Jim Morrison's Dad Breaks Silence

ROCK 103 Memphis ^ | November 9, 2006 | AP

[mcg2000]

"The fact that he's dead is unfortunate but looking back on his life it's a very pleasant thought."

The father of late The Doors singer Jim Morrison has branded the death of his estranged son "unfortunate," despite the rocker often singing about his family's imagined demise.

George Morrison, a retired Navy admiral, insists memories of his rocker son are "pleasant" - even though he once joked his parents were dead and used Oedipal rant "The End" to imagine killing his dad and sleeping with his mother.

However, in a new memoir of the band, George remains positive about his child.

Contributing to "The Doors by The Doors" he says, "We look back on him with great delight.

"The fact that he's dead is unfortunate but looking back on his life it's a very pleasant thought.

"I had the feeling that he felt we'd just as soon not be associated with his career. He knew I didn't think rock music was the best goal for him. Maybe he was trying to protect us."

Morrison died in Paris, France of a heart attack in 1971.

[Long Island Pete]

Did you get this information while wearing your tinfoil hat?

[WorkerbeeCitizen]

"Man, that apple fell REAL FAR from the tree!!!!!!"

That apple may not have been from THAT tree.

[BallyBill]

I always wonder what people like Morrison and Hendrix even Kobain would be like today had they sobered up and lived to older age.

Gary Busey comes to mind. He's crazy, but he means well.

[mcg2000]

You're a trusting soul ... accuse a woman you don't even know of sleeping around? I bet you're a boatload of fun if someone you're involved with is a few minutes late and/or steps out of bounds.

[Rb ver. 2.0]

Ping to #10

[Rb ver. 2.0]

"He's not dead. HE faked his death and is a rancher in montana or wyoming."

Yep. And Elvis' ranch is next door.

[Cathy]

I agree - Morrison was a great talent. I have often wondered if his family would ever comment on his life/death.

I assume the family got the rights to his name/image after his death, does anybody know?

[Moonman62]

I always wonder what people like Morrison and Hendrix even Kobain would be like today had they sobered up and lived to older age.

I often wonder the same about Keith Richards ;-)

[angkor]

"I see a family of goal oriented achievers, and a father who taught his son to succeed at the highest level of his chosen career."

Agreed. Morrison walked that road alone, but it was in his genes.

[Tolkien]

I had no idea his father was an officer in the Navy. Very interesting.

His father never received another promotion once The Doors became popular.

[Tolkien]

"He's not dead. HE faked his death and is a rancher in montana or wyoming." Yep. And Elvis' ranch is next door.

Jim Morrison was very tall. His grave is very short. So when you go see his tombstone in France, either your standing where his feet are or his body is not in there.

[Rb ver. 2.0]

It's not what you see above ground that matters. Besides, maybe they folded him in half to save space.

[unspun]

Funny.

I'm kind of delighted that I don't have much reason to look back at him at all.

[mcg2000]

http://experts.about.com/q/Doors-Jim-Morrison-443/Morrison-Estate.htm

"In his will, made in Los Angeles County on February 12, 1969, Morrison (who describes himself as "an unmarried person") left his entire estate to Pamela Susan Courson, also naming her co-executor with his attorney, Max Fink. She thus inherited everything upon Morrison’s death in 1971.

When Courson died herself in 1974, a battle ensued between Morrison’s parents and Courson’s parents over who had legal claim to what had been Morrison’s estate. Since Morrison left a will, the question was effectively moot. On his death, his property became Courson’s property; and on her death, her property passed to her next heirs at law, who were her parents. Morrison's parents did not accept this and contested the will under which Courson and now her parents had inherited their son’s property.

To bolster their position, Courson’s parents presented a document they claimed she had acquired in Colorado, apparently an application for a declaration that she and Morrison had contracted a common law marriage under the laws of that state. The ability to contract a common-law marriage was abolished in California in 1896, but the state's conflict of laws rules provided for recognition of common-law marriages lawfully contracted in foreign jurisdictions - and Colorado was one of the eleven U.S. jurisdictions which still recognized common-law marriage. So, as long as a common-law marriage was lawfully contracted under Colorado law, it was recognised as a marriage under California law.

It is not known whether Courson acquired the application before or after Morrison’s death, or indeed whether it was she or her parents who acquired it. In either case, Morrison did not fill it out or sign it, may have never known about the document, and neither Morrison nor Courson appear to have ever been residents of Colorado. But those facts would not necessarily be relevant to the court’s deliberation on the validity of a common-law marriage, since the determination would be made according to Colorado law. Many of the jurisdictions which still permitted the common law contract of a marriage provide that either party may demand a declaration that a common law marriage was contracted between them, whether the other party (if living) agrees or not. The burden of proof is on the applicant, in any case, to prove that a marriage existed. What is ironic in this case is that both of the alleged applicants were dead, and it was their parents who were trying to prove or disprove that there had been a common-law marriage.

Whatever the circumstances of the unsigned document and the court case, and the controversy surrounding it, the California probate court decided that Courson and Morrison had a common-law marriage under the laws of Colorado. The effect of the court's ruling was to close probate of Morrison's and Courson's estates, and reinforce the Courson family's hold on the inheritance. The rights are now split. Yet, Pamela's father remains the executor of the estate to this day."

[cajungirl]

Ugly, just ugly.

I agree with the poster who said the apple was right off the tree,,high achievement begats high achievement. The arenas were different.

I hate it that all these guys die young and we don't get to see what happens.

[Joe 6-pack]

Kris Kristofferson and Emmy Lou Harris both had flag-grade fathers as well....

[cajungirl]

Man,,,bummer for Morrison's family. Someone else reaped the harvest.

[marshmallow]

It's called rebellion. The '60s was awash with it and we live its bitter legacy today.

Father was a prominent member of the US military, a pillar of the establishment. Son becomes a dissolute, drug-addled rock musician. The former embraces a career which is built on discipline. The latter lives a life of total self-indulgence and excess.

It's almost a cliche by now.

Jim's dad knows his son spat in his face but as one's own end approaches, the urge to forgive and let bygones be bygones increases substantially.

[WorkerbeeCitizen]

I agree with you - Iwould have been interesting to see.

[OKIEDOC]

I believe Teddy Kennedy is prime example of what happens when a young addict grows into and old addict.