Marceau is quietly laid to rest

French mime Marcel Marceau was buried in a simple ceremony today at Paris’ Pere Lachaise cemetery, taking his place alongside other giants of the arts also buried there.

Rabbi Rene-Samuel Sirat read an homage to Marceau, noting that he died on Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the Jewish calendar. A French Jew, Marceau escaped deportation to a Nazi death camp during World War II, unlike his father who died in Auschwitz.

The floppy top hat with a red flower worn by Marceau’s best-known character, Bip, was placed on a stand next to the mime’s coffin and later in front of his open grave.

The French tricolour red-white-and blue flag was draped over the coffin. A cello played classical music during the ceremony, attended by about 300 people.

Marceau died on Saturday at the age of 84. At Pere Lachaise, he joined a host of other famous performers and artists, including composer Frederic Chopin, writer Oscar Wilde, painter Eugene Delacroix and rocker Jim Morrison.