A. A cemetery.

Q. Where is it supposed to be on the show?

A. Somewhere in Miami.

Q. When did we see it on the show?

A. We first see it in Episode 3 (of Season 3), "The Lion Sleeps Tonight", when Dexter takes Miguel Prado to the cemetery to show him the grave where he supposedly buried Freebo.


Dexter didn't want to reveal to Prado that (as usual), he had cut up the body and disposed of it at sea.  So he lied and told him he had buried Freebo in an open grave.

Unfortunately, Prado learns the lesson too well.

We next see the same cemetery in Episode 9 (of season 3), "About Last Night", when Dexter becomes suspicious that Miguel may have murdered defense attorney Ellen Wolf.

Dexter thinks Prado may have buried her in a similar fashion, in an open grave.  So he begins checking new graves, and sure enough - discovers the body of Ellen Wolf in the bottom of one.

He then confronts Prado at a waterfront cafe, but Miguel is unrepentant, and believes himself to be untouchable.

So Dexter returns to the cemetery, and digs up Ellen Wolf's body.

We see the park for a final time, in the same (9th) episode, when the police arrive at the cemetery and exhume the body. LaGuerta, Ellen's friend, arrives on the scene and is distraught.

Prado arrives, agitated, talks to Dexter, and pretends to have learned his lesson.

Q. What is it actually in real life?

A. A cemetery, but not in Miami.

Q. Where can I find it in real life?

A. It is actually Hollywood Forever Cemetery, at 6000 Santa Monica Blvd, in Hollywood.

Hollywood Forever is the final resting place of many major stars from both the Silent Era and Hollywood's Golden Age, including Rudolph Valentino, Douglas Fairbanks, Tyrone Power, Nelson Eddy, Peter Lorre, Jayne Mansfield and Don Adams.

The unusual rocket ship monument, which is glimpsed in one scene, is the grave of graphic artist Carl Morgan Bigsby (who, by coincidence, shares his middle name with Dexter).  It's in Section 13 of the park. The taller obelisk seen in the background is a monument to L.A. Times publisher Harrison Gray Otis, in Section 12.

The park is just a few blocks south of the Sunset-Gower studio where they film Dexter.

And it's close to several other third-season locations, including the red light accident intersection, the kids' school, the tailor shop, the hooker motel, and Ramon Prado's house.



Here is an aerial photo of the park.  And here is a map link.





[ I shot the photos below in 2008 ]




[ The monument above is the grave of "Night Stalker" Darren McGavin ]

[ The angel below marks the grave of original "Get Smart" star, Don Adams. ]

Q. How the heck did you figure out where it was?

A. I was sure this was Hollywood Forever the second I saw it.  I've written several pages about the park and its celebrity residents, so I've spent a fair share of time there over the years, shooting photos and tracking down locations. But it became a certainty when I saw that unique rocket ship headstone and the Otis obelisk in the background.