Hollywood starlet Drew Barrymore’s grandfather’s friends stole his corpse from a morgue for “one last party” after he died, she has revealed.
The ET actress revealed all on YouTube series Hot Ones, suggesting that three of her grandfather John Barrymore’s friends were responsible.
The show’s host Sean Evans speculated that they were Errol Flynn, comedian WC Fields and poet and anarchist Sadakichi Hartmann.
She told Sean: “They did! 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.”
Drew said her grandfather’s friends stole his body from the morgue for a final party (Image: Getty Images)
The Never Been Kissed star went on: “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.”
Drew said that her grandfather’s friends took his body from the morgue and propped him up against a poker table.
John Barrymore’s friends had different accounts of the famous story (Image: Bettmann Archive)
And his last adventure served as the inspiration for a scene in the comedy movie SOB.
She also explained that she has heard rumours that cult comedy Weekend at Bernie’s was also inspired by her grandfather’s final outing.
The film sees two friends pretend that their dead boss is still alive.
Drew’s grandfather John died in 1942 aged 60 after an acting career that saw him land a number of major roles.
Draw Barrymore will host a new talk show in the US soon (Image: WireImage)
John snatched the attention of Warner Bros after appearing in Hamlet, and signed him as a lead in the 1924 film Beau Brummel.
During this time he had an affair with his 17-year-old co-star Mary Astor, while he was aged 40.
As the years went on, he worked with MGM and co-starred in a production with his brother Lionel in Arsène Lupin.
Sadly, John had a dependency on alcohol so struggled to find much work later in his life.
He collapsed on May 19, 1942 while working on the Sealtest Show and died from cirrhosis of the liver and kidney failure, complicated by pneumonia.
His friend Errol Flynn claimed his body was “borrowed” before the burial, however another friend Gene Fowler denied the story.
Gene said he stayed with the body all night.
Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
