"It wouldn't be cool if anything was found on you by the medics,"he whispered. In 2017, the television ghost-hunting crew Ghost Adventures paid the club a visit. During their investigation, they heard disembodied voices saying Im confused. They told the ticket-booth operator Rita about them, and she claims that this voice belonged to the ghost of River Phoenix, who passed suddenly and tragically at the club. Looking to check out the haunts of Los Angeles for yourself, up close and personal? A piece of West Hollywood history will transition into a multi-use project starting next year. There was almost another near-overdose at The Viper Room in January 1995. Much to the horror of his siblings and girlfriend, he started going into convulsions. Given the history of drugs and rock 'n roll, this is an interesting one to visit. He returned to Los Angeles on October 26, 1993. The Viper Room opened on the Sunset Strip in West Hollywood in 1993. Vintage Pics from the Early 1900s. On the guest list was Australian soap star-turned-singer Jason Donovan, who returned to his hotel room throughout the night to snort lines of cocaine andeventually collapsed with cocaine-induced seizures. However, there are rumors that the new complex will feature original Viper Room memorabilia throughout the building. Parking is $10 in the lot behind the Viper Room or adjoining the Viper Room. I just start spitting at them and cursing them. Sadly, hard drugs and Hollywood nightlife shattered that dream and led to River Phoenixs death on October 31, 1993, at the age of just 23. Sadly, River flatlined before help arrived. Depp was a part-owner in The Viper Room, with his business partner Anthony Fox having the other share. According to witnesses, a tabloid cameraman bore the brunt of the attack after Lee allegedly threw him to the ground, damaging the man's hip. In 1995, choreographer Robin Antin put together a modern burlesque group called The Pussycat Dolls. Joaquin), witnessed the heartbreaking event, reports The Guardian, unable to save him despite CPR and a call to 911. Given the history of drugs and rock n roll, this is an interesting one to visit. I think I'm OD'ing." There were also some traces of Valium, marijuana, and ephedrine found in his system. Situated at 8852 Sunset Boulevard on West Hollywood's celebrated Sunset Strip, The Viper Room began life as a humble grocery store before being converted into a nightclub in 1946. The four guys travel around the globe and go on lockdown from dusk until dawn at various places that we'd never set foot in. His skin reportedly turned grey, and after telling his friend he thought he was overdosing, he collapsed outside of the club in front of his siblings. While filming the movie Dark Blood in Utah and New Mexico, Phoenix had reportedly stayed sober for two months, but sadly, his sobriety did not last. So they moved around quite a bit with their baby son. Before the club is set to be demolished early next year, it is worth remembering the tragic Halloween night nearly 30 years ago - staff claiming ghosts from the past still haunt the venue. It is one of the oldest built remaining structures on the Sunset Strip. GAC investigate the infamous on West Hollywood's . When Slipknot was recording Iowa in Los Angeles, the band spent a night onthe Sunset Strip where they had an unfortunate run-in with the cops. On top of all that, Phoenix was likely still grappling with his traumatic memories of being involved with a cult at an early age. (Photo Credit: Brenda Chase/ Stringer/ Getty Images). The club existed on the site of The Melody Room, formerly owned by gangster Bugsy Siegel in the 1940's. Johnny and musician Chuck E. Weiss went into business with Fox, took 51% ownership in . The passing of Hollywood star River Phoenix cemented the Viper Rooms sordid reputation. After being inside for a bit where he was acting strangely, they went out in front and River began convulsing while his brother called 911. According to Jimmy Cooper, a director atREM Finance, no demolition or development plans currently exist for the site. Famous for his acting talent as well as his good looks, Phoenix seemed like he was destined for greatness. The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty ImagesRiver Phoenix (left) with Liza Minnelli (right) in 1991. In 2004, Depp signed over his share in the Viper Room to Fox's daughter, Amanda, who sold it in 2008 (via NME). Phoenix collapsed outside of the club in front of his brother and sister, Joaquin and Rain Phoenix;Rainsat onRiver's chest to try and stop his convulsing. Photo courtesy of Fllckr, jennyfersure CC-2.0, Given the death of River and the mobster connections, it would make sense for some interesting ghosts to be hanging around. The games took place downstairs, overseen by Molly Bloom, a 26-year-old cocktail waitress. When this waitress started to take a cut from each game, it launched the Viper Room into the realm of organized crime. It wasnt uncommon to see A-list stars, including Charlize Theron, Keanu Reeves, Jennifer Anniston, Pamela Anderson, and a young Leonardo DiCaprio, all rubbing shoulders at The Viper Room on any given evening. Owned by Johnny Depp and Sal Jenco of 21 Jump Street(via the Los Angeles Times), bartenders included Adam Duritz of Counting Crows. Whether rooted in trauma, stress, or the deadly freedom of celebrity, Phoenix eventually turned to cocaine and heroin. I didnt even try to run; I just walked over and put my hands on the hood. Little did the world know how much pressure he was putting on himself. The Viper Room has a reputation for being cursed, and its venom can prove deadly. The mid-1990s and early 2000s proved an especially vibrant time for performers, including Stone Temple Pilots, Pearl Jam, Green Day, Oasis, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Run-DMC, Counting Crows, Johnny Cash, and the Pussycat Dolls. Despite the much-publicized death, the Viper Room persisted as a star-studded hangout throughout the 1990s and early 2000s. LA Curbed reports that the 1.7-mile stretch of Sunset Boulevard comprising the strip lay in an unincorporated region of Los Angeles County, outside of L.A. Police Department jurisdiction. Until February 2009 there was a nightclub with the same name in Melbourne, Australia; it was closed down due to a spate of violent incidents that included two shootings as well as license breaches and the arrest of a co-owner on drug charges. Law enforcement arrested Sam Farkas, Mickey Cohen's bodyguard, according to the Green Bench Monthly, on suspicion of robbery. At the time, the Sunset Boulevard venue was partly owned by Johnny Depp. (Photo Credit: Steinfeldt/ Michael Ochs Archives/ Getty Images). Madeline Hiltz 1/19/2023. Phoenix collapsed outside of the club in front of his brother and sister, Joaquin and Rain Phoenix;Rain. The Viper Room is a nightclub on the sunset strip of West Hollywood, California. He reportedly stayed sober for two months while filming the movie Dark Blood in Utah and New Mexico. Before the untimely death of River Phoenix, he had been struggling with cocaine and heroin abuse. I didnt see anyone doing drugs but he was high in a way that made me feel uncomfortable. Just a couple of hours later, he would be dead. Inaugurated in 1993, owned partly by actor Johnny Depp who is under watch It was established as The Viper Room in 1993 [citation needed] and was partly owned by actor Johnny Depp. Hes having seizures! he shouted. But a fire engulfed the rear of the building on Jan. 9, 1950, causing $10,000 in damages, writes Playground to the Stars. Joaquin desperately said to the 911 operators: Hes having seizures! The Viper Room has undergone several changes in ownership, and continues to host music of multiple genres, including metal, punk rock, and alternative rock. Though the heyday of the Sunset Strip as LA's music mecca's long gone, the Viper Room lives on not just as a historic back-in-the-day hangout spot for Strip icons like Slash and Mtley Cre,. But a tragic event brought the club permanent infamy just two-and-a-half months after opening. Old-time gambler Slim Gordon's Hollywood Boulevard club also felt the heat, as did three other less-than-savory establishments located on the same stretch of turf, the Susie-Q, Bradley's, and the Swing Club. Phoenix had struggled with cocaine and heroin addiction. Theyre ruining peoples lives.. But unlike Phoenix, he regularly used cocaine. In the weeks leading up to his death, River Phoenix had been filming the movie Dark Blood in Utah and New Mexico. The artist was admittedly "hammered" when his friend daredhim to kick his foot through the glass window of the famed LA club. Both have origins in the New Orleans jazz scene of the 1920s and 1930s. Without a body and minimal evidence, the case remains cold. Since then, the club famously owned by Johnny Depphas been known as a hotbed for unsavory activity. Cooper says the company continues to research the "highest and best use" of the property. [9] The club changed hands multiple times between 2004 and 2016; the club is currently owned by Viper Room Holdings, Ltd. CEO James Cooper.[10][11]. After getting booted from Rainbow Bar & Grill for throwing shot glasses at people, front man Corey Taylor took his drunken debauchery across the street to theViper Room. In the early 2000s, the Viper Room was the host to a high-stakes game where a $50,000 buy-in was considered modest. River Phoenix arrived at The Viper Room in the early morning hours of Halloween, along with his girlfriend and younger brother, Joaquin. Despite blacking out and getting rushed to the hospital, Donovan survived the brush with fate. River Phoenixs death left a notable void in Hollywood. By the 1980s, the building had turned into a jazz club called The Central. By the early 90s, the club was close to being closed for good when musician Chuck E. Weiss, who often performed at The Central, encouraged his friend Johnny Depp to buy the building. Since its opening in 1993, the world-famous Viper Room has hosted the likes of Johnny Cash, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Stone Temple Pilots, Bruce Springsteen, Oasis, Queens of The Stone Age, Courtney Love, Natalie Cole, Elvis Costello, Pete Yorn, Lenny Kravitz, Pearl Jam, The Strokes, Weezer, Maroon 5, John Mayer, Iggy Pop and Sheryl Crow, as well as an array of other internationally . After River Phoenixs death, The Viper Room temporarily closed in his honor. Though he was wearing shorts, he took the dare, and the window shattered. Probably most famous for being the site where River Phoenix lost his life, The Viper Room goes back way before that fateful day in 1993 when he collapsed out front. According to an article in Vanity Fair penned by Bloom, she soon took full control of the high-profile games, becoming the mastermind of the operation and inspiring 2017's Molly's Game, starring Jessica Chastain. Many people associate 8852 Sunset with Cohen's headquarters, Michael's Exclusive Haberdashery, although the haberdashery sat one block east at 8804 Sunset. The properties total 38,000 square feet of land and 16,000 square feet of parking space, an attractive location for development in an otherwise land-poor city. The "Strip-Capades" represented uninterrupted, risqu marathons five hours in length and seven days per week. Over the years, mainstream stars including Scarlett Johansson, Christina Aguilera, and Gwen Stefani, appeared with the girl group. Mar 29, 2022. I tried to steady myself but my legs buckled under me and I fell to the floor.". I went on a tour that went past the Viper Room at one point and the tour guide gave out tickets to the venue (I couldn't go because not 21 but kept the ticket). Meanwhile, he also wanted to ensure that his younger siblings were able to get the education that he was never able to receive. It was established as The Viper Room in 1993[citation needed] and was partly owned by actor Johnny Depp. Two of Phoenixs siblings, Joaquin and Rain, were also in attendance. That same year, River Phoenix died of a drug overdose right outside the club. The music venue quickly became a gathering spot for. By the decade's end, the Greenwich Village Inn closed, and the Rue Angel briefly filled its spot. And Depp found himself embroiled in a multi-million dollar lawsuit filed by Fox, who alleged Depp conspired with four other individuals to commit fraud. On the surface, everything looked tame. a lot of fun, finished up doing a double with another lady absolutely blew my mind!!!!. Donovan eventuallyturned his life around,at least partially due to the encouragement of Johnny Depp, who recommended the singer"take it easy in the future. Beginning in 2005, the Viper Room housed some of Hollywood's highest-stakes poker games (via Time), with buy-ins starting at $5,000 and often going much higher. The poker ring inspired the 2017 movie Molly's Game, starring Jessica Chastain. It grew from a farm-to-market route into a vital artery connecting Hollywood to Beverly Hills. [1] The club became known for being a hangout of the young Hollywood elite, and was the site where actor River Phoenix died of a drug overdose on the night before Halloween in 1993. With a famous owner, the tragic death of a beloved actor, and the unsolved disappearance of a business partner, the nightclub is filled with sinister energy. They soon changed their last name to Phoenix, converted to veganism, and moved to California. Cuando se inaugur, el 14 de agosto de 1993, The Viper Room era el lugar ms popular de la ciudad. I think I'm OD'ing." The exterior of The Viper Room the day after the death of actor River Phoenix. Messed Up Things That Happened At The Viper Room, University of Southern California Libraries. 104 Reviews. The Ghost Who Haunts the Hollywood Sign. In theory, at least, The Viper Room will re-emerge from the rubble. "Have you got anything on you?" The new businesses will be joined by a . he kept asking me. [18] In 1997, the Viper Room was also a place of a few early solo live performances by John Frusciante at the time of his bad physical condition caused by drug abuse. By the late 1920s, the market, neighborhood, and winding "County Strip" thoroughfare became the site of transformation, according to Playground to the Stars. 373K views, 4.8K likes, 1K loves, 474 comments, 1K shares, Facebook Watch Videos from BuzzFeed Unsolved: This infamous club on Sunset Boulevard has been home to countless famous faces in its nearly. Scala Productions/Sluizer FilmsRiver Phoenix in his last film, Dark Blood, which was released nearly 20 years after his death. And sadly, these two drugs would spell his end at The Viper Room. Getty ImagesBefore the untimely death of River Phoenix, he had been struggling with cocaine and heroin abuse. Despite the hullabaloo, the subcommittee's recommendations went unheeded for one very intimidating reason the influence of organized criminals, including Bugsy Siegel and Mickey Cohen. Daily traffic increases justified paving the highway as the surrounding neighborhood evolved into a celebrity playground. As for River, he often played guitar and sang on the streets for money. But theres a chick ghost too, she was texting me once from a dead number. But River Phoenixs death cast a dark shadow on The Viper Room which haunts the venue to this day. From 1951 to 1969, 8852 Sunset operated as The Melody Room, owned by brothers Pete and Billy Snyder, according toVisit West Hollywood. The other part owner was Sal Jenco who starred in 21 Jump Street with Depp. In 1972, River Phoenixs parents decided to join the Children of God cult. [12] Another "Viper Room" in Portland, Oregon, has also been told to stop using the name under threat of a trademark lawsuit, with the Viper Room's former owner claiming "Every dollar they make is the result of using our name. She is passionate about Princess Diana, the Titanic, the Romanovs, and Egypt amongst other things. But the so-called "Poker Princess" ducked prison time, according to the New York Daily News, and still fondly recalls her lucky break at the Viper Room. The Viper Room is also featured in the 2004 documentary Dig! Friends knew that River Phoenix had been abusing drugs, but his fatal overdose still came as a shock to many people. Famous for his acting talent as well as his good looks, he seemed like he was destined for greatness. A celebrated rock 'n' roll dive As the oldest of five children including Oscar-winning actor Joaquin Phoenix River had perhaps the most bohemian childhood of them all. In addition to the drama Phoenix, one of the former co-owners, Anthony Fox, died in his office in 2001, while Michael Hutchence and Timothy Leary both died shortly after performing within the walls of the Viper. Published Jan 15, 2019. To see such a promising young actor die so suddenly was heartbreaking, especially for his loved ones. The Creepiest LA Ghost Stories. I tried to speak but couldn't. YouTubeThis memorial in Arcadia, California was dedicated by Iris Burton the talent agent who discovered Phoenix. In its place will be a 12-story mixed-use high rise at the corner of Sunset and Larrabee in West Hollywood. The city's growing pains came with a resurgence of interest in the unincorporated Sunset Strip's dealings and increasing public scrutiny. Tragedy struck shortly after The Viper Room opened when actor River Phoenix died outside the nightclub on October 31, 1993. Tickets: $25 . Soon, the Viper Room's siren call attracted a steady stream of A-Listers and music legends. That fateful night, a bouncer had escorted Phoenix outside the nightclub where he instantly dropped to the ground. HOME PLAYMATES RATES DISCRETION TOUR SCHEDULE WHAT'S HAPPENING A few days later, on October 30, 1993, River decided to visit The Viper Room with his girlfriend Samantha Mathis, his brother Joaquin Phoenix, and his sister Rain Phoenix. In early 1995, Australian singer and actor Jason Donovan suffered a drug-induced seizure at the club, but survived, as well as singer Courtney Love, who was given CPR by Depp after an overdose. Since its stellar opening in 1993, the world-famous Viper Room (also known as Johnny Depp's joint) has hosted the likes of Johnny Cash, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Stone Temple Pilots, Bruce Springsteen, Oasis, Queens of The Stone Age, Courtney Love, Natalie Cole, Elvis Costello, Pete Yorn, Lenny Kravitz, Pearl Jam, The Strokes, Weezer, Maroon 5, John Mayer, Iggy Pop and Sheryl Crow, as . River Phoenix's tragic death cemented the Viper Room's infamous reputation. She loves spending quality time with her friends, family, and puppy Luna! His truck was found 19 days later, but his body was never recovered. Located on the Sunset Strip, the historic nightclub was first established in 1993 and originally co-owned by Johnny Depp, business partner Anthony Fox and Sal Jenco, who starred in "21 Jump. Johnny Depp Was Blamed For River Phoenix's Death. The club changed its name to "The Poison Room" on January 1, 2006, after they were told by the West Hollywood Viper Room to stop using the name. Then, take a look at the mystery of Natalie Woods death. He holds dual bachelor's degrees from Pace University and a master's degree from New York University. The Viper Room's latest feature has been in the series Pam & Tommy (featuring Lily James and Sebastian Stan), which details an altercation between Tommy Lee and two other bathroom goers, confirming the bar's popularity amongst the rock scene in the early nineties which still continues through to this day. The location was originally a grocery store, from 1921 into the 1940s. Jun 24, 2022 11:18 AM EDT In 1993, young Hollywood movie star River Phoenix's life was tragically cut short as he overdosed on drugs at the notorious nightclub The Viper Room. His brother, Joaquin, called 911. Maddy Hiltz is someone who loves all things history. Advertisements urged visitors to "Take a Trip to the Strip" for entertainment by the Phil Moore Four. Certainly, for me, it felt like it impeded the mourning process, right? Joaquin said, adding that he soon began to think of his late brother as the ultimate inspiration for his acting. SOME OF THE MOST VIOLENT, STRANGE, AND TRAGIC STORIES FROM JOHNNY DEPPS BAR, THE VIPER ROOM. Since then, the club famously owned by Johnny Depp has been known as a hotbed for unsavory activity. In 1969, it became "Filthy McNasty's". Known as the "vegan James Dean," Phoenix's untimely death shocked many who celebrated the actor as an emblem of healthy living and environmentalism. I didnt see anyone doing drugs but he was high in a way that made me feel uncomfortable I was in way over my head. On the evening of October 30, Mathis went to the bathroom. By 1978, Phoenixs parents had grown disillusioned with the group and returned to the United States. Despite River Phoenixs tragic death outside the nightclub, it continued to be a hotspot for celebrities throughout the 1990s and into the early 2000s. It changed hands and took on various different incarnations over the years, including a stint as a strip club owned by mobster Mickey Cohen.
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