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 Eden Memorial Park, where we'll find such stars as Groucho Marx,
Lenny Bruce, Mitzi Green, and many more. Join us, won't you?
Eden Memorial Park is a Jewish cemetery located in the northern end of the San
Fernando Valley, in Mission Hills. As we've seen in past tours it's common to
see Christian and Jewish cemeteries side-by-side here in Southern California.
Eden is right across the street from San Fernando Mission Cemetery, which we
visited earlier this year. It's a medium-sized Cemetery at around 60 acres.
The first funeral was held here in 1961, and Eden has supported the local Jewish
community ever since.
We'll begin our tour just in from the entrance on the left. in the Akiba section.
Half way into this lawn, a few rows up from the fence, is the grave of
John Brown. He was the second of four actors to portray neighbor Harry Morton
on the George Burns and Gracie Allen Show in the 50s. He also had a recurring
role on the radio and TV series, The Life of Riley, as Digger O'Dell. On film he can
be seen in Hitchcock's Strangers On a Train, and the B-movie, Robot Monster.
In 1952 Brown became a victim of the Hollywood blacklist, and died of a heart
attack a few years later.
Back to the road we turn right at the intersection
and find the Isaiah section on the right.
Most of the way to the fence is the grave of Kurt Katch. He was a Polish
actor who fled Europe in the 30s at the rise of the Nazi Party.
He arrived in Hollywood and became a popular screen villain, seen in films
like, Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves, and the Mummy's Curse.
Back to the main road, then right at the next intersection, we find the Court of
Tribes mausoleum on the left. Following the main sidewalk, then left at the
mosaic, then right, we find a small Columbarium. In the middle of the far
wall is the final resting place of legendary comedian Groucho Marx,
his niche flanked by cigars and Groucho masks. Perhaps the most recognizable of
the Marx Brothers, with his greasepaint mustache, glasses, and cigar,
Julius 'Groucho' Marx began performing on stage with his brothers: Harpo, Chico,
Gummo, and Zeppo. They found success on vaudeville and
Broadway with their zany comedic performances. As the brothers' stars rose
Groucho quickly cemented himself as one of the Masters of quick wit on stage and
in Hollywood, famous for his wisecracks and double entendre one-liners.
The brothers made a number of films together, many of which are still considered among
the greatest comedies ever made, like, A Night at the Opera, and Duck Soup.
"Not that I care, but where is your husband?"
"Why, he's dead."
"I'll bet he's just using that as an excuse."
"I was with him until the very end."
"Hm, no wonder he passed away."
"I held him in my arms, and kissed him."
"Oh, I see, then it was murder.
Will you marry me? Did he leave you any money?
Answer the second question first."
"He left me his entire fortune."
"is that so? Can't you see what I'm trying to tell you? I love you!"
"Oh, your excellency!"
"You're not so bad yourself!"
Later in life Groucho found success as the host of the radio and TV quiz show,
You Bet Your Life. Before his death Groucho famously quipped,
"I wish to be cremated. One-tenth of my ashes shall be given to my agent, as
written in our contract."
After his death at age 86 he was cremated, and though a
portion of his ashes didn't go to his agent, they did go on an unexpected journey.
In 1982, five years after his death, the urn containing Groucho's ashes
was stolen from here and left without explanation at
Mt. Sinai Cemetery several mile south.
It was promptly returned and replaced here.
Just above and to the left is the niche of actress Bunny Summers. On stage she
played the mother of the Marx Brothers in the musical, Minnie's Boys, a role
originated by Shelley Winters. She made her TV debut on Petticoat
Junction, and can be seen in a number of other shows including The Doris Day Show,
and The Facts of Life.
On the wall to the left, above eye level, is songwriter and
composer, Buck Ram. He was one of BMI 's top songwriters, known for his
association with The Platters. He wrote many of their biggest hits including,
"The Great Pretender," "Twilight Time," and "Only You"
[music]
He also co-wrote the song I'll Be Home for Christmas.
Back to the road we continue east to Judea East and the Garden of Love.
Here is Mitzi Green.
She was a child star of the early talkies known as Little Mitzi, seen
in films like Tom Sawyer, Huckleberry Finn, and Little Orphan Annie. On Broadway
she starred in the original production of Babes in Arms, originating the song,
"My Funny Valentine."
Later in her career she starred in the TV sitcom, So This is Hollywood.
She was only 48 when she died of cancer.
Let's continue around to the north.
On the Left we find Mt. Nebo section.
A few rows down from the road and the sign is acerbic funny man, Lenny Bruce.
He's best known for his edgy controversial stand-up comedy and social satire,
unafraid to ruffle feathers with his unfiltered routines on politics, religion,
and sex. He was arrested and convicted of obscenity in the 60s,
making him a symbol of the era for freedom of speech and expression.
Lenny Bruce paved the way for future outspoken counterculture comedians like
Richard Pryor and George Carlin.
He died of a drug overdose at the age of 40.
Decades after his death the governor of New York granted him a posthumous pardon of the
obscenity conviction.
straight west is Mt. Hagiborim.
Most of the way to the edge we find Vic Mizzy. If a 60s TV show opened with a
catchy tune you just couldn't get out of your head, it may very well have been
written by Vic Mizzy. He began his career writing songs for artists like Doris Day
and The Andrews Sisters, but today he's perhaps best remembered for those catchy
opening tunes for shows including Green Acres,
one of my favorites, The Addams Family.
[music]
He also wrote scores for films including The Ghost and Mr. Chicken.
"The Whole World is Singing My Song" is the title of one of his songs.
[music]
Back across the street to the east is Mount of Olives West. A few spaces right
of a tree is Larry D. Mann. He was a Canadian-born character actor who made
guest appearances on many of the great TV shows of the 60s through the 80s,
shows like The Man From UNCLE, Bewitched, Green Acres and Hill Street Blues.
He's perhaps best remembered today as the voice of Yukon Cornelius in the beloved
Christmas classic, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.
"Who are you?"
"Who am I?
The name's Yukon Cornelius, the greatest prospector in the north!
This is my land, and you know, it's rich with gold!"
The next section north is Mt. Jerusalem.
Right of the sidewalk, just under a tree is Phil Foster.
Fans of Laverne and Shirley will remember him as
Frank on over a hundred episodes of the popular 70s and 80s sitcom.
He can also be seen in films like The Happy Hooker Goes to Washington.
Just north of Phil is Harvey Lembeck.
He was a regular in the beach and bikini comedies of the 60s, as
inept motorcycle gang leader Eric Von Zipper - a role he played six times.
And on television he played Cpl. Rocco Barbella
on The Phil Silvers Show.
One of his more notable performances was on both stage
and screen productions of Stalag 17.
He died of a heart attack at just 58.
Back to the road we turn right at Mount Shalom drive and find Mount of Olives
east on the right.
Under the tree is Marty Allen. He was a comedic entertainer
and one half of Allen and Rossi with Steve Rossi. The duo played Vegas, toured
the country, and recorded a number of popular comedy albums together. They even
made a film: The Last of the Secret Agents, in 1966. Allen was also a regular
panelist on Hollywood Squares, and gave much of his time to entertain
troops in hospitals who had returned from fighting in Vietnam.
As of filming his marker is temporary.
Straight across the street east is not Shalom.
Not far from a small tree and bench is Bert Gordon, known as "The Mad Russian,"
a character that would become immensely popular on the radio, on shows like the
Eddie Cantor Show. His distinctive introduction, "How do you do," became a part
of popular vernacular in the 40s, and he was often parodied by others like Abbott
and Costello and even the Looney Tunes.
In 1945 he made a film titled "How Do You Do."
Let's continue north, past the mausoleum, then left to find the Court of Prophets on the left.
Here we find Catya Sassoon, the daughter of hairstylist Vidal Sassoon
and actress Beverly Adams. She began her career as a model at the
tender age of 14, dropping out of school and quickly becoming a top teen model.
Catya grew up fast, married and experimenting with drugs before the age of 16.
Her modeling career was a springboard into the movies, her debut
being in the 1985 film Tuff Turf alongside James Spader and Robert Downey Jr.
She died of a heart attack triggered by drug use at just 33.
Doubling back, then left, we find the Court of Abraham North on the right.
Right of the sidewalk we find Michael Gilden.
He was an actor with a form of dwarfism, standing 4'6
as an adult. He played an Ewok in Return of the Jedi, and had roles in
other productions like Tarantino's Pulp Fiction,
and TV shows including Charmed, and CSI.
He took his own life by hanging at the age of 44,
a scene tragically reminiscent of his role in CSI.
He was married to actress Meredith Eaton at the time,
with whom he had acted a number of times,
including in that episode of CSI.
Further in this section, just right of
the sidewalk is Brad Morrow - real name Brady or Bradley Mora. He was a child
actor discovered at the age of two by MGM. He began performing in film and
television in the 50s, films like Cause for Alarm alongside Loretta Young.
At Disney he was a Mouseketeer before being cast in the Spin and Marty miniseries.
And as an adult he performed in touring productions of West Side Story and
The Diary of Anne Frank.
He died of cancer at the age of 55.
Finally we follow the road around to the west, to the Mt. Ephraim section on the right.
If we follow this sidewalk all the way to the end, then cross the lawn to
the far side, right up to the fence, we find the grave of Morton Heilig.
He was a filmmaker and inventor known as the father of virtual reality.
In the 1950s Heilig envisioned a more multi-sensory 3D experience as the
future of cinema. In 1957 he began building the Sensorama
machine, which gave its viewers not only a 3d view but also included stereo sound,
a vibrating seat, wind blowing in their face, and even smells from what was seen.
It was impressive technology for the time, but unable to procure funding, the
Sensorama never really took off. Over the years Heilig continued to innovate
products and the process of VR, 3D film making, and multi-sensory theatre
experiences, seen at Disney and elsewhere.
And that concludes our tour.
What are some of your favorite memories of the stars we visited today?
Share them in the comments below, and be sure to like,
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Thanks for watching! We'll see you on the next one.
Beware of coyote, huh? I wonder which coyote they mean...
Wile E. Coyote?
Coyote Peterson?
Coyote Shivers, maybe?
Better keep an eye out for all three.