Croatian artist, Mladen Mikulin, sculpted a bust effigy of Jim Morrison for his grave in Père Lachaise cemetery. The bust was to commemorate the 10th anniversary of Jim’s death on 3 July 1981. The bust was stolen in 1988.

Film director and screenwriter, Olivier Chateau, has been researching the history of Jim’s grave for several years and is one of the foremost authorities on the subject.

He has graciously provided a very rare document from his collection that sheds some light on the mystery surrounding the stolen bust. Following is the article and photo—as it appeared in the French magazine, Globe*—exposing the two guilty parties. By their own admission.

Many thanks to Olivier for this most welcome contribution.

X and x exhumed Jim Morrison

The bust Jim Morrison, Morrison  was removed from his pedestal. Two of his most ardent fans willingly became delinquents for love.

They stole the bust that sat proudly on the grave of the Doors’ singer in Père Lachaise during the night on May 9, 1988**.

They took off with a 280 lb stone on their motorcycle simply because they couldn’t tolerate the burgeoning cult devoted to their idol.

The idea that beautiful Jim would become a cheap Mona Lisa, at the mercy of postcard vendors, was intolerable.

Even worse, the bust effigy became a monument to be photographed in front of, to write one’s name on, and even to take away souvenirs in small pieces (the nose and the mouth have disappeared).In short, sacrilegious behavior in complete contradiction with the beliefs of their master that they deem to be the new Rimbaud.The bust is now safe from any desecration in their apartment.

Jim Morrison is the myth of the moment right now, everyone’s talking about him, for the occasion, Christian Bourgois is reissuing An American Prayer, his label will reissue a CD, Best of The Doors, and Ivan Passer is preparing a movie on the life of their idol. To Nathan using him in their advertising.