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What Famous People Took to the Grave

Famous figures have been buried with fascinating and sometimes peculiar items, reflecting their lives, beliefs, or personalities. Here are some notable examples:


Frank Sinatra

A bottle of Jack Daniel’s whiskey, a pack of Camel cigarettes, a lighter, and a roll of dimes. The dimes were a note to his concern for contacting family as he was said to carry them for phone calls.


Humphrey Bogart

A gold whistle inscribed with "If you want anything, just whistle." This was a reference to a famous line in To Have and To Have Not, said by the actor's wife, Lauren Bacall.


Harry Houdini

His favorite pair of handcuffs. As a magician and escape artist, Houdini's legacy was tied to his handcuffs


George Jones

The country singer, known as "The King of the Wild Frontier," was buried with a bottle of whiskey and a remote control.


Bruce Lee

His iconic yellow jumpsuit from "Game of Death." As a film star, he brought martial arts into mainstream Western culture through movies.


Bob Marley

His Gibson Les Paul guitar, a soccer ball, a marijuana bud and a Bible. Marley was a groundbreaking Reggae musician and powerful advocate for peace, love and Rastafarianism.


Queen Victoria

A plaster cast of her late husband, Prince Albert's hand, along with mementos from her children and her beloved pets.


Johnny Ramone

The punk rock icon was buried with his beloved guitar.


Roald Dahl

Beloved for his children's stories such as Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Matilda and James and the Giant Peach, HB pencils, snooker cues, a bottle of Burgundy and even a power saw.


Leonard Bernstein

A copy of Mahler's Fifth Symphony, a musical work he greatly admired. The composer of West Side Story had a passion for bringing classical music to all.


Ronnie Van Zant

The lead singer of Lynyrd Skynyrd was buried with his favorite black hat and his trademark fishing pole.


Bela Lugosi

Famous for his famous portrayal of Dracula, he was laid to rest in one his Dracula capes.


Andy Warhol

A friend placed a bottle of of Estee Lauder perfume and a copy of Interview Magazine in his casket. The pioneer of pop art was the founder of the magazine.


Elizabeth Taylor

Taylor was dressed in a stylish outfit and her favorite jewelry and the last love letter Richard Burton wrote to her in 1984. This letter held great sentimental value for her, as she and Burton shared a passionate, tumultuous love story that spanned two marriages. However, the standout element of her funeral was the timing: she had arranged to arrive 15 minutes late to her own funeral, a final nod to her flair for drama.

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Graves of the Great & Famous

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