After Jim's Death

[cooperiser]

Hi Vince.

In Jerry Hopkins' book, 'The Lizard King ,the essential Jim Morrison', Jerry refers to several rumours around 1971-1973, that Jim was indeed alive. Do you remember hearing any such rumours at the time? What was the general feeling amongst the Doors family about all this? I ask this question as I feel that Hopkins is being slightly michevious by including this information in the book.

I'm thoroughly enjoying this Forum Vince and thanks for making yourself available to us all as it's not often (if ever) that you can ask questions of someone who was actually there.

[vince]

After Jim does Jerry Hopkins went to anyone who had loked at the Doors, who had even heard the name DOORS, and interviewed them. He asked questions that would elicit answers he needed or wanted to know. He ocmplied all of this material into a book. That was at first refused by publishers and languished for some time. Sugarman came along and under his name got the book published.

I had great respect for Hopkins for two reason - He seemed to be sincere and thorough.

Whether Sugarman tampered with the book, making it into his image of Jom and what the Doors stood for is very much a question. I would seem so based on the data that Hopkins got from the really important people that he talked to. However, there were some very questionable statements made in that book which leads one to believe they could only have come from Hokins notes.

What is all this soliloquy about - Hopkins original and second book.

That jerry would mention that there were rumprs about Jim being dead is one thing. How those rumors were presented may be quite another and it is for this reason that I wonder what all this is about.

There is no doubt in any sane persons mind that Morrison is dead. There were witnesses to his body, there is a police report and there was a burial of a coffin. Needless to say that his body - his rotting corpse - was, after 3 or 4 days sitting in a tub in a hot Paris apartment - certainly in no condition to be viewed even is someone had demanded to open the sealed coffin.

There is circumstantil evidence that Jim no longer exists - his Estate is shared by his parents. He has no means of earning a living - what do you do with s fat, aged, drug soaked alcohlic 30 years after his heyday. How does he earn a loving?

That he would mention such rumors is about a stupid as rediculous, as absurd as including a statement by a dimwitted blonde that I tried to take over management of the Doors after Bill had been given the job.

Of course I heard those same rumors. So did many people. Those of us, including the surviving Doors, were surprised that any such rumors were started by anyone with half a brain, and that any one who heard such a rumor could even begin to belive it. We said then what I say not - Jim is dead and any rumor to the contrary is nothing more than a lie created only with the intention of making the speaker look good.

With such orresponsibility presented in the first book, I could blame it on Sugarman. But to even mention that there were rumors that Jim is alive is sheer irresponsibility. sensation seeking and makes me really skeptical of Hopkins intention right from the start in 1971.

Jim is dead. Only someone who has to be so gullible as to be mindless could believe otherwise - even to entertain the though is stupid.

One must ask why Jim would stage his own death. He could not write or publish his so called poetry, he could not share in his estate in any way, he could not act on stage or in films, he could not make films. He could not do anything that would attract attention to himself. He could not renew his passport and would, therefore, by no longer a citizen of the USA or his has been illegal somewhere for a long time. Certainly. he could not cross international bounderies until recently.

Utterly rubbish - Stupid. Unbelievable, incredible, fantastic. Horsefeathers, Wilbur.

[Chris M]

What disgusts me is that Ray STILL perpetuates this "is Jim still alive" BS. He intimated as much in an interview a few years ago.

[jim4371]

What's really funny is that he wrote a goddamn book about it, took his money, and began denying the whole thing.
Same as when he finally realized he wasn't gonna be able to keep calling his band The Doors of anything, he went from

"The guy who put together the band and plays keyboards is performing with the guy who wrote 'Light My Fire,' 'Love Me Two Times' and 'Love Her Madly.' If we're not the Doors, then who is?"

to

Manzarek is insistent that they not be presented as a new incarnation of his old band. "That was pretty mandatory. It's not the Doors," he elaborates. "But it's Ray and Robbie from the Doors."

Oy vey.


Jim Morrison's death has always been shrouded in mystery. Do you still have any doubts that he's buried at Pere Lachaise cemetery?

None. I never did.

[vince]

There is no way that Jim alive. It is regrettable for the Groups, for those who worked with them, for those who supported their efforts. Jim is dead and he is buried at te French Cemetary.

If Jim were alive what would he do to earn a living. He never worked a day in his life.

What can an ex singer do to earn money.

He cound not singe for another group.
He could not write and publish poetry
He could not travel because of an expired passport.
He could not perform in any play or review
He could not make public appearances of any kind.
He could not collect any royalties from his past work with the Doors.
He would have to keep silent and see his family collect his royalties.

So what would he do for a means of gaining income. Surely no one would support him indefinitely and with no chance of compensation.