This unusual and macabre incident not only disturbed the actor’s family and friends, but also left fans perplexed.
Hollywood has witnessed some of the most shocking and tragic deaths in film history, leaving a deep mark on collective memory.. From the farewell to icons like Marilyn Monroe and James Dean to the moving funerals of legends like Audrey Hepburn and Robin Williams, these moments have been marked by the pain and admiration of millions of fans around the world.
However, among these emotional episodes, one of the most bizarre and disturbing events occurred when the grave of a legendary actor was desecrated. Two months after his death, The body and coffin of this famous performer were stolen in an act that shocked and disturbed the community and the general public.
There is no doubt that Charles Chaplin He was one of the greatest performers and filmmakers of all time. Known for his unmatched comedic skill and deep sense of humanity, Chaplin left a legacy through iconic films such as The great Dictator, Modern times and City Lights.
His contributions to Hollywood made him an eternal legend. However, in addition to his notable career, Chaplin is also remembered for a strange and macabre episode that occurred shortly after his death. (December 25, 1977).
The legend of Chaplin and the strange episode of the theft of his body
Two months after his death at the age of 88, villagers in the small Swiss town of Corsier-sur-Vevey discovered to their horror that Chaplin’s grave had been desecrated and his body and coffin had disappeared. This disturbing act shocked the community and the entire world.
The situation became even more alarming when Oona O’Neill, Chaplin’s widow, and her lawyer began receiving threatening phone calls from grave robbers, who demanded a ransom of $600,000 in exchange for the body. Oona, convinced that her late husband would have considered her demands absurd, refused to pay the criminals.
Faced with Oona’s refusal, the Swiss police intensified their efforts, monitoring telephone lines to locate the criminals. Finally, they managed to arrest Roman Wardas, a 25-year-old Polish refugee, and Gantscho Ganev, a Bulgarian immigrant. The thieves confessed to burying Chaplin’s body in a cornfield about a mile from the Chaplin family home.. His motivation for this grotesque act was his desperation to get out of his financial difficulties.
In an act of humanity and understanding, Oona eventually forgave the criminals after receiving a letter expressing genuine regret for their actions. The actor’s body The golden chimera and The circus returned to the local cemetery of Corsier-sur-Vevey, this time with additional security measures: His grave was reinforced with reinforced concrete to prevent any similar attempt in the future.
There is even a French film, starring Benoît Poelvoorde, Roschdy Zem, Chiara Mastroianni and Nadine Labaki, that is based on this event. Directed by Xavier Beauvois and released in 2013, The price of the fame explores the motivations of the two men who extorted the famous comedian’s family.
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