The grave of actor David Carradine, who died on June 3, 2009 in Bangkok, Thailand has been marked. He is located at Forest Lawn-Hollywood Hills, Lincoln Terrace section, Lot 5144, Space 1.
Thanks Lisa Burks for the heads-up!
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(Photo courtesy Mike Francis)
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Last Saturday I attended a tour of Evergreen Cemetery sponsored by the Studio for Southern California History. Led by Steve Goldstein, Joe Walker and Christian Lainez, the tour covered important historical figures at one of Los Angeles oldest cemeteries. Founded on August 23, 1877, Evergreen is also one of the cities largest with 67 acres and more than 300,000 graves.
Saturdays tour guides were (l-r), Christian Lainez, Steve Goldstein and Joe Walker
Many historical and prominent figures are interred at Evergreen with such family names as Bixby, Hollenbeck, Lankershim, Van Nuys and Ralphs. Many former Mayors of Los Angeles are also here as are local African American pioneers.
Hollywood personalities interred at Evergreen, though not in large numbers, include: Eddie “Rochester” Anderson, Louise Beavers, and Matthew “Stymie” Beard.
What follows are some of the more well-known historical figures covered on the tour:
Magdalena “May” Chandler, the first wife of Los Angeles Times executive, Harry Chandler. After May’s death, Chandler married the daughter of Times owner, Harrison Gray Otis and is buried at Hollywood Forever Cemetery.
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Jesse Belvin (1932-1960), singer-songwriter who co-wrote the song, ”Earth Angel,” one of the biggest hits of the 1950s for the group, The Penguins.
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Isaac Lankershim (1818-1882) and Isaac Newton Van Nuys (1835-1912), real estate developers and founders of the cities of North Hollywood (once called Lankershim) and Van Nuys.
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Sam Haskins (1846-1895), the first black Los Angeles Fire Department member killed in the line of duty.
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George A. Ralphs (1850-1914), founder of the Ralphs supermarket chain.
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Earl Rogers (1869-1922), famed Los Angeles attorney is reportedly the model for the fictional character, Perry Mason. Rogers is the father of journalist Adela Rogers St. Johns.
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Cameron Erskine Thom (1825-1915), 24th mayor of Los Angeles and co-founder of the city of Glendale.
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William J. Seymour (1870-1922), African American religious leader, founder of the Pentecostal movement and the Azusa Street Revival.
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Bridget “Biddy” Mason (1818-1891), former slave, nurse, real estate entrepreneur and co-founder of First African American Episcopal Church. Her grave was originally unmarked until 1989 when Mayor Tom Bradley and members of her church laid the existing tombstone.
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In the last few months, the grave of pin-up girl, Bettie Page, was marked at Westwood Memorial Park not far from the crypt of Marilyn Monroe.
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By Allan R. Ellenberger
Yesterday was a typical sunny day in California and a perfect morning to spend in a cemetery. I attended a walking tour at Angelus Rosedale cemetery sponsored by the Studio for Southern California History.
Our tour guides for the day were author Steve Goldstein and Los Angeles criminal history expert, Joe Walker (above).
Steve is the author of, LA’s Graveside Companion: Where the V.I.P.s R.I.P. which is on bookstands now from Schiffer Books.
The tour was a comination of film stars, Los Angeles historic figures, murder victims and killers. Angelus Rosedale Cemetery is located at 1831 W. Washington Blvd.
Here are just a few of the residents that were covered in Saturday’s tour:
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HATTIE MCDANIEL
Academy Award winning actress for Gone With the Wind (1939).
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DOOLEY WILSON
Actor besy-known for his role as Sam in Casablanca (1942). |
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ANNA MAY WONG
The first Chinese-American film star and the first Asian-American to become an international star who has more than 80 film credits to her name.
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PHINEAS BANNING
Southern California pioneer. Known as “The Father of the Port of Los Angeles,” he was one of the founders of the town of Wilmington, which was named for his birthplace.
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DR. DAVID BURBANK
A New Hampshire-born dentist and entrepreneur who founded the city of Burbank, California.
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CAROLINE SEVERANCE
Woman’s club leader; women’s rights activist; and abolitionist. |
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TOD BROWNING
Motion picture director best known for the films London After Midnight (1927), Dracula (1931) and Freaks (1932)
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MARIA RASPUTIN
Daughter of the Russian mystic Grigori Rasputin.
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LOUISE PEETE
Infamous serial killer who was executed in the gas chamber at San Quentin at age 66. She lies in an unmarked grave.
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HARRY KELLAR
Magician who presented large stage shows during the late 1800s and early 1900s. A predecessor of Harry Houdini. |
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MABLE MONOHAN
A once-famous roller skater who once toured on the Orpheum circuit, and was strangled with a strip of her own bed sheet. Barbara Graham was convicted of her murder though she allegedly did not actually participate. Susan Hayward played the part of Graham in the film I Want to Live and received an Academy Award.
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HONORABLE WU
Chinese-American actor in such films as Stowaway (1936) and Mr. Moto Takes a Vacation (1939)
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Some ghoul has defaced the grave marker of actress Marilyn Monroe at Westwood Cemetery. This photo, which was taken by a friend about 2 weeks ago, shows that either a key or knife may have been used to deface the actresses’ marker. It’s not known if it has been repaired or replaced. If anyone has that information, please post a comment.
What can be said about a person that would do something like this to Monroe’s grave marker or to anyone’s grave for that matter.
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