The Doors Shot An Early Morning Photo Session With Bobby Klein Atop A Billboard On The Sunset Strip In

Jim and Thor (Ray's brother's doberman) hunt abalone with Ray, Dorothy and Ray's mother. At that time, Jim was living in Ray and Dorothy's house, where he was given the master bedroom. Photo courtesy of Ray Manzarek, 1965.

The Doors appear on television for the very first time on KHJ-TV's Boss City in February of 1967. Hosted by DJ Sam Riddle, this episode was broadcast on February 18th at 6:00pm.  During the month of February 1967, Break On Through is The Doors first  single release and is most likely the song performed. Interviews with the performing groups are known to have taken place with the host and likely followed the performance. For years, it was presumed that The Doors performance on SHEBANG was their first-ever appearance on tv, however a newly confirmed performance date for that show has at last revealed that this performance on Boss City was in fact The Doors very first. At the present date, no surviving copies of The Doors performances on Boss City have surfaced, however two photographs taken by Jasper Dailey during this filming are known. 

The Doors at Boss City on February 18, 1967,  photographs by Jasper Daly.

Wonderful & magic winter ❤️

1067.07. Photo by Paul Ferrara

Regardless of his own aptitude, Morrison appreciated his bandmates’ talent and he made a gesture to them that still resonates with Densmore. “He said, ‘Why don’t we just split all the credits,'” he says. “That moment was pivotal. I don’t think any musical organization since the Thirties had done that. It produced 200 percent commitment from each of the four members. Later, when we played a gig and we were big, and we were introduced as ‘Jim Morrison and the Doors,’ he dragged the announcer back out and forced him to call it ‘The Doors.’ He was the star frontman, but behind the scenes, it was totally equal.”

January-February 1967, Venice Beach, California. © Bobby Klein.

Crosstown Bus, Brighton, MA, 1967.08.10-11. 📷 Peter Simon

May 20th 1967: Boss City KHJ-TV Los Angeles. 

The band return to Boss City on KJH-TV for a second time and the show now has a 90 minute format due to its popularity. It is not certain but it is believed the band play an album version of Light My Fire. Whether they mime or play live is unknown. It is likely the band did an interview with host Sam Riddle. 

1967.05.26. Crescenta Valley High School, La Crescenta, CA.  Photos by Linda Neff (Backstage) / Unidentified (KRLA Beat) 

Jim Morrison, Dorothy Manzarek, Ray's mother Helen Manzarek, and Thor (Jim Manzarek's dog). Palos Verdes, California, 1965. 📷From the archive of Ray Manzarek

Stunning Studio Portraits of The Doors Taken by Guy Webster, 08. 1967.