The drug routine stayed pretty consistent for all of us. Two theories have circulated about how the Viper Room got its name. And I think that weve all felt his presence and guidance in our lives in numerous ways.. But as Playground to the Starspoints out, despite the evocative name, the Cotton Club had no connection to the wildly famous operation in Manhattan. (Photo Credit: Michael Ochs Archives/ Getty Images), When Samantha saw them out on the street after they were kicked out of the club, Phoenix was convulsing on the pavement outside. Known as the "vegan James Dean," Phoenix's untimely death shocked many who celebrated the actor as an emblem of healthy living and environmentalism. The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty ImagesRiver Phoenix (left) with Liza Minnelli (right) in 1991. And while the Phoenix family reportedly left before the abuse became rampant, River later said that he was raped at the age of four while his family was still active in the cult. The Pussycat Dolls performed at The Viper Room until 2001. The Magic Castle Is Haunted. And during Prohibition, the back rooms of local businesses never quit pouring booze. Newfound respect for the law meant a "last call" for the Last Call, which closed due to "lewd and lascivious" shows, likely featuring drag queens, on April 5, 1951. In Last Night at the Viper Room, acclaimed author and journalist Gavin Edwards vividly recounts the life and tragic death of acclaimed actor River Phoenixa teen idol on the fast track to Hollywood royalty who died of a drug overdose in front of West Hollywood's storied club, the Viper Room, at the age of 23. They very politely handcuffed me and sat me on the curb right outside the Viper Room. 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. Scala Productions/Sluizer FilmsRiver Phoenix in his last film, Dark Blood, which was released nearly 20 years after his death. Unfortunately, his childhood was also full of trauma. A recent slew of development projects along Sunset Boulevard has further exacerbated these concerns. Since then, the club famously owned by Johnny Depphas been known as a hotbed for unsavory activity. Fans have left flowers, candles and notes at the spot where he. As Filthy McNasty's, the establishment attracted eclectic public figures like Elvis Presley, Phyllis Diller, Mick Jagger, Evel Knievel, and Tom Waits. Oops, there was an error sending your message. Meanwhile, he also wanted to ensure that his younger siblings were able to get the education that he was never able to receive. 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. Even though the actor was transported to the hospital, a paramedic said that he was clinically dead when they arrived at the club. By the early 1990s, he had become a Hollywood star albeit one with a serious drug problem. It grew from a farm-to-market route into a vital artery connecting Hollywood to Beverly Hills. Famous for his acting talent as well as his good looks, he seemed like he was destined for greatness. On top of all that, Phoenix was likely still grappling with his traumatic memories of being involved with a cult at an early age. 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. Directors, producers, and silver screen stars demanded luxuries and depravities alike, from exclusive boutiques to high-end cafes, gambling halls to alcohol-fueled speakeasies. The Ghost Who Haunts the Hollywood Sign. In her spare time, Maddy loves playing volleyball, running, walking, and biking, although when she wants to be lazy she loves to read a good thriller. River Phoenix (left) with Liza Minnelli (right) in 1991. Dana Plato Was A Beloved Teen Idol In The '70s And Early '80s Then She Was Found Dead At 34, Researchers In New Zealand Have Identified The Largest Penguin In History, What Stephen Hawking Thinks Threatens Humankind The Most, 27 Raw Images Of When Punk Ruled New York, Join The All That's Interesting Weekly Dispatch. Over the years, mainstream stars including Scarlett Johansson, Christina Aguilera, and Gwen Stefani, appeared with the girl group. Im going back to the bad, bad town, Phoenix said. View The Gallery 1 / 11 Ghost Adventures Crew Visitors to the club today say yes, and the stories that still emanate from this serpentine structure surely corroborate those claims. But River Phoenixs death cast a dark shadow on The Viper Room which haunts the venue to this day. 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. Joaquin), witnessed the heartbreaking event, reports The Guardian, unable to save him despite CPR and a call to 911. The Viper Room's role in rock 'n' roll debauchery gets all the attention. I think I'm OD'ing." 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. The Viper Room Zak and the crew investigate the infamous Viper Room on West Hollywood's Sunset Strip. Columbia PicturesRiver Phoenix in Stand By Me, the 1986 movie that helped make him a star. Local bands, from the Red Hot Chili Peppers to the Pussycat Dolls, made it their spot, according toVariety. But it was River Phoenixs role in the 1986 movie Stand By Me that really got Hollywoods attention. US Ghost Adventures offers entertaining, historic, and authentic ghost tours of the United States Johnny Depp Interviews Hunter S. Thompson at the Viper Room in Los Angeles, California on September 7, 1996. Law enforcement arrested Sam Farkas, Mickey Cohen's bodyguard, according to the Green Bench Monthly, on suspicion of robbery. The iconic music venue was once co-owned by Johnny Depp, and is known for its Rock concerts. Creepy Occult Around Los Angeles. Heartbroken fans soon flocked to the venue to leave flowers and handwritten tributes to the fallen actor. When this waitress started to take a cut from each game, it launched the Viper Room into the realm of organized crime. a lot of fun, finished up doing a double with another lady absolutely blew my mind!!!!. Id talk out loud to her, and shed text me a response. 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. Despite the much-publicized death, the Viper Room persisted as a star-studded hangout throughout the 1990s and early 2000s. Regular attendee and card aficionado, Houston Curtis tells it differently in his book,Billion Dollar Hollywood Heist, as highlighted by the New York Post. Hollywood, Los Angeles, California: 1993 - Tributes to River Phoenix outside The Viper Room - the club owned by Johnny Depp where the 23-year-old actor died on October 31st 'The drug routine . There, River started auditioning which led to some appearances on TV shows. According to Bob Forrest, one of Phoenix's close friends who also happened to be at the Viper Room that night, the group would regularly "smoke crack or shoot coke directly into a vein" then "shoot heroin to get a grip and come down enough to be able to carry on a conversation for a few minutes before you start the cycle again." The Infamous Viper Room. A year-and-half after River Phoenix's tragic death outside the Viper Room, another dark episode unfolded, involving Australian singer Jason Donovan. Despite the much-publicized death, the Viper Room persisted as a star-studded hangout throughout the 1990s and early 2000s. But before Phoenix entered Hollywood, his early life was a humble one and quite unconventional. More from us:The Party Scene Before Social Media Candid Photos of Wild Early 90s Hollywood. 104 Reviews. So they moved around quite a bit with their baby son. Despite blacking out and getting rushed to the hospital, Donovan survived the brush with fate. A runway in the middle of the club permitted dancers to stray throughout the audience performing. The club was also a renowned mobster hangout and as we all know, where theres sketchy history, there are probably ghosts. 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,. So despite its divey and dingey reputation, it was a haven for celebrities to escape the limelight and kick back like civilians. 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. SOME OF THE MOST VIOLENT, STRANGE, AND TRAGIC STORIES FROM JOHNNY DEPPS BAR, THE VIPER ROOM. 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. If they could get beer on tap, get way better bands to perform and for the love get rid of the cheesy smoke machine things would be looking up for The Viper Room. As Donovan later recalled in his memoir, With Johnny [Depp] on guitar, Michael [Hutchence] started to sing the Van Morrison classic Gloria We were halfway through the song, belting out the chorus, when I realized I was about to go. Showing Editorial results for viper room. Watch your inbox for new Haunting Tales and tour updates. Some say Johnny Depp named the place after a Louisiana jazz club, and others say it refers to pot-smoking jazz musicians of that era. She later remembered that something was wrong that night, something I didnt understand. Murders That Go Unsolved. First, smoke crack or shoot coke directly into a vein for that ninety-second, electric brain-bell jangle., Then shoot heroin to get a grip and come down enough to be able to carry on a conversation for a few minutes before you start the cycle again.. As for River, he often played guitar and sang on the streets for money. In 1999, Johnny Depp found himself in the middle of a multi-million dollar lawsuit filed by his business partner Anthony Fox. The next 18 years saw its rise as a mainstay of the L.A. music scene, featuring performances by Billy Ward and the Dominoes, Bobby Troup, Bobby Short, and many more. In 1972, River Phoenixs parents decided to join the Children of God cult. They went into a quieter area and were able to capture voices on tape that Viper Room employee Rita Fiora believed to be River when he said, I get confused.. The redesigned Viper Room. "Twenty years after his death, River Phoenix remains as enigmatic and elusive as ever. Like Phoenix, Donovan maintained a clean-cut image. What could you expect from a night at the Greenwich Village Inn? Though he was wearing shorts, he took the dare, and the window shattered. [25] These are the guys from all corners of the United States that make up the critically-acclaimed Travel Channel hit, Ghost Adventures. But no matter what becomes of the Viper Room down the road, one thing's for sure. Artists from Tom Petty to the Heartbreakers have performed in this iconic space. Then, take a look at the mystery of Natalie Woods death. It shatters and I turn around and there is a cop car sitting right at the red light. Prior to Phoenix's passing, the troubled actor allegedly went on adays-long drug binge with John Frusciante, the notorious drug-addicted guitarist from the Red Hot Chili Peppers. But perhaps the nail in the coffin remains the fact that trendy bands and A-List celebs grace the club less often these days. Mind-Blowing Historic Photos. But a fire engulfed the rear of the building on Jan. 9, 1950, causing $10,000 in damages, writes Playground to the Stars. Photo: Getty Images North America. [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]. (The Viper Room) (Sunset Strip) 19932004 . According to one waitress, she states that the Viper Room regularly hosted games featuring some of Hollywoods most elite stars like DiCaprio, Ben Affleck, and Tobey Maguire. #5 of 35 Nightlife in West Hollywood. Coordinates: .mw-parser-output .geo-default,.mw-parser-output .geo-dms,.mw-parser-output .geo-dec{display:inline}.mw-parser-output .geo-nondefault,.mw-parser-output .geo-multi-punct{display:none}.mw-parser-output .longitude,.mw-parser-output .latitude{white-space:nowrap}34525.7N 118234.8W / 34.090472N 118.384667W / 34.090472; -118.384667. In the 1940s it was converted into a nightclub called the "Cotton Club", entirely unrelated to the Harlem original. The Viper Room in West Hollywood. Mobsters assaulted her after she refused them a percentage, and she was eventually caught and received twelve months of probation. The location itself initially operated as a grocery store from 1921 into the 1940s. In 1995, choreographer Robin Antin put together a modern burlesque group called The Pussycat Dolls. The call was later leaked to news stations. The Viper Room has also been the site of some rather unsavory activity it was a place that put sex, drugs, and rock n roll on a pedestal. Dating back to 1921, it's one of the oldest buildings on The Stripand it didn't start out as a club. On October 31, 1993, River Phoenix died from a drug overdose outside Johnny Depp's nightclub, the Viper Room. River Phoenixs death left a notable void in Hollywood. At the time, the Sunset Boulevard venue was partly owned by Johnny Depp. It is one of the oldest built remaining structures on the Sunset Strip. She has experienced paranormal situations herself with grabby ghosts pulling her leg, and another time when a ghost texted her from a dead number and got upset that she couldnt see her. It started out as a grocery store, but soon turned into a nightclub called The Cotton Club, then the Greenwich Village Inn before becoming The Melody Room in the 1950s. The Viper Room is a nightclub on the sunset strip of West Hollywood, California. (Photo Credit: Denny Keeler/ Getty Images). After all, his former boss was dogged by law enforcement and in and out of prison oncharges of tax evasion. The Sunset Strip openly snubbed its nose at the early 1930s ban on strip clubs in Los Angeles. The exterior of The Viper Room the day after the death of actor River Phoenix. when members of the band the Brian Jonestown Massacre began brawling with each other on stage while performing. [2] In November 1997, Australian rock star Michael Hutchence played his last public performance in the Viper Room, a week before his suicide. In 1973, 8852 Sunset embraced a rock vibe as Filthy McNasty's, enjoying a long line of fascinating clientele, reports Wehoville. 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 . 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.