Ep 6: Celebrity Cemetery

Podcast:

Photo Gallery:

Gallery photo essay of Pierce Brothers Westwood Village Memorial Park by Scott Philbrook. All Rights Reserved. These photos are arranged in an order that follows Marc's report. Most graves are self-explanatory, but some are unmarked. The unmarked graves with the 2 flower pots are Roy Orbison and his wife. The blank spot next to Lew Ayres that Marc is pointing at is Frank Zappa in a fully unmarked grave with no headstone of any kind. The large blank headstone with the hedges and grass is George C. Scott. Not all folks mentioned in the report are featured and we added Jonathan Harris from Lost In Space and of course Jack Klugman!

Background:

Marc D'Andre our Correspondent at Large, is back with one of his special tours of the final resting place of not only Marilyn Monroe, but countless Hollywood icons of film and television. Put your headphones on and be transported to the park with Marc as he tells you a little bit about its residents who are probably all going to be glad to know you still care about them.

 

Legend:

A large collection of some of the most famous people in the world have been put to rest in this small, unassuming cemetery that is nearly impossible to find if you don't know exactly where it is.

Stories:

Links for this episode, compiled and curated by Marc D'Andre. If you can't click on these, visit our website.

On Natalie Wood

On Bob Crane

On Eddie Albert

Interesting Fact:

While we weren't looking for him, we also stumbled across Jay Sommers at Pierce Brothers. He is buried a short walk from the star of the show he created, based somewhat on an old radio show that he worked on 15 years prior called, "Granby's Green Acres".

On Richard Conte

On Roy Orbison

On Jim Backus

On Frank Zappa

On Dorothy Stratten

On Carl Wilson

On Dominique Dunne

On James Coburn

On Peggy Lee

On Janet Leigh

On Ray Bradbury

On Carrie Hamilton

On Eric Douglas

On Karl Malden

On Walter Matthau

On George C. Scott

On Merv Griffin

On Farrah Fawcett

On Rodney Dangerfield

On Peter Falk

On Carroll O'Connor

On Billy Wilder

On Jack Lemmon

On Sage Stallone

On Dean Martin

On Burt Lancaster

On Marilyn Monroe

On Richard Poncher

On Buddy Rich

On Christopher George

On Mel Torme

On Swifty Lazar

On John Cassavettes

On Eva Gabor

On Armand Hammer

On Don Knotts

On Truman Capote

On Heather O'Rourke

On Groucho Marx

Interesting Fact:

People often leave tokens of love and appreciation on gravestones. Sometimes they leave change. Although the origins of this are muddy, some believe that if you leave some change, the deceased will grant you a wish. Others believe in the change as an offering that dates back to being able to pay the toll to be ferried across the River Styx by Charon (Greek Mythology).

Credits:

Episode 006 - 'Celebrity Cemetery' Produced by Scott Philbrook,Forrest Burgess, & Marc D'Andre, Ryan McCullough Sound Design, Scott Philbrook Editing. Copyright Scott Philbrook & Forrest Burgess 2014, All Rights Reserved.

photo sources: all photos by Scott Philbrook for Astonishing Legends.