Drew Barrymore has confirmed a long-standing rumour that her grandfather’s corpse was stolen from a morgue for “one last party”.
While appearing on the YouTube series Hot Ones, the Never Been Kissed star said that the body of her grandfather, the actor John Barrymore, was stolen by friends and propped up against a poker table shortly after he died.
Hot Ones host Sean Evans suggested that three of the veteran actor’s friends were responsible for the kidnapping, namely Errol Flynn, the comedian WC Fields and the poet and anarchist Sadakichi Hartmann.
“They did!” Barrymore said. “And I will say this, I hope my friends do the same for me. That is the kind of spirit I can get behind. Just prop the old bag up and have a last few rounds.”
She continued: “I think death comes with so much morose sadness, and I understand that, but if it’s okay, just with me, if everyone can be really happy and celebratory and have a party, that would be my preference.”
Barrymore said that the final adventures of her grandfather’s body served as the inspiration for a scene in the Julie Andrews comedy film SOB.
She also said that she’s heard rumours that the cult comedy Weekend at Bernie’s, in which two friends pretend their dead boss is still alive, was also inspired by the fate of her grandfather.
Barrymore, who rose to fame as a child actor and has appeared in films including Scream, The Wedding Singer and Charlie’s Angels, will soon launch her own US talk show.
