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01
Died at 27 years old, making him a member of the 27 Club, which also includes Brian Jones, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Kurt Cobain, and Amy Winehouse.
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02
Morrison’s grave in Paris, France, is reportedly the city’s fourth most popular attraction after the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame and the Louvre.
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03
Is the only performer in rock history to have been arrested on stage during a performance in New Haven, Connecticut on December 10, 1967.
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04
In 1966, before signing a record contract with Elektra Records, he told the band that he would fake his death to increase their notoriety. After Morrison’s death on July 3, 1971, album sales skyrocketed.
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05
Portrayed by Val Kilmer in Oliver Stone’s biopic The Doors 1991. Kilmer did his own singing, and the surviving Doors members could not distinguish his singing voice from Morrison’s.
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06
In 1971, while residing in Paris, he quit drinking, shaved his thick beard and lost a great deal of weight, beginning a cleaner lifestyle. However, reports at the time of death depict him as bloated, possibly due to congestive heart failure.
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07
While on stage he had an outlandish and charismatic persona; offstage he was quiet and shy. According to Ray Manzarek, Morrison once said he never felt comfortable at a party unless another band member was with him.
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08
In 1970, shortly after the deaths of Janis Joplin and Jimi Hendrix, he reportedly told friends at a bar ‘You’re drinking with number three.
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09
After defying Ed Sullivan and using the lyric ‘Girl, we couldn’t get much higher’ during Light My Fire, he and The Doors were never invited back to the show.
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10
His nickname ‘Mr. Mojo Risin’ is an anagram for Jim Morrison.
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11
Longtime girlfriend Pamela Courson died from a heroin overdose on April 25, 1974.
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12
His Georgia-born father, George Morrison January 7, 1919 – November 17, 2008, was a Navy rear admiral who became the youngest admiral in the Navy. He served aboard the aircraft carrier Midway and commanded the fleet during the 1964 Gulf of Tonkin incident. George was aboard the mine-layer Pruitt at Pearl Harbor during the Japanese bombing on December 7, 1941. Though estranged, he expressed pride in Jim’s success a year before his son’s death.
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13
Was inspired by writings of Friedrich Nietzsche, Norman Mailer and Arthur Rimbaud, among others.
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14
Died two years to the day of the death of The Rolling Stones co-founder Brian Jones.
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15
Early in The Doors’ career, he proposed a group policy where all band decisions required unanimous agreement, with each member having veto power. The policy remains in effect for all Doors-related projects.
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16
Resided most of his infamous career in a cheap hotel on La Cienega Boulevard in Los Angeles, California.
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17
Favorite singer was Frank Sinatra.
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18
The Doors were voted the 41st Greatest Artists in Rock n Roll by Rolling Stone.
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19
He once refused to go on stage until an announcer who introduced the band as Jim Morrison and The Doors corrected himself and introduced them as The Doors.
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20
Refused to appear at Woodstock because he was paranoid that someone would take a shot at him as he performed onstage.
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21
His birthday December 8 is also the anniversary of the death of Beatle John Lennon.
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22
Reportedly had an I.Q. of 149. Attended Florida State University before moving to California.
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23
Recorded six studio albums with The Doors, though there have been countless posthumous releases.
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24
Needed special permission to appear at the Isle of Wight festival in England due to his ongoing trial for indecent exposure.
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25
He and The Doors were awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for Recording at 6901 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California.
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26
Originally intended to become a film director.
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27
Posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of The Doors in 1993.
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28
Was a highly skilled swimmer.
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29
During 1965-1966, before The Doors were established, Morrison, camping out on Venice rooftops, would peep on girls changing in neighboring apartments, recording everything in notebooks.
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30
Grew up in Albuquerque, New Mexico and attended nearby Sandia High School before moving.
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31
He greatly resented being seen as the most popular member of The Doors and being given much greater attention than the rest of the band. He was upset when the band’s first compilation album used his face as the cover.
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32
During a concert in the Netherlands with Jefferson Airplane, Morrison was intoxicated and began dancing whirling dervish style during their song Plastic Fantastic Lover. He collapsed and could not perform with The Doors, so Ray Manzarek had to sing.
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33
Before The Doors made their first album, Jim wanted to use the stage name James Phoenix. Keyboardist Ray Manzarek told him, No way.
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34
Girlfriend Pamela Courson opened a boutique financed by Jim called Themis Goddess of light and beauty.
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35
Ranked #7 on VH1’s 100 Sexiest Artists.
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36
Born in Florida, he grew up in Virginia, New Mexico and California.
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37
Was an avid fan of filmmakers Josef von Sternberg and Jean Renoir.
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38
Contrary to popular belief, The Doors did not disband when Morrison passed away. The surviving members released two additional studio albums: Other Voices 1971 and Full Circle 1972.
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39
On December 8, 2010, the 67th anniversary of Morrison’s birth, Florida Governor Charlie Crist and the state clemency board unanimously signed a complete posthumous pardon for Morrison for indecent exposure and profanity during the Miami concert of March 1, 1969.
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40
Had English, with some Scottish, German, and Swiss-German, as well as distant Dutch and French Huguenot, ancestry.
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41
Once married Patricia Kennealy by a Pagan ritual called handfasting. The marriage was never legally recognized, but Patricia changed her last name to Morrison.
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42
Gave only one televised interview, which was in 1970. All band members were present.
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43
Following his death, he was interred at Pere Lachaise Cemetery in Paris, France.
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44
Had a long-term relationship with Pamela Courson but never married.
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45
In June 2013, a fossil analysis discovered a large lizard in Myanmar. The extinct reptile was nicknamed Barbaturex morrisoni in Morrison’s honor. Paleontologist Jason Head said, This is a king lizard, and he was the lizard king, so it just fit.
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46
There has been speculation that Morrison was roughed up by police after he allegedly behaved aggressively toward them. This incident reportedly occurred in 1967 when The Doors were in concert.
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47
For a great deal of time in the recording studio, Morrison would turn up for work in a drunken stupor. His bandmates had to manage without him.
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48
His favorite actor was Jack Palance and his favorite actress was Sarah Miles.
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49
Early on during the band’s success, Morrison already struggled to deal with the hectic touring schedule.
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50
He is mentioned in Renaud’s song ‘P’tite Conne’, the subject of which is actress Pascale Ogier.
