Celebrity last words and deathbed quotes

Before he lapsed into a coma, Humphrey Bogart, by now in the terminal stages of cancer, said, "Goodbye, kid. Hurry back" to his wife, Lauren Bacall, who left his hospital bedside briefly to pick up their children. When she returned, Bogey was unconscious. She recalls the episode in her book, 'Lauren Bacall By Myself.'

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Steve Jobs (1955–2011) -

Apple co-founder Steve Jobs' last words, "Oh wow. Oh wow. Oh wow," were about his admiration of his family and not, as many have suggested, a critique of wealth.

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Winston Churchill (1874–1965) -

One of the greatest orators of the modern age, British statesman, soldier, and politician Sir Winston Churchill departed this world with these subdued words to his son-in-law: "I'm bored with it all."

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Joan Crawford (1904–1977) -

A legendary star of classic Hollywood cinema, Joan Crawford was on her deathbed when she spied her housekeeper praying. Infuriated, the actress shrieked: "Damn it! Don’t you dare ask God to help me!"

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Alfred Hitchcock (1899–1980) -

"One never knows the ending. One has to die to know exactly what happens after death, although Catholics have their hopes." Alfred Hitchcock's alleged last words are disputed, as no major biography of the legendary director even mentions this odd, metaphysical declaration. But it's had everybody scratching their heads for years.

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James Brown (1933–2006) - The Godfather of Soul James Brown used his final breaths to tell longtime manager Charles Bobbit, "I'm going away tonight" before passing away from heart failure.

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Frank Sinatra (1915–1998) -

"I'm losing it" were the last words Frank Sinatra uttered to his wife Barbara before he passed away in hospital after suffering a heart attack. His wife was at the singer's bedside.

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Charlie Chaplin (1889–1977) -

After a priest read him his rites, Charlie Chaplin responded with his famous last words: "Why not? After all, it belongs to Him."

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Elvis Presley (1935–1977) -

According to his fiancée Ginger Alden's memoir 'Elvis & Ginger,' Elvis Presley's last words before he died were, "I'm going to the bathroom to read." She was the last person to see him alive.

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Bob Marley (1945–1981) -

Stricken with cancer and dying in a Miami hospital, reggae music icon Bob Marley turned to his son Ziggy and declared: "Money can't buy life."

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John Wayne (1907–1979) -

As he succumbed to cancer in his hospital bed, John Wayne turned to his wife Pilar and said, "Of course I know who you are. You're my girl. I love you." He died shortly afterwards.

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John Lennon (1940–1980) -

After being targeted by crazed gunman Mark David Chapman, John Lennon managed to stagger a few feet towards the apartment building he was entering before moaning, "I'm shot!" He repeated this twice before collapsing. The former Beatle died soon afterwards in hospital.

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Ernest Hemingway (1899–1961) -

Apparently before killing himself celebrated author Ernest Hemingway said to his unsuspecting wife Mary, "Goodnight, my kitten." He killed himself with a shotgun the following day. Mary Hemingway insisted her husband had accidentally shot himself while cleaning the weapon, but later confessed that the author had indeed taken his own life.

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Josephine Baker (1906–1975) -

Josephine Baker was at a party in Paris held in her honor after the performer's triumphant return to the stage. Reportedly trying to seduce a man several decades younger than she was but having no luck, Baker scoffed: "Oh, you young people act like old men. You are no fun." Leaving shortly afterwards, the singer and dancer died alone later that night of a stroke.

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John Belushi (1949–1982) -

One half of the Blues Brothers, actor and comedian John Belushi died of a narcotics overdose, his last words being "just don't leave me alone," as reported by his friend Catherine Smith, who was present at the time.

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George Harrison (1943–2001) -

George Harrison's exact final words, probably spoken within earshot of family members, are not known. But when former band mate Ringo Starr visited the ex-Beatle in hospital, Harrison said: "Love one another."

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Bing Crosby (1903–1977) -

Fittingly perhaps, Bing Crosby, a passionate golfer, died after finishing up a round of golf in Spain. As he approached the clubhouse, the legendary crooner turned to his buddies and said, "That was a great game of golf fellas!" Minutes later he collapsed and died from a massive heart attack.

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Errol Flynn (1909–1959) -

"I've had a hell of a lot of fun and I've enjoyed every minute of it." When Errol Flynn uttered these words after suffering a heart attack, he effectively created his own eulogy. He died soon afterwards and was buried with six bottles of his favorite whiskey.

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Joe DiMaggio (1914–1999) -

About 37 years after her death, Marilyn Monroe's former husband Joe DiMaggio whispered on his deathbed to lawyer Morris Engelberg, "I finally get to see Marilyn."

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Lucille Ball (1911–1989) -

When asked whether there was anything she wanted, Lucille Ball, who was recovering from heart surgery, responded by saying, "My Florida water." She passed away before a bottle of her favorite perfume could be found.

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Ludwig van Beethoven (1770–1827) -

"Friends applaud, the comedy is over." The much-disputed final words of German composer Ludwig van Beethoven endure simply because the phrase was typically used to end a performance of 'commedia dell'arte,' an Italian comedy play popular in Beethoven’s day.

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Michael Landon (1936–1991) -

The much-loved star of 'Little House on the Prairie' (1974–1982) battled cancer bravely, but his illness was terminal. With family gathered at his bedside, Landon's son said it was time to move on. The actor agreed."You're right. It's time. I love you all." And he passed.

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Nostradamus (1503–1566) -

French astrologer and physician Nostradamus was famous for his prophetic predictions. In fact, he was so good he even predicted his own demise and is alleged to have said to his secretary either "tomorrow I shall no longer be here" or "you will not find me alive at sunrise." Either way, by the next morning he was dead!

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Jane Austen (1775–1817) -

Jane Austen, author of 'Sense and Sensibility' (1811), 'Pride and Prejudice' (1813), and 'Mansfield Park' (1814), among other acclaimed novels, died at age 41 in terrible pain, so much so that she declared to her older sister Cassandra, "I want nothing but death" as she lay on her deathbed. And death duly visited.

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Groucho Marx (1890–1977) -

Knowing his time was nearly up, 86-year-old Groucho Marx made one last quip, joking to a hospital nurse: "Die my dear? Why that's the last thing I'll do." Groucho Marx had the longest life of all his brothers, but his death and legacy was somewhat overshadowed by the sudden death of Elvis Presley three days previously.

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Leonardo da Vinci (1452–1519) -

"I have offended God and mankind because my work did not reach the quality it should have." These are the last words from the man responsible for painting 'The Last Supper' and the 'Mona Lisa!' Incidentally, there are very few representations of Leonardo da Vinci but pictured is one of the few, done by himself when he was around 60 years old.

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Truman Capote (1924–1984) -

Celebrity writer Truman Capote, famous for his novella 'Breakfast at Tiffany's' (1958) and the true crime novel 'In Cold Blood' (1966), took his final breath with the word "Mama."

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Karl Marx (1818–1883) -

"Get out of here and leave me alone. Last words are for fools who haven’t said enough already." So snapped the great philosopher Karl Marx when asked if he had anything to say before he died.

Sources: (The Guardian) (History Answers) (The Life and Times of Hollywood) (Celeb Answers) (USA Today) (Smooth Radio) (DocumentaryTube) (Rolling Stone) (ABC News) (India Today)

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Celebrity last words and deathbed quotes

Betty White's last word is a tear-jerking testament to her love

04/01/22 | StarsInsider

CELEBRITY Curisosities

The dying words of famous people are a unique form of quotation, and often go down in history either as profound departing statements or witty off-the-cuff gags. Either way, these last gasp announcements are what many stars are remembered for as they drew their last breath.

Betty White has so much to be remembered by, but what was on her mind as she was passing? According to actress Vicki Lawrence, who worked with White on the 1980s sitcom 'Mama’s Family,' it was White's late husband, Allen Ludden, who died back in 1981 at the age of 63. The two had been married for 18 years before he died.

Lawrence told Page Six that when she heard about White’s death, she contacted their mutual friend Carol Burnett to express her sadness at their loss. "Carol wrote back and said, ‘I know, I know. I spoke to Betty’s assistant, who was with her when she passed, and she said the very last word out of her mouth was ‘Allen.'" In all the four decades since his passing, White had never let him out of her heart.

Click through and ponder some of the most famous celebrity sign-offs ever uttered.