“We had fun, didn’t we?”
During a final private visit at Newman’s home in Connecticut, Paul Newman looked at his best friend and co-star Robert Redford and spoke these poignant last words. The actor, filmmaker and race-car driver died from lung cancer at his home in Westport Connecticut, and his remains were cremated after a private funeral service. He was 83 years of age.
“Service to others is the rent you pay for your room in heaven.”
Muhammad Ali did not have any final spoken words because he was unable to talk in the days leading up to his passing, but his gravestone bears this famous maxim on humanitarianism attributed to him.
The professional boxer and activist, a global cultural icon, was hospitalised in Scottsdale Arizona with a respiratory illness. Ali’s condition worsened and he died the next day at the age of 74 from septic shock.
“I often say next year I’ll slow down, but I keep being asked to do shows in great places and I love what I do.”
The singer and music icon reflected on her career and enduring passion for performing in a poignant final televised interview before her death at the age of 75. Bonnie Tyler underwent emergency surgery for a perforated intestine at a hospital near her home in Portugal, and passed away two months later from complications resulting from the illness.
“The readiness is all”
There are no recorded or documented last words spoken by Alec Guinness before his death, but this is the epitaph on his gravestone, a famous line from William Shakespeare’s play Hamlet. The stage and screen actor, best known for his role as Obi Wan Kenobi in the original Star Wars movies, died from cancer in King Edward VII’s Hospital in Midhurst England, he was 86 years old.
“Pam, are you still there?”
These were Jim Morrison’s last words according to his longtime girlfriend Pamela Courson. The 27 year old singer-songwriter, lead vocalist of rock band the Doors, was found dead in the bathtub of his Paris apartment. The official cause of death was listed as heart failure, although no autopsy was performed as it was not required by French law.
“Bob, I don’t feel so good. I think I’m OD’ing.”
These were River Phoenix’ last words to musician and friend Bob Forrest inside The Viper Room a nightclub in West Hollywood. The actor and musician passed away at the age of 23 from acute multiple drug intoxication, specifically a lethal combination of cocaine and heroin, which led to a fatal drug overdose.
“I’m going to be with Gloria now.”
The actor and military aviator spoke these final words to his children as he lay on his deathbed, referring to late wife Gloria who passed away three years before. James Stewart died of a heart attack at 89 years of age in his Beverly Hills home surrounded by family.
“Thank you.”
The flamboyant singer and songwriter, lead vocalist for rock band Queen, thanked his close friend Peter Freestone before slipping into a coma and dying shortly after. Freddie Mercury was 45 years old when he died at home in Kensington London, the cause of death was bronchial pneumonia resulting from AIDS.
“No courthouses, but okay, let’s go.”
Marvin Lee Aday, better known by the stage name Meat Loaf, spoke these last words during the final days of his life to daughter Amanda. She had told him to “get strong” so he could walk her down the aisle on her wedding day. The singer and actor passed away at home in Nashville Tennessee at the age of 74, no official cause of death was released but he had reportedly been ill with COVID-19.
“What is this thing I’m feeling, I’m going to sleep now.”
The martial artist and actor spoke these final words to colleague Betty Ting before taking a painkiller and lying down for a nap. Bruce Lee never awoke from the nap – an autopsy would later conclude that he died from cerebral edema due to a reaction to compounds present in the painkiller. On the discovery of his unresponsive body Lee was brought to Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Kowloon Hong Kong but declared dead on arrival at the age of 32.
