Welcome to Hollywood Graveyard. Today I turn
the camera over to you, the Hollywood Graveyard community, as we travel the world to visit famous
and historical graves in your neck of the woods. We’re back in the states, in the northeast,
where we’ll find legends like John Belushi, Emily Dickinson, Charles Bronson, Diahann Carroll,
and many more. The time is yours, my friends.
After three international videos in our latest
viewers series, we’ve landed back in the good ol’ US of A. Crossing the border with Canada where we
left off our last video, our areas of exploration today take us through New England and New York. We
did a series on New York a few years back, so for more from this area, be sure to check out those
videos as well in the playlist on our channel.
Let’s begin in Vermont, shall we?
In a quiet rural town called West Windsor, we find the humble and
picturesque Brownsville Cemetery. In these grounds is a giant of cinema, Charles
Bronson. The tough and rugged actor began life working in the coal mines of Pennsylvania
before discovering he had a flare for acting. He would become known for roles of
tough guys, officers, gunslingers, and vigilantes. Among his memorable
roles are as Danny in The Great Escape, Bernardo in The Magnificent Seven, and
Harmonica in Once Upon a Time in the West. He found his biggest success in his 50s, when
he headlined the Death Wish series of films. He starred as vigilante Paul Kersey in 1974’s Death
Wish, and would reprise the role in 4 sequels. At the height of his fame, he was the world’s
#1 box office draw, earning $1 million per film. Bronson’s health deteriorated in his
later years, and he retired from acting after undergoing hip replacement. He died
from respiratory failure at the age of 81, and was laid to rest here in Vermont where
he and his wife owned a horse farm.
Resting with Charles is his wife, actress Jill
Ireland. She had memorable television roles in the 60s, including on The Man from UNCLE, Shane, and
Star Trek. After meeting and marrying Charles in 1968, they would appear in some 15 films together,
like Love and Bullets, and Death Wish II. At just 48 Jill was diagnosed with breast cancer
and underwent a mastectomy. She would then dedicate her life to cancer awareness, becoming
a spokesperson for the American Cancer Society. She died in 1990 at age 54. Jill was cremated, her
ashes kept by Bronson in a cane he used to walk, which was then buried with him
here upon his death in 2003.
Moving next door to New Hampshire, in Concord and
Old North Cemetery, we find an American President. Here lies Franklin Pierce, the 14th
president of the United States, serving from 1853 to 1857. As President,
he acquired land for New Mexico and Arizona and admitted the territories
Kansas and Nebraska into the union. Pierce opposed the abolition of slavery, and was
not nominated for a second term, his reputation suffering further as a critic of Abraham Lincoln
during the Civil War. The presidencies of Pierce, and his successor, James Buchanan, are generally
regarded as failures, which led to the Civil War. A heavy drinker much of his life, Franklin Pierce
died from cirrhosis of the liver at age 64.
This is Red Hill Cemetery, in
Moultonborough, New Hampshire. Here we find the grave of legendary character
actor, Claude Rains. His career spanned some six decades, appearing in some of the
greatest films of Hollywood’s Golden Age, like Casablanca, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, and
The Adventures of Robin Hood. During this period, in the 1940s, he would receive 4 Academy
Award nominations for best supporting actor. Today audiences perhaps remember him best for
a role in which he was hardly seen at all, as that of the Invisible Man, in the
1933 Universal classic of the same name.
“You’re crazy to know who I am,
aren’t you? Alright, I’ll show you!
How do you like that, eh?”
Someone even left a little Invisible Man here on his grave. Rains died
from an abdominal hemorrhage at age 77.
Our next New Hampshire stop is Greenwood Cemetery
in Kingston. Here’s one for you UFO enthusiasts. These are the graves of Barney and Betty Hill.
Late in the evening of September 19, 1961, the Hills were driving south on Route 3 here
in New Hampshire when they observed a strange object flying in the sky. From its pattern they
quickly deduced it wasn’t airplane, and thought it might be a flying saucer. The couple continued
to observe the object flying erratically across the sky, as they proceeded along the quiet,
isolated road. Before long the object rapidly descended upon their car, and hovered right
above them. They stopped, and using binoculars, claim to have seen humanoid beings peering out the
saucer’s windows at them. Panicked, and fearing abduction, they drove off at high speed… and
that’s when things started to get a little fuzzy. A day after arriving back home, the couple would
call the Air Force to report their UFO encounter, and through subsequent dreams and hypnosis,
claim to have actually been abducted aboard that UFO. While the event occurred in
1961, it first became public in 1965, becoming the first widely reported and researched
UFO abduction in the United States. The story would make its way into the public consciousness,
and is reflected in a number of productions, from Carl Sagan’s Cosmos, to The X Files. The 1966
book, The Interrupted Journey, which chronicles the event, is alluded to here on their graves.
Barney and Betty were even portrayed by James Earl Jones and Estelle Parsons in a made for TV movie
about their story. I’ll let Griffin, who submitted this video, round out this profile for us:
So it makes you wonder if the aliens are still up there, watching… probably
not. Oh wait, there’s one!
This is Plainfield Cemetery, where we
find the grave of Maxfield Parrish. He was a noted illustrator and painter
in the 19th and 20th centuries. He’s remembered for his commercial
and magazine cover illustrations, for the likes of Harper’s Bazaar and Life. His
best-known work is his 1922 painting, Daybreak, inspired by the landscape of New Hampshire.
So popular was this painting Michael Jackson re-created it in his music video for
“You’re Not Alone.” Parrish lived to be 95, and the cemetery where he is buried is located on
a road known as Maxfield Parrish Highway.
Moving on now south, to where, Dropkick Murphys?
“To the state of Massachusetts.”
Alright. Massachusetts.
Let’s start here at West Cemetery in Amherst.
“Because I could not stop for Death – He
kindly stopped for me – The Carriage held but just Ourselves – And Immortality.”
These are the words of famed poet, Emily Dickinson, who has indeed found immortality
through her work. While she was not well known during her life, she has come to be regarded as
one of the most important figures in American poetry. She wrote prolifically, but only
published a handful of poems in her lifetime. After her death from heart failure in 1886 at age
55, her younger sister Lavinia discovered close to 1,800 poems in her room. The first collection
of Emily Dickinson’s poems was published in 1890, and it wasn’t until 1955 that
her complete works were released. Emily was portrayed by Hailee Steinfeld
in the series, Dickinson.
Continuing on now to Springfield Cemetery,
and one for you board game lovers. This is Milton Bradley. He was working as a
lithograph printer when, in 1860, he released a board game called “The Checkered Game of Life.”
The game, which would later become The Game of Life, was an immediate success. The Milton Bradley
Company would go on to dominate the game industry, releasing favorites like Candy Land,
Twister, Hungry Hungry Hippos, Operation, and Battleship. Milton Bradley is now owned by Hasbro,
and its namesake passed away in 1911 at age 74.
We now find ourselves at Stockbridge Cemetery.
Here lies Norman Rockwell, a painter whose work captured Americana in the first half of the 20th
century, particularly the charms of small-town American life. Many of his paintings were
created as covers for The Saturday Evening Post. His works paint an idyllic portrait of the beauty
of American culture, like Freedom from Want, and Rosie the Riveter, as well as its ugly
side, like the civil rights era painting, The Problem We All Live With, depicting
six-year-old Ruby Bridges needing to be escorted by US Marshalls to an all-white
school, under threat of violence. Norman Rockwell received the presidential medal
of freedom, and lived to be 84.
Next up is the legendary Sleepy Hollow Cemetery…
not to be confused with the equally legendary Sleepy Hollow Cemetery in New York. This Sleepy
Hollow is in Concord Massachusetts, and it hosts some of America’s most storied writers. Let’s
stroll along author’s ridge to find a few of them. First up is Nathaniel Hawthorne. He was a
novelist and short story writer, remembered as a key figure of dark romanticism. His writings
often focused on history, morality, and religion… with distinctively anti-puritan
tones. Among his best-known works are The House of the Seven Gables, and
The Scarlet Letter, published in 1850. It was a hit in its day, and became one of
the first mass-produced novels in America. Today it’s considered a classic, and has been
adapted on stage and screen numerous times, including the 1995 film starring Demi Moore.
Hawthorne died in his sleep at age 59.
“I went to the woods because I wished to live
deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to
teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived.” This is Henry David Thoreau.
He was a writer and philosopher in the 1800s. A leading transcendentalist, he’s best known for his
book Walden, which reflects on simple living in natural surroundings, which Thoreau did for years
in a cabin near Walden Pond. His writings planted the seeds for modern environmentalism. He’s also
known for his writings on Civil Disobedience, an argument for disobedience to an unjust
state. His writings would inspire the likes of Martin Luther King Jr, and Gandhi. Thoreau
was just 44 when he died from tuberculosis.
A little further up the hill we find Louisa May
Alcott. She’s another noted writer from this era, best known for her novel, “Little Women.” The
coming-of-age novel, first published in 1868, was inspired by Louisa’s
childhood, with her sisters. It was a critical and commercial success
in its day, and has since become a classic. Numerous stage and screen adaptations of
been made of Little Women over the years. Louisa suffered ill health much of her life,
partially brought on by mercury poisoning from treatments she was receiving. She died
after suffering a stroke in 1888 at age 55.
Not far from here is the grave of Ralph Waldo
Emerson, considered one of the great writers and philosophers in American history, and friend
of those we’ve visited here on author’s ridge. In 1836 he published the essay, “Nature,”
which would establish him as the lead figure of the Transcendentalist movement of the era,
which championed individualism and nature. He would follow this up with some of his
best-known writings, like The American Scholar, and Self-Reliance. His writings
would inspire the likes of Thoreau, who we visited earlier. Ralph Waldo
Emerson died from pneumonia at age 78.
Martha’s Vineyard is an island south of Cape Cod. It’s here we find Abel Hill Cemetery, and the
grave of legendary funnyman, John Belushi. He was one of the seven original cast members of
Saturday Night Live when it debuted in 1975. He developed a number of memorable characters and
skits, including The Blues Brothers with Dan Aykroyd, which in 1980 was made into a film.
“First you trade the Cadillac for a microphone, then you lie to me about the van, now you’re
going to put me right back in the joint.”
“They’re not going to catch us
– we’re on a mission from God.”
John Belushi also had a hit in 1978’s National
Lampoon’s Animal House. Belushi struggled with drug abuse, which affected his health and career.
On March 5, 1982 he was found dead in his Chateau Marmont bungalow. He had been injected with
a lethal dose of cocaine and heroin by friend Catherine Smith, who would spend 15 months
in jail for his death. John Belushi was 33.
On the north end of the
island is West Chop Cemetery, where rests Mike Wallace. He was a journalist,
known for his hard-nosed interview style. He was one of the original correspondents on 60
Minutes, from 1968 until 2008. Throughout his career he would interview Presidents like Nixon
and Reagan, social activists like Malcolm X, and stars from Pavarotti to Barbara Streisand.
The tough but fair journalist lived to be 93.
Just west is Lambert’s Cove Cemetery. In these
grounds is a legend of horror, Wes Craven. As a director he’s remembered for his pioneering
work in the slasher genre. In 1984 he wrote and directed A Nightmare on Elm Street, today
considered one of the greatest horror films ever made. It would spawn a franchise with numerous
sequels. Wes Craven also directed the first four movies in the Scream franchise. The beloved horror
icon passed away at age 76 from a brain tumor.
Back to the mainland, and Lowell Massachusetts.
Our journey on the road through Hollywood Graveyard brings us now to Edson Cemetery, where
we find the grave of a noted author, Jack Kerouac. He was a leading figure of the Beat Generation, in
the 1950s. His best-known work is his 1957 novel, On the Road, based on his travels across the
country. It would become a defining work of the post-war counterculture movement, and today
ranks among the best novels of the 20th century. A lifetime heavy drinker, Kerouac died from an
abdominal hemorrhage in 1969 at just 47.
We’re in Malden now, and Holy Cross Cemetery.
Here we find the grave of actor, John Cazale. While his credits number less than
10, he made quite an impression in several Oscar-nominated films, his acting
admired by his costars like Al Pacino. John played Stan in The Deer Hunter, and Sal in
Dog Day Afternoon, but will always be remembered as Fredo Corleone in The Godfather series, the
weaker brother who betrays the family. John was diagnosed with lung cancer in 1977, passing away
from the disease a year later at age 42.
This is Woodlawn Cemetery in Everett. And this
is the grave of a man known as the father of the docu-drama, Louis de Rochemont. Beginning in
the 30s he produced The March of Time newsreels, shown in theaters before movies. Among these was a
1938 documentary short titled Inside Nazi Germany, which was among the first to elucidate
the dangers of Hitler and the Nazi Party, prior to WWII. The March of Time was recognized
with an Honorary Academy Award in 1937. He would go on to produce features
films, both documentary and narrative, like The Fighting Lady, and The House on 92nd
Street. De Rochemont lived to be 79.
This scenic view comes to us from Oak Grove
Cemetery in Fall River. Here we find the grave of Charlie Buffinton. He was a baseball player,
a right-handed pitcher in the major leagues from 1882 to 1892. He was one of the leading pitchers
of the era, his 1,700 career strikeouts the ninth total highest of the 19th century. Charlie was
just 46 when he died from heart disease.
Goodbye Massachusetts, hello Rhode Island.
“We’re off on the road to Road Island.”
We’re at Berkeley Memorial Cemetery in Middletown. Here lies Andra Akers. As an actress she’s
remembered for often playing brassy sidekicks or tough businesswomen. She had a recurring
role as Christine Adams in the 70s series, Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman. And on film she can
be seen in productions like Murder a la Mode. Andra was just 58 when she died
after complications from surgery.
Next we find ourselves at
Saint Ann Cemetery in Cranston. This is where David Angell is laid to rest. He was
an award-winning television writer and producer. In the 80s he wrote and produced episodes
of Cheers, then went on to create, produce, and write the spinoff series, Frasier. His work
on Cheers and Frasier would earn him 8 Emmys. He also created and produced Wings. Tragically,
Angell and his wife were aboard American Airlines flight 11 on September 11, 2001, when the plane
crashed into the World Trade Center. He was 55.
Speaking of Cheers, here too we find
one of television’s favorite bartenders at the bar where everybody knows your name.
His name was Nicholas Colasanto. Early in his career he was known not only as an actor, but
as a director for TV shows like Hawaii Five-O, and Run for Your Life, which he also appeared in.
And on the big screen he can be seen in films like Raging Bull, as Tommy Como. But audiences
will always remember him as the not-too-bright but always loveable Coach Ernie Pantusso,
the original bartender of Cheers.
“Anybody want a muay thai? A-Haha!
My tie, Cliff! Cliffie, look!”
Nicholas died of a heart attack in 1985
at age 61. Rather than re-cast the role, in the 4th season of Cheers, his death was written
into the show, and the role of bartender was then filled by Woody Harrelson as Woody Boyd.
“Howdy. I’m a friend of Coach’s. Is he around?”
“I’m sorry, Woody, I guess
you hadn’t heard. No, uh, Coach passed away a couple months ago. But yeah,
I’d like to think he’s still around.”
Chestnut Hill Cemetery in Exeter Rhode Island
is home to one of America’s notorious vampire stories. This is the grave of Mercy Brown.
She was the most famous subject of what was known as the New England Vampire Hysteria
of the 1800s. Mercy died in 1892 from tuberculosis at the tender age of 19. The
disease had ravaged many in her family. A lack of understanding of the disease mixed
with the heightened superstition of the time led some to speculate that one of the family
was a vampire…. specifically, young Mercy. Townsfolk began claiming to see her wandering the
cemetery after her death, and her brother Edwin, who recently had contracted tuberculosis, claimed
Mercy was sitting on his chest, suffocating him. It was decided that Mercy would be exhumed to
investigate her body. Upon opening her coffin, observers noted she exhibited few signs of
decomposition, looking very much still alive. And while this was because her body had been stored
in freezer-like conditions before interment, those present concluded she must be a vampire.
So, they cut out her heart and burned it. The ashes were then mixed into a tonic and served to
her brother Edwin to drink, to try to heal him. The tonic obviously did nothing,
and Edwin died a short time later. Mercy’s desecrated corpse was
then re-buried here.
Our next New England stop is Connecticut.
At Nut Plains Cemetery in Guilford we find the grave of Moses Gunn. He was an actor,
known for his work both on stage and screen. He was nominated for a Tony award for
his role in the play, The Poison Tree, and also played Othello on Broadway in 1970.
On film he’s remembered for roles like Bumpy in the movie Shaft, and Booker T. Washington in
Ragtime. And on television Moses was nominated for an Emmy for his supporting role in Roots. He
died from complications of asthma at age 64.
This is Mountain Grove cemetery in Bridgeport.
Here we find the grave of the greatest showman, PT Barnum. Phineas Taylor Barnum’s early success
as a showman came in the form of Barnum’s American Museum, where he would promote hoaxes like the
Feejee Mermaid, and novelty acts like Tom Thumb. He also promoted and toured talents like The
Swedish Nightingale, Jenny Lind. It wasn’t until his 60s, in 1871, that he would become
the king of the circus. His traveling circus, labeled the greatest show on earth, would merge
with James Bailey as “Barnum and Bailey Circus.” The traveling circus, which later became
Ringling Bros and Barnum & Bailey Circus, ran for 146 years, performing its final
show on May 21, 2017. PT Barnum died from a stroke at age 80. He was portrayed by
Hugh Jackman in The Greatest Showman.
One of Barnum’s long-time collaborators is also
here: Charles Stratton… better known by his stage name, Tom Thumb, or General Tom Thumb, considered
one of the most famous little people in history. By his adulthood he had not yet reached 3 feet
tall. Charles was discovered by Barnum as a child, and trained in the art of performing, being dubbed
General Tom Thumb after the English fairy tale. As Tom Thumb he would travel the world performing
with Barnum, becoming an international star. And he was more than just a side show curiosity for
his size, General Tom Thumb was a genuinely gifted performer -- acting, singing, and dancing.
Charles Sherwood Stratton died suddenly from a stroke at age 45. A life-size statue of Tom
Thumb was placed here atop his grave.
At Northwood Cemetery in Windsor, we explore
another story from under the big top, this one quite a bit more tragic. On July 6,
1944, Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus was performing under a giant tent for an audience
of approximately 7,000 in Hartford, Connecticut. At some point during the performance, a
small fire started near the restrooms. Because the tent canvas was covered in a
highly flammable waterproofing solution, the whole tent burned down in under ten minutes.
A total of 168 people died, with over 700 injured. Six of the 168 victims were unable to be
identified and were buried together here.
Our next Connecticut stop is Green Oak Cemetery in
Roxbury. Here we find the grave of Arthur Miller. He’s one of the 20th centuries most celebrated
playwrights. Among his best-known plays are All My Sons, The Crucible, which dramatized the Salem
Witch Trials, and Death of a Salesman, which not only won him the 1949 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, it
also won the Tony Award for best play. He’s also remembered for penning a number of screenplays,
including 1961’s The Misfits, which starred his then wife, Marilyn Monroe. Incidentally, The
Misfits was both Marilyn Monroe’s and Clark Gable’s final film. Arthur Miller died
from cancer and heart failure at age 89.
This is Stepney Cemetery. Through these
grounds we take a journey into the paranormal, with a husband and wife who invited us to explore
the paranormal with them. Who were they?
“Well, we’ve been called demonologists,
that’s one name for us – ghost hunters, paranormal researchers—”
“Cooks.
But we prefer to be known simply
as Ed and Lorraine Warren.”
Ed and Lorraine Warren, as portrayed by
Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga in that clip from The Conjuring, were well known
paranormal researchers and demonologists, remembered for their investigations into
cases such as the Amityville horror, and the Anabelle doll. They authored a number of
books, and claim to have investigated somewhere in the neighborhood of 10,000 paranormal cases. Their
life and work have inspired numerous productions, including the Amityville Horror series,
and of course, The Conjuring series. Ed died in 2006 at age 79, while Lorraine
lived to be 92, passing away in 2019.
How beautiful is this little churchyard? This is The Unitarian Church in Westport. In
this Memorial Garden we find Brett Somers. The beloved comedienne is remembered for
her frequent role as a game show panelist, particularly on Match Game in the 70s, where
she was known for sometimes outlandish or risqué responses. She would also make appearances on TV
sitcoms of the era, including alongside husband Jack Klugman on The Odd Couple. Brett
Somers died from cancer at age 83.
Our journey takes us now to Riverside Cemetery
in Old Saybrook. Here lies a television comedy legend, Art Carney. One of the very early,
pioneering TV sitcoms was The Honeymooners, which ran in the 1950s. Art Carney played Ed
Norton, Ralph Kramden’s neighbor and friend.
“The gold swing: first, step up, plant your feet
firmly on the ground, and address the ball.
Here, give me the club.
Step up, plant your feet firmly. Hello ball!”
Carney’s character in the Honeymooners was
the inspiration for both Barney Rubble on the Flintstones, and Yogi Bear. Outside of the
Honeymooners, he had a memorable role in one of the Twilight Zone’s more poignant episodes,
“Night of the Meek,” and won an Oscar for his role in the film, Harry and Tonto. Art
Carney died in his sleep at age 85.
This is Cedar Hill Cemetery, where you’ll recall
from part 2 that Katherine Hepburn is buried. We’re back today to find more notable figures
here, like Horace Wells. He was a dentist, among the early advocates of preventive care,
like brushing your teeth. And if you’ve ever gone to the dentist and heard the sound of a drill
in your mouth, but not felt a thing, you can thank Wells here. He’s considered the discoverer of
modern anesthesia for medical and surgical use. He experimented with nitrous oxide and ether in
the 1840s, and demonstrated the painless pulling of teeth. But he was known to self-experiment
with these gasses, the results of which having something of a Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde effect. One
day, after inhaling chloroform, he rushed into the street and dowsed two prostitutes in sulfuric
acid. He was arrested, and after coming to and realizing what he had done, he committed suicide
in his cell, cutting his femoral artery with a shaving razor. Wells was just 33. His tombstone
fittingly reads, “There shall be no pain.”
Also here is Robert Ames. He was a leading
actor of the late silent, early talkie eras, in the 20s and 30s. He starred alongside Gloria
Swanson in 1929’s The Trespasser, and alongside Mary Astor in 1931’s Smart Woman. Ames became
an alcoholic. But in an attempt to get sober, Robert Ames was found dead in his
New York hotel room at age 42, the official cause of death listed as delirium
tremens, a severe form of alcohol withdrawal.
This is Bethel Cemetery. Here is the grave of
William Moulton Marston. He was a fascinating character, remembered for numerous unrelated
accomplishments. As noted here on his tombstone, you can see he was an attorney and psychologist.
Early in his career he invented a prototype for what would become the lie detector test. He then
branched out into something entirely different. In the 1940s, in the era of Superman and Batman,
Marston conceived of an idea of a superhero who conquered with love, to which his wife
Elizabeth replied, “Fine, but make her a woman.” And thus Wonder Woman was born, based on the
liberated, powerful modern woman. Marston would author the character, who made her debut in All
Star Comics #8, in December 1941. Two women in his life greatly influenced Wonder Woman’s creation:
his wife Elizabeth, as noted here on their stone, and their polyamorous partner, Olive Byrne.
Wonder woman would be made into a popular TV series in the 70s, starring Lynda Carter, and
a recent movie franchise starring Gal Gadot. William Moulton Marston died from cancer at
age 53, and Elizabeth lived to be 100.
We find ourselves now at Grove Street Cemetery
in New Haven. You fans of American football might know this name, Walter Camp. He’s called “the
father of American football,” due to the important developments he made to the game in its formative
years. In 1880 he proposed the line of scrimmage, where the team with the ball
started with uncontested possession. This change was the first big step for
American football away from its rugby origins. He’s also credited with innovating the snap from
center, the system of downs, the point system, and more. Camp was inducted into the College Football
Hall of Fame in 1951. He lived to be 65.
If you’ve been to a football game you might
have seen the Goodyear blimp flying overhead. Here is the namesake of Goodyear, Charles
Goodyear. Charles Goodyear was a chemist and inventor, who developed vulcanized rubber,
and the process for creating moldable rubber. He received a patent in 1844. This innovation would
be pivotal for the creation of automobile tires, so when Frank Seiberling formed a tire
manufacturing company in 1898, he named it after Goodyear here. Charles died in 1860
while traveling to see his dying daughter. When he arrived in New York he was notified she had
died. He collapsed and died himself at age 59.
Our last state of the day is the great state of
New York. We’ll explore the greater New York area then work our way into New York City. We’re
in western New York, and Randolph Cemetery. This is the grave of Dody Goodman. You may
have surmised from her stone that she was an actress and ballerina. On the big screen she’s
remembered as Blanche on Grease, and Grease 2. And on television she starred as Martha, Mary’s
mother, in over 300 episodes of Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman. She was also the voice of Miss Miller
on Alvin & the Chipmunks. Dody lived to be 93.
Moving east to the Finger Lakes area, we arrive
in Hammondsport, and Pleasant Valley Cemetery. Here lies Glenn Curtiss, a pioneer of aviation.
One of the preeminent motor experts in the country, as early as 1904 he was building motors
and parts for airships. In 1908 he designed an aircraft known as June Bug, and as its test pilot,
made the first public flight of a heavier than air flying machine over one kilometer. This flight
propelled Curtiss into the spotlight, and in 1911 he received US Pilot’s License #1. He also
made the first long distance flight in the US, from Albany to New York City. His company
built aircraft for the U.S. Army and Navy, and, during the years leading up to World War I,
his experiments with seaplanes led to advances in naval aviation. In July 1930, Curtiss died from
complications of appendicitis. He was 52.
Northeast is Auburn, and Fort Hill
Cemetery. Here lies Theodore Case. He was an important figure in the development
of sound for motion pictures. He was a chemist who began experimenting with the sound on film
process in 1921. His process, dubbed Movietone, debuted in 1927 with the Fox Film Corporation.
It recorded sound directly to the film strip, which guaranteed synchronization. The first
film to use this system was Sunrise, in 1927… not the first talkie, but the first film with
a synchronized musical score and sound effects soundtrack. Theodore Case died
from pneumonia at age 55.
This is Fern Dale Cemetery, in Johnstown. This
is where Broderick Crawford is laid to rest. The actor is best-remembered for his Oscar and
Golden Globe winning portrayal of Willie Stark in the 1949 film, All the King’s Men. He would follow
this up with another hit film, Born Yesterday. On the small screen he’s remembered for his portrayal
of Dan Matthews in Highway Patrol. Crawford died after suffering a series of strokes at age 74.
Nearby is Crawford’s mother, Helen Broderick. The wisecracking comedienne is remembered
for supporting roles in musicals and comedies of the 30s and 40s, including two
Astaire and Rogers vehicles, Swing Time and Top Hat. She retired from acting in 1946 and
passed away after suffering a stroke at age 68.
We’re in Albany now, and Albany Rural
Cemetery. Here we seek out a sarcophagus that reads “Arthur.” No, it’s not mine, but
rather the coolest sarcophagus ever occupied by an American President. That’s Chester A. Arthur
in that very European-inspired grave there. He was the 21st president of the United States,
from 1881 to 1885. He became president after James Garfield, for whom he served as vice president,
was shot and killed. While generally admired in his day, modern historians rank Chester A. Arthur
as an average, and somewhat unmemorable president. He died at age 57 after suffering
a cerebral hemorrhage.
This is St. Mary’s in nearby Troy. Here lies Maureen Stapleton. She was an actress
who won the triple crown of acting - the Oscar, Emmy, and Tony. Had she won the Grammy she was
nominated for she would have been one of the very few honored with the coveted EGOT. She won
the Oscar for her role in the 1981 film, Reds. Other notable films include Airport, and
Cocoon. And her memorable stage roles include The Rose Tattoo, and The Gingerbread Lady.
Maureen died from COPD at the age of 80.
Here we are now at Most Holy Redeemer Cemetery
in Niskayuna, to find another famous Maureen, Maureen O’Sullivan. She’s considered one of
Ireland’s first movie stars, and fans of classic cinema will always remember her as Jane, in the
Tarzan series of films of the 30s and 40.
“Tarzan? Very well, doesn’t make any
difference to me where you are.”
She played Jane in 6 Tarzan films of this era. Other notable films include The Thin Man, and
alongside her daughter, Mia Farrow, in Hannah and Her Sisters. Maureen died from complications
of heart surgery at the age of 87.
Our next New York stop is
Montrepose Cemetery in Kingston. Meet Calvert Vaux. He was an architect and
landscape designer, who made contributions to many of New York’s notable parks and
buildings, including Central Park, Prospect Park, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. In the time of
rapid urbanization, Vaux introduced ideas on the importance of public parks, and the integration
of buildings into natural surroundings. In 1895, Calvert Vaux accidentally
drowned in Gravesend Bay. He was 70.
Continuing south we reach New Paltz Rural
Cemetery. Here we find Floyd Patterson. He was a Hall of Fame boxer, active in the 50s to the
70s. Floyd twice reigned as Heavyweight champion in this era, becoming the youngest boxer in
history to win the title, at the age of 21. He also won gold at the 1952 Olympics. Later
in life he suffered from Alzheimer’s and prostate cancer, passing away at age 71.
Mount Repose Cemetery is in Haverstraw NY. Here lie husband and wife Kurt Weill and Lotte
Lenya. Kurt Weill was a composer who began his work in his native Germany, before fleeing to
Paris, then New York, after becoming a target of Nazi authorities in 1933. He would become
a leading composer for the stage in that era, his best-known work being the 1928
musical play, The Threepenny Opera. It included the popular standard, “Mack the
Knife,” recorded by numerous artists since. Weill suffered a heart attack and
died just after his 50th birthday. The music engraved on his stone is from
his song “A Bird of Passage.”
Kurt was married to Lotte Lenya, an actress and
singer – a longtime star of the cabaret world. She often performed the works of her husband,
including a Tony-winning performance in The Threepenny Opera. On screen she played Rosa in
From Russia with Love, and was nominated for an Oscar for her role in The Roman Spring of Mrs.
Stone. Lotte died from cancer at age 83.
We’ve arrived back at Sleepy Hollow Cemetery, our
second Sleepy Hollow of the day. This is the one made famous by Washington Irving, and his story of
the headless horseman and Ichabod Crane. We did a special video on Sleepy Hollow for Halloween a
few years back. We’re here again to find more notable figures in these historic grounds.
This is Alice Brady. She was an actress of the silent and early talkie eras, having supporting
roles in some of the biggest films of that era. These include My Man Godfrey, in which she played
Carole Lombard’s mother, and In Old Chicago, which won her an Oscar for best supporting actress.
Alice was just 46 when she died from cancer.
One of the great names in New York business
circles is Carnegie. Here lies Andrew Carnegie. He was a Scottish-American industrialist and
philanthropist who led the expansion of the steel industry in America. By the late 19th
century he was the richest man in America. He would give much of this wealth away to charities,
libraries, universities, and various foundations. His philosophy was that the wealthiest among
us should use their wealth to improve society. Carnegie died from pneumonia at age 83.
Moving on now, we find this uniquely designed
grave belonging to a man named Joseph Urban. He was an architect, illustrator, and scenic
designer. He was one of the originators of the Art Deco style, popular in the 20s and 30s. Urban was
art director for the Boston Opera before moving to New York where he designed sets and lighting
for productions for the Metropolitan Opera, and the Ziegfeld Follies. Urban died
from a heart attack at age 61.
We’re back again at Ferncliff Cemetery in
Hartsdale. This is the grave of actor Adolph Caesar. He was known for his signature deep voice,
performing on stage as a member of the Negro Ensemble Company. He earned acclaim for his role
in the Pulitzer Prize winning A Soldier’s Play. He would reprise this role in the 1984 film
adaptation, earning an Oscar nomination for his performance. Other notable films include
The Color Purple, as Old Mister Johnson. Caesar died after suffering a heart attack
on the set of Tough Guys at age 52.
Heading into the Rosewood Mausoleum here at
Ferncliff we find the crypt of Dwight Myers, known as Heavy D. He was a Jamaican-born rapper
and record producer, as well as an actor. He was leader of Heavy D & The Boyz, popular in
the 80s and 90s. He’s also remembered for co-writing and performing the theme songs
for the shows MadTV and In Living Color. Dwight would then shift his focus to acting, appearing in shows like Boston
Public, and The Tracy Morgan Show. Heavy D’s career was cut tragically short when he
died from a pulmonary embolism at just 44.
We continue south to Yonkers,
and Oakland Cemetery. In an area known as Sunset Knoll,
we find the grave of Earl Simmons, known to the world as DMX. He was another
prominent rapper and actor of the 90s and 2000s. He’s best known for hits like “X Gon’ Give
It to Ya,” and “Party Up (Up in Here).” He was the first artist to debut an album at
#1 five times in a row on the Billboard charts, and overall sold some 74 million albums
worldwide. As an actor he can be seen in films like Exit Wounds, Cradle 2 the
Grave, and Romeo Must Die. DMX died a week after suffering a cocaine-induced
heart attack. He was just 50.
We’ve made it to the Bronx, and
the magnificent Woodlawn Cemetery. Here lies a famous news reporter named Nellie Bly.
She was a pioneer of investigative journalism, exposing abuses in politics, hospitals, and
prisons. In one of her most famous exposes she feigned insanity to get committed into an
asylum, to uncover brutality and neglect in the Women’s Lunatic Asylum. Her report, titled
“Ten Days in a Madhouse,” was a sensation, and served as inspiration for numerous media
productions, including American Horror Story: Asylum. Her next expose saw her taking
a trip around the world in 72 days, in emulation of the Jules Verne story.
Nelly Bly died from pneumonia at age 57.
Heading over to the columbarium we find the niche
of actress and singer Diahann Carroll. She rose to prominence appearing in some of the early studio
films featuring black casts, like Carmen Jones and Porgy & Bess. In 1962 she won a Tony for her role
in the Broadway musical, No Strings, a first for an African-American woman. She was also nominated
for an Academy Award, for her role in Claudine. And on television she’s remembered for her role
as Dominique in Dynasty, and her starring role in the 60s and 70s sitcom, Julia, which is notable
as being the first weekly series to star a black woman in a non-stereotypical role. Diahann
passed away from cancer at the age of 84.
Crossing over East River into Brooklyn we re-visit
another of New York’s most magnificent cemeteries, Green-Wood. Here we find Leah Fox. She was one
of the three Fox sisters, who played an important role in the creation of Spiritualism in the 1800s.
The two younger sisters, Kate and Margaretta, used knocking, or “rapping” sounds to convince Leah
they were communicating with spirits. They would become well-known mediums, travelling the country
giving seances, under Leah’s management, giving the first paid public performance of spiritualism
in 1849. They had started a movement, but later in life, Kate and Margaretta revealed that what they
had been doing was a hoax, and expressed remorse for perpetrating a fraud. They had used the
cracking of their joints to create the “rapping” sounds. Despite the younger sisters’ confession
of fraud, Leah continued in the movement.
Also here in Brooklyn, part of a massive cluster
of cemeteries that span Brooklyn and Queens, is Mount Hope Cemetery. Here is a legend
of voice acting, Jackson Beck. You fans of Popeye will remember him as the voice
of Bluto, in hundreds of Popeye cartoons. He also voiced Perry White and the narrator on
The New Adventures of Superman. His narration skills also translated to the big screen, as the
narrator of Woody Allan’s Take the Money and Run. Beck died from a stroke at the age of 92.
This is nearby Maimonides Cemetery. Here we find the tomb of motion picture pioneer,
Marcus Loew. In 1904 he formed Loew’s Theaters, which began as a chain of nickelodeon theaters
to showcase short films. The chain would grow from its humble origins into elaborate
movie palaces. Loew then created MGM, by combining Metro Pictures, Goldwyn Pictures, and
Louis B Mayer Pictures, into one company, becoming one of the big 5 studios in Hollywood. Loew
died from a heart attack in 1927 at age 57.
Turning the compass northeast to
Queens, we’re back at Flushing Cemetery. Here we find the unmarked grave
of jazz legend, Dizzy Gillespie. He was one of the greatest jazz trumpeters of
the 20th century, a pioneer of a new style called bebop. He began in the 30s with Cab Calloway’s
band before branching out to lead his own bands, touring the world for decades. He’s remembered
for tunes like “A Night in Tunisia,” and “Salt Peanuts.” He’s also remembered for
his iconic bent trumpet and pouched cheeks. Dizzy died from cancer at age 75, and
rests here next to his mother.
Also here at Flushing we find May Robson, the
dowager queen of the American stage and screen. She was a major stage actress in
the late 19th, early 20th centuries before moving into film. At the age of 75 she was
nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress in Lady for a Day. She was the first
Australian nominated for an acting Oscar, and for a time, the oldest performer
nominated. Other films include the first version of A Star is Born, in 1937.
May, real name Mary, lived to be 84.
Proceeding east into Long Island we
reach Beth David Cemetery in Elmont. This is the grave of Noah Greenberg. He was
a music and choral conductor, who founded New York Pro Musica in 1952. They released dozens of
albums of music, focusing specifically on Baroque, Renaissance, and Medieval music, helping
to revive interest in these musical eras. He died after suffering a
heart attack at just 46.
This is St. Charles Cemetery in East Farmingdale.
Here lies Lenny Montana. He began his career as a professional wrestler in the 50s and 60s,
but you cinephiles know him as Luca Brasi, enforcer for the Corleone family in The Godfather.
It was a fitting role as he was actually working as an enforcer for the real-life Colombo crime
family at the time. He caught the acting bug and appeared in a handful of additional productions
before passing away from a heart attack..
Just a few rows down here at St.
Charles we find Peter Steele. He was a musician, best known as the singer,
bassist, and songwriter for the gothic metal band, Type O Negative. The band rose to prominence
in the 90s, going platinum with Bloody Kisses. As front man, Steele was known for his bass voice
and vampiric appearance. Peter Steele died in 2010 from sepsis caused by diverticulitis, at the age
of 48, after which Type O Negative disbanded.
Our next stop here at St. Charles is a tragic
story familiar to you true crime and horror enthusiasts. This is the grave of the DeFeo
family. In the early morning hours of November 13, 1974, Ronald DeFeo Jr. walked through his house
with a rifle, and killed his entire family while they slept. They were parents Ron Sr and Louise,
sisters Dawn and Allison, and brothers Marc and John. Ron Jr initially claimed to have discovered
them, but later confessed to the crime, spending the rest of his life in jail. Months after the
murders, the Lutz family moved into the Amityville house where the murders had taken place, and
claimed to experience paranormal activity. This would be the basis of a
book, The Amityville Horror, which would also spark a series of films.
Pinelawn Memorial Park is located near the middle of Long Island, where we’ll
find more of New York’s famous dead. Here on the outer wall of the mausoleum is the
crypt of Guy Lombardo. He was another of the great band leader of the Big Band era. His career began
in his native Canada, forming with his brothers The Royal Canadians. His band would grow to become
one of the most popular in the world. They’re particularly remembered for their New Year’s Eve
performances for almost a half-century. His band’s rendition of Auld Lang Syne helped popularize
the tune in America for New Year’s celebrations. The band also sold hundreds of millions of albums. Guy Lombardo passed away at age 75, and is
entombed here alongside two of his brothers and bandmates, Carmen, who played saxophone
and flute, and Lebert, who played trumpet.
Just a few spaces away is another
big band legend, Count Basie. William Basie was given the nickname “Count” for
the stylish way in which he played the piano. In 1935 he formed the Count Basie Orchestra, and
would be instrumental in crafting the sound of Big Band that would come to define popular music of
the mid-20th Century. In 1958 he became the first African-American recipient of a Grammy Award.
Count Basie died from cancer at age 79.
Let’s head now to the interior of the mausoleum. Here we find the crypt of David Merrick. He was
a prolific and multiple award-winning theatrical producer. He produced almost ninety plays and
musicals on Broadway throughout his career. David received dozens of Tony nominations, racking
up 7 wins, for Becket, Luther, Hello Dolly!, Marat/Sade, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are
Dead, Travesties, and 42nd Street. Merrick also produced the 1974 film version of
The Great Gatsby. He lived to be 88.
Out to the grounds of the cemetery we find
Brandon de Wilde. He made his acting debut on Broadway at age 7, and became a sensation after
492 performances in The Member of the Wedding. He starred in the subsequent film adaptation,
which won him a Golden Globe. His best-known role is that of Joey in the 1953 film, Shane,
for which he was nominated for an Academy Award. But his life and career were cut tragically
short at age 30 after a car crash. He was originally buried in Hollywood before
being moved here closer to home.
Adjacent to Pinelawn is Long Island’s National
Cemetery, where veterans and their spouses are laid to rest. A few stars to find here.
First up is Frank Silvera. He was a Jamaican-born actor who began appearing on Broadway in the
30s. He would win a Best Actor Tony in 1963 for his role in The Lady of the Camellias. Film roles
include Viva Zapata! and Killer’s Kiss. By the 60s he was making regular guest appearances on show
of the era, often westerns, including a recurring role in The High Chaparral. And during WWII,
Silvera served in the US Navy. He died in 1970 after accidentally electrocuting himself while
repairing his garbage disposal. He was 55.
A child actor named Jerry Tucker is our next stop
here. At the tender age of 4 he was discovered by Paramount, and began appearing in the Our Gang,
aka Little Rascals, short comedies of the 30. Outside of Our Gang he can be seen
alongside Marie Dressler in Prosperity, and Shirley Temple in Captain January.
Jerry served in the US Navy during WWII, where he sustained a leg injury when
his ship was hit by a kamikaze pilot. After the war he worked as an engineer for
RCA, living to the ripe old age of 91.
Another one for you comic book fans. This
is Joe Simon. Along with partner Jack Kirby, Joe Simon created Captain America – one of comic’s
most enduring superheroes. The character first appeared in Captain America Comics #1 in March
1941. He came into being in the midst of WWII, as a patriotic hero who fought the Axis powers.
Since then, the character has been adapted for television, and of course, played by Chris
Evans in the Marvel franchise of films. Simon was inducted into the Comic Book
Hall of Fame in 1999, and lived to be 98.
One more stop here at the National
Cemetery brings us to Maurice Gosfield. You fans of The Phil Silvers Show will remember
him as Pvt. Doberman, which he played in over 100 episodes. The role earned him an Emmy nomination.
Maurice is also remembered for voicing Benny the Ball in the 60s animated series, Top Cat.
He died from a heart attack at age 51.
Our last cemetery of the day is
New Montefiore here on Long Island. This is the grave of Thomas Erdelyi,
better known as Tommy Ramone. He played drums for the seminal punk rock band,
The Ramones. He began as the band’s manager, but when Joey shifted from drums to vocals, Tommy
was recruited to play drums. He played on and co-produced the band’s first three albums, with
hits like “Blitzkrieg Bop.” Tommy left the band in 1978. He would be the last surviving member of the
group when he passed away in 2014 from cancer.
And finally, we visit one of the most iconic
voices of classic cartoons, Mae Questel. She’s best-known for her association with the Fleischer
cartoons in the 30s and 40s. Perhaps most notably, Mae was the voice, and very much the personality,
of Betty Boop -- a caricature of the 20s-era flapper, the world’s first cartoon sex symbol.
“He likes to boop-oop-e-doop. But I never cared to boop-oop-e-doop. But he likes to
boop-oop-e-doop, and that’s my weakness now.”
While a handful of other actresses would voice
the character, Mae was the main voice of Betty Boop. She would even reprise the role some
50 years later in Who Framed Roger Rabbit? Another iconic character that she voiced was Olive
Oyl in those classic Popeye cartoons. Mae appeared in front of the camera as well, perhaps most
memorably, as Aunt Bethany in National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation. The legendary actress passed
away from Alzheimer’s at the age of 89.
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.
