Public opinion has turned against him
British motoring and aviation pioneer Charles Stewart Rolls (1877–1910), seen here in 1903, was responsible for creating one half of the world-famous luxury car.
Henry Royce (1863–1933) was the other half, a British engineer who together with Rolls established Rolls-Royce in 1904. The brand has remained the quintessence of automotive elegance ever since.
Beatle John Lennon (1940–1980), seen here in 1967 with his son Julian, had his Rolls-Royce Phantom V custom decorated to reflect the trippy, psychedelic era of the late 1960s.
Celebrity couple Mary Pickford (1892–1979) and Douglas Fairbanks (1883–1939) were in their day considered Hollywood royalty. The film stars are pictured in 1931 with their Rolls-Royce cabriolet.
Pictured in 1960, Elvis Presley (1935–1977), the "King of Rock and Roll," enjoyed all the trappings of success, including a big mansion and a luxury Rolls-Royce motor car.
American actress Grace Kelly (1929– 1982) and Prince Rainier III of Monaco (1923–2005) are driven through the streets in a sparkling Rolls-Royce car after their royal wedding ceremony at Monaco Cathedral in Monte Carlo in 1956.
Musician and singer-songwriter Roy Orbison (1936-1988) takes a break from rehearsals to pose against a Rolls- Royce car at the Festival Pleasure Gardens in Battersea Park, London, in May 1970.
A bearded Richard Burton (1925–1984) arrives in suitable style at Merton College in Oxford in 1966 to discuss the production of a theatrical film version of 'Doctor Faustus,' which would be released the following year.
Welsh singer Tom Jones, pictured outside his home in 1969, is obviously on a roll with not one but two Rolls-Royce motorcars to his name.
The Rolling Stones appeared on a British TV music show performing against a brilliant white Rolls-Royce in 1965. All five members of the band were avid classic car collectors.
Keith Moon (1946–1978), legendary drummer with The Who, clowns around on the running board of his classic Rolls-Royce automobile holding a glass of champagne on Mulholland Drive in Los Angeles, in June 1976.
Michael Caine, photographed in 1992, lounges across on his Rolls-Royce outside his Beverly Hills home.
Early American stage and movie actress Pearl White (1889–1938) achieved success in productions such as 'The Perils of Pauline' (1914) and 'The Exploits of Elaine' (1914). She's seen here in 1917 with one of the rewards for her hard work, a Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost Tourer.
Marlene Dietrich (1901–1992), pictured here in 1933, pauses at the rear door of her Roll-Royce Phantom I with chauffeur Harry Wright as she leaves Paramount Studios after a day of filming.
Legendary Hollywood actress Gloria Swanson (1899–1983) ignores the camera as she's photographed in her chauffeur-driven Rolls-Royce in New York City in 1960. She's best known for her role as Norma Desmond in Billy Wilder's 'Sunset Boulevard' (1950).
Italian movie star Gina Lollobrigida (1927–2023) gets behind the wheel of a Roll-Royce at the British International Motor Show at Earls Court in London in the 1960s.
Hollywood leading man Rock Hudson (1925–1985) is pictured standing next to a vintage Rolls-Royce around the time 'The Spiral Road' was being filmed in Suriname in the early 1960s.
Actor Tony Curtis (1925– 2010) perches on the running board of a vintage Rolls-Royce convertible around 1961, shortly after appearing in 'Spartacus' (1960).
American entertainer Sammy Davis Jr. (1925–1990) hops, skips, and jumps towards his Rolls-Royce while in England for a week of variety performances at the Empire Theatre in Liverpool in 1963.
Shirley MacLaine cuddles up to Spirit of Ecstasy, the bonnet ornament sculpture set on all Rolls-Royce vehicles. She was photographed with a Rolls-Royce Phantom II, used in the 1964 film 'The Yellow Rolls-Royce.'
American actress Shelley Winters (1920–2006) on location at Tower Bridge in London in 1965 during the shooting of the film 'Alfie,' which stars Michael Caine.
Looking dapper in his role as Jay Gatsby, actor Robert Redford leans against a gleaming white Rolls-Royce in a publicity still from the film 'The Great Gatsby' (1974).
Such is the association between a celebrity and their Rolls-Royce that even after they've passed on, the car remains a much-desired collector's item. Pictured is the 1960 Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud II that was once owned by Elizabeth Taylor (1932–2011). The vehicle was later auctioned in New York City together with other items belonging to the late actress.
See also: The greatest French cars ever made
French actress Brigitte Bardot arrives at fashionable Maxim's de Paris in a Rolls-Royce and is about to enter the famous restaurant barefoot with considerable late 1960s savoir-faire.
The Fab Four leave ABC Television Studios in Middlesex, England, in a chauffeur-driven vintage Rolls-Royce Tourer. The band had been recording a 1965 music show appearance.
The Rolls-Royce has been the ceremonial vehicle of choice for the British royal family for decades. Here, Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother (1900–2002) is reflected in all her regal splendor as she steps into a Phantom IV after leaving the Columbia University Bicentennial dinner in New York City in 1954.
When Charles Stewart Rolls was introduced to Henry Royce, little did they know that their fortuitous meeting would forge the foundations of one of the most prestigious automobile brands in the world. Today, a Rolls-Royce car is symbolic of style, elegance, and considerable wealth. It's no wonder that a "roller" remains the vehicle of choice for many actors, singers, and even royalty. So, who are some of the vintage celebrities that have owned or been seen with a Rolls-Royce?
Click through for a luxurious drive down memory lane.
The unquestionable appeal of Rolls-Royce
Vintage celebrities and their Rolls-Royce vehicles
LIFESTYLE Automobiles
When Charles Stewart Rolls was introduced to Henry Royce, little did they know that their fortuitous meeting would forge the foundations of one of the most prestigious automobile brands in the world. Today, a Rolls-Royce car is symbolic of style, elegance, and considerable wealth. It's no wonder that a "roller" remains the vehicle of choice for many actors, singers, and even royalty. So, who are some of the vintage celebrities that have owned or been seen with a Rolls-Royce?
Click through for a luxurious drive down memory lane.