Was Marcel Marceau sick? The reason behind his death exposed

Marcel Marceau is largely credited with reviving and popularizing the silent art of mime at a time when the cinema was flourishing with ‘talking pictures’. He is known for his famous stage persona ‘Bip the Clown’, recognizable for his painted face and battered top hat with a red flower sticking out.

After performing all over the world for nearly six decades, even up until the point of his death, Marceau passed away on September 22, 2007. His death was nothing short of a national event for France, the then Prime Minister Francois Fillion acknowledged it in a statement, saying:

“The mime artist Marceau will forever be the character of Bip. He became one of the best-known French artists in the world. His students and the showbusiness world will miss him.”

Although the cause of Marcel Marceau’s death was not disclosed, reports claim that he died after a ‘long illness’

At the ripe age of 84, Marcel Marceau died in a retirement home in Cahors, France. His former assistant Emmanuel Vacca made the announcement of his death on France-Info radio.

Aside from confirming the news, Vacca did not delve into many details and spared the public the immediate cause of Marceau’s death. However, media outlets have come forth with the reports that Marceau passed away after battling a ‘long illness’.

It is not known what the illness was but some reports claim that he had a heart attack. Nevertheless, Marceau’s family has been successful in keeping the last moments of his life a private affair.

Marcel Marceau was buried at Père Lachaise Cemetery in Paris and was fittingly honored with two minutes of silence. His funeral was attended by 300 people, most of whom wrote messages on the wreaths, saying:

“The rest is silence. To our dear maestro, the show goes on.”