Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Hollywood Hills), Los Angeles

Forest Lawn – Hollywood Hills Cemetery, is part of the Forest Lawnchain of Southern California cemeteries. It is located at 6300 Forest Lawn Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90068, in the Hollywood Hills neighborhood in Los Angeles, California, on the lower north slope at the far east end of the Santa Monica Mountains range that overlooks North Hollywood and Burbank in theSan Fernando Valley from its southeast. The Los Angeles River courses from west to east immediately to the north.

Forest Lawn – Hollywood Hills is a park dedicated to the preservation of American history and hosts high-profile events such as an annual Veterans Day ceremony attended by dignitaries and other VIPs. Los Angeles Magazine described it as a "theme-park necropolis", paraphrasing Jessica Mitford, indicating "Forest Lawn’s kitsch was just a sophisticated strategy for lubricating the checkbooks of the grieved."

Features

The park features such sights as:

Court of Liberty

• The Court of Liberty features statues of George Washington and Thomas Jefferson and the Birth of Liberty mosaic. At 162 feet (49 m) long and 28 feet (8.5 m) high, Birth of Liberty is the largest historical mosaic in the United States. It is composed of ten million pieces of Venetian glass and depicts twenty-five scenes from early America, from 1619-1787.

• The Old North Church, a precise replica of Boston's historic church, from Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's poem "Paul Revere's Ride". The historical rooms have documents and mementos of the colonial period.

• The Hall of Liberty American History Museum has a copy of the Liberty Bell and other exhibits. The museum has a 1,200-seat auditorium.

• Monument to Washington, a marble and bronze tribute to America's first president, created by sculptor Thomas Ball. Four of Washington's generals are honored in the memorial.

Lincoln Terrace

• The Lincoln Terrace features a 16-foot (4.9 m) bronze statue of the 16th president by Augustus St. Gaudens, flanked by a panoramic mosaic depicting key scenes from Lincoln's life.

Plaza of Mesoamerican Heritage

• The Plaza of Mesoamerican Heritage has sculptures by Meliton Salas Rodriguez, of Guadalajara, Mexico. Salas used hand tools to first quarry, then work the native Mexican stone into precisely scaled, detailed replicas of artwork and artifacts that are representative of the Aztec, Huastec, Maya,Mixtec, Olmec, Teotihuacan, Toltec, Totonac, and Zapotec civilizations that preceded modern Mexican culture. A smooth Olmecan head, an intricateAztec sun calendar and a sinuous Teotihuacan bas relief are some of the sculptural features of the Plaza that are set off by crushed stone walkways and complemented by groupings of Mesoamerican plants.

History

The first Forest Lawn, in Glendale, was founded in 1906 by businessmen who hired Dr. Hubert Eaton, a firm believer in a joyous life after death, who was convinced that most cemeteries were "unsightly, depressing stone yards," and pledged to create one that would reflect his optimistic beliefs, "as unlike other cemeteries as sunshine is unlike darkness." He envisioned Forest Lawn to be "a great park devoid of misshapen monuments and other signs of earthly death, but filled with towering trees, sweeping lawns, splashing fountains, beautiful statuary, and... memorial architecture".

Before it was a cemetery, Forest Lawn was a filming location used by directors such as Carl Laemmle and Cecil B. DeMille. The climactic battle scenes for D. W. Griffith's The Birth of a Nation were filmed there. The alternate names of the filming site are Providencia Flats, Nestor Ranch, Oak Ranch, Oak Crest Ranch, Universal Ranch/Universal City, Lasky Ranch, and Paramount Ranch until November 1927.

When Eaton (self-proclaimed as "The Builder") made known his desire to open a second Forest Lawn location in the Hollywood Hills, the local residents protested vehemently. To circumvent the protesters, Mr. Eaton sent his staff to the county morgue to claim 4 "John Does" and buried them at the corners of the property in the dark of night. In the morning, the protesters had no power because, by law, the property was now a cemetery. The new mortuary and cemetery opened in 1952.

Notable interments

Interred or entombed in the Hollywood Hills cemetery are many famous people, particularly from the entertainment industry.

A

• Harry Ackerman, TV executive producer
• Rodolfo Acosta, actor
• Edie Adams, actress and singer
• Iris Adrian, actress
• Philip Ahn, actor
• Harry Akst, songwriter
• Robert Aldrich, director
• Irving Allen, producer and director
• Steve Allen, actor, comedian, writer, and television host
• Don Alvarado, actor and director
• Leon Ames, actor
• Morey Amsterdam, actor and comedian
• Carl David Anderson, Nobel Prize winning scientist
• Ernie Anderson, television announcer
• Mignon Anderson, actress
• Lois Andrews, actress
• Matthew Ansara, actor and bodybuilder
• Michael Ansara, actor
• Dimitra Arliss, actress
• Robert Arthur, producer
• John Ashley, actor
• Gene Autry, actor, singer, and former owner of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
• Luis Ávalos, Cuban actor
• Doe Avedon, actress and model
• Patricia Avery, actress
• Tex Avery, animator

B

• Art Babbitt, animator
• Lloyd Bacon, director
• Parley Baer, actor
• David Bailey, actor
• Buddy Baker, composer
• Bonnie Lee Bakley, murdered wife of actor Robert Blake
• John Ball, novelist
• Harry Barris, singer, songwriter and musician
• Don "Red" Barry, actor
• Judith Barsi, child actress
• Gordon Bau, film and television make-up artist
• Clyde Beatty, circus owner
• Noah Beery, Sr., actor
• Noah Beery, Jr., actor
• Ralph Bellamy, actor
• Richard Benedict, actor and director
• Spencer Gordon Bennet, director
• Lamont Bentley, actor
• Mary Kay Bergman, voice-over artist
• Fred Berry, actor
• Gus Bivona, musician
• Willie Bobo, musician
• Priscilla Bonner, actress
• Tom Bosley, actor
• Truman Bradley, actor and television announcer
• Delaney Bramlett, musician
• Chet Brandenburg, actor
• Mary Brian, actress
• Pamela Britton, actress
• Albert "Cubby" Broccoli, producer
• Joe Brooks, actor
• Leslie Brooks, actress and model
• Wally Brown, actor and comedian
• Kathie Browne, actress
• Mona Bruns, actress
• Edgar Buchanan, actor
• Mildred Burke, professional wrestler
• Solomon Burke, singer
• Bartine Burkett, actress
• Everett G. Burkhalter, politician
• Smiley Burnette, actor
• Jerry Buss, majority owner of the Los Angeles Lakers
• Wally Byam, entrepreneur (memorial)

C

• Godfrey Cambridge, actor and comedian
• Roy Campanella, Major League Baseball Hall of Famer
• Pete Candoli, musician
• Stephen J. Cannell, Producer
• Philip Carey, actor
• Frankie Carle, musician
• Johnny Carpenter, actor, director, and screenwriter
• David Carradine, actor
• John Carroll, actor and singer
• Virginia Carroll, actress
• Nick Ceroli, musician
• Michael Chekhov, actor, director, novelist, and theater practitioner
• Warren Christopher, former Secretary of State and Deputy Attorney General
• Ethlyne Clair, actress
• Bob Clampett, animator
• Robert Clarke, actor
• William H. Clothier, cinematographer
• Bill Cody, Jr., actor
• Nudie Cohn, fashion designer
• Buddy Cole, musician
• Dennis Cole, actor
• Ray Collins, actor
• Don Cornelius, television host and producer (cremation)
• Joyce Compton, actress
• Christopher Connelly, actor
• William Conrad, actor
• Bert Convy, actor and television host
• Rita Corday, actress
• Jerome Cowan, actor
• Willie Crawford Major League Baseball player
• Gary Crosby, actor and singer
• Scatman Crothers, actor and musician
• Pauline Curley, actress
• Edward S. Curtis, photographer

D  

• Virginia Dale, actress
• Ken Darby, composer
• Beryl Davis, singer
• Bette Davis, actress
• Brad Davis, actor
• Gail Davis, actress
• Rufe Davis, actor
• Laraine Day, actress
• Gene de Paul, composer
• André de Toth, director
• Tamara De Treaux, actress
• Sandra Dee, actress
• Frank de Kova, actor
• Reginald Denny, actor
• Vernon Dent, actor
• Frank De Vol, composer
• Ronnie James Dio, singer and songwriter
• Roy Oliver Disney, businessman
• Edward Dmytryk, director
• Jimmie Dodd, actor, singer, and songwriter
• Don Drysdale, Major League Baseball Hall of Famer
• Jim Duffy, animator
• Michael Clarke Duncan, actor
• Jerry Dunphy, television news anchor
• Leo Durocher, Major League Baseball Hall of Famer
• Dan Duryea, actor
• George Duke, musician
• Dorothy Dandridge, actress, singer

E

• Arthur Edeson, cinematographer
• Anthony Eisley, actor
• Dan Enright, producer
• Josh Ryan Evans, actor
• Michael Evans, actor

F

• Richard Farnsworth, actor
• Marty Feldman, actor and comedian

• William Ferrari, art director
• Jim Ferrier, professional golfer
• Shug Fisher, actor, singer and songwriter
• Robert Florey, director
• Tony Fontane, singer
• Robert Charles Francis, actor
• Melvin Franklin, singer and member of The Temptations
• Milton Frome, actor
• Bobby Fuller, singer

G

• Reginald Gardiner, actor
• Michael Garrison, producer
• Marvin Gaye, singer (cremated here; ashes scattered in the Pacific Ocean)
• Frankie Gaye, singer, brother of Marvin
• Wally George, television host
• Estelle Getty, actress
• Andy Gibb, singer
• Hughie Gibb, bandleader, father of the Bee Gees
• Paul Gilbert, actor
• Peggy Gilbert, musician
• Haven Gillespie, songwriter
• Roger Gimbel, producer
• Joel Goldsmith, composer
• Alfred J. Goulding, director and screenwriter
• Earl Grant, musician

H

• Hard Boiled Haggerty, professional wrestler
• Monte Hale, actor and singer
• Jon Hall, actor
• Porter Hall, actor
• Thurston Hall, actor
• Stuart Hamblen, actor, singer, and songwriter
• Thomas F. Hamilton, founder of the Hamilton Standard propeller company
• Jack Hannah, animator
• Ben Hardaway, animator and voice-over artist
• Ann Harding, actress
• Marvin Hatley, composer
• George "Gabby" Hayes, actor
• Neal Hefti, composer
• Horace Heidt, bandleader
• Wanda Hendrix, actress
• Maxine Elliott Hicks, actress
• John C. Holland, Los Angeles City Council member, 1943–67
• Red Holloway, musician
• Sol Hoʻopiʻi, musician
• Jean Speegle Howard, actress

I

• Rex Ingram, actor
• Frank Inn, animal trainer
• Jill Ireland, actress
• Ub Iwerks, animator

J

• Dennis James, actor and television host
• Charles Jarrott, director
• Howard Jarvis, political activist
• Sybil Jason, child actress
• Tony Jay, actor and voice-over artist
• Kelly Johnson (1910–1990), aviation engineer
• I. Stanford Jolley, actor
• Allyn Joslyn, actor

K

• Bob Kane, comic book artist
• Casey Kasem, radio disc jockey/host and voice actor
• Stacy Keach, Sr., actor
• Joseph Kearns, actor
• Buster Keaton, actor and comedian
• Lincoln Kilpatrick, actor
• Peter King, composer
• Rodney King, victim of police brutality in 1991
• Ernie Kovacs, actor and comedian
• Helen Barbara Kruger, fashion designer
• Otto Kruger, actor
• Kay E. Kuter, actor

L

• Jack LaLanne, fitness and nutrition expert
• Dorothy Lamour, actress and singer
• Muriel Landers, actress
• Fritz Lang, director
• June Lang, actress
• Grace Lantz, voice-over artist
• Walter Lantz, animator and founder of Walter Lantz Productions
• Eric Larson, animator
• Nicolette Larson, singer
• Philip H. Lathrop, cinematographer
• Wesley Lau, actor
• Charles Laughton, actor
• Stan Laurel, actor and comedian
• William Lava, composer
• Arthur Lee, singer, songwriter, musician
• Robert Edwin Lee, playwright and lyricist
• Lance LeGault, actor
• Stan Levey, musician
• George Liberace, actor and musician
• Liberace, musician
• Diane Linkletter, daughter of Art Linkletter
• Glenard P. Lipscomb, former US Congressman
• Carey Loftin, actor and stuntman
• Hicks Lokey, animator
• Julie London, actress and singer
• Louise Lorraine, actress
• John Lounsbery, animator
• Otto Ludwig, editor
• Art Lund, actor and singer
• Jeffrey Lynn, actor

M

• Kenneth MacDonald, actor
• Harriet E. MacGibbon, actress
• Chummy MacGregor, musician
• Wilbur Mack, actor
• Marjorie Main, actress
• Albert Hay Malotte, composer
• Shelly Manne, musician
• Richard Marquand, director
• Teena Marie, singer and songwriter (cremation)
• Lock Martin, actor
• Strother Martin, actor
• Michelle Triola Marvin, actress
• Junius Matthews, actor
• Matty Matlock, musician
• Frank Mayo, actor
• Larry McCormick, television news anchor
• Pat McCormick, comedian
• Ed McMahon, television host (cremation)
• Caroline McWilliams, actress
• Ralph Meeker, actor
• Martin Melcher, producer
• Sam Melville, actor
• Rafael Méndez, musician
• Donald Mills, singer and member of The Mills Brothers
• Harry Mills, singer and member of The Mills Brothers
• Victor Milner, cinematographer
• Paul Monette, author and poet
• Alvy Moore, actor
• Vicki Morgan, model, socialite, and murder victim
• Brittany Murphy, actress, singer, voice artist[4]
• Timothy Patrick Murphy, actor
• Simon Monjack, producer, screenwriter, husband of actress Brittany Murphy
• Burt Mustin, actor
• John Myhers, actor

N

• Harriet Nelson, actress and singer
• Ozzie Nelson, actor and musician
• Ricky Nelson, actor and singer
• Red Nichols, musician
• Jack Nimitz, musician

O

• Orry-Kelly, costume designer
• Donald O'Connor, actor, singer and dancer
• Ron O'Neal, actor
• William T. Orr, producer
• Frank Orth, actor
• Bud Osborne, actor

P

• Nestor Paiva, actor
• Joy Page, actress
• Maria Palmer, actress
• Cecilia Parker, actress
• Jean Parker, actress
• Hank Patterson, actor
• Kenneth Peach, cinematographer
• Bill Peet, animator
• Jack Pepper, actor
• Brock Peters, actor
• Freddie Perren, musician
• Jack Perrin, actor
• George O. Petrie, actor
• Esther Phillips, singer
• Charles Pierce, actor and female impersonator
• Daphne Pollard, actress
• Snub Pollard, actor and comedian
• Tony Pope, voice-over artist
• Jeff Porcaro, musician
• Don Post, make-up artist
• Freddie Prinze, actor and comedian

R

• George Raft, actor
• Amanda Randolph, actress
• Lillian Randolph, actress
• Lou Rawls, singer
• Hugh Reilly, actor
• Bert Remsen, actor
• Ray Rennahan, cinematographer
• Dorothy Revier, actress
• John Ritter, actor
• Joan Rivers, comedian and actor
• Jason Robards, Sr., actor
• Gale Robbins, actress and singer
• Dar Robinson, film stuntman
• Jay Robinson, actor
• Kasey Rogers, actress
• John Roseboro, MLB player
• Joe E. Ross, actor and comedian
• Ruth Royce, actress
• Miklós Rózsa, composer

S

• Sabu, actor
• Boris Sagal, director
• Jack Sahakian, hairdresser and actor
• Isabel Sanford, actress
• George Savalas, actor
• Telly Savalas, actor
• Johnny Sekka, actor
• Reta Shaw, actress
• Leon Shamroy, cinematographer
• Larry Shay, songwriter
• Robert Shayne, actor
• Roberta Sherwood, singer
• Teru Shimada, actor[5]
• Mickey Simpson, actor
• Phillips Smalley, actor and director
• Jack Soo, actor
• Olan Soule, actor
• Ruth St. Denis, dancer and choreographer
• Raymond St. Jacques, actor
• Tim Spencer, actor and singer
• Jack Starrett, actor and director
• Bob Steele, actor
• Rod Steiger, actor
• George Stevens, director
• McLean Stevenson, actor
• Jay Stewart, television and radio announcer
• Glenn Strange, actor
• Victor Sutherland, actor
• H.N. Swanson, Hollywood literary agent

T

• William Talman, actor
• Vic Tayback, actor
• Zola Taylor, singer
• Jack Teagarden, musician
• Frankie Thomas, actor
• Martha Tilton, singer
• Wayne Tippit, actor
• George Tomasini, editor
• Pinky Tomlin, actor and musician
• Leo Tover, cinematographer
• Bobby Troup, actor and musician
• Charles Trowbridge, actor
• Forrest Tucker, actor

U

• Loyal Underwood, actor

V

• Lee Van Cleef, actor
• Wally Vernon, actor
• Katherine Victor, actress
• Al Viola, musician

W

• Jimmy Wakely, actor and singer
• Paul Walker, actor
• Eddy Waller, actor
• Kent Warner, costume designer
• Paul Weatherwax, editor
• Jack Webb, actor, producer, and director
• Frank Wells, Disney president
• Billy West, actor and comedian
• Norman Whitfield, songwriter and composer
• Claire Whitney, actress
• Billy Frank Whitten, Costume Designer
• Richard Whorf, actor, director, and producer
• Crane Wilbur, actor and director
• Jess Willard, world heavyweight boxing champion
• Bill Williams, actor
• Rhys Williams, actor
• Sue Williams, actress and Playboy Playmate
• Vesta Williams, singer
• Dick Wilson, actor
• Marie Wilson, actress and comedienne
• Paul Winfield, actor
• Charles Winninger, stage and film actor
• David L. Wolper, producer
• John Wooden, UCLA Bruins men's basketball coach
• Ilene Woods, actress, singer, and voice-over artist

Y

• Ralph Yearsley, actor
• Snooky Young, musician

Z

• Paul Zastupnevich, costume designer
• George Zucco, actor

See also

• Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Glendale
• List of United States cemeteries
• San Fernando Valley
• History of the San Fernando Valley
• Rancho Providencia – First Movie Town 1912
• Nestor Studios – Valley ranch
• "San Fernando Valley" By Marc Wanamaker (2011) Page 97, 103, and 106
• "Oak Crest, a film city by itself" The New York Dramatic Mirror - January 15, 1913 page 49.
• "Universal City Visit" Rotarian February 1914
• "Early Universal City"; by Robert S. Birchard
• "A Motion Picture City... " Daily Advocate, October 2, 1914 Page 6
• "Scrap it" the Old Universal - 1915 Universal Tour Brochure
• The Cowboys, Indians and zoo 1914 first assets to be moved to the new Universal City. [Motion Picture World]
• "The Theatre of Science; a volume of progress and achievement in the motion picture industry" by Robert Grau : Page 287 - 1914 Broadway Pub. Co. New York
• The Life & Adventures of Carl Laemmle; by John Drinkwater (Carl Laemmle views Nestor ranch and names the area Universal City))
• Providencia Ranch – Oak Crest - Universal/Bison 101 Movies
• Universal City – Two valley ranch locations 
• Frickr Universal Image collection by Dennis Dickens