River phoenix book biography
River Phoenix
American actor (1970–1993)
River Jude Phoenix (né Bottom; August 23, 1970 – October 31, 1993) was an American actor. Phoenix was known as a teen actor before taking on leading roles in critically acclaimed films. He received numerous accolades, including the Volpi Cup and the Independent Spirit Award as well as nominations for an Academy Award and Golden Globe Award.
Phoenix grew up in an itinerant family, as the older brother of Rain Phoenix, Joaquin Phoenix, Liberty Phoenix and Summer Phoenix. He began his acting career at age 10 in television commercials. His early film roles include Explorers (1985), Stand by Me (1986) and The Mosquito Coast (1986). Phoenix made a transition into more adult-oriented roles earning a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in the Sidney Lumet drama Running on Empty (1988). He earned the Volpi Cup for Best Actor and the Independent Spirit Award for Best Male Lead for his performance as Michael Waters, a gay hustler in search of his estranged mother in the Gus Van Sant drama My Own Private Idaho (1991).
Phoenix died at age 23 from combined drug intoxication in West Hollywood in the early hours of Halloween, 1993, having overdosed on cocaine and heroin (a mixture commonly known as speedball) at The Viper Room.
Early life
Phoenix was born on August 23, 1970, in Madras, Oregon, the first child of Arlyn Dunetz and John Lee Bottom. He had four younger siblings, Rain (born 1972), Joaquin (born 1974), Liberty (born 1976) and Summer (born 1978), as well as a paternal half-sister, Jodean (born 1964). Phoenix's parents named him after the river of life from the Hermann Hesse novel Siddhartha, and he received his middle name from the Beatles' song "Hey Jude". In an interview with People, Phoenix described his parents as "hippieish".
His mother, Arlyn, was born in New York to Jewish
River Phoenix: A Short Life
The book follows River's birth by 'society-free' parents and his early nomadic existence (acutely noting it's formative influence on his naturalistic acting style) up to his early TV appearances and thus, his 'Hollywood' movies themselves. The narrative is always balanced by River's own testimonials at the time and reflections from those that knew him at equal periods in his life.
It briefly skims over his family's involvement with the Children Of God (which, if what I'm since led to believe, played a far larger part in his psyche than admitted) and does a good job of convincing the reader that, in many ways, River was just as serious about music as he was about acting.
The overall consensus from onlookers, fans, family and personal friends was that River was perhaps too innocent and too sensitive to swim in the shark infested waters of Hollywood and rock and roll and remain un-bitten for long. That the end for this 'clean living, nature activist' came through drugs is unfortunately how the media will remember him. To the movie going world, River Phoenix will be remembered as an extraordinary talent that expired before he had a chance to truly bloom.
This is a very interesting read that gives equal space to River's personal life as well as his professional one and it intrigued me - and it continues to do so.
River Phoenix: The Biography - Softcover
River Phoenix: The Biography
John Glatt
Published by Piatkus Books, 1995
ISBN 10: 0749915110 / ISBN 13: 9780749915117
Used / Paperback
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