'Harry Potter' star had such a raucous life he forgot his Rolls-Royce was in NYC parking lot for 25 years
Published on Jun 15, 2025 at 8:24 AM (UTC+4)
by Callum Tokody
Last updated on Jun 11, 2025 at 7:03 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Emma Matthews
Richard Harris’s Rolls-Royce Phantom V, an abandoned celebrity car, sat unnoticed in a New York parking garage for 25 years, adding another wild chapter to the Harry Potter actor’s colourful life.
Known for his lavish lifestyle and love of excess, Harris acquired the luxury car during his peak fame in the 1960s.
In a twist worthy of fiction, the Rolls-Royce was forgotten for decades.
Its rediscovery became a legendary tale among celebrity car stories.
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Richard Harris’s Rolls-Royce tale began at the height of the actor’s fame. After starring in The Heroes of Telemark in 1965, he reportedly received the Rolls-Royce Phantom V.
The prestigious car symbolized success and luxury, a fitting match for Harris’s public persona.
While living in New York, Harris left the car in a parking garage.
Amid a whirlwind of work and personal chaos, the abandoned celebrity car was simply forgotten.
The New York parking garage stored the vehicle for 25 years, unknowingly building one of the strangest stories in Hollywood automotive history.
Richard Harris’s Rolls-Royce Phantom V sat untouched as parking fees quietly grew.
Reports estimate the unpaid charges ranged from $92,000 to $543,000.
The car only resurfaced when Harris stumbled upon an old photograph of himself with the Rolls-Royce.
Curious, he contacted friends and his ex-wives but found no answers.
It was eventually his bookkeeper who confirmed that the abandoned celebrity car remained registered in Harris’s name, still stored in the New York parking garage.
Richard Harris’s Rolls-Royce story has been widely circulated, but some details remain murky.
Some claim the actor reclaimed the car before his death in 2002, shipping it back to the UK.
Others report that after his passing, the car was sold by his ex-wife to help pay off the garage fees.
Without clear records of the Rolls-Royce Phantom V’s fate, many view the tale as part of Harris’s larger-than-life legend.
Regardless of its accuracy, the abandoned celebrity car story perfectly mirrors the Harry Potter actor’s unpredictable and extravagant image.
Richard Harris’s Rolls-Royce Phantom V story continues to fascinate fans of automotive history and celebrity lore.
Whether entirely true or partially embellished, the tale of the abandoned celebrity car in a New York parking garage stands as one of Hollywood’s most enduring automotive legends.
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Callum Tokody is a content writer at Supercar Blondie, where he covers the latest in the automotive world with a focus on design and performance. Callum has a background in automotive journalism and has contributed to a range of publications in Australia and the UK. Outside of work, he’s a design enthusiast with a soft spot for anything with a V8 and a good story.
