Here are 10 historic figures and their famous last words.
Planned or not, some particularly notable individuals uttered one last memorable message before departing this world.
Here are 10 historic figures and their famous last words.
Number 10. Jack Daniel. In a fit of frustration, the Tennessee whiskey king kicked a safe, injured his toe, and eventually lost his life to a resulting infection. Before passing he had one final request, asking for, “One last drink please.”
Number 9. Dominique Bouhours. Befitting a person who spent his life as a dutiful upholder and practitioner of the language arts, the French grammarian’s final utterance was, “I am about to — or I am going to — die: either expression is correct.”
Number 8. Vincent van Gogh. While the art world has been kind to the painter, life itself was not. As he lay in bed, dying from a gunshot wound inflicted by his own hand, he told his brother, “The sadness will last forever.”
Number 7. Leonardo da Vinci. History remembers him as a man of greatness, but he didn’t see himself in the same light. When his passing was imminent he called for a priest. After confessing his wrongs da Vinci said, “I have offended God and mankind because my work did not reach the quality it should have.”
Number 6. Bob Hope. The legendary funny man didn’t let death steal his sense of humor. When asked by his wife where he should be buried, Hope quipped, “Surprise me.”
Number 5. Alfred Hitchcock. Endings were important to him, so much so that he purchased every copy of the book ‘Psycho’ available so the public wouldn’t know what was in store. Upon his own, he offered, “One never knows the ending. One has to die to know exactly what happens after death, although Catholics have their hopes.”
Number 4. Marie Antoinette. She is and was infamous for her callous and dismissive behavior towards the common man, yet upon stepping on her executioner’s foot took a moment to say, “Pardon me sir. I did not mean to do it."
Number 3. Charlie Chaplin. A priest at his bedside wished the Lord to have mercy on the dying man’s soul. The silent film star responded, "Why not? It belongs to him."
Number 2. Joan Crawford. The actress was an unstoppable force and generally not the type to tread lightly. When she overheard her housekeeper praying for her, Crawford demanded, “Dammit… Don’t you dare ask God to help me.”
Number 1. Steve Jobs. In her eulogy, Jobs’ sister described his last moments as those of a man still capable with wonderment. His closing words to this world were, “ Oh wow. Oh wow. Oh wow.”
Whose last words do you think are the most memorable?
