The Normandy Landings, popularly referred to as “D-Day,” were a part of the Allied invasion of Normandy in World War II, and were celebrated for the eightieth time in June 2024. Numerous memorial services have been held in the weeks that have followed, leading up to a major event on June 6th at the British Normandy memorial in Ver-sur-Mer. Along with many other well-known people and politicians, Welsh singing icon Sir Tom Jones participated in the celebrations by passionately performing “I Won’t Crumble With You If You Fall.”
Even though it was performed as a tribute to Tom’s late wife Linda, the song turned out to be perfect for the D-Day event, giving the celebrations a heartfelt and somber tone. Tom sung of the “honor” he felt to be asked to perform at the event, and his passionate voice gave the song a lot of fire and emotion. “It is a momentous occasion that reminds us of the limitless sacrifices of that campaign,” he wrote on social media amid the beauty.
It was very breathtaking. And King Charles III and Queen Camilla greeted the twenty-three D-Day veterans in attendance. A military piper played on Gold Beach earlier in the day at precisely 7:26 a.m. to signal the start of the commemorations and the beginning of the invasions. Together with Tom Jones’s poignant vocal performance, all of these elements contributed to a powerful ceremony that honored the veterans of the Normandy Landings.
Before the D-Day commemorative ceremony, Tom sang this particular song live and brought many to tears in the audience. In 2022, he spontaneously performed “I Won’t Crumble When You Fall” during an episode of The Voice UK, in response to numerous enthusiastic requests from the audience. Tom’s strong voice reverberated throughout the room as he performed, bringing fellow judge and vocalist Anne-Marie to tears with only the piano providing accompaniment.
The Corpse of Drew Barrymore’s Grandfather Was Stolen for One Last Celebration
John Barrymore came from a long line of theater actors. He himself first appeared on stage alongside his father in 1900, and in 1903 officially began his career, starring in the likes of Justice (1916) and Richard III (1920). His greatest role was his 1992 appearance in Hamlet, for which he was dubbed “the greatest living American tragedian.”
Barrymore also starred in a slew of silent films, most notably Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1920), Sherlock Holmes (1922) and Beau Brummel (1924). He later made the transition to sound movies, starring in the likes of Grand Hotel (1932) and Midnight (1939).
On May 29, 1942, Barrymore died at the age of 60 from pneumonia and cirrhosis. What happened next has been the subject of many rumors. It’s alleged his friends, Errol Flynn, W.C. Fields and Sadakichi Hartmann snuck into the morgue where his body was being held, propped him up against a poker table and allowed him to experience one final celebration.
As it turns out, these rumors are true! In an August 2020 episode of the popular YouTube series Hot Ones, the acting legend’s granddaughter, Drew Barrymore, revealed his corpse had actually been stolen.
“Not only yes, but there have been cinematic interpretations of it,” she exclaimed. Those interpretations include S.O.B., starring Julie Andrews, and allegedly the 1989 comedy Weekend at Bernie’s, in which two friends pretend their deceased boss is alive.
Barrymore added that she wants the same to happen to her. “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, let’s have a few rounds.
“I think death comes with so much morose sadness and I understand that, but if it’s okay, just for me, if everybody could be really happy and celebratory and have a party, that would be my preference.”
Vintage Hollywood certainly was a different era…
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