Known for his unpredictable personality, his scandalous performances, and his debaucherous partying, Jim Morrison was one of the most untamed rock stars of the 1960s.
The counterculture movement had yet to fully blossom at this point, while the native Floridian attended school in Alexandria, Virginia.Archive Photos/Getty Images
The inebriated 19-year-old had stolen a cop's helmet during the incident on September 28, 1963. While he tried to stay out of handcuffs, he was unsuccessful.Public Domain
As the story goes, the two met during one of the first shows that The Doors ever performed in Los Angeles in 1965 — two years before the band's debut album hit the scene.Estate of Edmund Teske/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
Crowds cheered and sang along, unaware that 1967 would be remembered forever as the Summer of Love.Elaine Mayes/Getty Images
The string of shows would start at The Roundhouse in London on September 6, 1968, and end at the Konserthuset in Stockholm, Sweden two weeks later.Len Trievnor/Daily Express/Getty Images
They're seen here posing for a photo shoot at the Bronson Caves in Hollywood, California four years later.Estate of Edmund Teske/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
The band would hold a local press conference later that day at the city hall to promote the next evening's concert.Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
The singer had been ordered to appear before the U.S. Commissioner for extradition proceedings to Florida, after he allegedly exposed himself at a Miami concert in 1969. He had been charged with lewd and lascivious behavior, indecent exposure, profanity, and more as a result.
Ultimately, he avoided the most serious charge, but he was still found guilty of indecent exposure and open profanity. Luckily for him, he was soon released on a $50,000 bond.Bettmann/Getty Images
He would tragically be found dead in the bathtub of a Paris apartment he shared with his girlfriend in 1971.Estate of Edmund Teske/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
This photo was captured nearly two decades after Morrison died of heart failure on July 3, 1971.
While no autopsy was ever undertaken, it's believed his death was brought on by a particularly strong batch of heroin.Barbara Alper/Getty Images
Few rock stars have ever reached the same level of fame as Jim Morrison. But despite his superstardom, The Doors frontman still exuded an aura of a local barfly throughout his iconic but tragically short career. And these famous Jim Morrison pictures are all the proof you need.
Crowning himself the "Lizard King," Morrison embodied the counterculture of the 1960s. Embracing the sexual revolution and the antiwar movement, he created a mystical persona that thrilled his adoring fanbase.
In 1967, Jim Morrison's band released their self-titled debut album The Doors and quickly skyrocketed to fame with hits like "Light My Fire." Though Morrison enjoyed his newfound star power — and the sex, drugs, and rock 'n' roll that came with it — he also struggled with his sudden fame.
Long a heavy drinker, Morrison soon became more dependent on alcohol than ever before — and began to use drugs more frequently. When the perils of fame became too overwhelming, he and his girlfriend Pamela Courson escaped to Paris, where Morrison tragically died at 27.
Found unresponsive in a bathtub on July 3, 1971, Morrison officially died of heart failure. And though authorities strongly suspected a heroin overdose, no autopsy was ever performed.
And so, much like his life, the full story of Jim Morrison's death remains mysterious to this day. See the iconic pictures of Jim Morrison that capture his turbulent life in the gallery above.
The Life Of Jim Morrison In Pictures
Estate of Edmund Teske/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty ImagesBorn to a naval aviator and a homemaker, Jim Morrison's career choice was a surprising one.
Born James Douglas Morrison on December 8, 1943, in Melbourne, Florida, the future rock star was always bright and intuitive. In school, he excelled academically — even though his father George Stephen Morrison frequently moved the family around due to his service in the U.S. Navy.
From an early age, Jim Morrison resented his father's authority and began to rebel as a teen by drinking alcohol. But upon graduating from George Washington High School in Alexandria, Virginia in 1961, he asked his parents for the works of Friedrich Nietzsche — reaffirming his intellectual curiosities.
Though Morrison returned to Florida for college, he eventually transferred to the University of California in Los Angeles in 1964. That very same year, his father commanded U.S. naval forces during the Gulf of Tonkin incident, a conflict that led to U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War in 1965.
Meanwhile, Jim Morrison was forming a band and building a relationship with Pamela Courson. And he stayed in college — to avoid being drafted.
Much to his father's dismay, Morrison focused on his music with his bandmates Ray Manzarek, Robbie Krieger, and John Densmore, whom he had met through school and a transcendental meditation workshop.
Express/Express/Getty ImagesThe Doors arriving in London, England in 1968. Following their debut album, they went on to sell more than 100 million copies of albums worldwide.
The Doors' journey to fame happened surprisingly fast. But while their debut album took the music scene by storm in 1967, it also brought a slew of new storms into Morrison's personal life.
It wasn't unusual for him to drink booze throughout the day before a performance — and then become totally unhinged onstage. From shouting obscenities to improvising disturbing new lyrics, Morrison was often banned from performing at venues for fear of what he'd do next.
And as it turned out, that fear wasn't unfounded. At one 1968 concert, Morrison sparked such a violent riot among audience members that The Doors had to dodge the chairs that were being thrown throughout the venue. Before long, the band was forced to hide in their dressing room before sneaking out the back door to escape.
The Doors' producer Paul Rothchild once said, "Jim really was two very distinct and different people. A Jekyll and Hyde. When he was sober, he was Jekyll, the most erudite, balanced, friendly kind of guy... When he would start to drink, he'd be okay at first, then, suddenly, he would turn into a maniac. Turn into Hyde."
From the bright spotlight of fame to the endless supply of drugs, Morrison's rollercoaster ride never slowed — until it came to a crashing halt.
A Tragic Death In Paris
Tom Copi/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty ImagesSex, drugs, and rock 'n' roll caught up to Morrison in 1971 — when he was found dead in his bathtub.
By the time Jim Morrison allegedly exposed himself onstage while performing in Miami in 1969, The Doors had become a global phenomenon. And so the aftermath of Morrison's legal trouble attracted a lot of attention. While he denied exposing himself, a felony count of lewd and lascivious behavior and public drunkenness hung over his head.
Ultimately, he avoided the most serious charge, but he was still found guilty of indecent exposure and open profanity. Luckily for him, he was soon released on a $50,000 bond.
Morrison and Courson left America for Paris in March 1971 — hoping for a change in scenery. And in the City of Lights, Morrison seemed to be taking better care of himself. However, he also indulged in old habits and frequented many notorious nightclubs, perhaps sealing his fate.
On July 3, 1971, Courson found Morrison's body in the bathtub of their Paris apartment. When the police arrived, Courson said that he had simply woken up during the night feeling sick and started a hot bath. With her story apparently taken at face value, no autopsy was performed.
The cause of death was believed to have been heart failure brought on by a heroin overdose. But the eerie uncertainty of the night meant that his demise would be the subject of conspiracy theories for decades.
Other than his mysterious demise, Morrison is perhaps best remembered for being one of the most unpredictable stars of the 1960s. And he would never be tamed throughout his memorable yet brief time on this Earth.
After looking through pictures that capture the life of Jim Morrison, learn about more iconic stars who tragically joined the 27 Club. Then, check out these fascinating photos from the 1960s.
