The Corpse of Drew Barrymore’s Grandfather Was Stolen for One Last Celebration

John Barrymore came from a long line of theater actors. He himself first appeared on stage alongside his father in 1900, and in 1903 officially began his career, starring in the likes of Justice (1916) and Richard III (1920). His greatest role was his 1992 appearance in Hamlet, for which he was dubbed “the greatest living American tragedian.”

Barrymore also starred in a slew of silent films, most notably Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1920), Sherlock Holmes (1922) and Beau Brummel (1924). He later made the transition to sound movies, starring in the likes of Grand Hotel (1932) and Midnight (1939).

On May 29, 1942, Barrymore died at the age of 60 from pneumonia and cirrhosis. What happened next has been the subject of many rumors. It’s alleged his friends, Errol Flynn, W.C. Fields and Sadakichi Hartmann snuck into the morgue where his body was being held, propped him up against a poker table and allowed him to experience one final celebration.

As it turns out, these rumors are true! In an August 2020 episode of the popular YouTube series Hot Ones, the acting legend’s granddaughter, Drew Barrymore, revealed his corpse had actually been stolen.

“Not only yes, but there have been cinematic interpretations of it,” she exclaimed. Those interpretations include S.O.B., starring Julie Andrews, and allegedly the 1989 comedy Weekend at Bernie’s, in which two friends pretend their deceased boss is alive.

Barrymore added that she wants the same to happen to her. “I will say this, I hope my friends do the same for me. That is the kind of spirit I can get behind. Just prop the old bag up, let’s have a few rounds.

“I think death comes with so much morose sadness and I understand that, but if it’s okay, just for me, if everybody could be really happy and celebratory and have a party, that would be my preference.”

Vintage Hollywood certainly was a different era…

Céline Dion Shares a Heartbreaking Glimpse Into Her Battle With Illness

Céline Dion’s documentary, I Am: Celine Dion, has been finally released, offering a rare and candid look into her daily struggles. In one particularly vulnerable moment, Dion shares her experience of suffering a terrifying seizure that lasted several minutes.

The documentary captures a tense moment as Céline Dion undergoes a medical evaluation. The Grammy-winning artist has been struggling with spasms linked to stiff person syndrome, a rare and progressive neurological disorder.

Lying down on a massage table, 56-year-old Dion experiences spasms. Her doctor, Lobo, cautions that these spasms could “lead to a crisis.”

Soon after, the icon begins to experience a severe seizure. Her doctor swiftly calls for another medical team member to give her a medication used to treat nervous system disorders.

At that moment, Dion can be heard groaning in pain as she shakes uncontrollably while lying face down. In a startling moment, Dion appears wide-eyed and unable to move independently.

Despite her condition, she remains conscious and manages to signal her awareness by weakly squeezing one of the medical expert’s hands.

Following the administration of two doses of a nasal spray, Dion starts to recover from the seizure. The doctor mentions that if she hadn’t responded, they would have needed to rush her to the hospital.

As the My Heart Will Go On singer seems to regain her composure, she confesses to everyone in the room that experiences like these leave her feeling “so embarrassed.”

Describing her horrible experience, the singer says, “I don’t know how to express it, like, it’s just … you know, like, to not have control of yourself?” Her doctor, Lobo, explains that the likely trigger for the seizure was Dion’s recent session in the studio where she had been singing, which overstimulated her brain.

Dion replied, “Well, what am I gonna do? If I can’t get stimulated by what I love, and then I’m gonna go onstage and, like, you’re gonna put the pulse oximeter on me, and you’re gonna turn me on my back?”

Céline revealed her stiff person syndrome diagnosis back in December 2022. The star had to cancel tour dates in Europe, postpone her Las Vegas residency scheduled for October 2021, and later cancel her North American tour.

We admire Céline Dion’s determination and strength in the face of the formidable challenges she has encountered. Her life has been a journey fraught with difficulties from a young age, and here are seven major struggles that have shaped her into the inspirational icon she is today.

Preview photo credit I Am: Celine Dion / Sony Music and co-producers