The Viper Room: The club where River Phoenix died

This is the club where Hollywood actor River Phoenix died.

It is called the Viper Room, and it is located at 8852 Sunset Boulevard in West Hollywood, California.

Background

During the 1970s and 1980s, it was a successful jazz club called The Central. However, it began experiencing financial difficulties after its popularity waned in the early 1990s.

When actors Johnny Depp and Sal Jenco learned from a friend that The Central was shutting down, they reasoned that they should purchase the venue and redevelop it into something new.

In 1993, the pair reopened it as the Viper Room.

Due to Depp's fame, it instantly became a trendy spot where the young actors and musicians of Hollywood could hang out without having to worry about the paparazzi.

River Phoenix

On the night of October 30th, 1993, River Phoenix attended the club with his girlfriend, Samantha Mathis, his brother, Joaquin, and his sister, Rain.

Phoenix had struggled with substance abuse issues since the late 1980s. However, in the months leading up to his death, he had stayed sober by focusing his energy on his latest movie, Dark Blood, which was being filmed in Utah.

Unfortunately, he quickly relapsed when he returned to Hollywood on October 26th, 1993. Following his return, he reportedly went on a "drug binge" with Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist John Frusciante.

Although his girlfriend didn't see him taking any drugs that night, she did notice that there was something off about him.

Mathis believed that he may have been high. However, she had very little experience with that kind of lifestyle. Consequently, she chose not to say anything.

Unbeknownst to Mathis, her boyfriend had taken a large quantity of heroin and cocaine, as well as other substances.

At one point during the night, Phoenix told punk rock singer Bob Forrest that he was overdosing. When Forrest offered to give him a ride home, the actor declined and claimed that he was starting to feel better.

Shortly afterwards, Phoenix got into an altercation with another man. When a bouncer noticed the incident, he separated the two men and escorted them out the side door of the nightclub.

After seeing her boyfriend being thrown out, Mathis went outside to find out what was happening. While they were standing on the sidewalk, Phoenix suddenly collapsed on the ground and started convulsing.

Because the bouncer had shut the side door, Mathis had to run around to the main entrance and reenter the club from the front.

Once inside, she pushed her way through the crowds and located Phoenix's brother, Joaquin.

Joaquin, who was understandably shocked and upset, called 911 and sobbed down the phone, begging them to get there quickly.

When news of the incident reached Phoenix's friends inside the club, they began to pile out onto the sidewalk. By that point, the paramedics had arrived and were attempting to save the actor, who was unresponsive and turning blue.

When CPR failed, the paramedics put him in the ambulance and raced to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center on Beverly Boulevard.

Despite their best efforts, the doctors at Cedars-Sinai were unable to save his life.

At exactly 1.51 a.m. on October 31st, 1993, River Phoenix was pronounced dead at the age of 23.