Doors biographer Jerry Hopkins dead at 82

NEW YORK – Jerry Hopkins, a prolific music journalist who co-wrote a million-selling biography of the Doors that Oliver Stone adapted into a feature film, has died.

Hopkins died of heart failure June 3 in Bangkok, his longtime residence. He was 82 and his death was confirmed Tuesday by his son, Nick Hopkins.

Hopkins was an early contributor to Rolling Stone who interviewed Jim Morrison and developed a special affinity for the Doors. “No One Here Gets Out Alive,” written by Hopkins and Danny Sugarman, was published in 1980 and was the basis for Stone’s “The Doors.” The movie came out in 1991 and starred Val Kilmer as Morrison.

Hopkins also wrote books about Elvis Presley, Jimi Hendrix and other rock stars. Books on his adopted country included “Thailand Confidential” and “Bangkok Babylon.”