River Phoenix : A Short Life

In the early hours of 31 October 1993, a young actor collapsed and died outside a club on Sunset Strip, Los Angeles. His name was River Phoenix and he was 23 years old. Supposedly vehemently anti-drug, pro-environment, and clean-living, this screen idol had died of an apparently self-administered overdose of a lethal cocktail of drugs. This is the first biography of this talented but tragic young star. It explores the contradictions of a life that encompassed the hippy philosophy of his unconventional parents and the abnormal pressures of child stardom. His performance in Sidney Lummet's "Running on Empty" and in "My Own Private Idaho" established his credentials as a serious actor with the potential for greatness - a promising career cut short.