In 1968, Abbie, Anita, and a small circle of friends founded Yippie! – a band of revolutionaries created to protest the war at the Democratic National Convention. The police riots that followed made headlines around the world. Abbie stood trial with seven others and became known as the “court jester”.

Abbie’s chutzpah and brilliant theatrics earned him his status as counter-cultural hero. Abbie and Anita lived under constant FBI surveillance and endured a Hoover-led smear campaign that cost them work, friends and, finally, their marriage. Although desperately in love, Hoffman went underground in 1974, leaving behind Anita and young son, America. For seven lonely years Abbie lived on the run, until finally meeting the woman he referred to as “Angel”, Johanna Lawrenson, who loved and protected him until the end. Abbie never abandoned his passion for social justice. In 1978, he surfaced as “Barry Freed,” an environmental activist in upstate New York. “Freed” won huge environmental campaigns and even testified before Congress – before surrendering to the government in 1980.