Seeing Stars: Final Resting Places of the Stars


Part II
(formerly "Hollywood Memorial Park")
6000 Santa Monica Boulevard,
Hollywood, CA. / (213) 469-1181


[This is page 2 of a six-page article. Click here to go to page one.]

(Click here to see a clickable map of the grounds.)


After leaving the Abbey of the Psalms mausoleum, go east on the road (Maple Avenue) to the first intersection with Pineland Avenue (the entrance road), and turn right (south). Before you reach the obelisk at the end of this road, slow down and look to your left (east), and you will see the tall headstone of Mel Blanc (1905-1989), the voice of "Bugs Bunny," "Daffy Duck," "Porky Pig," and all those other famous Warner Bros cartoon characters. His headstone contains the witty epitaph: "That's All Folks!"

[Click on the small markers
to see larger versions.]




Right across the street from Mel's grave, to the west, you'll spot a green hedge. If you walk behind that hedge, near its south end, you'll find the grave of "Golden Girls" star Estelle Getty (1923-2008).

She played the cranky 'Sophia' on that popular '80s sitcom, the mother of Bea Arthur's character, 'Dorothy' (despite the fact that she was actually younger than Bea), alongside Betty White and Rue McClanahan.





Make a u-turn by the obelisk and head back north to Maple Avenue. Turn right (east) on Maple, and look for three small, green cypress trees and a bed of red flowers near the curb, on the left (north) side of the road. This is the grave of Carl Switzer (1927-1959), better known as "Alfalfa" in the "Our Gang" comedies, who was shot and killed at age 31 while arguing over a $50 reward for a dog.

His headstone bears the name "Alfalfa", as well as a portrait of a dog. Some sources say it's the "Our Gang" dog, "Petey," but apparently, it is a different breed, and represents one of Carl's 's own hunting dogs.





Nearby, in section 14 (the same lawn, in front of - to the east of - the mausoleum), is acclaimed actor Paul Muni (1895-1967), who won the Academy Award as Best Actor of 1936 for his starring role in "The Story of Louis Pasteur." He also starred in "The Life of Emile Zola" (1937), "The Good Earth" (1937), the original "Scarface" (1932), "Angel on My Shoulder" (1946), and "I Am a Fugitive From a Chain Gang" (1932).

To find his grave, look for twin raised, black marble-covered graves right next to the north curb of section 14. These black graves have white Stars of David and bear the names David Fein and Deanna Fein. From these graves, walk south 19 rows in (towards the Paramount Studios water tower). You'll find Muni's simple marker directly under a small, slender cypress evergreen tree, near the center of this section (and about 30 spaces west of an eastern hedge wall).

(Click here to see a map of the park.)





Sharing the grounds with Hollywood Forever, in the southwest corner, is the Beth Olam Cemetery, which was originally a separate Jewish cemetery, but which has now become the Jewish section of Hollywood Forever.

It is here where infamous gangster Bugsy Siegel (1906-1947) is buried, inside the large mausoleum which runs along most of the park's southwest edge.

Enter this mausoleum and turn right at the main hallway (the second hallway from the north). Head west down the corridor to the west end of this long hallway, where there is a stained glass window of a Star of David and the words "The Alcove of Peace."

( It is here that they filmed the funeral scene for Rocky's trainer in the movie "Rocky III", with Sly Stallone reading the Kaddish at the end of this corridor.  See the video here.)

Now, turn around, and walk back (east) to the nearest doorway. Bugsy's crypt is located between this doorway and the next hallway, on the south side, three rows from the bottom. His crypt doesn't have a number, but it is located directly above crypt #1087 (Rebecca Levi).

Bugsy's crypt has a marker shaped like an open book, with a small Star of David above his name. The inscription reads:

"In loving memory from the family.
Benjamin Siegel.
Feb. 28, 1906 - June 20, 1947."




Continue east on Maple Avenue (inside the park),
and you will reach the park's second mausoleum:
"The Hollywood Cathedral Mausoleum,"
which is located south of the lake.

             

Click here to continue the tour of Hollywood Forever

[This is page 2 of a six-page article. Click here to go to page one.]

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