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© Getty Images
0 / 31 Fotos
Aretha Franklin - Three handwritten wills were recently discovered at Franklin's home in Michigan. The most recent will appears to leave her assets to her family.
© Getty Images
1 / 31 Fotos
Leona Helmsley - The flamboyant businesswoman left US$10 million to her brother, and US$5 million to her grandsons. Meanwhile her dog, Maltese, received US$12 million.
© Getty Images
2 / 31 Fotos
William Shakespeare - The legendary writer left a strange present to his wife, Anne Hathaway. He left his "second best bed" for his wife—that's right, his second best.
© Getty Images
3 / 31 Fotos
Charles Dickens - Dickens didn't want any "monument, memorial or testimonial whatsoever." Although, this was ignored. "He could not possibly imagine that his popularity would have been what it is today," said his great-great-grandson.
© Getty Images
4 / 31 Fotos
Harry Houdini - Houdini was an iconic magician, and kept the tricks coming from the afterlife. His wife was instructed to hold séances every year on his death date, October 31.
© Getty Images
5 / 31 Fotos
Napoleon - After his death, Napoleon asked for his head to be shaved, and his hair divided among friends.
© Getty Images
6 / 31 Fotos
Gene Roddenberry - The 'Star Trek' creator asked for his ashes to be sent into space. This was done in 1997.
© Getty Images
7 / 31 Fotos
Philip Seymour Hoffman - Apparently, the actor didn't want "trust fund kids," so left everything to his girlfriend Mimi O'Donnell.
© Getty Images
8 / 31 Fotos
Marilyn Monroe - Marilyn Monroe left thousands to her half-sister, friends, and her personal secretary. However, all of her possessions and clothing went to her acting coach, Lee Strasberg.
© Getty Images
9 / 31 Fotos
John B. Kelly - The Olympic gold rower had a humorous request, asking his daughter (Grace Kelly) to "not bankrupt the Principality of Monaco with the bills about her clothing."
© Public Domain
10 / 31 Fotos
Janis Joplin - Joplin was a wild superstar, and didn't want a miserable funeral. Instead, she left around US$2,500 for her friends to have an all-night party.
© BrunoPress
11 / 31 Fotos
Alexander McQueen - The innovative fashion designer loved his dogs, and left a reported US$75,000 to them.
© Getty Images
12 / 31 Fotos
William Randolph Hearst - Mr. Hearst was an influential magazine mogul. In his will, he offered just one dollar to anyone who could prove they were his child.
© Getty Images
13 / 31 Fotos
Dusty Springfield - Springfield had some curious requests for her cat, Nicholas. She asked for him to be fed baby food, given a tree house, and to be serenaded by Springfield's records.
© Getty Images
14 / 31 Fotos
Tupac Shakur - On his track, 'Black Jesus,' the rapper asked for friends to smoke his ashes. Members of his crew, Outlawz, followed through with this request.
© BrunoPress
15 / 31 Fotos
Adam Yauch - In his will, the Beastie Boy asked that neither his image or music should be used for advertising.
© Getty Images
16 / 31 Fotos
Mickey Rooney - Once a star, Mickey Rooney had around US$80,000 before he passed away. The actor left none of it to his wife and children.
© Getty Images
17 / 31 Fotos
Jeremy Bentham - The philosopher asked that his body be stuffed with hay, and put on display in London. You can still see him there today.
© Getty Images
18 / 31 Fotos
John Bowman - The socialite paid US$50,000 to employ staff who would mind his house after he died, as he believed that he, his wife, and his daughter would be reincarnated.
© Getty Images
19 / 31 Fotos
George Bernard Shaw - George Bernard Shaw was a bit of an odd fellow, and left behind money to fund a new alphabet. By the end of his death year (1950), the Shaw Alphabet was introduced.
© Getty Images
20 / 31 Fotos
Ed Headrick
- Among other things, Ed Headrick invented the Frisbee. He asked for his ashes to made into a set of Frisbees, which was honored. (Photo: Wikimedia/CC BY-SA 4.0)
© Wikimedia/Creative Commons
21 / 31 Fotos
Benjamin Franklin - His face is on money, but Benjamin Franklin said his daughter Sarah would "not engage the expensive, vain and useless pastime of wearing jewels." She didn't listen.
© Getty Images
22 / 31 Fotos
Farrah Fawcett - Controversy ensued when Farrah Fawcett passed away in 2009, leaving nothing to her longtime lover Ryan O'Neal.
© Getty Images
23 / 31 Fotos
Fred Baur - Fred Baur invented the Pringles can, and asked that he be buried in one. His family agreed.
© Public Domain
24 / 31 Fotos
Oprah Winfrey - Oprah Winfrey has apparently left US$30 million to her dogs.
© Getty Images
25 / 31 Fotos
Robert Kardashian
- The defense lawyer left a US$100 million estate in trust for the Kardashians. (Photo: Wikimedia/CC BY-SA 4.0)
© Wikimedia/Creative Commons
26 / 31 Fotos
Simon Cowell - The powerful media figure has said that he will leave all his money to charity, and not to his children.
© Getty Images
27 / 31 Fotos
Bill Gates - The entire Gates fortune will not be left to his children, but his children will receive a small portion of US$10 million.
© Getty Images
28 / 31 Fotos
Elton John - Elton John has an estimated fortune of US$200 million, but has told the Mirror about his concerns leaving money. "It's terrible to give kids a silver spoon. It ruins their life."
© Getty Images
29 / 31 Fotos
Sean Connery
- Sean Connery reportedly told his son that he would not receive a penny of his fortune. Connery's former wife, Diane Cilento, revealed the news. Also read all about the celebs who died broke.
© Getty Images
30 / 31 Fotos
© Getty Images
0 / 31 Fotos
Aretha Franklin - Three handwritten wills were recently discovered at Franklin's home in Michigan. The most recent will appears to leave her assets to her family.
© Getty Images
1 / 31 Fotos
Leona Helmsley - The flamboyant businesswoman left US$10 million to her brother, and US$5 million to her grandsons. Meanwhile her dog, Maltese, received US$12 million.
© Getty Images
2 / 31 Fotos
William Shakespeare - The legendary writer left a strange present to his wife, Anne Hathaway. He left his "second best bed" for his wife—that's right, his second best.
© Getty Images
3 / 31 Fotos
Charles Dickens - Dickens didn't want any "monument, memorial or testimonial whatsoever." Although, this was ignored. "He could not possibly imagine that his popularity would have been what it is today," said his great-great-grandson.
© Getty Images
4 / 31 Fotos
Harry Houdini - Houdini was an iconic magician, and kept the tricks coming from the afterlife. His wife was instructed to hold séances every year on his death date, October 31.
© Getty Images
5 / 31 Fotos
Napoleon - After his death, Napoleon asked for his head to be shaved, and his hair divided among friends.
© Getty Images
6 / 31 Fotos
Gene Roddenberry - The 'Star Trek' creator asked for his ashes to be sent into space. This was done in 1997.
© Getty Images
7 / 31 Fotos
Philip Seymour Hoffman - Apparently, the actor didn't want "trust fund kids," so left everything to his girlfriend Mimi O'Donnell.
© Getty Images
8 / 31 Fotos
Marilyn Monroe - Marilyn Monroe left thousands to her half-sister, friends, and her personal secretary. However, all of her possessions and clothing went to her acting coach, Lee Strasberg.
© Getty Images
9 / 31 Fotos
John B. Kelly - The Olympic gold rower had a humorous request, asking his daughter (Grace Kelly) to "not bankrupt the Principality of Monaco with the bills about her clothing."
© Public Domain
10 / 31 Fotos
Janis Joplin - Joplin was a wild superstar, and didn't want a miserable funeral. Instead, she left around US$2,500 for her friends to have an all-night party.
© BrunoPress
11 / 31 Fotos
Alexander McQueen - The innovative fashion designer loved his dogs, and left a reported US$75,000 to them.
© Getty Images
12 / 31 Fotos
William Randolph Hearst - Mr. Hearst was an influential magazine mogul. In his will, he offered just one dollar to anyone who could prove they were his child.
© Getty Images
13 / 31 Fotos
Dusty Springfield - Springfield had some curious requests for her cat, Nicholas. She asked for him to be fed baby food, given a tree house, and to be serenaded by Springfield's records.
© Getty Images
14 / 31 Fotos
Tupac Shakur - On his track, 'Black Jesus,' the rapper asked for friends to smoke his ashes. Members of his crew, Outlawz, followed through with this request.
© BrunoPress
15 / 31 Fotos
Adam Yauch - In his will, the Beastie Boy asked that neither his image or music should be used for advertising.
© Getty Images
16 / 31 Fotos
Mickey Rooney - Once a star, Mickey Rooney had around US$80,000 before he passed away. The actor left none of it to his wife and children.
© Getty Images
17 / 31 Fotos
Jeremy Bentham - The philosopher asked that his body be stuffed with hay, and put on display in London. You can still see him there today.
© Getty Images
18 / 31 Fotos
John Bowman - The socialite paid US$50,000 to employ staff who would mind his house after he died, as he believed that he, his wife, and his daughter would be reincarnated.
© Getty Images
19 / 31 Fotos
George Bernard Shaw - George Bernard Shaw was a bit of an odd fellow, and left behind money to fund a new alphabet. By the end of his death year (1950), the Shaw Alphabet was introduced.
© Getty Images
20 / 31 Fotos
Ed Headrick
- Among other things, Ed Headrick invented the Frisbee. He asked for his ashes to made into a set of Frisbees, which was honored. (Photo: Wikimedia/CC BY-SA 4.0)
© Wikimedia/Creative Commons
21 / 31 Fotos
Benjamin Franklin - His face is on money, but Benjamin Franklin said his daughter Sarah would "not engage the expensive, vain and useless pastime of wearing jewels." She didn't listen.
© Getty Images
22 / 31 Fotos
Farrah Fawcett - Controversy ensued when Farrah Fawcett passed away in 2009, leaving nothing to her longtime lover Ryan O'Neal.
© Getty Images
23 / 31 Fotos
Fred Baur - Fred Baur invented the Pringles can, and asked that he be buried in one. His family agreed.
© Public Domain
24 / 31 Fotos
Oprah Winfrey - Oprah Winfrey has apparently left US$30 million to her dogs.
© Getty Images
25 / 31 Fotos
Robert Kardashian
- The defense lawyer left a US$100 million estate in trust for the Kardashians. (Photo: Wikimedia/CC BY-SA 4.0)
© Wikimedia/Creative Commons
26 / 31 Fotos
Simon Cowell - The powerful media figure has said that he will leave all his money to charity, and not to his children.
© Getty Images
27 / 31 Fotos
Bill Gates - The entire Gates fortune will not be left to his children, but his children will receive a small portion of US$10 million.
© Getty Images
28 / 31 Fotos
Elton John - Elton John has an estimated fortune of US$200 million, but has told the Mirror about his concerns leaving money. "It's terrible to give kids a silver spoon. It ruins their life."
© Getty Images
29 / 31 Fotos
Sean Connery
- Sean Connery reportedly told his son that he would not receive a penny of his fortune. Connery's former wife, Diane Cilento, revealed the news. Also read all about the celebs who died broke.
© Getty Images
30 / 31 Fotos
The craziest celebrity wills and dying wishes
Aretha Franklin's three handwritten wills have been discovered
© Getty Images
Everyone has a dying wish. For many, that means managing money beyond the grave. Wills are pretty important, and it's good to ensure you pass something on to your loved ones. That said, many celebs have unusual wills and dying wishes. Recently, Aretha Franklin's three handwritten wills were recently discovered at her home in Michigan. Click on to read the strangest celebrity wills and dying wishes.
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