Marceau buried in celebrated cemetery

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

Rabbi Rene-Samuel Sirat read a 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; his father 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.

A cello played classical music during the ceremony, which was attended by about 300 people.

Marceau died Saturday at age 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.