{Hollywood} Hollywood Forever Cemetery
Since there is no real “starting point” so to speak for my trip, and we visited five cemeteries, I figured best to start with one of them….
I like graveyards. My husband says that’s weird. I don’t think it is–and thankfully I brought a friend along to Los Angeles who feels the same way.There is something peaceful about visiting them, something about seeing that even though they are gone, people still have a small space on this planet. And, besides, this is the closest I will ever get to all the classic film stars!
Hollywood Forever, originally titled Hollywood Memorial, was founded in 1899. It is typically the cemetery that people think of when they think of Hollywood cemeteries. Many movies and TV shows have been shot on its grounds, and the cemetery itself shows movies often, and fans bring picnic baskets and sit among the graves.
The cemetery seemed to have two different sides. One side, known as “Section 8” is around a beautiful pond filled with geese and surrounded by palm trees. While beautiful, I can’t say this section was altogether peaceful, as they were building a new mausoleum and the construction noise was loud enough to wake the dead!
There are so many celebrities surrounding the pond that I literally would turn around and find another one…and another one. Unfortuantely, even though I found several celebrities just by happening upon them, there were a few we couldn’t find no matter how many times we circled the pond: Fay Wray, Adolphe Menjou and Nelson Eddy. We tried. But onto who we could find, including Clark’s friends, co-stars, one of his wives and his father.
Marion Davies, buried in her own private little (locked–yes, we tried) building, under her family name of Douras. Marion, a friend (and maybe at one time fling) of Clark’s, co-starred with him in Polly of the Circus and Cain and Mabel.
Of Clark’s five wives, four are buried in Los Angeles. And yes, I visited all four. Here’s his fourth wife, Sylvia Ashley, although she is buried under her fifth husband’s name, Djordjadze:
Sylvia’s plot, second from right:
The impressive memorial for the legendary Douglas Fairbanks Sr. (who was married to Sylvia Ashley before Clark was) and his son, Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. (who was married to Joan Crawford while Clark was, ahem, seeing her):
Harry Cohn, who was the president of Columbia Pictures (as you can see, he is definitely not “resting in peace” at the moment).
Tyrone Power, a friend of Clark’s and a hearthrob in his own right:
Fashion designer Adrian and his actress wife, Janet Gaynor:
Legendary director Cecil B. DeMille:
A cenotaph placed near the water for Hattie McDaniel (“Mammy” from Gone with the Wind). Hattie had wanted to be buried at Hollywood Forever but at the time she died it was a “whites only” cemetery so she was interred at Rosedale Cemetery instead. In 1999, her family and the owner of Hollywood Forever righted this wrong by erecting this cenotaph.
After strolling the grounds, we headed to the other side of the cemetery, which seemed more unkempt and cluttered. Into the mausoleum we went, which was both inside and outside, to track some people down. It was quite a challenge but we were eventually successful…
Clark’s very close friend and director of Red Dust, Test Pilot and Gone with the Wind, among other masterpieces, Victor Fleming:
Victor’s hallway:
Down some winding hallways that made us glad that at least it wasn’t night…
…we found a small room that contained urns in gold cases all around the room. It is there we found William Henry Gable, Clark’s father. I have always thought it was strange that he was buried at Hollywood Forever. By the time he died in 1948, Carole was dead and buried at Forest Lawn Glendale, and Clark had bought the space next to her. So why did he bury his father at Hollywood Forever? But here he is:
That was our visit to Hollywood Forever. We remembered it fondly, especially since it was the first–and one of the only–times we saw the Hollywood sign.
10 Comments
Rose
You didn’t visit Valentino’s crypt while there?
admin
No, we didn’t. He’s in the mausoleum and it is so long and winding and confusing, we found Victor and William and then had to leave. We were also in a bit of a rush so we had to cut our time there short. I had also wanted to see Ann Sheridan but we had to get on the road.
Rose
His crypt is actually easy to find. Added bonus: sightings of bogus ladies in black! The one I met years ago claimed her mother knew him. Won’t even comment on the characters we saw at the services held on the anniversary of his death.
admin
I heard that the infamous “original” Lady in Black was buried on the lawn in Hollywood Forever but her headstone disappeared. Odd. I am sure there were some crazy characters at that anniversary!
Valentino was on my list for Hollywood Forever but that was the third cemetery we visited that day and we had to rush off to get some pictures of houses nearby before the sun went down. We spent too much time wandering the pond area so we had to rush by the time we got over to the mausoleums.
Coco B
Hollywood Forever is an interesting place to say the very least. A dear friend of myself and my husband is buried next to Cecil B. DeMille. I have passed Sylvia’s grave a number of times but did not know it was her.
The cemetary was in disrepair for quite a while. At the time my friend was interred the pond was not so nice. Then the cemetary was sold and the new owner has done alot there. The best thing he did was have Hattie McDaniel moved there.
You can barely take two steps without finding a Start’s grave there. I have never been to Gable’s grave. My understanding was that it is off limits. However, we have another family friend interred near him. I live close by but just don’t have the nerve to go.
Again I have to comment on you wonderful site. Take care.
admin
Thank you, Coco!
We went to five cemeteries and Hollywood Forever was the only one I encountered that you could just walk along and find star after star. It was very exciting. Wow, you have friends in famous places!
I went to Forest Lawn and into the Great Mausoleum and saw Clark (blog forthcoming, of course). But from what I understand I was lucky!
Coco B
I do have an assortment of friends. Have you ever tried contacting the family? His son at least. Your website is fantastic. If it were my father and someone did this I would have been in contact long ago to thank them. But then I am old school. I will have to get my nerve up and go see his grave one of these days. Lord knows, I pass the mausoleum every day on my way to and from work. It is quite visable from a distance.
Again keep up the great work.
Helene
This was such an interesting article about the graves of all these Hollywood people. I really enjoyed it, thanks for going for all of us who can’t get there. I live in VA. I also want to let you know that Dear Mr. Gable is one of the best sites I see on Facebook. I read all of your posts faithfully. Each is as good as the other. Thanks for keeping life interesting..
admin
Aw, thank you so very much!! So very appreciated!
William J Gonzalez
I agree and share your interest and fascination of cemeteries. They are the new homes of legends (well known and unknown by the masses alike). Their lives meant something and had such an influence on so many people. Their lives radiated out like ripples in a pond. Good for you for taking the time to honor, remember, and respect.
Thank you!
William Gonzalez