John Lee Bottom was the father of famous actors Joaquin Phoenix and River Phoenix. He was married to Arlyn Phoenix and had five children with her. He worked as a songwriter and later lived a quiet life away from Hollywood.
John was also part of the religious group Children of God for several years. He and his family left the group in 1977. John died from cancer in 2015 at the age of 68.
Quick Facts
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full name | John Lee Bottom |
| Later name | John Lee Phoenix |
| Born | Reportedly 1947 |
| Birthplace | California, United States |
| Nationality | American |
| Wife | Arlyn Phoenix |
| Married | 1969 |
| Children with Arlyn | River, Rain, Joaquin, Liberty, Summer |
| Other reported child | Jodean Bottom |
| Job | Songwriter |
| Died | June 18, 2015 |
| Age at death | 68 |
| Cause of death | Cancer |
| Net worth | Not publicly known |
Early Life
John Lee Bottom was born and raised in California. His birth year is reported as 1947, but his exact birthday is not publicly known.
Some sources name his parents as Robert Merrill Bottom and Beulah Ingram, but this has not been confirmed by stronger sources.
There is little public information about his education or siblings.
His Career
John worked as a songwriter.
Some reports say he also worked as a carpenter and landscape gardener. He later moved to Costa Rica, where he reportedly ran a vegetarian restaurant.
John was not an actor and mostly stayed away from the spotlight.
Marriage to Arlyn Phoenix
John met Arlyn Dunetz in California in 1968. Arlyn was hitchhiking when John picked her up.
They married in 1969.
The couple stayed together for more than two decades. PEOPLE reports that they separated in the early 1990s. Other sources say their divorce was finalized in 1997.
Arlyn later married Jeffrey Weisberg.
John Lee Bottom’s Children
John Lee Bottom and Arlyn had five children together.
Their eldest son, River Phoenix, was born in 1970. Rain Phoenix followed in 1972. Joaquin Phoenix was born in 1974, Liberty Phoenix in 1976, and Summer Phoenix in 1978.
All five children became involved in acting, music, or other creative work.
Jodean Bottom
John Lee Bottom is also reported to have an older daughter named Jodean Bottom from a relationship before his marriage to Arlyn.
A secondary source says Jodean was born in Portugal in 1964 and that her mother’s name was Trinity.
If this information is correct, John had six children in total.
Children of God
John Lee Bottom and Arlyn joined the religious group Children of God in the early 1970s.
The family traveled to different countries while they were members. Joaquin later said his parents became important members of the group in Venezuela and Trinidad.
John and Arlyn left the group in 1977 after learning more about some of its practices.
Why They Changed Their Name
The family’s original last name was Bottom.
After leaving Children of God, they changed their surname to Phoenix.
The phoenix is a mythical bird that rises from its ashes. The family chose the name to represent a new beginning.
John Lee Bottom then became known as John Lee Phoenix.
Helping His Children
After returning to the United States, the family lived in Florida before moving to California.
Arlyn found work as a secretary at NBC. Through her job, the children were introduced to a talent agent.
John Lee Bottom and Arlyn supported their children’s interest in acting and music. However, their daughter Rain later said their parents did not force them to perform.
John eventually became worried about the effect Hollywood could have on his children.
River Phoenix
River Phoenix was born on August 23, 1970.
He became a successful actor and musician. His well-known movies include Stand by Me, Running on Empty and My Own Private Idaho.
John became worried about River’s life in Hollywood and wanted him to move away from the movie business.
River died on October 31, 1993, at age 23 after a drug overdose in West Hollywood.
Joaquin Phoenix
Joaquin Phoenix was born on October 28, 1974, in Puerto Rico.
He became an award-winning actor known for movies such as Gladiator, Walk the Line, The Master, Joker and Napoleon.
Joaquin won the Academy Award for Best Actor for Joker.
He has also spoken publicly about his parents and their years with Children of God.
Life in Costa Rica
John Lee Bottom later moved away from Hollywood and lived in Costa Rica.
He reportedly opened a vegetarian restaurant there. He wanted a simpler life and hoped his children would spend more time away from Hollywood.
Some reports also say he worked in landscaping.
Net Worth
John Lee Bottom’s net worth was not publicly known.
Some websites list $50 million, but this appears to be confused with an estimate connected to Joaquin Phoenix.
There is no reliable evidence that John himself had a $50 million net worth.
Death
John Lee Bottom died on June 18, 2015, at age 68.
He died from cancer. The exact type of cancer has not been publicly confirmed.
His death was kept private for several years. In a 2019 interview, Joaquin revealed that his father had died.
Facts About John Lee Bottom
- He was born and raised in California.
- His birth year is reported as 1947.
- He married Arlyn Phoenix in 1969.
- They had five children together.
- Jodean Bottom is reported to be his daughter from an earlier relationship.
- He worked as a songwriter.
- He joined Children of God with Arlyn.
- The family left the group in 1977.
- The family changed its surname from Bottom to Phoenix.
- He later lived in Costa Rica.
- He was the father of actors River and Joaquin Phoenix.
- He died from cancer in 2015 at age 68.
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