37 years after its disappearance, we have re-discovered the long-lost bust of Jim Morrison! Even Jim Morrison, classic rock’s iconic frontman for The Doors, disappeared—from his grave at Paris’s Père-Lachaise cemetery. In 1981, they installed the bust on Morrison’s gravesite. Most recently, French police recovered it while working on an unrelated fraud case.
The original bust, sculpted in white marble, featured a most impressive doe-eyed bust. Yet, over the decades, it became an unfortunate target for acts of vandalism. By the time it was freed in 1988, graffiti had already filled it. Souvenir hunters had even cut off a piece of its nose. Morrison, rather shockingly, died at the age of 27 in Paris. That tragedy only added to the mystique surrounding his final resting place.
Utah Transportation Commissioner Todd Mitchell has taken a bold stand. He is currently raising his own personal funds to sculpt a replacement bust for Morrison’s grave. He allegedly withdrew thousands of dollars from his retirement plan to bring the monument back to life. Mitchell said he was surprised to learn of the bust’s recovery.
“He just looked dumbfounded … Most people are destroying stuff in that cemetery.” – Todd Mitchell
The original bust’s disappearance was not without controversy. In 1994, two Americans were detained for attempting to mold their own bronze bust at Morrison’s grave site. This incident served to illustrate the continuing allure of the No. 1 all-time favorite late rock star and his continuing legacy.
The recently restored bust looks every bit the unfortunate victim of this sordid tale. The remnant from its original nose was allowed to remain, as it was when they discovered it covered in graffiti. Curator Benoît Gallot, of Père-Lachaise cemetery, explained his grave concerns about the bust coming back.
“The police haven’t contacted us, so I don’t know whether the bust will be returned to us.” – Benoît Gallot
Mitchell and his nephew are looking forward to returning to Paris. Their intention is to install the new bust on Morrison’s grave site in Père Lachaise Cemetery, as a memorial to the iconic singer-songwriter. As for the original bust’s return, that remains up in the air. Local authorities and cemetery officials are currently engaged in a power struggle over its future.