Born: December 8, 1925
Died: May 16, 1990
Don’t wives ever listen?
Sammy Davis, Jr. wanted his coffin to be closed—the vain one didn’t want anyone to see his cancer-ravaged body.
But no, his wife Altovise had an open casket, and hired a photographer to take photos as 2,500 people took one last glance at the one-eyed entertainer. When she discovered that Davis owed millions in back taxes and that the estate was about to go bankrupt, she had Sammy exhumed and removed $70,000 worth of jewelry that had been buried with him!
Altovise died from complications of a stroke in 2009 at age 65, the same age Sammy was when he passed. Yes, she was buried next to her husband. No, we’re not sure if she wore any jewels, but after her two-hour memorial service, her pallbearers tossed their white gloves on top of her coffin.
Is this what’s known as “lending a final hand?”
Davis is interred in Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery in Glendale, California next to his father and “Uncle” Will Mastin. Yeah, Altovise is there too. By the way: Davis died on May 16, 1990, the same day as Muppet Master Jim Henson.
Morbid Curiosity, By Alan W. Petrucelli