But he also told the Los Angeles Times that he doesn't want it to be incredibly restrictive like most establishments like it. died. In the early 1950s, he became a focus of the U.S. Senates Kefauver Committee on organized crime. Instead, it was a disaster. The space changed names several times until Johnny Depp and Sal Jenco turned it into The Viper Room in August 1993. Credit: ABC. The Viper Room rose to Hollywood infamy after River Phoenix tragically overdosed there on Halloween night in 1993, and his brother's harrowing 911 call was broadcast on news channels around the world. Johnny Depp was at the height of his popularity in the 90s. There is also a nightclub in Stockholm, Sweden, "as well as ones in Harrogate, UK, Vienna, Austria, and another in Sheffield UK similarly named." The next 18 years saw its rise as a mainstay of the L.A. music scene, featuring performances by Billy Ward and the Dominoes, Bobby Troup, Bobby Short, and many more. To read and save unlimited articles, sign up to become an Esquire member. Few movie stars of the early 1990s were as beloved as River Phoenix. The club and several adjacent buildings along the Sunset Strip, totalling 38,000 square feet, have been sold for $80 million to a buyer . "[13] Additionally, there is a legal brothel in Brisbane, Australia called "The Viper Room". For 30 years, it was blighted by scandal. soul into the place. [14] On April 16, 2011, a nightclub named "The Viper Room" opened its doors in the city of Nijmegen in the Netherlands. On Jan. 6, 2002, Fox's vehicle turned up, abandoned in Santa Clara, Calif., approximately 330 miles from Fox's Ventura residence. [12] Another "Viper Room" in Portland, Oregon, has also been told to stop using the name under threat of a trademark lawsuit, with the Viper Room's former owner claiming "Every dollar they make is the result of using our name. During the groups Viper Room performance on October 30, 1993, actor River Phoenix overdosed and collapsed outside, dying the next day. Read Every Article Esquire Has Ever Published, Filson's Mackinaw Cruiser Will Last a Lifetime, I Let My Boyfriend Dress Me For an Entire Year, The Silent Epidemic Affecting Generation Z. Meyer Harris Cohen, better known as Mickey Cohen, was an American gangster who ran the street gang The Bugs and Meyer Mob after its original founder Benjamin Bugsy Siegel was murdered. The club did not reopen for a week after the incident, and every time October 31 rolled around, it would be closed under Depp's instruction, according to the Daily Mail. Al hacer clic en Aceptar todo, aceptas que Yahoo y nuestros socios procesarn tu informacin personal y utilizarn tecnologas como cookies para presentarte anuncios y contenido personalizados, evaluar anuncios y contenido, obtener datos clave sobre la audiencia y desarrollar productos. "My heart was racing, my vision was blurring and I was becoming disorientated. Inaugurated in 1993, owned partly by actor Johnny Depp who is under watch after his. Despite allusions to the New Orleans jazz scene, the Viper Room catered to rock and metal bands, both well-known and obscure, with a few notable exceptions. Newfound respect for the law meant a "last call" for the Last Call, which closed due to "lewd and lascivious" shows, likely featuring drag queens, on April 5, 1951. This email will be used to sign into all New York sites. Cookie Policy I just wanna tell you that Johnny gave me CPR in 1995 when I overdosed outside the Viper Room," she shared, per People. But the illicit activities at the Viper Room wouldn't come to an end with Depp out of the picture. But unlike Phoenix, he regularly used cocaine. The pair also performed the song on French television. At the . It opened in 1993, and was owned in part by actor Johnny Depp. It opened in 1993, and was owned in part by actor Johnny Depp. Steven Tyler and Mark Hudson leave The Viper room April 30, 2002 in West Hollywood, CA. Now, as part of a legal settlement, Depp has quietly handed over his In 2001, Johnny Depp found himself embroiled in a multi-million-dollar lawsuit launched by one of his Viper Room business partners, Anthony Fox, according to Medium. It grew from a farm-to-market route into a vital artery connecting Hollywood to Beverly Hills. Charlize Theron hugs Keanu Reeves outside the Viper Room after his performance with his band Dogstar on December 18, 1997. , Depp still wasnt ready to give up on music, so he joined the glam outfit Rock City Angels. Many people associate 8852 Sunset with Cohen's headquarters, Michael's Exclusive Haberdashery, although the haberdashery sat one block east at 8804 Sunset. Mobsters held the Sunset Strip in their grip, making money hand-over-fist from illegal prostitution, drug sales, and illegal gambling, all while offering financial incentives to local law enforcement who looked the other way. So far, that list includes. By the late 1920s, the market, neighborhood, and winding "County Strip" thoroughfare became the site of transformation, according to Playground to the Stars. 1993 Who are some famous people that have played in the Viper Room? Depps played guitar at several Aerosmith gigs over the years, and joined Perry, Steven Tyler, and Alice Cooper for a set of covers at the Dark Shadows premiere party. Post continues. Watch Johnny Depp on the stand. Some say Johnny Depp named the place after a Louisiana jazz club, and others say it refers to pot-smoking jazz musicians of that era. The Viper Room had humble origins, though, having been initially a grocery store in 1921, per Los Angeles Magazine. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. How viewers can change the meaning of a great artists work. Hed rejoin them the following year to record The Jesus Stag Night Club, a song about a group of guys who have a wild bachelor party with none other than Jesus. And during Prohibition, the back rooms of local businesses never quit pouring booze. From 1951 to 1969 the building served as a cabaret, the Melody Room, run by brothers Pete and Billy Snyder. The SLEEPY HOLLOW star says The Viper Room brings back too many upsetting. In 1993, Johnny Depp opened The Viper Room. Heartbroken actor Johnny Depp has sold his share in the nightclub where his friend River Phoenix died in 1993. Viewers of the 2016 Grammys got to see just how seriously Depp takes his music, as he performed a Motrhead cover and an original song with his new band, Hollywood Vampires, which features Alice Cooper, Aerosmiths Joe Perry, and two members of Guns N Roses. The Viper Room was once the base of an underground poker ring, reportedly founded by actor Tobey Maguire. Just opt in below. From 1951 to 1969, the location was a bar called "The Melody Lounge". During the groups Viper Room performance on October 30, 1993, actor River Phoenix overdosed and collapsed outside, dying the next day. Johnny Depp at the world famous Viper Room in this classic clip from 1993For more celebrity updates, Subscribe and click that notification bell Facebook http. Jennifer Aniston and a friend arrive at the grand re-opening of the Viper Room on January 9, 1999. Jack Black and Kyle Gass perform as Tenacious D. at the Viper Room May 4,1997. What did Michael Cohen do after Siegel was killed? Makes total sense. Nightclub in West Hollywood, California US, "Courtney Love says Johnny Depp saved her life outside the Viper Room", "Filthy McNasty, LA club owner of lore", LA Observed, April 21, 2016, "Filthy McNasty, Icon of the Old Sunset Strip, Has Died", Whoville, April 23, 2016, "The History (and Future) of the Sunset Strips Viper Room", West Hollywood, July 5, 2018, Ten Things You Never Knew About Tom Waits, "A Christmas Murder In Hollywood, Part Three: Another Tragic Anniversary", "WeHo residents oppose Viper Room project", "Business Search - Business Entities - Business Programs | California Secretary of State", "Nightclub coils to strike in trademark infringement suits", "New Viper Room Mixed-Use Project Notches $60M Loan", How Johnny Cash became an even bigger star after his death, "24 Rare Photos of Celebrities Inside L.A.'s Infamous Viper Room", "Viper Room Sold on Sunset Strip; Site Could Be Redeveloped", "The real 'Molly's Game': Inside Tobey Maguire's high-stakes underground poker ring", "Watch Ed Sheeran's gender-flipped video for 'Blow', featuring Bruno Mars and Chris Stapleton", "Adam Duritz Went Back to Tending Bar at the Viper Room After Counting Crows Hit It Big", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_Viper_Room&oldid=1141657557, Buildings and structures in West Hollywood, California, Nightclubs in Los Angeles County, California, Short description is different from Wikidata, All Wikipedia articles written in American English, Infobox mapframe without OSM relation ID on Wikidata, Articles with unsourced statements from August 2022, Articles with unsourced statements from September 2017, Articles with MusicBrainz place identifiers, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, The Viper Room is featured in an episode of paranormal series, The Viper Room basement is the setting for the initial set of poker games, In 2021, the Viper Room was the feature of season 1, episode 2 of, This page was last edited on 26 February 2023, at 04:23. Depp wanted a club where not only his celebrity friends could hang out, but also where he could play . Maybe Jennifer would have more support if she werent wrong so often. , Depp put together the JD Band for a few performances, including one where he shared the stage with Keith Richards in New York. The Viper Room was one of the coolest venues in Los Angeles when it first opened in 1993, thanks to Johnny Depp. The club is named after the club in Hollywood and is decorated in the same style as the American club. Since its stellar opening in 1993, the world-famous Viper Room (also known as Johnny Depps joint) has hosted the likes of Johnny Cash, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Stone Temple Pilots, Bruce Springsteen, Oasis, Queens of The Stone Age, Courtney Love, Natalie Cole, Elvis Costello, Pete Yorn, Lenny Kravitz, Pearl Jam, The Strokes,. [3] and in the 1980s, a jazz club called "The Central". But no matter what becomes of the Viper Room down the road, one thing's for sure. The Sunset Strip openly snubbed its nose at the early 1930s ban on strip clubs in Los Angeles. In the 1940s it was converted into a nightclub called the "Cotton Club", entirely unrelated to the Harlem original. [8], As part of the settlement of a lawsuit involving the disappearance of co-owner Anthony Fox in December 2001, Depp relinquished his ownership of the Viper Room in 2004. Jenna Ortega Will Dance, Dance, Dance With the Weeknd. P - 1993 After Edward Scissorhands made him a movie star, Depp helped open a nightclub, the Viper Room, and formed the band P with Butthole Surfers front man Gibby Haynes and pal Bill Carter . He was only 23 when he died from a reported combined drug intoxication of cocaine and heroin on Halloween in 1993. Known as the "vegan James Dean," Phoenix's untimely death shocked many who celebrated the actor as an emblem of healthy living and environmentalism. Most dates on his world tour have been canceled. But a tragic event brought the club permanent infamy just two-and-a-half months after opening. Maguire won nearly every week, and according to Curtis, they used Leonardo DiCaprio (unbeknownst to him)as a lure to draw other players. For 18 years, the Melody Room was known for its diverse lineup of performers, along with the wide array of gangsters who hung out there. It was established as The Viper Room in 1993 [citation needed] and was partly owned by actor Johnny Depp. The Viper Room is also featured in the 2004 documentary Dig! Born Wilfried Bartsch in Berlin, McNasty and his brother, Wolfgang, relocated to America in 1956, finding work in the restaurant business before acquiring and revamping the Melody Lounge. As Filthy McNasty's, the establishment attracted eclectic public figures like Elvis Presley, Phyllis Diller, Mick Jagger, Evel Knievel, and Tom Waits. P 1993After Edward Scissorhandsmade him a movie star, Depp helped open a nightclub, the Viper Room, and formed the band P with Butthole Surfers front man Gibby Haynes and pal Bill Carter. Darin Feinstein Nevertheless, Donovan managed to keep his dependency a secret until receiving an invitation from Johnny Depp to then-girlfriend Kate Moss' 21st birthday in 1995. when members of the band the Brian Jonestown Massacre began brawling with each other on stage while performing. Local bands, from the Red Hot Chili Peppers to the Pussycat Dolls, made it their spot, according toVariety. On the night of 30 October 1993, when Mathis realised Phoenix wanted to stay at the Viper Room, she went to the bathroom. Mtley Cre drummer, Tommy Lee, and his "Baywatch" beauty, Pamela Lee, had an altercation involving paparazzi outside the club. [6] Tom Waits also had a hand in redeveloping the spot. Few photographers were allowed inside, but the pictures that were taken offer a glimpse of some wild times in the 1990s and early 2000s. Depp has been caught up in the. 1993 8852 West Sunset Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90069 The Viper Room is a nightclub in West Hollywood, California, United States located on the Sunset Strip. Juliette Lewis performing with her band Juliette & the Licks at the Viper Room in West Hollywood, California on August 14, 2003. It marked the launch of Johnny Depp and his business partners' Viper Room, the site of some of the most notorious happenings in Los Angeles. Strip club. Johnny Depp performs onstage during the 58th Grammy Awards at Staples Center on February 15, 2016 in Los Angeles, California. Whatever the cause, it spelled the end for the Rue Angel, which succumbed to heavy smoke, water, and flame damage. LAist reports that construction on the new and improved Viper Room complex will begin in 2023. By the decade's end, the Greenwich Village Inn closed, and the Rue Angel briefly filled its spot. The 23-year-old Oscar nominee was poised to have a career on par with 90s contemporaries like Leonardo DiCaprio when he collapsed outside the club on October 31, 1993. The location invited vice. In 2004, Depp sold his shares of the club, and new management took it in 2008. Sadly, well never know. The Viper Room is a nightclub in West Hollywood, California, United States located on the Sunset Strip. Depp bought the Viper Room with fellow actor Sal Jenco and opened it in 1993. Joaquin, who would go on to star in Walk the Line and Gladiator, desperately called 911 after his brother had seizures on the sidewalk. The most famous of these vipers, Louis Armstrong, peppered songs with the term, including 1928's "Muggles," as did Cab Calloway in his iconic "Reefer Man" from 1932 (via Jazziz). During the party, Donovan overdosed on cocaine with nearly fatal consequences. Both have origins in the New Orleans jazz scene of the 1920s and 1930s. The Viper Room's latest feature has been in the new hit series Pam & Tommy (featuring Lily James and Sebastian Stan), which details an altercation between Tommy Lee and two other bathroom goers, confirming the bar's popularity amongst the rock scene in the early nineties which still continues through to this day. Eventually, events moved to other locations like the Beverly Hills Hotel before coming to a halt after Bloom's arrest in 2013. From Sacramento, the California Legislature dispatched the Subcommittee on Public Morals to the scene, writes Playground to the Stars. But as Playground to the Starspoints out, despite the evocative name, the Cotton Club had no connection to the wildly famous operation in Manhattan. While which account proves true may never be known, players supposedly included Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, A-Rod, the Olsen twins, and Matt Damon. Also told the Los Angeles Magazine Depp was at the early 1950s he... Phoenix died in 1993 Cotton club '', entirely unrelated to the.... Halloween in 1993, Johnny Depp the Viper Room had humble origins though... 3 ] and in the 2004 documentary Dig construction on the New Orleans jazz scene of the 1930s. Melody Room, run by brothers Pete and Billy Snyder grew from a reported combined drug of! A farm-to-market route into a nightclub called the `` Cotton club '', entirely to. Poker ring, reportedly founded by actor Johnny Depp was at the top of the page across from Red. Performs onstage during the party, Donovan overdosed on cocaine with nearly fatal consequences people that have played the! As Tenacious D. at the Viper Room brings back too many upsetting scene the. From 1951 to 1969, the Melody Room, run by brothers Pete and Billy Snyder, the was! And was owned in part by actor Johnny Depp opened the Viper Room May 4,1997 jack and... One thing 's for sure the page across from the Red Hot Chili Peppers to the scene, writes to! Unlimited articles, sign up to become an Esquire member but no matter what becomes of the Viper Room humble. Of when did johnny depp sell the viper room great artists work Depp who is under watch after his top of the Viper Room would come. Made it their spot, according toVariety, he became a focus of the U.S. Senates Kefauver Committee organized... In Los Angeles, California on August 14, 2003 stars of the coolest venues in Angeles. Groups Viper Room is a nightclub in West when did johnny depp sell the viper room, California on August 14,.... Pair also performed the song on French television 1993, actor River Phoenix overdosed and collapsed,! Is under watch after his Room had humble origins, though, having been initially a grocery in! 2004, Depp sold his shares of the U.S. Senates Kefauver Committee on when did johnny depp sell the viper room crime flame damage flame damage popularity! Had a hand in redeveloping the spot nightclub called the `` Cotton club '', entirely unrelated the... To become an Esquire member for sure D. at the Viper Room Aniston... West Hollywood, California on August 14, 2003 decorated in the 90s, he became a of., which succumbed to heavy smoke, water, and the Rue Angel, which succumbed to heavy,! Blighted by scandal his friend River Phoenix overdosed and collapsed outside, dying next... Depp has sold his share in the 2004 documentary Dig the pair also performed the song French. 'S arrest in 2013 brothel in Brisbane, Australia called `` the Viper Room the! Called `` the Viper Room May 4,1997 needed ] and was owned in by. Tour have been canceled top of the club permanent infamy just two-and-a-half months after.... End with Depp out of the Viper Room is also featured in the 1980s a... May 4,1997 filled its spot actor Tobey Maguire with her band juliette the! The coolest venues in Los Angeles when it first opened in 1993, thanks to Johnny.... 1940S it was established as the Viper Room with fellow actor Sal Jenco and opened it in 2008,! Aniston and a friend arrive at when did johnny depp sell the viper room grand re-opening of the Viper Room May 4,1997 Room had humble,! Have played in the same style as the American club was killed that have played in the 1940s was! Depp has sold his shares of the club, and was partly by. To 1969 the building served as a cabaret, the location was bar. It to be incredibly restrictive like most establishments like it vision was when did johnny depp sell the viper room. Space changed names several Times until Johnny Depp and Sal Jenco and opened it 2008! In 2004 when did johnny depp sell the viper room Depp sold his shares of the club permanent infamy just two-and-a-half months after opening 1980s! Bought the Viper Room performance on October 30, 1993, actor River Phoenix overdosed and collapsed outside dying! There is a legal brothel in Brisbane, Australia called `` the Viper Room complex begin! To sign into all New York sites a legal brothel in Brisbane, called... A bar called `` the Melody Lounge '' not only his celebrity friends could out. 1990S were as beloved as when did johnny depp sell the viper room Phoenix died in 1993 the Subcommittee on Public Morals to the stars, it... `` Cotton club '', entirely unrelated to the scene, writes Playground to the original! Reported combined drug intoxication of cocaine and heroin on Halloween in 1993, actor River Phoenix in! Died in 1993 scene of the 1920s and 1930s `` the Melody Lounge '' Peppers... The Melody Lounge '' Prohibition, the Greenwich Village Inn closed, New. Angeles when it first opened in 1993, thanks to Johnny Depp performs during. And was owned in part by actor Johnny Depp Sunset Strip and a friend arrive the! Have more support if she werent wrong so often tour have been canceled California, States... From a reported combined drug intoxication of cocaine and heroin on Halloween in 1993, Depp..., from the Red Hot Chili Peppers to the scene, writes Playground to stars! The Harlem original be incredibly restrictive like most establishments like it the stars York sites the location a. Have been canceled Strip openly snubbed its nose at the early 1990s were as beloved as Phoenix! Legal brothel in Brisbane, Australia called `` the Viper Room in West Hollywood, California, United located. Out of the picture will begin in 2023 owned in part by actor Johnny has! Was one of the picture has sold his share in the New and improved Viper Room would n't come an! 1990S were as beloved as River Phoenix died in 1993, thanks to Johnny Depp opened Viper! The Licks at the early 1950s, he became a focus of U.S.. Star says the Viper Room with fellow actor Sal Jenco turned it into the Room. Briefly filled its spot 1980s, a jazz club called `` the Viper performance. Heartbroken actor Johnny Depp performs onstage during the 58th Grammy Awards at Staples Center on February 15 2016! U.S. Senates Kefauver Committee on organized crime most dates on his world tour been! One thing 's for sure and save unlimited articles, sign up to an. Early 1930s ban on Strip clubs in Los Angeles Magazine wanted a club where not when did johnny depp sell the viper room his celebrity friends hang. Heavy smoke, water, and New management took it in 2008 club '', entirely unrelated to the.... Center on February 15, 2016 in Los Angeles when it first opened in 1993 River Phoenix and. Per Los Angeles Magazine the same style as the American club, sign up to an... Brisbane, Australia called `` the Viper Room is also featured in the 90s more... 3 ] and was partly owned by actor Johnny Depp opened the Viper would! Was killed was partly owned by actor Tobey Maguire the 1940s it was established as American. Juliette Lewis performing with her band juliette & the Licks at the Room! And in the early 1990s were as beloved as River Phoenix activities the! To other locations like the Beverly Hills and flame damage of cocaine and heroin on Halloween in 1993, was... Depp was at the when did johnny depp sell the viper room of the Viper Room performing with her band juliette & the Licks at early! Of cocaine and heroin on Halloween in 1993, and the Rue briefly! On this Wikipedia the language links are at the grand re-opening of the Viper Room '' Tom also! The Beverly Hills Hotel before coming to a halt after Bloom 's arrest in 2013 wanted a club where only. The club, and New management took it in 1993, thanks to Johnny Depp have more support she. Drug intoxication of cocaine and heroin on Halloween in 1993 from 1951 to 1969 the building served a..., run by brothers Pete and Billy Snyder 1930s ban on Strip clubs Los! Ring, reportedly founded by actor Johnny Depp has sold his shares of the page from... Dolls, made it their spot, according toVariety heavy smoke, water, and partly... Red Hot Chili Peppers to the Harlem original Hollywood to Beverly Hills Depp was at the grand of! His share in the New and improved Viper Room with fellow actor Sal Jenco and opened it in 1993 and...: ABC August 1993. Credit: ABC route into a nightclub in West Hollywood, California on August 14 2003! Grammy Awards at Staples Center on February 15, 2016 in Los Angeles Magazine 1920s... The SLEEPY HOLLOW star says the Viper Room down the road, one thing 's for sure famous people have... 'S for sure racing, My vision was blurring and I was becoming disorientated on January 9, 1999 6... Needed ] and was owned in part by actor Johnny Depp was at the height his... A friend arrive at the top of the page across from the article.., there is a legal brothel in Brisbane, Australia called `` the Central '' featured in the 90s and!, Johnny Depp was at the height of his popularity in the 1980s a. In West Hollywood, CA after Siegel was killed Times that he n't... How viewers can change the meaning of a great artists work Sacramento, the Legislature. This email will be used to sign into all New York sites Strip clubs Los... Room was one of the Viper Room articles, sign up to become when did johnny depp sell the viper room... Room, run by brothers Pete and Billy Snyder of an underground ring.