Rodney Harvey
The only thing I know about Rodney Harvey is that he was part of the TV show The Outsiders. I thought it would be cool to learn a bit more about him since I sell his pinups at my eBay store. Here we go.
Born on the east coast (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) on July 31, 1967, Rodney Michael Harvey was a model, dancer, and actor. He was discovered by a director when he was 17 and was cast in two movies shortly after. Rodney then signed with an agent and headed out to the best coast, I mean the west coast. He did some modeling for Calvin Klein and also appeared in Life magazine.
Rodney then got the role as Sodapop Curtis in The Outsiders TV show and he began to appear in the teen magazines. FYI, that was Rob Lowe’s part in the movie. Sadly, that series only lasted one season. The show seemed to get a lot of hype and the numbers for its premiere were great, but it just couldn’t make it. After The Outsiders was over, Harvey landed a role in My Own Private Idaho with River Phoenix and Keanu Reeves.
Drugs
Sadly, it’s reported that the actor started using heroin during the filming of My Own Private Idaho. I wonder if that’s when he truly started using or if he had dabbled before. I also wonder if Rodney hung out with River Phoenix when filming. Mmmm….. (For those of you living under a rock, River Phoenix overdosed at The Viper Room on October 31, 1993.)
Rodney Harvey struggled with drug addiction. He did some jail time and did try to kick his habit. Those demons are strong, man. Rodney left us on April 11, 1998. The cause of death was a heroin and cocaine overdose. I think he was at a hotel in Los Angeles. Sad.
E! made a documentary about his life which aired on August 23, 1999 and called E! True Hollywood Story – Poisoned Dreams: Rodney Harvey.
In addition to being connected to River Phoenix, Harvey is also connected to some others who suffered an early death. Harold Pruett, who was Steve Randle in The Outsiders TV show, also died of a drug overdose. Kim Walker, who played Cherry Valance in The Outsiders TV show, died at 32 of a brain tumor. Was that show cursed? I wrote a blog about the curse of Eight is Enough. Maybe I need to write a blog about The Outsiders TV show.
That’s kind of a morbid way to end this blog. I’m sorry. I’ll bring happiness with my next one.