The Hidden Grave of Casey Kasem

In a quiet section of Vestre Gravlund in Oslo lies the grave of a man who, during his lifetime, had almost no connection with Norway at all. Casey Kasem was one of the most recognisable voices in American broadcasting, heard by millions as the longtime host of American Top 40 and by generations of children as the original voice of Shaggy Rogers in Scooby-Doo. Born in Detroit in 1932, Kasem spent more than half a century working in American radio and television. So how did one of America's best-known radio personalities end up buried thousands of kilometres away in Oslo?

Kasem became nationally famous after launching American Top 40 in 1970. The syndicated programme counted down the most popular songs in the United States and was eventually broadcast around the world. Kasem's warm delivery, stories about the artists and his popular “Long Distance Dedication” segments made him closely associated with the programme, as did his familiar sign-off: “Keep your feet on the ground and keep reaching for the stars.” He originally hosted the show until 1988, returned in 1998 and remained a familiar voice on radio countdown programmes until his retirement in 2009. He was inducted into the National Radio Hall of Fame in 1992 and received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame years earlier.

To another audience, however, Kasem was simply Shaggy. He first voiced Norville “Shaggy” Rogers when Scooby-Doo, Where Are You! premiered in 1969 and continued with the character through numerous television series, films and specials for decades. His nervous, unmistakable performance helped define Shaggy as one of the most recognisable cartoon characters of the 20th century. Kasem also provided voices for numerous other animated productions, including Super Friends, in which he voiced Robin.

The final years of Kasem's life were considerably less cheerful. By the early 2010s his health had deteriorated severely, and an increasingly bitter dispute developed between his second wife, actress Jean Kasem, and his three adult children from his first marriage: Kerri, Julie and Mike. The disagreement centred on access to Kasem and control over his medical care. Kerri eventually gained authority over her father's healthcare, while Jean disputed many of the accusations made against her. The conflict became highly public and continued through courts and the American media.

Casey Kasem died in Gig Harbor, Washington, on 15 June 2014 at the age of 82. His death did not bring the family dispute to an end. Instead, an already unusual story became even stranger. His widow retained authority over his remains, while his children maintained that their father had wanted to be buried at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, California. Friends and relatives supported their claim in letters, but Jean Kasem chose an entirely different destination.

During the following months, Kasem's body was moved from Washington to a funeral home in Montreal, Canada, while legal arguments continued over what should happen next. Jean eventually applied for permission to bury him in Oslo. In her request to Norwegian authorities, she said that she had Norwegian relatives on her mother's side and planned to move to Norway herself. She also stated that her husband had spoken positively about Norway, describing it as a place associated with peace. Members of her own family later publicly disputed the claim of Norwegian ancestry, adding yet another unresolved detail to an already extraordinary situation.

Whatever the reasoning behind the decision, permission was granted. On 16 December 2014, exactly six months and one day after his death, Casey Kasem was buried at Vestre Gravlund in Oslo. His children said they were not informed beforehand and learned about the burial through the media. For a man whose voice had reached millions of people every week, his final resting place was remarkably understated. There was no elaborate monument or Hollywood-style memorial. For years, there was not even a proper headstone.

The grave became something of a curiosity among American residents and visitors in Oslo. A local American organisation has held small memorial gatherings there on Kasem's birthday, bringing flowers and remembering his radio career. Eventually a small plaque identifying him was placed at the otherwise modest grave by people who felt that such a famous broadcaster should at least have his name marking the spot. Even today, it is surprisingly easy to walk past without realising who is buried there.

In June 2024, ten years after her father's death, Kerri Kasem travelled to Norway and visited the grave for the first time. She was helped by people in Oslo who had located and cared for the site over the years. The visit was understandably emotional, but it did not change her position. Kerri publicly repeated that Oslo was not where her father had wanted to be buried and said that she still hoped to have his remains returned to the United States.

There is something strangely fitting and deeply unsettling about the contrast. Casey Kasem spent his career as a familiar presence in millions of homes, introducing hit records, reading dedications from listeners and giving one of animation's most famous characters his voice. Yet his grave sits almost anonymously in a cemetery on the other side of the world, in a country where he appears to have had little or no personal connection during his lifetime.

That unanswered question is what makes the grave particularly unusual. There is no mystery about who is buried here, but there is still considerable disagreement over why he is here at all. Until anything changes, one of the great voices of American radio remains in Oslo, beneath a small and easily overlooked marker at Vestre Gravlund.