Welcome to Hollywood Graveyard, where we
set out to remember and celebrate the lives of those who lived to entertain us,
by visiting their final resting places. Today we continue our tour of New York
in Westchester County, where we'll find such stars as Joan Crawford, Ed Sullivan,
Aaliyah, and many more. Join us won't you? After several days and countless miles
pounding the pavement through the boroughs of New York City it's time to
leave the Big Apple behind and venture north to Westchester County. The first
stop is Hastings-on-Hudson, at Westchester Hills Cemetery and Temple
Israel, then on to Hartsdale and Ferncliff Cemetery. If you haven't done
so already be sure to check out parts 1 2 & 3 of our tour of New York. Westchester Hills Cemetery is a Jewish
cemetery here in Hastings on Hudson created in 1919 when the Stephen Wise
Free Synagogue acquired the northern portion of the Mount Hope Cemetery. Stephen Wise was a rabbi now entombed
here in this stonework mausoleum. Following the main road from the
entrance around to the right we find the mausoleum where George Gershwin is
entombed. Gershwin was undoubtedly one of the great American composers of the 20th
century. His first big hit was "Swanee" in 1919 famously sung by Al Jolson. [music] In the1920s he began composing for Broadway, musicals like Strike Up the Band,
Crazy Girl, and Of Thee I Sing. In 1924 he composed his first major classical work,
the instantly recognizable Rhapsody in Blue, which established him as a serious
composer and has since become his most popular work. [music] Gershwin was unique in that he imbued
elements of jazz in his orchestral compositions. This can also be seen in
another of this landmark compositions, An American in Paris, inspired by his time
in Paris. The piece even inspired a film starring Gene Kelly and Leslie Caron. One
of his most ambitious works was the 1935 opera Porgy and Bess, considered today
one of the great American operas of the 20th century. It too was later made into
a movie. His later years were spent in Hollywood
composing scores for films like Shall We Dance. In 1937 Gershwin began to exhibit cognitive problems, and in July fell into
a coma. Doctors diagnosed him with a brain tumor.
He died days later at the age of 38. A film was made about the life of Gershwin
titled Rhapsody in Blue. Amazing to think that such an incredible legacy was left
by a man who lived only 38 years. George often worked with his brother, Ira, who is
also entombed here. Ira Gershwin wrote lyrics for many of George's musicals and
songs, including, "I Got Rhythm," and "Someone to Watch Over Me." He also co-wrote the libretto for Porgy
and Bess. After his brother's death he worked with other songwriters, including
Jerome Kern and Harold Arlen. He was nominated for three Oscars for his songs. Across the street to the north is the Billy Rose mausoleum. Rose was a
theatrical producer and lyricist. Among the songs he wrote lyrics for are,
"Me and My Shadow," and "It's Only a Paper Moon." He went on to become a Broadway producer,
known for extravaganzas like Jumbo, which featured live elephants on stage. In 1943
he produced the hit, Carmen Jones, with an all-black cast - an adaptation of Bizet's
opera, Carmen. Billy Rose was married to legendary funny girl, Fanny Brice. Back south, just in from the curve in the road, we find the grave of actress Judy
Holliday. Her success in the 1946 stage production of Born Yesterday led her to
be cast in the same role, as Billy Dawn, in the film adaptation in 1950. Her
performance not only won her the Oscar but is considered one of the all-time
greats in Hollywood history. "You've come a long way from the chorus alright." "I wasn't only in the chorus, I spoke lines." "Really?" "Of course." "How many?" "How many what?" "Lines did you speak?" "Five." "I never knew that." "Ask anybody." "I believe you." "I could have been a star probably if I'd stuck to it." Other memorable and comedic
performances include, "It Should Happen to You," playing Gladys Glover, who yearns for
fame, so she rents a billboard and puts her
name on it. Despite often playing the dumb blonde Judy was actually incredibly
intelligent, often saying it took a lot of smarts to convince people her
characters were that stupid. She returned to Broadway in 1956 to star
in the musical, Bells Are Ringing. The role earned her a Tony, and would also
later be made into a film, her last. Judy died of breast cancer in
1965 just before her 44th birthday. Let's head up the hill a few sections to
the southwest. In from the road a short ways is the grave of Tony Randall. He was
an actor perhaps best remembered today for his role as Felix Unger in the TV
adaptation of The Odd Couple, alongside Jack Klugman. The role earned him an Emmy. "Can to divorced men share an apartment without driving each other crazy?" [music] A few years later he had his own show,
The Tony Randall Show, and in the 80s starred in Love, Sydney. On film he can be
seen alongside Doris Day and Rock Hudson in Pillow Talk, and as the title
character in Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter? He was also an accomplished stage
performer finding early success on Broadway in, Inherit the Wind. He died of
pneumonia at the age of 84. Continuing east another section, next to the road, we
find the grave of John Garfield. He was an actor popular in the 30s and 40s.
He was nominated for two Oscars, for Four Daughters, and Body and Soul. Garfield was
caught up in the Red Scare in the 50s. He rejected communism and refused to name
names, but his forced testimony tarnished his reputation and he was blacklisted.
Those close to him believed his premature death of a heart attack at the
age of 39 was brought on by the stress of the HUAC investigation and blacklisting. His funeral had the largest attendance in New York
since Rudolph Valentino. If we follow this road north to the end,
then head up the hill we find the grave of Lee Strasberg. He's perhaps best
remembered today as the director of the Actors Studio in New York City, the
nation's most prestigious acting school. He also formed Actors Studio West in Los
Angeles. He taught acting much of his life until his death in 1982, developing
what he called "method acting." Many acting legends honed their skills
under his tutelage, including Anne Bancroft, Montgomery Clift,
Marilyn Monroe, Al Pacino, James Dean, and more. As an actor,
Strasberg is perhaps best remembered for his role as Hyman Roth in The Godfather
Part 2, alongside his former student, Al Pacino. The role earned him an Academy Award nomination. "This is the business we've
chosen. I didn't ask... who gave the order, because it had
nothing to do with business." He died of a heart attack at the age of
80. Our next stop is actually in the adjacent cemetery south of here. Temple Israel, also a Jewish cemetery,
founded in 1896. Let's follow the main road into the left and
up the hill a short ways. Here is the grave of Adolph Zukor. He was a film producer often
credited as "presenter." In 1912 Zukor founded Famous Players Film Company, to
produce feature-length films that would appeal to the middle class.
His films, along with the films of Jesse Lasky, were distributed through W W
Hodkinson's Paramount Pictures, the first nationwide distributor. Zukor & Lasky eventually merged and acquired Paramount Pictures, forming the production company
that would come to be known as Paramount Pictures today. The origins of the
Paramount logo are shrouded in a bit of Hollywood mystery, but it's believed that
the mountain was inspired by mountain ranges in Utah where W W Hodkinson grew
up, and Zukor, a believer in the star system, added 24 stars to the original
logo (now 22 stars) in honor of 24 actors and actresses he had signed to his
studio. His films include Shanghai Express and The Last Command. Zukor lived to be 103. Our time in Hastings-on-Hudson is at an
end. Let's make our way north to Hartsdale,
and Ferncliff Cemetery. Ferncliff was founded in 1902 as a non-sectarian
cemetery, notable for the Memorial Park style of grounds, similar to the Lorest
Lawns in Los Angeles. On the grounds are three mausoleums, the oldest is the Ferncliff Mausoleum, constructed in 1927. Next came the Shrine of Memories in 1956. The Rosewood Mausoleum, built in 1999, is
an elegant and ultra-modern mausoleum, one of the finest community
mausoleums available today. Ferncliff has the only crematory in
Westchester County. Several notables were cremated here but their ashes taken
elsewhere, including: Jim Henson, Christopher Reeve, Nikola Tesla, Oscar
Hammerstein II, Yul Brynner, and John Lennon. We'll begin our tour of Ferncliff left
of the main entrance in, St. Peter's section. Near the southwest corner of
this section we find the original resting place of Béla Bartók. He was a
Hungarian-born concert pianist, composer, and early scholar of ethnomusicology - the
study of music from the cultural and social aspects of those who create it. His
music combined modern techniques with elements of the folk music of his
homeland. His early music was not well received, deemed too barbaric and unusual
for mainstream audiences. World war drove him to the US, and in his final years he
received a commission from the Boston Symphony, producing his Concerto for
Orchestra - his most popular work, and the only piece for which he received acclaim
during his life. It wasn't until after his death that many of his earlier works
gained appreciation. As he was slowly dying from leukemia he worked
frantically to complete as much music as he could.
His remains were interred here after his death, and remained for 43 years until
his family relocated him to his homeland of Hungary, where he was given a state
funeral. Northwest of here is the Ferncliff
Mausoleum. Let's head into the main entrance, take a left, then right into the
first corridor. Here is songwriter Joe Young. He wrote lyrics for songs in the
early 20th century, including songs for the 1931 Broadway show, The Laugh Parade,
with hits like, "You're My Everything." Other hits include, "Lullaby of the Leaves,"
and "I'm Going to Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter.' He was inducted into the
Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1970. We now continue to the Western
block of the mausoleum. In the Nisonger family room we find the niche and urn of actress Judy
Tyler. She only had a few credits to her name, her biggest being as Peggy Van
Alden, the love interest of Elvis Presley in Jailhouse Rock in 1957. "Well you finally got your sensation, I hope you're satisfied." "Get off my back, kid, I ain't
in the mood." "You insulted my father, my mother, and me and it's just unforgivable." "Well what do you expect? I come out, have a little beer, first thing I know some old broad's
pushed me in a corner with some stupid question." "They were just trying to
bring you into the conversation." "They can shove their conversation. I'm not even sure they were talkin' English." Before that, though, she was a chorus girl and
rising star on Broadway, and appeared on The Howdy Doody Show. Days after
finishing filming Jailhouse Rock she was driving back to New York from Hollywood
with her husband, actor Gregory Lafayette. While driving through Wyoming they
swerved to avoid a collision only to be struck by oncoming traffic. Judy died
instantly in the accident at the age of 24. Her husband died the next day.
Devastated by his co-star's death, Elvis was unable to attend the film's premiere. Back and to the right is alcove E. Here is the crypt of the legendary Joan Crawford. She was launched to stardom near the end of the silent era, in 1928's Our Dancing
Daughters. With her bright, expressive eyes and femininity she became a symbol
of style in the late 20s - Hollywood's new flapper. By the 30s she'd become one
of the silver screens biggest stars, in films like Grand Hotel and The Women. Her
career slowed by the 40s until she landed the role of a lifetime: in the
1945 noir film, Mildred Pierce. "You knew when you gave that uniform to Lottie that it was mine, didn't you?" "Your uniform?" "Yes, I'm waiting tables in a downtown restaurant." "My mother... a waitress." "I took the only job
I could get so you and your sister could eat and have a place to sleep and some
clothes on your backs." The role earned her an Oscar. The night of the awards
Joan stayed home in bed, claiming to be too ill to attend. When she won she
invited the press into her room and accepted the Oscar in bed. Years later
she would star alongside longtime rival Bette Davis in Whatever Happened to
Baby Jane?, both women delivering riveting and
disturbing performances. "Jane I'm just trying to explain you
how things really are. You wouldn't be able to do these awful things to me if I were still in
this chair." Joan was married to Alfred Steele,
CEO of Pepsi. After his death she was named to board of directors of Pepsi. She died in 1977 at the age of, well 70-something. Her actual birth year seems
to be in dispute... after all, a star never reveals her age. In 2017 FX produced a series about the Joan Crawford/Bette Davis feud, starring
Jessica Lange as Joan. In the next corridor down we find
television pioneer, Ed Sullivan. He's best remembered today as the creator and host of the variety
program, The Ed Sullivan Show. It ran for 23 years from 1948 to 1971, making it the
longest-running variety show in TV history. Many great acts and rising stars
were introduced through Ed Sullivan's show, and not just music acts but comedy
and novelty acts as well. He was known as the star maker in the 50s and 60s,
as many performers would go on to become household names after appearing on his
show. The 1956 appearance of Elvis Presley and the 1964 appearances of The
Beatles were not only landmark moments in television history,
they remain to this day among the most watched shows ever. "The city never has
witnessed the excitement stirred by these youngsters from Liverpool who call
themselves The Beatles. Now tonight you're gonna twice be entertained by
them, right now and again in the second half our show. Ladies and gentlemen, The Beatles! [music] Alan King once said of him: "Ed Sullivan
can't sing, can't dance, and can't tell a joke, but he does it better than anyone
else." This is a true summation of Sullivan who was a master at wrangling
and presenting talent. He died of cancer at the age of 73. His theater in New York,
now named The Ed Sullivan Theater, is where the Late Show with Stephen Colbert
is currently housed. Let's head back to the main entrance
then go right this time. In alcove C we find the niche of Jerome Kern. He was a songwriter of
popular music and musical theater, whose hits include "Old Man River," "The Way You
Look Tonight," and "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes." [music] He worked with many of
the great lyricists of the era, from Oscar Hammerstein to Ira Gershwin. On
Broadway his hits includes Sunny, and Show Boat in 1927, a new kind of musical
play which was eventually made into a movie. Kern also wrote music for
Hollywood films like Swing Time. He was nominated for eight Oscars, winning for
the songs, "The Last Time I Saw Paris," and "The Way You Look Tonight." A fictionalized
film was made about his life, Till the Clouds Roll By,
starring Robert Walker as Kern. Let's head up to the second level. If we go right we make our way to alcove
EE FF. Here is the niche of Moss Hart. He was a playwright and theatre director.
Known for his collaboration with Broadway veteran George S Kaufman, the
popular plays he penned include: Once in a Lifetime, The Man Who Came to Dinner,
and You Can't Take it With You, which not only won him and his partner the
Pulitzer Prize in 1937, it was also made into an Academy award-winning film. He
also wrote four musicals and revues, like, As Thousands Cheer. He also directed
on Broadway, his biggest hit being the original production of My Fair Lady,
which won him a Tony. His screenplays for film include Gentlemen's Agreement, and A
Star is Born. He died of a heart attack at the age of 57, and was posthumously inducted
into the American Theater Hall of Fame. Also here is Hart's wife, Kitty
Carlisle. She was an actress and television personality, perhaps best
remembered as a regular panelist on To Tell the Truth in the 50s through the
70s. On film she can be seen alongside the Marx Brothers in A Night at the
Opera, and in She Loves Me Not with Bing Crosby. She lived to be 96 years old. Let's go back to the stairwell and head
east up the opposite corridor. This is the original resting place of
Hollywood icon, Judy Garland, star of films like The Wizard of Oz and A Star is Born.
After Judy died in London in 1969 her body was returned to New York where her
funeral was held. She was then entombed here, where her
body would lie for as long as she was alive - just over 47 years. As
Judy's children live in Southern California, they wanted their mother
close to them, so in early 2017 they had Judy's remains exhumed and
relocated to Hollywood Forever Cemetery, and a pavilion that would bear her name.
The new space also offered adjacent plots which will allow the whole family
to eventually be entombed together. For a full profile of Judy and her new resting
place at Hollywood Forever, be sure to check out our tour of Hollywood Forever
Cemetery. That's all we'll find here in the Ferncliff mausoleum today, let's head
back outside to Hickory 2 section, southeast of here. Here we find the final
resting place of Northern Calloway. If you grew up on Sesame Street like I
did, you probably remember seeing Northern Calaway as David on the beloved
children's show. It was rolled he played from 1971 to 1989 in close to 100
episodes. He was a favorite character on the series, but his career was hindered
by a mental illness which began to manifest in the 80s. He died in 1990
after going into cardiac arrest following a violent altercation with a
staff physician. The official cause of death was listed as exhaustive psychosis.
He was only 41. Straight east is the first Hickory
section. Here is songwriter and composer, Harold Arlen. Earlier we visited the
original resting place of Judy Garland. We now visit the man who wrote the music
for one of her most famous songs. Harold Arlen wrote the songs for the 1939 film
The Wizard of Oz, including, "If I Only Had a Brain,' "We're Off to See the Wizard," and "Over the Rainbow,"
considered by many the greatest song ever written for film, winning him the
Oscar. [music] He wrote many songs that would become
hits even standards, including "Get Happy," "Stormy Weather," "Blues in the Night," and
"It's Only a Paper Moon," with lyricist Billy Rose. [music] Arlen is buried here with his
wife, Anya, who was an actress, model, and chorus girl, seen mainly in uncredited
roles in films, like Murder of the Vanities, and Top Hat. North of here is
Hillcrest section A. Near the sidewalk is Paul Robeson, singer, actor, athlete, social
reformer - a true American Renaissance man. He was the son of an escaped slave,
valedictorian at Rutgers College, the only black student on campus at the time,
and an All-American athlete that would eventually play professional football. At
the same time he was studying to be a lawyer. He landed a job at a law firm, but
faced continual racism, being denied any opportunity to represent clients. So he
left the legal world to pursue another passion: performing. His glorious bass
singing voice would soon become legendary on stage radio and screen.
He won praise for his role in The Emperor Jones, and was the first black
man to play Othello on Broadway. He's perhaps best remembered today for his
role as Joe in both stage and film productions of Show Boat. His rendition of
"Ol' Man River" has become iconic. [music] As his international fame rose he used
his voice to fight for the rights of black Americans, decades before the civil
rights movement. He famously changed the lyrics of "Ol' Man River" from "I'm tired
of livin, and feared of dying," to the more inspiring, "I must keep fighting
until I'm dying," and Robeson did just that, as alluded to here on his epitaph.
Though his vocal fight for peace and equal rights would negatively affect his
career - McCarthyism would see him blacklisted and his passport
unconstitutionally revoked, despite not being a communist. And smear campaigns in
the media left him ostracized, his music pulled from shelves and appearances
canceled. Undaunted, Robeson continued to perform across the globe whenever he
could, continually fighting for the causes of peace and equality as he did
so. Across the street to the north is Hillcrest 1 Section. Here we find the
grave of Thelonious Monk, one of the 20th century's renowned jazz composers and
band leaders. He's remembered for his unique style on the piano, and unorthodox
improvisation. Many of his compositions have since become standards, including
"Blue Monk," and "Round Midnight." [music] Monk died of a stroke at the age of 64. Southwest across the cul-de-sac is
Hillcrest Garden C. This is the final resting place of Jason Mizell, better
known as Jam Master Jay. He was the DJ of the influential hip-hop group,
Run-DMC. The group formed in the 80s and would help bring hip hop into the
mainstream, with hits like Rock box, and King of Rock. [music] They're also known for
their collaboration with Aerosmith on a cover of Walk This Way. In 1989 Mizell
founded Jam Master Jay Records, notable for signing 50 Cent. On October 30th 2002,
at the age of 37, Mizell was shot and killed in a Queens
recording studio. His murder remains unsolved. Before hitting the two remaining mausoleums, let's head east to Pinewood B
section. Here is the final resting place of Malcolm X, considered one of the most
influential African-Americans in history. He was an activist, Muslim minister, and
human rights advocate. He was born Malcolm Little, but with later replace his
slave name, "Little," with X, for his lost tribal name. On February 21st 1965 Malcolm X was gunned down by three members of the Nation of
Islam during a speech in Manhattan. He was 39. Malcolm X has been portrayed in
film a number of times, including by Denzel Washington in the Spike Lee film,
Malcolm X. The civil rights movement had many facets, many voices, Malcolm X's
voice is one of empowerment and self-esteem for black Americans. "I don't in any way encourage black people to go out and initiate acts of aggression
indiscriminately against whites. But I do believe that the black man in the United
States and any human being anywhere is well within his right to do whatever is
necessary by any means necessary to protect his life and property, especially
in a in a country where the federal government itself has proven that it is
either unable or unwilling to protect the lives and property of those human
beings." Just across the street is the Shrine of
Memories. Taking the first corridor on the right, half way down, way up at the
top, is South African-born actor Basil Rathbone. The distinguished English actor
is best remembered for playing Sherlock Holmes, alongside Nigel Bruce, in a series
of successful films about Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's brilliant consulting
detective. He first appeared as Sherlock Holmes in the Hound of the Baskervilles
in 1939, and would play him in 13 additional films as well as on the radio. "There's still one or two little points, Holmes, that I can't for the life of me
reconcile with your theory about that poor demented convict." "One or two little points?" "Surely you can't mean that he was in London three weeks ago, sent that
letter, stole that boat?" "Of course not. "Then who the devil did?" "The same person
who was responsible for the death of that contact last night, and will try
again to murder Sir Henry tonight." "Tonight?" "Unless my imagination has run away with
itself, and I don't think that it has." Outside of 221b Baker Street,
Rathbone played Mr. Murdstone in David Copperfield, and Sir Guy of Gisbourne in
The Adventures of Robin Hood. He was nominated for two Oscars in his career. We'll end our tour at the magnificent Rosewood Mausoleum. Let's make our way in
from the upper floor entrance to the north. Turning right in the first
corridor we find the crypt of Cab Calloway, the talented and stylish, zoot
suit wearing band leader of the jazz and big band eras. Cab Calloway, known for his
energetic performances and scat singing, led one of the most popular big bands of
the 30s and 40s. His band became a lead attraction at Harlem's Cotton Club. His
signature piece was "Minnie the Moocher." [music] So popular was this piece it was
incorporated into two Betty Boop cartoons in the 30s. [music] He appeared in a number of
films including a turn as himself in 1947's Hi De Ho, and performed Minnie the Moocher in The Blues Brothers. In the 1950s he joined the touring production of Porgy and Bess. Ever the showman Cab
Calloway continued to perform into his 80s. He died of a stroke at the age
of 86. Fans of The Nightmare Before Christmas will be curious to know that
the character of Oogie Boogie was inspired by Cab Calloway. For our last
stop we'll head one floor down, take the second corridor on the right from the
main entrance, and follow it to the end. Here is R&B singer and actress,
Aaliyah. Her name means "highest, most exalted, the best," and she strived to live
up to its meaning every day of her life. Aaliyah began singing and performing as
a child, and by 10 was on Star Search, and even sang along with her aunt, Gladys
Knight, in Las Vegas. She signed her first record deal at the age of 12 and worked
with R Kelly, who would become her mentor. Her debut album, Age Ain't Nothing But a
Number, was released when she was only 14. The album was a success, and her first
single, "Back and Forth," was a Billboard top ten hit. Her second album,
One In a Million, was made in collaboration with Timbaland and Missy
Elliott. The album went double platinum. [music] In 2000 Aaliyah began to cross over into film, not only
landing a role in Romeo Must Die, but also performing the song, "Try Again," for
the soundtrack. She performed songs for other soundtracks as well, including "Are
You That Somebody" from Doctor Dolittle. For her second film role she played the
title character in Queen of the Damned, an ancient vampire. "He reminds me of someone." "All he's going to
remind you of soon is a pile of bones. We're going to dismember him, bleed him
dry." "Really? Is that what you're going to do?" Around this time she was also working on
her third and what would be her last album. Her self-titled album was also
certified double platinum, with the single "More than a Woman" hitting the
number-one spot on the UK singles charts. But she wouldn't live to see the album's
success. In August 2001 Aaliyah and her team were in the Bahamas shooting the
music video for "Rock the Boat." After filming was completed they boarded
a small plane back to Florida, but the plane was overloaded and crashed shortly
after takeoff. Aaliyah died at the age of 22. After her funeral 22 white doves were
released, one for each year of her life, and her casket was carried away in a
horse-drawn carriage. Her life may have been short, but she lived up to the
greatness of her name, and continues to do so all these years later. And that concludes our tour. What are some of your favorite memories of the stars we visited today? Share them in the comments below, and be sure to like, share, and
subscribe for more famous grave tours. Thanks for watching!
We'll see you on the next one. We knew coming out to New York in mid-October that we were well ahead of peak fall foliage season. But we'd hoped to find a little color, for a small taste of the autumn in New York experience. Despite the warm weather, this one little tree in Ferncliff put its whole heart and soul into giving us that experience, and it was beautiful. Life lesson from Hollywood Graveyard: Be like this little tree... don't be afraid to let your own colors shine, no matter what anyone else around you does or thinks.
