Toilets are a part of life, but they couldn't be shown on TV, or even mentioned, until broadcasting had been around for several decades. Still, the toilet, with its flush action and relatively easy-to-clean surfaces, is a wonder of modern technology that makes life easier all around compared to what was common before its invention a couple hundred years ago. Yet the modern toilet was less "invented" than "developed," as the working components were added and improved one at a time. These developments make certain breakthrough toilets famous. But there are others that have a story behind them.
It might be pop culture’s most famous toilet: On August 16, 1977, Elvis Presley was found by girlfriend Ginger Alden on the floor of his second-floor bathroom in Graceland after falling off the seat. Presley reportedly died due to a heart condition preceded by excessive prescription drug use. Visitors to Graceland, however, aren’t able to peer at the toilet that hosted the King in his final movement: The bathroom and adjoining suite are off-limits.
Read about other toilets that made their mark on history at Mental Floss.
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