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River Phoenix was born River Jude Bottom in Madras, Oregon. His mother, Arlyn (Dunetz), a Bronx-born secretary, and his father, John Bottom, a carpenter, met in California in 1968. They worked as itinerant fruit pickers, and later joined the Children of God religious group (John was originally Catholic, while Arlyn was born Jewish). By the time River was two, they were living in South America, where John was the sect's Archbishop of Venezuela. They later left the group and, in 1977, moved back to the United States, changing their last name to "Phoenix". They lived with River's maternal grandparents in Florida, and later moved to Los Angeles. His parents encouraged all of their children to get into movies and, by age ten, River was acting professionally on TV. His film debut was in Explorers (1985), followed rapidly by box-office successes with Stand by Me (1986) and The Mosquito Coast (1986), and as young Indiana in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989). His role as Danny Pope in Running on Empty (1988) earned him an Academy Award nomination as Best Supporting Actor. His best role was probably Mike, the hustler in My Own Private Idaho (1991).

A dedicated animal-rights activist and environmentalist, River was a strict vegetarian and a member of PeTA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals). River was a talented musician as well as an actor, and he played guitar, sang, and wrote songs for his band, Aleka's Attic, which also included his sister Rain Phoenix, while living in Gainsville, Florida. Although the band never released its own album, their song "Across the Way" can be found on PeTA's "Tame Yourself" album, used to fight animal abuse. River was in the middle of filming Dark Blood (2012), playing the character Boy when he died. The film couldn't be finished due to too many unfilmed crucial scenes. His mother was later sued.

River died of acute multiple drug intoxication involving lethal levels of cocaine and morphine at age 23 outside the Viper Room, Johnny Depp's Los Angeles club.

Appeared in the music video of <a class="ipc-md-link ipc-md-link--entity" href="/name/nm0454481/?ref_=nmwrk">Ben E. King</a>&#39;s song &quot;Stand By Me&quot;.

He features on two songs on the <a class="ipc-md-link ipc-md-link--entity" href="/name/nm1553090/?ref_=nmwrk">Red Hot Chili Peppers</a>&#39; eccentric guitarist <a class="ipc-md-link ipc-md-link--entity" href="/name/nm0996889/?ref_=nmwrk">John Frusciante</a>&#39;s 1997 album &quot;Smile From The Streets You Hold&quot;. The two songs (titled &quot;Height Down&quot; and &quot;Well I&#39;ve Been&quot;) were originally intended for inclusion on John&#39;s first album (1994&#39;s &quot;Niandra La&#39;Des And Usually Just A T-Shirt&quot;) but were removed at the request of River&#39;s family shortly after his death.

(1988) Appeared in a commercial for PETA.

Gained a development deal with Island Records in 1986. Formed the 5-piece progressive folk-rock band Alekas Attic in 1987 with sister <a class="ipc-md-link ipc-md-link--entity" href="/name/nm0681095/?ref_=nmwrk">Rain Phoenix</a>&#39;. The band released two tracks; &quot;Across The Way&quot; on the 1990 PETA benefit album &quot;Tame Yourself&quot; and &quot;Note To A Friend&quot; (featuring <a class="ipc-md-link ipc-md-link--entity" href="/name/nm0281359/?ref_=nmwrk">Flea</a>&#39; from <a class="ipc-md-link ipc-md-link--entity" href="/name/nm1553090/?ref_=nmwrk">Red Hot Chili Peppers</a>&#39; on bass) on the 1996 benefit album &quot;In Defense Of Animals Volume II&quot;. &quot;Too Many Colors&quot; appeared on the soundtrack for &#39;My Own Private Idaho&#39;(1991). Recording album &quot;Never Odd Or Even&quot; AKA &quot;Zero&quot; in summer 1993 which remains uncompleted and unreleased.

Commercials 1980-1982: for Ocean Spray juice, Saks Fifth Avenue and Mitsubishi

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River Phoenix

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