Welcome to Hollywood Graveyard where we
set out to remember and celebrate the
lives of those who lived to entertain us,
by visiting their final resting places.
Today we're exploring Westwood Village
Memorial Park, where we'll find such stars as
Marilyn Monroe, Dean Martin, Don Knotts
and many more.
Join us won't you?
Pierce Bros. Westwood Village
Memorial Park is a tiny cemetery, hidden
in the shadows of high-rises in
Westwood, California,
just off Wilshire Boulevard. It may be tiny
but Westwood hosts more stars per capita
than any other cemetery in the entire world.
It was founded in 1905 under the
name Sunset Cemetery and became Westwood
in 1926.
In 2002 it was designated as a
historical cultural monument by the city
of Los Angeles.
Though tiny, since there
are so many stars here, we'll be breaking
this tour up into three parts.
For this first part we'll follow the outer
periphery that runs along the north and
east of the cemetery. Our first stop is
right next to the road. Funnyman Don Knotts
can be seen in many great film
and television productions of the 20th
century, including "The Incredible Mr. Limpet,
and "Three's Company."
But he will forever be remembered for his role as
deputy Barney Fife on the 60s TV series
"The Andy Griffith Show," a role which
earned him five Emmys.
"I'm giving you the
count of three if you ain't out of here
on three, I'm drawing on you.
One,
two,
three!"
In 1996 TV Guide ranked in number 27 on
their list of 50 greatest TV stars.
Just northeast of Don is Hungarian actress and
socialite Eva Gabor, who is perhaps best
remembered for her role as Lisa Douglas
on Green Acres.
[music]
Her unique voice
can also be heard in several animated
productions including "The Aristocats," and
"The Rescuers." She also had her own
fashion line of wigs and other beauty products.
This is also the final resting
place of Eva's older sister, Zsa Zsa Gabor.
"Hello darlings!"
Zsa Zsa was less
known as an actress and more as a
celebrity personality with a glamorous
and extravagant lifestyle. She did act in
several films like "Moulin Rouge," but most
often just made appearances as herself.
Her career began in Europe and
she was crowned Miss Hungary in 1936.
She was married in astounding 9 times, often
poking fun at herself about it with
quotes like "I am a marvelous housekeeper.
every time I leave a man I keep his house."
After her death at age 99 her ashes were
placed in a gold box and carried in a
Louis Vuitton bag to be buried alongside
her sister.
Fans of horror films will
remember our next star from Roman
Polanski's "Rosemary's Baby."
The multi-talented John Cassavetes played
Guy Woodhouse in the horror classic, and
can also be seen in "The Dirty Dozen," a
role which earned him an Academy Award
nomination. He was also a talented
independent filmmaker pioneering the
realistic cinema verite style with films
like "Faces," and "A Woman Under the Influence."
He is one of only a handful of
film makers to be nominated for best
directing, writing, and acting Oscars in
their career.
Around the corner is singer
Mel Torme, nicknamed The Velvet fog for
his smooth and mellow tenor tone. He was
one of the most popular jazz singers of
the 20th century famous for his
improvisational abilities and scat
singing. He also composed the beloved
holiday classic "The Christmas Song."
[music]
On the wall to the right is the crypt of author
Truman Capote. He wrote many works now
considered literary classics including
"Breakfast at Tiffany's," and "In Cold Blood,"
both of which were made into movies.
He was childhood friends with "To Kill a Mockingbird"
author Harper Lee, and is
said to have been the inspiration for
the "Dill" character.
In 2005 a biopic was
made about the life of Capote
starring Philip Seymour Hoffman as Truman.
After his death at age 59 Capote
was cremated and a portion of his ashes
given to his dear friend Joanne Carson,
ex-wife of Johnny Carson.
The ashes were
stolen in 1988 during a Halloween party
and returned several days later.
In September 2016 his ashes were sold by
Julien's Auctions for nearly $45,000,
so they no longer rest in this crypt.
Just to the right is another
famous author, Jackie Collins.
The epitaph
"She gave a great deal of people a great
deal of pleasure," sums up her career perfectly.
She was a romance novelist
who's 32 novels all appeared on the New
York Times bestseller list.
Several of her works were made into movies or
TV series.
Below Jackie is child actress
Heather O'Rourke. She was discovered by
Steven Spielberg and cast as Carol Anne
in the Poltergeist series of films in
the 1980s.
"They're here."
Her line "They're here"
ranked number 69 on AFI's list of 100
top movie quotes.
Her untimely death at
the age of 12 was from cardiac arrest
due to a misdiagnosed intestinal stenosis.
Her Poltergeist co-star
Dominique Dunne, who was buried nearby,
also died tragically when murdered by
her boyfriend at just 22.
The deaths of
these two young starlets gave rise to a
rumored "poltergeist curse," stemming from
the reported use of real human skeletons
as props in the films.
But I don't believe in curses...
do you?
Around the corner
is the Sanctuary of Tenderness.
Low on the right wall is composer
Harry Warren, one of the greatest
songwriters of the 20th century. He wrote
over 800 songs many for films with hits
including "That's Amore," "At Last,"
"Jeepers Creepers,"
"You Must Have Been a Beautiful Baby,"
and more. He was nominated
for 11 Oscars winning three.
The music on his
marker is the first few bars of his
hit "You'll Never Know," which won him an
Oscar for best song.
[music]
At the end of this corridor is
writer/producer Sidney Sheldon. He won an
Academy Award for his screenplay for
"The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer," but he is
perhaps best remembers the creator of
several popular television series,
including "The Patty Duke Show," and
"I Dream of Jeannie."
Later in life he found
success writing novels.
In the next
corridor down on the middle of the back
walls is the niche of actor Jonathan Harris.
His notable TV roles include the
60s television series "The Third Man," and
"Lost in Space."
You can also hear his
voice as Manny in Pixar's "A Bug's Life,"
and as Geri the cleaner in "Toy Story 2."
The next corridor down is the Sanctuary
of Tranquillity. Low on the right wall
is one of the music world's most
legendary drummers: Buddy Rich.
He was known for his speed, technique, and power
often being referred to as
the world's greatest drummer.
He began playing drums in vaudeville at
just 18 months old, being billed as
"Baby Traps the Drum Wonder," and becoming the
world's second highest paid child
entertainer after Jackie Coogan.
His career as a jazz drummer took off in the
30s when he would play with some of the
era's greatest musicians, including
Tommy Dorsey, Harry James, and Count Basie.
He also played on session recordings for
artists like Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong.
He was notoriously short tempered,
as alluded to in the song
"Sabotage," by the Beastie Boys.
At the end of
this corridor, just above eye-level,
is one of Hollywood's most
influential cinematographers: James Wong Howe.
Born in China his family moved to
America when he was a child. He soon made
his way to Hollywood, becoming one of the
most sought-after cameramen of the 30s
and 40s. He innovated many techniques
including deep focus, and low-key lighting,
often associated with film noir. He was
nominated for ten Oscars, winning for
"The Rose Tattoo," and "Hud."
A few spaces down and to the left
is screenwriter and filmmaker
Nunnally Johnson.
His career began in the 30s as a writer first for
United Artists then for 20th Century Fox.
Some of his more notable films include
"The Grapes of Wrath," and "How to Marry a Millionaire,"
starring Marilyn Monroe.
And on that note, just around the corner is
one of the most visited grave sites not
only in Hollywood but the entire world:
Marilyn Monroe, whose crypt has turned
shades of yellow and pink from the hands
and lips of thousands of adoring fans.
No individual has come to personify
Hollywood more than Marilyn Monroe.
Born Norma Jeane Mortenson she spent most of
her childhood in foster homes.
Her career began as a model after being
discovered while working in a factory
during the war. A film career soon
followed and she chose the stage name
Marilyn Monroe after Broadway star
Marilyn Miller and her mother's maiden
name, Monroe. After a few bit parts in
films her breakout came in the early 50s
with roles in "All About Eve," and
John Huston's noir classic "The Asphalt Jungle."
Her role may have been small, but they
gave her the best line in the movie.
"Haven't you bothered me enough you
big banana head!?"
She quickly rose in
popularity in the years that followed.
In 1953 her roles in Niagara and
"Gentlemen Prefer Blondes" would make her
Hollywood's biggest star.
[music]
Her soft breathy voice, blonde
locks, and curvaceous figure maker the
quintessential sex symbol of the 50s.
Marilyn grew tired though of playing the
dumb blonde bombshell.
Despite this on-screen persona she was
very intelligent, well-read, and regarded
by many as being a great actress, not
just a movie star. She enrolled in the
famed Actors Studio in New York to
broaden her range and work towards more
serious dramatic roles.
She returned to
Hollywood in 1958 to star in "Some Like it Hot,"
a role which earned her a Golden Globe
for Best Actress.
Her final film
was "The Misfits," written for her by her
husband Arthur Miller, a valentine, to
provide her with a dramatic role.
On the morning of August 5th 1962 Marilyn was
found dead of a drug overdose in her
Brentwood home. She was 36.
Those close to
Marilyn knew she suffered from periods
of melancholy. One of the most poignant
photos ever taken of Marilyn was by
Richard Avedon - a rare candid moment when
she let her guard down, dropping the
facade of Marilyn Monroe, and once again
becoming Norma Jeane, a girl few people
really knew.
Rest well Marilyn.
The world loves and misses you.
In the corner to the right is the locked
Room of Prayer. Inside this room is the
niche of Robert Stack, an actor who is
perhaps best remembered for his role as
gangster fighting agent, Eliot Ness, in
the 60s TV series "The Untouchables."
"Federal agents. My name is Eliot Ness."
"Hey wait a minute!
I never done any federal offense...
not yet anyway."
He also hosted the long-running
series "Unsolved Mysteries."
Heading south
we reach the Sanctuary of Love.
Ner the middle of the wall on the left is
Dean Martin. Known as the "king of cool"
Dean Martin was one of the most popular
all-around entertainers of the 20th century.
He partnered with Jerry Lewis in
the comedy duo Martin and Lewis.
He was also a member of the Rat Pack, alongside
Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr.,
Joey Bishop, and Peter Lawford.
He starred in
many films including the original
"Ocean's 11," and hosted the immensely
popular television series "The Dean
Martin Show," and the "Dean Martin
Celebrity Roasts," which he often hosted
while hilariously drunk.
"I'm glad my good friend
John Wayne was able to be here tonight.
I love the way he dresses when he's in
those western movies: shiny studs on
his shirt, a colorful kerchief, and high heels.
I don't know why they call him the Duke,
they should call him the Duchess."
His signature song "That's Amore" was
written by Harry Warren, who we visited earlier.
[music]
[Arthur singing, poorly]
Oh, sorry, I got caught up... it's such a catchy tune!
On the opposite wall in
the lower left corner is musician and
actor Oscar Levant.
He studied composition under Schoenberg
and was close friends with George Gershwin.
His performances of Gershwin's
piano works are considered by many as
definitive. He appeared as himself in the
fictionalized biopic of Gershwin,
"Rhapsody in Blue." He can also be seen in
"An American in Paris." Levant was also
renowned for his witticisms which made
him a frequent panelist on TV game shows.
He was open about his neuroses and
hypochondria - fodder for his humor.
Later in life he was frequently committed to
mental hospitals and withdrew from the spotlight.
He once quipped: "There's a fine
line between genius and insanity - I have
erased this line."
Further down is the
Sanctuary of Serenity. On the left,
right at eye level we find actor John Boles,
who is perhaps best remembered for his
role as Victor in the 1931 horror
classic "Frankenstein."
He began in silent
film but his career took off with the
talkies, particularly in early romance
and musical films, singing alongside
Shirley Temple in films like
"The Littlest Rebel," and "Curly Top."
[music]
Finally, high on
the opposite wall, we find Robert Loggia,
a prolific actor whose career spanned
over 60 years. Though never a leading-man
he was one of Hollywood's most in-demand
and respected actors, starring in many of
its most beloved films including
"Scarface," "Big," and "Independence Day."
And that concludes out tour!
What are some of your favorite memories
of the stars we visited today?
Share them in the comments below,
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Thanks for watching, we'll see you on the next one!
Many of you may know the legend of the
man entombed above Marilyn Monroe.
Richard Poncher purchased the crypt from
Joe DiMaggio in the 1950s, long before it
was known that Marilyn would end up one
space below. Shortly before his death he
told his wife Elsie, quote,
"If I croak,
if you don't put me upside down over
Marilyn, I'll haunt you for the rest of your life."
According to his wife who is
now entombed next to him
she and the funeral director honored his
final wish, turning his body over in the
casket before entombment,
so that he could face Marilyn for eternity.
In 2009 his wife put the
crypt up for sale on eBay.
It sold for four and a half million dollars,
but the buyer backed out so
Mr Poncher's place above Marilyn remains
undisturbed.
And this empty crypt next
to Marilyn?
Well that belongs to Playboy founder,
Hugh Hefner.