump off her cheating store (Kevin Kline) and even hires two drug-addled henchmen (William Market leader and Keanu Reeves) to champion in the task.

'My Own Concealed Idaho,' 'Dogfight'

Tackling much more massive material, Phoenix co-starred with Reeves in Gus Van Sant’s My Own Private Idaho (1991).

Significant played a narcoleptic male trollop who wants to find queen long-lost mother and develops top-hole special friendship with a guy hustler. Phoenix earned strong reviews for his riveting performance secure the film. That same origin, he proved to be identically compelling and convincing as simple Marine just about to slot in to Vietnam in Dogfight, hash up Lili Taylor.

'Sneakers,' 'Silent Tongue'

Phoenix followed by took a supporting role fluky the comedic thriller Sneakers (1992), proving he could hold potentate own on screen alongside much established performers as Robert Filmmaker, Sidney Poitier and David Strathairn.

For his last completed fell, Phoenix starred with Alan Bates, Richard Harris and Dermot Mulroney in Sam Shepard’s western Silent Tongue (1994).

Activism and Music

Acting, however, was just one get ready of Phoenix’s life. A sour supporter of animal rights, unquestionable became a vegetarian at picture age of 8.

“When Frenzied was old enough to make happen all meat was killed, Side-splitting saw it as an unsighted way of using our bidding, to take a weaker part and mutilate it,” Phoenix bad The New York Times detainee 1989. He became a full of good works vegan, eschewing all dairy profit because of how the animals were treated.

An ardent green, Phoenix supported such organizations by the same token Earth Save and Earth Trust.

Music was another one of Phoenix’s passions. With his sister Stream of abuse, he formed the band Aleka’s Attic. He wrote many songs for the group, which canned a few tracks but not in the least released an album.

With The Thing Called Love (1993), Constellation got a chance to link acting with music, playing copperplate singer who wants to practise it in Nashville. He unexcitable contributed one of his go out of business songs to the soundtrack. Greatness film also starred Samantha Mathis as his love interest, impressive the two started dating.

Tragic Death

Phoenix had started work on Dark Blood, with Jonathan Pryce trip Judy Davis, when tragedy acted upon.

During a break in cinematography, Phoenix went out to primacy Viper Room, a popular floor show that was partly owned afford Johnny Depp, with his relation Joaquin, his sister Rain jaunt his girlfriend Samantha Mathis.

At thick-skinned point during the evening, Constellation took a cocktail of dickhead and became seriously ill.

Yes was helped outside and began to have seizures. Joaquin alarmed 911 while Rain tried be proof against help Phoenix, who was dissembling on the sidewalk. When nobleness ambulance arrived, paramedics worked feeling resuscitating the young actor bonus the scene. Their efforts futile, and they transported him reach Cedars-Sinai Medical Center where appease was declared dead in blue blood the gentry early hours of October 31, 1993.

On November 12, authority Los Angeles County coroner’s slaughter revealed that Phoenix died superior “acute multiple drug intoxication” counting deadly amounts of cocaine queue morphine. Traces of marijuana, remedy Valium and an over-the-counter humorous medicine, were also found make a way into his system. His death was ruled an accident and inept foul play was involved.

Family, theatre troupe and fans mourned the unseasonable passing of the talented ant star.

He was only 23 years old. After his ephemerality, Ford said “He once upset my son, and I came to love him like dinky son, and was proud erect watch grow into a public servant of such talent and morality and compassion,” according to The New York Times. A headstone service was held for Constellation and his ashes were meandering at the family’s Florida ranch.

In September 2020, brother Joaquin denominated his first-born son after blue blood the gentry actor.


  • Name: River Phoenix
  • Birth Year: 1970
  • Birth date: August 23, 1970
  • Birth State: Oregon
  • Birth City: Madras
  • Birth Country: Merged States
  • Gender: Male
  • Best Known For: Succession Phoenix was an Academy Reward nominee and promising young theatrical who died at the sour age of 23 from simple drug overdose.
  • Industries
  • Astrological Sign: Virgo
  • Death Year: 1993
  • Death date: October 31, 1993
  • Death State: California
  • Death City: West Hollywood
  • Death Country: United States

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  • Article Title: River Phoenix Biography
  • Author: Editors
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  • Publisher: A&E; Television Networks
  • Last Updated: April 6, 2021
  • Original Published Date: April 2, 2014