10 famous graves and the incredible stories behind them

Certain celebrities have an immortal legacy. Interest in their lives and work never seems to die out, and it only seems to grow after they have passed away. Unfortunately for some, this means that they don't get to rest in peace, thanks to grave robbers or overzealous fans. Celebrity graves have become akin to sites of pilgrimage, attracting tens of thousands, if not millions, of visitors each year. The behaviour of certain visitors, however, is more interesting (or insane) than you would expect. Protecting their memory (and memorials) is a constant struggle. From stolen skulls to shadowy admirers, here's a list of 10 celebrity graves with the most interesting stories.

Elvis Presley

Where: Graceland, Memphis

Around two weeks after American singer Elvis Presley's death, three men—Raymond Green, Eugene Nelson and Ronnie Lee Adkins—were arrested for attempting to steal his body from Forest Hills Cemetery. There are various rumours surrounding the incident. One rumour is that the thieves were apparently planning to use explosives to break into the mausoleum, but the ones found on them were inadequate for the job. The ill-equipped attempt led many to speculate that the entire thing was orchestrated by Presley's family. They had wanted him to be buried in Graceland but were denied permission as the area was not zoned for burial. While the thieves didn't manage to steal the body, the Memphis board did give the family permission to rebury the music icon in Graceland, where he now rests in peace. 

Oscar Wilde

Where: Pere Lachaise Cemetery, Paris

The Irish poet's grave has been a subject of controversy since before its inception. The iconic stone angel that sits atop his tombstone was designed by the modernist sculptor Jacob Epstein, who completed the work after painstaking revisions, transportation issues, bribes and red tapism. What's more, a part of the nude statue was cut off in 1961. Through the years, admirers have famously paid tribute to the Irish author by leaving lipstick kisses on his grave. Some have even graffitied small notes in honour of Wilde. Unfortunately, this caused a lot of damage to the monument. In 2011, a glass barrier was erected to protect it from the erosion caused by the chemicals in lipsticks and paint. 

William Shakespeare

Where: Holy Trinity Church, Stratford-upon-Avon.

Fearing his grave being robbed (a common occurrence at the time), Shakespeare included a warning message while writing his own epitaph:

Good friend for Jesus sake forbeare,

To dig the dust enclosed here.

Blessed be the man that spares these stones,

And cursed be he that moves my bones.[1] 

But alas, poor William! Despite the "curse," there have been many rumours of his remains being plundered in the 18th century. In 2016, a radar scan of the site suggested that his skull was likely missing. Perhaps a Hamlet aficionado wanted the ultimate prop to accompany their monologue? We'll never know.

Charlie Chaplin

Where: Cimetière de Corsier-sur-Vevey in Switzerland

Grave robbers have a range of motives. Some are avid collectors of bones, some are ghoulish investigators, and there are others who are just broke. Charlie Chaplin's coffin was stolen two months after his burial at Cimetière de Corsier-sur-Vevey in Switzerland. Why? According to reports, this was the only solution to the thieves' financial troubles. They demanded a ransom amount of approximately $600,000 (Rs5 crore) from the comedian's family. Oona Chaplin, Charlie's wife, received more than 25 calls from the thieves but refused to give in to their demands. Instead, she worked with the police to help catch the robbers, who were successfully nabbed a few months later. Chaplin's remains were reburied in his original grave, and his tomb was reinforced with concrete to prevent future break-ins.

Edgar Allan Poe

Where: Westminster Presbyterian Church, Maryland

Not all grave visitors have dubious intentions. Some of them, such as the legendary "Poe Toaster", can be almost chivalrous. From around 1949, an unidentified person dressed in long, black clothes, a white scarf and a wide-brimmed hat would visit the American writer's cenotaph on his birth anniversary and raise a toast to his memory with cognac. That's not all: he would leave behind the bottle, sometimes a note and three roses arranged in a special manner. The spectre became a spectacle, drawing large crowds and spawning numerous theories. The Toaster remained anonymous, and his appearances stopped in 2009. Since 2016, an official Poe Toaster has been selected by the Maryland Historical Society. 

Princess Diana

WHERE: Althorp, England

It is only fitting that 'the People's Princess' is laid to rest in tranquil, pristine surroundings that reflect her undeniable legacy of compassion. Diana's grave is on an island in the middle of Round Oval lake at the Althorp Estate, her childhood home, and attracts innumerable visitors each year. The path to the lake is lined with 36 oak trees, each marking one year of her life. Considering Diana's fame, her brother, Earl Charles Spencer, had the foresight to choose a secluded spot to ensure safety and privacy. In 1998, he stated that the lake would "act as a buffer against the interventions of the insane and ghoulish, the thick mud presenting a further line of defence." Nevertheless, there have been at least four attempted grave robberies at the site. Diana's grave is inaccessible to general visitors, but one can pay homage to her at a nearby memorial when the estate is opened to the public every summer for a limited time.

Marilyn Monroe

Where: Westwood Village Memorial Cemetery, Los Angeles

Marilyn Monroe's crypt is another famous site that attracts crowds of admirers each year. It is said that her ex-husband, Joe DiMaggio, used to have six roses delivered to her grave three times a week until he died, in fulfilment of a promise he made to her many years earlier. Some of the visitors have left lipstick kisses, and others have tried to steal her bronze plaque (and succeeded). A few years back, the actress's grave made headlines when the neighbouring crypt was put on sale for a whopping $2 million. 

Susan B Anthony

Where: Mount Hope Cemetery, Rochester, New York.

Graffiti and lipstick kisses are not the only things that adorn (or deface, for that matter) famous graves. The grave of Susan B. Anthony, one of the most important figures of the women's suffrage movement, is replete with "I voted" stickers put up by grateful women, notably after the 2016 Presidential elections. Anthony was arrested for attempting to vote in Rochester in 1872 and engaged in a lifelong fight for women's rights. In 2020, her headstone was covered with a plexiglass sleeve to protect it without discouraging future acts of homage. 

Johannes Brahms

Where: Vienna Central Cemetery (Zentralfriedhof)

Grave robbers have surprisingly specific tastes. Apart from skulls, dentures also seem to be sought-after by them. A person once stole the teeth of two world-famous composers, Johannes Brahms and Johann Strauss Jr. The alleged thief even posted a video online showing off his collection of stolen skeletal treasures. Brahms and Strauss are buried in the hauntingly beautiful Vienna Central Cemetery (Zentralfriedhof), which is also the final resting place of many other musical greats such as Beethoven, Schubert, Schönberg, and Gluck. The Tram 71 famously goes to this cemetery, and thus, "Taking the Tram 71" has become a euphemism for dying in Vienna.

Toto/ Terry the Dog

Where: Hollywood Forever Cemetery, L.A. 

It's not just humans who have an exclusive claim to eternal fame. Decades before ultra popular pets on social media, a Cairn Terrier originally named Terry charmed the hearts of millions with its performance as Toto in The Wizard of Oz (1939). Terry was buried in a plot eventually destroyed during the construction of the Ventura Freeway. Following a public campaign in 2010, a stone memorial was erected in its name in the Hollywood Forever Cemetery. A life-size statue of Toto, sculpted by the artist Roman Gal, rests atop the memorial, which also bears an inscription of the movie's famous dialogue: "There is no place like home."