4. Jim Morrison
Lead Singer
Best known for his role as lead vocalist and poetic lyricist
for The Doors, Jim Morrison is one of the most influential
musicians in the history of American rock.
Morrison was born on December 8, 1943 to a military
family in Florida. After high school, he enrolled at the
University of California Los Angeles, where he met
classmate and future Doors’ co-founder, Ray Manzarek.
However, it wasn't until a fateful encounter on Santa
Monica Beach two years post-graduation that Manzarek
and Morrison collaborated to form The Doors. Only one
year after doing so, in 1967, The Doors signed with
Elektra Records and the band skyrocketed to success.
But with success came controversy, and Morrison quickly
began to indulge in the temptations of fame’s dark side.
It wasn’t long before drugs and alcohol became part
of Morrison's everyday life, and his self-destructive habits
began to eat away at the livelihood of the band.
In 1971, just six years after The Doors was formed, a 27-
year-old Morrison was found dead in his Paris
apartment. Although Morrison has passed, his legacy
and music lives on.
5. Ray Manzarek
Keyboardist
Ray Manzarek was born in Chicago on February 12,
1939. Like the other members of The Doors,
Manzarek discovered his passion for
music early on and spent his youth studying the
piano.
After high school he enrolled at the University of
California Los Angeles, where he first crossed paths
with fellow filmmaking student and future band
mate, Jim Morrison.
Although he is best known for his role as
keyboardist and sometimes-bassist of The Doors,
Manzarek is also a talented singer, producer, film
director, and writer.
Following the breakup of the band, Manzarek continued
to pursue a career in music and the arts. He has
since published novels and partaken in forming
several other bands, including Nite City and the
“resurrected” Doors band, Riders on the Storm, with
Robby Krieger.
6. Robby Krieger
Guitarist
As a young boy teaching himself to play
flamenco on a borrowed guitar, Robby Krieger
probably never imagined that he would one day
occupy a spot on Rolling Stones 100 greatest
guitarist of all time list, much less a spot as lead
guitarist for one of the most legendary rock bands
in American history.
Born in Los Angeles on January 8, 1946, Krieger
discovered his natural musical talent at the age of
14 years old, when he turned to the guitar after his
parents enrolled him in private school.
In addition to being a skilled guitarist, Krieger is
responsible for writing some of The Doors' greatest
hits, including, "Light my Fire" and "Love me Two
Times."
Krieger continued to follow his musical passion
after the dissolution of The Doors, and has since
become a member of several bands, including The
Butts Band, Riders of the Storm, and his very own
band: The Robby Krieger Band.
7. John Densmore
Drummer
American singer and songwriter John Paul Densmore
drummed for The Doors from 1965 until the band's
dissolution in 1973.
Born December 1, 1944 in Maine, Densmore
eventually migrated to California to study at Santa
Monica Community College, where he first met Robby
Krieger. Together, he and Krieger formed a band
called the Phsycadelic Rangers, before later joining
Ray Manazek and Jim Morrison in 1965 to become
The Doors.
Following the breakup of The Doors, Densmore and
Krieger collaborated once again to form The Butts
band. However, the duo parted ways just two album
releases later, and by the 1980's Densmore had left
the world of rock-and- roll to explore a career in
theatre.
Since then Densmore has received awards from
L A Weekly Theater and the NAACP for his theatrical
performances. Also among Densmore's achievements
is best-selling autobiography, Riders On The Storm,
which documents his time spent as a member of The
Doors. Currently Densmore is busy working on his
first novel and performing with his jazz band,
Tribaljazz.
8. Johnny Depp
Narrator
John Christopher “Johnny” Depp was born in
Kentucky on June 9, 1963. Depp lived a rebellious
youth, dabbling in vandalism and narcotics, and
dropping out of school at the age of 15 with the hopes
of becoming a rock musician. However, Depp's future
took a turn for the better when, in a fateful twist of
events, he was introduced to Nicolas Cage. Under
Cage’s guidance Depp began to pursue a career in
acting.
Soon after Depp made his acting debut in A
Nightmare on Elm Street. However, it wasn’t until his
title role in the 1990 Tim Burton classic Edward
Scissorhands that Depp established himself as a
serious actor and leading man in Hollywood.
Today Depp is known for his roles in such well-known
films as Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and the
Pirates of the Caribbean sequence. Depp has been
nominated three times for an Academy Award for Best
Actor, seven times for a Golden Globe award and has
won one Golden Globe Award for Best Actor for his
role in Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber.
9. Tom DiCillo
Director/Screenwriter
Born in North Carolina in 1953, American
director and screenwriter Tom DiCillo graduated
from New York University's Tisch School of Arts
with a Masters in Directing.
DiCillo's first film, "Johnny Suede,"
experienced great success, winning Best
Picture at Locarno Film Festival. DiCillo has
since gone on to direct more successful films,
with "When You're Strange" being his first
documentary.
10. John Beug
Producer
John Beug began his production career
working for a small record label. Upon
experiencing success in the music
business, Beug ventured into the motion
picture business and worked for Warner
Brothers.
Following this venture, Beug once again
returned to the world of music to produce
videos for the likes of Eric Clapton, Van
Halen, Josh Grobin and Michael Bublé.
Beug has been nominated for
three Emmys, and has won one Emmy
for “Crossroads Guitar Festival.”
11. Jeff Jampol
Producer
Manager of The Doors, Jeff Jampol, has
an extensive background in the music industry.
In addition to working for major record labels
such as Atlantic, Columbia and WEA Records,
Jampol has served as an engineer, producer,
radio disc jockey, and manager.
In 2003 Jampol partnered with The Doors’
manager Danny Sugerman and in 2005,
Jampol became president of Doors Music
Company. Today he serves as a voting
member for the National Academy of
Recording Arts & Sciences and and an
instructor of music business classes at UCLA.
12. Richard Anthony “Dick” Wolf
Producer
New-York-City-native Richard Anthony “Dick” Wolf
has enjoyed a successful career as a copywriter,
screenplay writer and producer. Wolf is well-known for
his involvement in writing and producing a slew of
award-winning primetime dramas such as "Miami
Vice" and "Law & Order."
"When You're Strange" is not Wolf's first experience
producing documentaries. In 2003 Wolf won an Oscar
for "Twin Towers," a documentary about two brothers,
a fireman and a policeman, who lost their lives on
September 11, 2001 working in their lines of duty. In
2007, Wolf was honored with a star on the Hollywood
Walk of Fame.
13. Peter Jankowski
Producer
As Executive Producer of "Law & Order"
and President of Wolf Films, Peter
Jankowski has enjoyed a successful career
in production.
Prior to serving in his current roles,
Jankowski spent 10 years at Universal
Television, where he became an executive
producer for such successful series as
"Coach," and "Quantum Leap.“
