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| | Pierce Brothers Westwood Village Memorial Park in Los Angeles, California is an interesting little cemetery. A surprisingly large number of famous entertainers are buried in this unassuming place just a couple of blocks east of the intersection of Wilshire Boulevard and the 405 highway. The cemetery is surrounded by large commercial buildings. It's like a courtyard. You can't see it from any of the adjacent streets. If you didn't know it was there, you could drive by it every day and never notice it. It is accessed via a small alley between two of the buildings. Once you enter, it's quiet and peaceful and you're suddenly away from the hustle and bustle of Los Angeles. At first glance, the cemetery doesn't look like much. There is a green space in the middle with flat memorial stones, surrounded by walls of crypts. Once you start to walk around, you'll notice a lot tasteful, well-designed landscaping and mostly modest markers. Many of the markers are so modest that they belie the legends and fame surrounding their occupants. The cemetery staff was welcoming and there is no cost to visit. It's even free to park! Here's a good Map of Westwood Village Memorial Park. Here are photos of some of the famous graves at Westwood Village Memorial Park: | 
Marilyn Monroe. You've probably heard of her. | 
Farrah Fawcett, whose stone says her name and nothing more. | 
Dean Martin, who died on Christmas Day. | 
Lew's grave. I don't know who he was, but his stone is funny because it says "Finally Under Par." Ha ha, good ol' Lew! | 
Carl Wilson, one of The Beach Boys. | 
Truman Capote, the bizarre writer. | 
Merv Griffin, the TV guy. His stone says: "I will not be right back after this message." | 
Peggy Lee, the lovely singer, next to a gently burbling fountain. | 
Eddie Albert, the guy from "Green Acres." | 
Jim Backus, who played Thurston Howell on "Gilligan's Island" and was also the voice of Mr. Magoo. And, he was born on my birthday! | 
Mel Torme, one of the three greatest scat singers ever. I love Mel. What a swingin' guy. | 
Sammy Cahn, famous songwriter who composed hits for Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and others. | 
Carroll O'Connor, who played the unforgettable Archie Bunker on "All in the Family." | 
Rodney Dangerfield | 
Buddy Rich, the great jazz drummer. | 
Westwood Village Memorial Park. |
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Marilyn Monroe's grave is in a big wall of crypts. Apparently, Hugh Hefner owns the space next to her (unmarked, not shown). Note that Marilyn's nameplate is shiny and polished while all the others in her wall are dull and tarnished. Supposedly, the guy who is interred above Marilyn Monroe is facing down in his coffin, looking toward Marilyn. | 
Eva Gabor, who played the wife on "Green Acres." The Armand Hammer family crypt is in the background. | 
Don Knotts, lovable zany funnyman. His is one of the most elaborate markers in the park. He's almost right on the curb to the left as you enter the park. | 
Dorothy Stratton is unfortunately famous as a pretty girl who posed nude in Playboy magazine and then was murdered not long afterwards by her estranged husband at the tender age of twenty. Her stone reads: "If people bring so much courage to this world the world has to kill them to break them, so of course it kills them. It kills the very good and the very gentle and the very brave impartially. If you are none of these, you can be sure it will kill you too but there will be no special hurry." | 
According to rumors, this unmarked spot is the grave of musical genius Frank Zappa. I'm a huge fan of Zappa music, and it surprises me that a man of Frank's temperament would choose to be buried here. But according to the internet, this is indeed his grave. I like how the sun is shining directly on it, surrounded by shadow, which makes a nice metaphor for Frank Zappa's music. I stood on his grave for a moment and then shouted down into the earth: "Thanks for all the great music, Frank!" | Another guy buried here is Jack Elliot, who you've probably never heard of, but he was well known in the Hollywood music industry and he wrote theme songs for TV shows including Barney Miller, Night Court, and Charlie's Angels. I had dinner with Jack Elliot at his home in Beverly Hills in 1991 when I was in Hollywood working on a record album, because one of the guys working on the record was his son. I didn't know he was buried here until I was writing this up and researching it on the web. He's got a small marker in one of the corners. Some of the other graves include: Roy Orbison (unmarked), Bob Crane, George C. Scott, Walter Matthau, Jack Lemmon, Fanny Brice, Burt Lancaster, Natalie Wood, Eve Arden, Billy Wilder, and Donna Reed and quite a few others. Interesting connections in the park: Eddie Albert and Eva Gabor starred together in "Green Acres." Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau made several movies together and were the original "Odd Couple." They also worked with Billy Wilder, who's here too. And, Jack Lemmon, Marilyn Monroe, and Billy Wilder also worked together in the film "Some Like It Hot." Farrah Fawcett starred in "Charlie's Angels," and Jack Elliot wrote the theme song for the show. Marilyn Monroe and Dorothy Stratten were two of the most famous girls who ever posed in "Playboy" magazine. Hugh Hefner will be buried next to Marilyn Monroe when he finally dies. |
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