The mystery is described in one of the musician's songs
A statement by Wilder's family explained the reason why he kept it a secret. "The decision to wait until this time to disclose his condition wasn't vanity, but more so that the countless young children that would smile or call out to him 'there's Willy Wonka,' would not have to be then exposed to an adult referencing illness or trouble and causing delight to travel to worry, disappointment or confusion. He simply couldn't bear the idea of one less smile in the world."
Ride went down in history as the first American woman in space. That's a pretty big accomplishment on its own. But there is a secret the astronaut took with her to the grave.
The actor will always be remembered for his role in 'Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory' (1971). Wilder's cause of death was complications from Alzheimer's disease, a condition he kept secret from the public.
Not only was Sally Ride the first American woman astronaut in space, but she was also the first gay woman in space!
"I chose not to go public about [having AIDS] because, to misquote 'Casablanca,' I'm not much at being noble, but it doesn't take much to see that the problems of one old actor don't amount to a hill of beans in this crazy world," read a statement by the actor that was made public after his death.
The police found a huge collection of homemade explicit photos and videotapes among his possessions. It was suspected that the actor might have been a sex addict.
The actor, famed for his role in Alfred Hitchcock's 'Psycho' movies, was very private about his personal life. So much so that he was sick with AIDS and no one knew about it, until his death in 1992.
'Hogan's Heroes' actor Bob Crane was allegedly murdered in 1978. When an investigation into his death was launched, details of a secret transpired.
For years, the singer donated generously to numerous organizations, including Macmillan Cancer Support, Terrence Higgins Trust, and Childline. The latter received royalties from his huge hit 'Jesus to a Child.' "Over the years he gave us millions," said the founder of Childline, Esther Rantzen.
Huston's life was filled with no. 1 hits, but also a troubled marriage and addiction problems. But while all of these were public knowledge, there is one secret that wasn't revealed until the singer passed away in 2012: she was allegedly abused.
The singer might have been in the news for all the right and wrong reasons. But despite all the controversies, it wasn't until after George Michael died that the world knew about his generous heart.
Both Whitney Houston and her brother, Gary, were allegedly molested by their cousin, singer Dee Dee Warwick. Houston's assistant and friend, Mary Jones, recalled the moment the singer told her the secret. She reportedly told her: "Mary, I was molested at a young age too. But it wasn't by a man—it was a woman."
It turns out that Prince was very discreet with his philanthropic efforts. But after his death, it was revealed how generous he really was. Prince often donated anonymously.
Saville was accused by a whopping 450 people of abuse. According to the BBC, over 80% of the alleged victims were female, and 80% were children or young people.
Sources: (Nicki Swift)
See also: Disturbing finds in celebrity autopsies
The iconic British radio and TV personality was loved by many people...until dark details about his life emerged following his death in 2011.
Actors such as Dominick Brascia have been mentioned by Feldman, but the truth is yet to be known. A documentary was even made about the story.
The world might have been shocked to know that Prince died of an accidental overdose of an opioid painkiller, but other secrets emerged after the artist's death in 2016.
The Canadian actor became pretty big in the '80s, but Hollywood stardom didn't just bring him fame and fortune. Before he passed away, Haim claimed to have been abused during those years.
The American jazz musician became famous in the '50s with the Billy Tipton Trio. The musician was reportedly married at least five times, and had three adopted children.
But it wasn't until the day he died that it was discovered that Tipton was a transgender man.
Carradine had a calm, composed aura, and most people wouldn't suspect a thing. Though some people close to him were aware of his "kinky moments," as his third wife, Gail Jensen, described them.
"There is no sign of me having dementia at this stage of my life... It was complete alcohol poisoning. And the fact is, I lied about my drinking," Cassidy admitted in a documentary released after his death.
The actor, known for his martial arts roles, was found dead in a Bangkok hotel room in 2009. The cause of death was asphyxiation due to a s e x act gone wrong.
At the time, the disease was largely associated with gay men, though despite speculations, Hudson never really confirmed that we was gay. The star's sexuality was not revealed until after his death.
Before his death, the singer publicly talked about his battle with dementia. When David Cassidy passed away on November 21, 2017, it was speculated that his death had something to do with the condition. Except, it didn't.
Hudson had a great career, spanning over three decades. By the end of it, in the mid 1980s, he was diagnosed with AIDS. The actor eventually died on October 2, 1985.
The "Tipton story is about the indeterminacy of gender identity," wrote Diane Middlebrook, author of the book 'Suits Me: The Double Life of Billy Tipton.'
The name of the perpetrator is still unknown to this day. Though his 'The Lost Boys' co-star and friend, Corey Feldman is said to know who he is.
An example includes an environmentalist who worked on the Green Jobs Act, who reportedly received an anonymous US$50,000 check, which was later confirmed to be from the late star.
Celebrities might always be under the spotlight, but some do manage to keep things under the radar throughout their entire lives. For many years, certain stars managed to keep secrets that were not revealed until after their deaths. From sad stories of abuse to heartwarming stories of famous faces who were extremely charitable, in this gallery you'll find a bit of everything.
Browse through and discover the secrets these stars took to the grave.
Stars who took huge secrets to the grave
Some are quite disturbing...
CELEBRITY Curiosities
Celebrities might always be under the spotlight, but some do manage to keep things under the radar throughout their entire lives. For many years, certain stars managed to keep secrets that were not revealed until after their deaths. From sad stories of abuse to heartwarming stories of famous faces who were extremely charitable, in this gallery you'll find a bit of everything.
Browse through and discover the secrets these stars took to the grave.