The King of Pop Has Passed
An estimated 1.6 million people entered a lottery to win one of 17,500 tickets available to Michael Jackson's July 7 memorial at L.A.'s Staples Center, making Jackson's farewell one of the largest celebrity funerals in history. Tickets sold for upwards of $10,000 on eBay and Craigslist, and the major television networks said they would air the event live. Stevie Wonder, Mariah Carey and Usher are set to perform. Los Angeles officials will close the streets around the arena during the 90-minute service, and have suggested that fans without tickets stay home. Despite those efforts, the city is bracing for a crush of more than 100,000 people.
An estimated 1.6 million people entered a lottery to win one of 17,500 tickets available to Michael Jackson's July 7 memorial at L.A.'s Staples Center, making Jackson's farewell one of the largest celebrity funerals in history. Tickets sold for upwards of $10,000 on eBay and Craigslist, and the major television networks said they would air the event live. Stevie Wonder, Mariah Carey and Usher are set to perform. Los Angeles officials will close the streets around the arena during the 90-minute service, and have suggested that fans without tickets stay home. Despite those efforts, the city is bracing for a crush of more than 100,000 people.
Rudolph Valentino
Before Elvis, Judy Garland and Michael Jackson, there was Rudolph Valentino, an Italian actor and international sex symbol who became the world's first bona fide movie star with blockbuster silent films like The Sheik. So when the 31-year-old died unexpectedly of a ruptured ulcer on Aug. 23, 1926, mass hysteria ensued; several fans, overcome with grief, killed themselves upon hearing the news. His New York City memorial service attracted nearly 100,000 mourners, who stretched for nearly 11 blocks as riot police struggled to keep the crowds from blocking the funeral procession. Decades later, it was revealed that the man who organized Valentino's memorial, Frank E. Campbell, had paid New Yorkers to exaggerate their grief to draw publicity to his now famous funeral parlor to the stars.
Before Elvis, Judy Garland and Michael Jackson, there was Rudolph Valentino, an Italian actor and international sex symbol who became the world's first bona fide movie star with blockbuster silent films like The Sheik. So when the 31-year-old died unexpectedly of a ruptured ulcer on Aug. 23, 1926, mass hysteria ensued; several fans, overcome with grief, killed themselves upon hearing the news. His New York City memorial service attracted nearly 100,000 mourners, who stretched for nearly 11 blocks as riot police struggled to keep the crowds from blocking the funeral procession. Decades later, it was revealed that the man who organized Valentino's memorial, Frank E. Campbell, had paid New Yorkers to exaggerate their grief to draw publicity to his now famous funeral parlor to the stars.
The Sultan of Swat
Some 75,000 fans trekked to the "House That Ruth Built" to view the body of the legendary slugger two days after he succumbed to throat cancer on Aug. 16, 1948. Police even agreed to keep Yankee Stadium open until midnight to accommodate as many people as possible, while another 75,000 gathered in and around Manhattan's St. Patrick's Cathedral to attend his funeral service. Ruth's pallbearers included Yankee outfielder Joe DiMaggio, heavyweight boxing champion Jack Dempsey and New York Governor Thomas Dewey. The rain that day matched the mood; as one New York Timescolumnist put it, "Even the skies wept for the Babe."
Some 75,000 fans trekked to the "House That Ruth Built" to view the body of the legendary slugger two days after he succumbed to throat cancer on Aug. 16, 1948. Police even agreed to keep Yankee Stadium open until midnight to accommodate as many people as possible, while another 75,000 gathered in and around Manhattan's St. Patrick's Cathedral to attend his funeral service. Ruth's pallbearers included Yankee outfielder Joe DiMaggio, heavyweight boxing champion Jack Dempsey and New York Governor Thomas Dewey. The rain that day matched the mood; as one New York Timescolumnist put it, "Even the skies wept for the Babe."
Long Live the King
The King of Rock 'n' Roll was just 42 when he suffered a fatal heart attack on a bathroom floor at his Graceland mansion on Aug. 16, 1977 — the night before he was supposed to kick off a 12-city comeback tour. It took less than two days for 25,000 fans to surround his Memphis home, where they endured 90-degree heat and entrepreneurs hawking $5 "commemorative" T shirts to pay their respects alongside mourners like James Brown, Ann-Margaret and George Hamilton. Though the actual funeral was closed to the public, the entire world would eventually get a glimpse of Elvis Presley's gray, swollen face after one of his cousins secretly snapped a photo of the open casket and sold it to the National Enquirer for $18,000. That image, plastered across the tabloid's cover, sold more than 6.5 million copies, making it one of the most lucrative — albeit lurid — photos in history. Even Caroline Kennedy managed to profit from Presley's untimely passing: though she was admitted to the funeral as a friend of the family, she later sold her account of the memorial to Rolling Stone.
The King of Rock 'n' Roll was just 42 when he suffered a fatal heart attack on a bathroom floor at his Graceland mansion on Aug. 16, 1977 — the night before he was supposed to kick off a 12-city comeback tour. It took less than two days for 25,000 fans to surround his Memphis home, where they endured 90-degree heat and entrepreneurs hawking $5 "commemorative" T shirts to pay their respects alongside mourners like James Brown, Ann-Margaret and George Hamilton. Though the actual funeral was closed to the public, the entire world would eventually get a glimpse of Elvis Presley's gray, swollen face after one of his cousins secretly snapped a photo of the open casket and sold it to the National Enquirer for $18,000. That image, plastered across the tabloid's cover, sold more than 6.5 million copies, making it one of the most lucrative — albeit lurid — photos in history. Even Caroline Kennedy managed to profit from Presley's untimely passing: though she was admitted to the funeral as a friend of the family, she later sold her account of the memorial to Rolling Stone.
Somewhere Over the Rainbow
When 47-year-old Judy Garland was found dead of a drug overdose in her London home on June 22, 1969, fans were shocked. The starlet's body was displayed to the public in a glass-enclosed coffin, and more than 20,000 people came to pay their respects. The funeral, held in New York City, was closed to the press and the public. The guest list read like a who's who of Hollywood celebrities, including Lauren Bacall, Mickey Rooney and James Mason, who delivered the eulogy.
When 47-year-old Judy Garland was found dead of a drug overdose in her London home on June 22, 1969, fans were shocked. The starlet's body was displayed to the public in a glass-enclosed coffin, and more than 20,000 people came to pay their respects. The funeral, held in New York City, was closed to the press and the public. The guest list read like a who's who of Hollywood celebrities, including Lauren Bacall, Mickey Rooney and James Mason, who delivered the eulogy.
The Nightingale of the Nile
Egyptian singer Umm Kulthum had a career that spanned half a century and a signature song, "Inte Omri" ("You Are My Life"), that ran for 57 minutes. Kulthum was so beloved that when she died of a cerebral hemorrhage in 1975 at age 76, millions of wailing mourners flooded the streets to vent their grief. Heads of state sent letters of condolences to her family, airlines and trains scheduled extra trips to accommodate the flood of fans, and an estimated 1 million people followed her funeral procession through the streets of Cairo. Kulthum remained one of the top-selling artists in the Arab world long after her death.
Egyptian singer Umm Kulthum had a career that spanned half a century and a signature song, "Inte Omri" ("You Are My Life"), that ran for 57 minutes. Kulthum was so beloved that when she died of a cerebral hemorrhage in 1975 at age 76, millions of wailing mourners flooded the streets to vent their grief. Heads of state sent letters of condolences to her family, airlines and trains scheduled extra trips to accommodate the flood of fans, and an estimated 1 million people followed her funeral procession through the streets of Cairo. Kulthum remained one of the top-selling artists in the Arab world long after her death.
He Gave Peace a Chance
John Lennon didn't have a funeral. When the former Beatle was shot and killed outside his New York City apartment building on Dec. 8, 1980, his wife Yoko Ono decided against an organized memorial service. Instead, she asked people around the world to "pray for John's soul" at a designated time. At 2 p.m. E.T. on Dec. 14, 1980, fans gathered in public squares from Melbourne to Liverpool and observed 10 minutes of silence in a global outpouring of goodwill. In New York City, more than 100,000 people assembled on Central Park's grassy slopes and turned the memorial into a daylong affair. Vendors sold Lennon merchandise and musicians played their favorite Beatles tunes. But at 2 o'clock, the entire park went silent. The city had assigned 300 police officers to the event, but the gathering was peaceful and went off without a hitch.
John Lennon didn't have a funeral. When the former Beatle was shot and killed outside his New York City apartment building on Dec. 8, 1980, his wife Yoko Ono decided against an organized memorial service. Instead, she asked people around the world to "pray for John's soul" at a designated time. At 2 p.m. E.T. on Dec. 14, 1980, fans gathered in public squares from Melbourne to Liverpool and observed 10 minutes of silence in a global outpouring of goodwill. In New York City, more than 100,000 people assembled on Central Park's grassy slopes and turned the memorial into a daylong affair. Vendors sold Lennon merchandise and musicians played their favorite Beatles tunes. But at 2 o'clock, the entire park went silent. The city had assigned 300 police officers to the event, but the gathering was peaceful and went off without a hitch.
A Royal Farewell
The waves of grief unleashed by the death of Princess Diana needed an appropriate outlet, so a full day of mourning was planned around the Sept. 6, 1997, service at Westminster Abbey in London. The day began with a 4-mile funeral cortege leaving from Kensington Palace. Her coffin passed by more than 1 million people, who had lined up along the route to pay their final respects to the Princess of Wales. Nearly 2,000 guests were present at the service, while an estimated 2.5 billion watched on television. Elton John performed a rewritten version of "Candle in the Wind," and for the first time in history, the Union Jack was flown at half-mast above Buckingham Palace.
The waves of grief unleashed by the death of Princess Diana needed an appropriate outlet, so a full day of mourning was planned around the Sept. 6, 1997, service at Westminster Abbey in London. The day began with a 4-mile funeral cortege leaving from Kensington Palace. Her coffin passed by more than 1 million people, who had lined up along the route to pay their final respects to the Princess of Wales. Nearly 2,000 guests were present at the service, while an estimated 2.5 billion watched on television. Elton John performed a rewritten version of "Candle in the Wind," and for the first time in history, the Union Jack was flown at half-mast above Buckingham Palace.
Hypnotized
Christopher Wallace, the Brooklyn-born rapper known simply as "Biggie," was gunned down during a drive-by shooting in L.A. on March 9, 1997, just three years after releasing his first album, the eerily titled Ready to Die. The still unsolved murder, like the shooting death of rapper Tupac Shakur, shocked the hip-hop community. Sean (Diddy) Combs, Queen Latifah, Flava Flav, Mary J. Blige, Run-DMC and Busta Rhymes were among the rap stars who turned out for his memorial. Thousands of fans lined the sidewalks of Bedford-Stuyvesant, the artist's childhood neighborhood, to catch a glimpse of his funeral procession. But the gloomy atmosphere turned violent when police scuffled with a handful of people who had climbed onto parked cars. Seven people were arrested for disorderly conduct, including a reporter for the New York Times.
Christopher Wallace, the Brooklyn-born rapper known simply as "Biggie," was gunned down during a drive-by shooting in L.A. on March 9, 1997, just three years after releasing his first album, the eerily titled Ready to Die. The still unsolved murder, like the shooting death of rapper Tupac Shakur, shocked the hip-hop community. Sean (Diddy) Combs, Queen Latifah, Flava Flav, Mary J. Blige, Run-DMC and Busta Rhymes were among the rap stars who turned out for his memorial. Thousands of fans lined the sidewalks of Bedford-Stuyvesant, the artist's childhood neighborhood, to catch a glimpse of his funeral procession. But the gloomy atmosphere turned violent when police scuffled with a handful of people who had climbed onto parked cars. Seven people were arrested for disorderly conduct, including a reporter for the New York Times.
The Godfather of Soul
Even in death, James Brown was the hardest-working man in show business. The soulful singer's passing on Christmas Day, 2006, prompted not one but three memorial services. The first included a public viewing of Brown's body at Harlem's Apollo Theater, where he made his professional debut in 1956; the last was held in his hometown of Augusta, Ga., where more than 9,000 fans danced to live music supplied by his band, the Soul Generals. Pop icon Michael Jackson nearly stole the show when he made a surprise appearance at the last stop on Brown's so-called Farewell Tour. Following a eulogy delivered by the Rev. Al Sharpton, Jackson reportedly bent down to kiss Brown's forehead and proclaimed him "my greatest inspiration."
Even in death, James Brown was the hardest-working man in show business. The soulful singer's passing on Christmas Day, 2006, prompted not one but three memorial services. The first included a public viewing of Brown's body at Harlem's Apollo Theater, where he made his professional debut in 1956; the last was held in his hometown of Augusta, Ga., where more than 9,000 fans danced to live music supplied by his band, the Soul Generals. Pop icon Michael Jackson nearly stole the show when he made a surprise appearance at the last stop on Brown's so-called Farewell Tour. Following a eulogy delivered by the Rev. Al Sharpton, Jackson reportedly bent down to kiss Brown's forehead and proclaimed him "my greatest inspiration."
1 comment:
I find fascinating how the final goodbye of the famous is portrayed, sometimes wonder if this people ever comes to realize how much they influence thousands of fans.
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