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. In this tour we travel through
west, to find legends like Myrna Loy, Dawn Wells, Buffalo Bill, Raymond Burr, and many
more. My friends, the time is yours. Our previous video left off in the state of
Texas, so our world-wide grave tour filmed by you brings us now one step closer to home,
across the American west. Today we’re exploring New Mexico, Colorado, Montana, Idaho, Utah,
Arizona, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, and then a quick trip up to Vancouver, Canada, leaving
California for our next video, the very last in this viewer series.
Let’s kick off our time in the west here in New Mexico, at Old Fort Sumner Cemetery.
In these historic grounds we find a figure who
has become synonymous with America’s old west, Billy the Kid. He was born Henry McCarty
in 1859, later known as Willlam Bonney and Billy the Kid. The notorious outlaw of the
Wild West began dabbling in skullduggery in his teens, until bigger crimes including theft,
prison escape, and murder made him a wanted man. He would earn a reputation as a gun slinger
in 1878 during the Lincoln County War. This frontier feud escalated with Billy the Kid
and others killing a New Mexico sheriff and others. From that point on, Billy the Kid
was a man on the run, whose notoriety only grew with time. He was eventually captured,
tried, and convicted for the murder, and sentenced to hang. He escaped from jail again, and evaded
capture for two months until he met his end by the bullet of Sheriff Pat Garrett in 1881.
Billy the Kid was 21. He has since become the subject of numerous media productions,
portrayed on screen by the likes of Paul Newman and Emilio Estevez. Kid’s grave is enclosed
in this cage, because the stone has been stolen in the past. There are two stones here for
Billy the Kid, the other also featuring the names of his pals and fellow outlaws.
Crossing the border north into Colorado, we find the grave of another legendary figure
of western lore. We’re in Golden Colorado, eternal home of Buffalo Bill Cody. After the
Civil War, Cody was a scout for the Army, and would earn the nickname “Buffalo Bill”
as a skilled buffalo hunter, providing meat for frontier workers. In the years that followed,
he would begin performing in western-themed shows, to showcase his skills as a cowboy
and tell tales from the western frontier and Indian Wars. In 1883, Cody formed his own
show, Buffalo Bill’s Wild West, a western-themed traveling circus. He became one of the greatest
showmen in the nation, bringing the wild west and American frontier to audiences across
the nation, and even to Europe and Britain. Buffalo Bill’s show was one of the most
successful entertainment enterprises in the late 19th century. Bill Cody died in 1917
at age 70. Before passing, he had expressed a desire to be buried on Lookout Mountain
here in Golden, on the edge of the Rocky Mountains, overlooking the Great Plains.
Moving into Denver, this is Fairmount Cemetery, where we find the grave of Elrey Jeppesen.
He was an aviation pioneer noted for his contributions in the field of air navigation. He worked
as a pilot and began making detailed notes about his routes at a time when aviators had
to rely on little more than automobile road maps and landmarks for navigation. He created
manuals and charts that enabled pilots to fly much more safely. Finding there was a
demand for his work, he founded the Jeppesen company in 1934 to sell what he had developed.
His contributions are still used by pilots today, and Jeppesen is a member of the International
Aerospace Hall of Fame. Riverside Cemetery is in Fort Morgan. This
is the grave of Philip K. Dick. He was a writer, who specialized in science fiction. He wrote
dozens of novels and over 100 short stories throughout his career, many of his short stories
appearing in science fiction magazines. His 1962 novel, The Man in the High Castle earned
him critical acclaim, and would be adapted into a series in 2015. Other notable works
include Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, which was the Basis of the Blade Runner films,
and his short story Minority Report, also made into a film. Dick was just 53 when he
died from complications of a stroke. After his death, The Philip K. Dick Award for Science
Fiction was created and named in his honor. This is Littleton Cemetery. Here lies a folk
figure known as “The Colorado Cannibal,” Alfred, or Alferd Packer. In the 1870’s
Alferd caught gold fever and sought his fortune in the Rocky Mountains. In the dead of a harsh
winter, Packer and five other men set out for the gold fields in the mountains of Colorado.
But trapped by heavy snows, the group soon ran out of food. Two months later, Packer
emerged from the mountain alone. His story about what happened on the mountain would
change a number of times. But what is certain, is that his five companions ended up dead…
not from the elements or starvation, but through violence, and Alferd Packer had survived by
resorting to cannibalism of his companions. He insisted he hadn’t killed his companions,
but was eventually imprisoned for murder, then escaped, and was re-captured nine years
later, serving an additional 15-year sentence. He died in 1907 at age 65. His grave is cemented
over to prevent grave-robbers. Trey Parker and Matt Stone’s first feature film, Cannibal!
The Musical, was loosely based on the story of Alferd Packer.
We’ll spend the remainder of our time in Colorado here at Crown Hill Cemetery, in Wheat
Ridge. First up here we find actress Barbara Bates.
Her most memorable role was as the scheming Phoebe in 1950’s All About Eve, a role that
earned her critical praise. Other memorable roles include as Helen in Quicksand, alongside
Mickey Rooney. And on television she played Katy in the 1950s series, It’s a Great Life.
But she struggled with mood swings, insecurity, and depression into her 40s, which negatively
affected her life and career. In 1969 Barbara took her own life by carbon monoxide poisoning.
She was 43. Over now to block 35, we find the grave of
Mary Chase. She was a playwright, author, and journalist, a pioneer of female newspaper
reporters. After leaving the news, she turned to her true love, the theater, and began to
write plays. Perhaps her best-known work is the 1944 Broadway play Harvey, which was adapted
on film in 1950, starring Jimmy Stewart. She would receive the Pulitzer Prize for Harvey.
Another of her plays, Chi House, was made into the 1939 film, Sorority House. Mary died
from a heart attack at age 75. If you enjoy a cold one now and again, you
likely know the name Coors. Here is the man himself, Adolph Coors. He was born in the
Rhineland area of Prussia, now Germany, in 1847. As a young man he apprenticed and worked
at various breweries, before hitching a ride on a boat as a stowaway to the US in the 1860s.
Here he continued working as a brewer, and in 1873 he formed the Adolph Coors Company
here in Colorado to brew his own beer. Over a century and a half later, Coors remains
one of the most popular beer brands in the nation. In 1929, when Coors was 82, he died
after falling from, or allegedly committing suicide by leaping from, the sixth-floor window
of the Cavalier Hotel in Virginia. This heart shaped stone marks the grave of
Richard Biggs. As an actor he had a couple of memorable and long-lasting roles on television.
He played Marcus Hunter in close to 400 episodes of Days of Our Lives. And you fans of Babylon
5 will remember him as Dr. Stephen Franklin, in over 100 episodes. But Richard’s career
was cut short when he died suddenly from an aortic dissection. He was 44.
Goodbye Colorado, hello Montana… sorry Wyoming, we didn’t get any submissions from you this
time around. Here lies the legendary Myrna Loy, at Forestvale Cemetery in Helena. Myrna
was born in Montana, but moved to California as a teen. She studied theater and dancing
at Venice High School, out front of which stands a statue for which Myrna was the model,
Fountain of Education. She would begin appearing on screen during the silent era, often cast
as vamps or exotic characters. Today she’s best remembered for playing Nora Charles in
the six Thin Man films in the 30s and 40s. “I’m not taking him, he’s taking me…oooo!”
“Are you hurt, madame?” “Woops, women and children first, boys.”
“Hey, what is the score, anyway?” “Oh, so it’s you he was after.”
“Hello, Sugar.” Other memorable films include The Best Years
of Our Lives, and Cheaper by the Dozen. In 1991 Myrna Loy received an honorary Academy
Award for her work both on screen and off. She lived to be 88.
Turning the compass west, we reach Idaho. We begin our time here in Boise, and Morris
Hill Cemetery. Meet Reginal Owen. The British character actor had numerous memorable roles
in many of the great films of yesteryear. He played Ebenezer Scrooge in 1938’s A Christmas
Carol, Grayson in Platinum Blonde, and Admiral Boom in Mary Poppins. He’s also one of the
few actors to have played both Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson. Reginald Owen died from a
heart attack at age 85. Perhaps you need to pick up some groceries
on your way home from the graveyard today. If so, maybe you’ll pop into Albertson’s.
Here lies Joe Albertson. He began his work in the grocery industry as a Safeway clerk
in the 20s. In 1939 he opened his own grocery store, Albertsons Store, right here in Boise.
It was one of the pioneering stores of the complete, one-stop, self-service supermarket.
He opened more stores, and the Albertsons chain became a familiar name to shoppers throughout
the west. Joe Albertson lived to be 86. One can hardly visit the potato state, without
thinking of its staple crop. J. R. Simplot was a businessman, and the potato made him
a billionaire. By WWII his JR Simplot Company was the largest supplier of potatoes in the
nation. And in the 60s, Simplot would become the supplier of frozen French fries to McDonalds.
In the decades that followed, they’d become one of the world’s largest suppliers of
frozen French fries, with some 3 billion pounds of frozen fries distributed around the world
annually. Odds are, you’ve eaten one of Simplot’s potatoes. He lived to be 99.
This next name is one familiar to you students of US history… but this isn’t that Paul
Revere. This Paul Revere was a musician, the leader and namesake of the band Paul Revere
& the Raiders. The band formed in the late 50s here in Idaho, and rose to fame in the
60s and 70s. The band was known for their Revolutionary War style of dress, and hits
like “Kicks,” and “Indian Reservation.” The band would also be the house band for
Dick Clark’s Where the Action Is. Paul continued performing with the band until 2014 when cancer
forced his retirement. He passed away at age 76.
While here in Idaho, let’s take a moment to stop in Coeur d'Alene to remember Patty
Duke. This is Forest Cemetery, and I should note up front that this is not Patty Duke’s
grave, but that of her mother, Frances. Patty was cremated, and according to some reports,
a portion or all of her ashes were scattered here at the site of her mother’s grave.
Patty Duke’s breakout role came as a teenager when she was cast as Helen Keller in the Broadway
play, The Miracle Worker. She would reprise the role at age 15 on screen alongside Ann
Bancroft, and in the process, won an Oscar for best supporting actress. She was the youngest
person at that time to win a competitive Oscar. The following year she would star in The Patty
Duke Show, a series created specifically for her, playing the dual roles of Patty and Cathy
Lane. Later film roles include Valley of the Dolls, and Me, Natalie, which earned her a
Golden Globe. Patty Duke passed away at age 69 from sepsis. She was the mother of actor
Sean Astin. We’ve arrived in Deseret, the Beehive State:
Utah. This is Utah’s grandest cemetery, Salt Lake City Cemetery. Here lies a folk
figure of Utah lore, J. Golden Kimball. He was an early leader in the Mormon church,
in the late 1800s, early 1900s. Uncle Golden, as he was known, was also known by another
moniker: “The Swearing Apostle.” This nickname he earned for his colorfully unique,
straightforward manner of speaking, and not being afraid to let a light curse word fly
from the pulpit to make a point. Highly unusual in Utah, where “heck” or “darn” are
perhaps the most vulgar words you’ll ever hear. Golden became something of a Will Rogers
or Mark Twain of Mormondom, through his witticisms and quotable quotes. When asked how he could
get away with speaking in such a way, he replied: “Hell, they can’t excommunicate me. I
repent too damned fast.” The beloved Uncle Golden died in a car accident in Nevada at
age 85. Adjacent to Salt Lake City Cemetery is Mount
Calvary, a Catholic cemetery. Those who know me, know I have something of an incurable
sweet tooth. Reese’s peanut butter cups being one of my principal vices. But in the
realm of cookies, there’s one that rules them all, one you will always find an open
package of somewhere in my house. Oreos. In fact, when Reese’s and Oreos combined, I
found my Xanadu. Here at Mount Calvary, if you look carefully, you’ll find a grave
with an Oreo cookie on it. Meet William Turnier. Since 1912, Oreos have been an American staple,
distinctive not only for their glorious taste, but that unique embossed design. Bill was
working for Nabisco, where he would help design various products like Ritz, Nutter Butter,
and Animal Crackers. In 1952 he was tasked with producing a new design for the Oreo cookie.
What he came up with is that iconic design that we know today, which is embossed into
his very own tombstone. Turnier lived to be 96.
Turning south we reach Holladay Cemetery. Here we dodge some man-made rain to find the
original Rain Man, Kim Peek. He was a savant, known as a megasavant, meaning he had photographic
memory. From when he was a toddler, he could memorize entire books. And his talents extended
beyond just memorizing books, to doing calendar calculations, and music. Kim was the inspiration
for Raymond Babbitt in the 1988 movie, Rain Man, played by Dustin Hoffman. The film won
4 Oscars, and one – that of screenwriter Barry Morrow – was given to Kim, which he
would then share with people around the world when he made public appearances. Kim Peek
died from a heart attack at just 58. Let’s continue to make our way south to
the Provo area. This is East Lawn Memorial Hills Cemetery. In these grounds is an actor
named Clark Gable. No, not that one, he’s in the Great Mausoleum… but they are related.
This is Clark Gable’s grandson. The actor inherited his grandfather’s good looks,
and was just embarking on a performing career. He’s known for hosting two seasons of the
reality series, Cheaters. And on the big screen he played the title character in 2020’s
Heckle. But before that film was released, Gable was found unresponsive, and died from
an accidental drug overdose. He was 30. At the time of his death he was in Dallas, filming
a role for the movie “Sunset at Dawn.” Our last Utah stop is at Provo City Cemetery.
Rain is currently falling from the sky, but this next individual, known as “The Candy
Bomber,” made fall from the sky some things that were quite a bit sweeter. Gail Halvorsen
was a senior officer and command pilot in the US Air Force. After WWII, Gail was assigned
to Germany as a pilot for the Berlin Airlift. During that time, he founded “Operation
Little Vittles,” which sought to raise morale in Berlin by dropping candy via miniature
parachutes to the city’s residents. He became a hero to the children of Germany, known as
“The Candy Bomber,” “Uncle Wiggly Wings,” and “the Chocolate Flier.” He would also
be awarded the Congressional Gold Medal. Gail would repeat these candy drops in other struggling
nations in the decades that followed, including Japan, Guam, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Albania,
and Iraq. Gail Halvorsen, who was something of a Santa Claus and Easter Bunny rolled into
one, lived to be 101, passing away in 2022 from respiratory failure.
Let’s continue south into Arizona. This is Holy Redeemer Cemetery in Phoenix, where
we find a grave like a cartoon panel, belonging to Bil Keane. If you’re a fan of The Family
Circus, you’ll recognize these characters here on this tomb. The comic strip was created
by Keane in 1960, and continues to this day. It would grow to be one of the most widely
circulated comic strips in the world, appearing in some 1,500 newspapers. The strip generally
featured a single captioned round panel, similar to what you see here on his tomb. Bill continued
the award-winning strip until his death from heart failure at age 89, after which his son
Jeff carried on the strip. This is Christ Church of the Ascension Memory
Garden in Paradise Valley. Here is the niche of legendary newscaster and TV personality,
Hugh Downs. He was a familiar face on TV from the 40s into the 20th century. He was announcer
and sidekick on Tonight Starring Jack Parr, beginning in 1957. Downs would go on to host
programs like Today, Concentration, and perhaps most notably, as anchor of 20/20, from 1978
to 1999. “Good evening, I’m Hugh Downs. And this
is 20/20.” For a time he held a Guinness World Record
for most hours on television, before being surpassed by Regis Philbin. Hugh Downs died
from heart failure at age 99. How about a little more western folklore?
This is Willcox, and this is the grave of Johnny Ringo. He was an Old West outlaw associated
with the Cochise County Cowboys in Tombstone, AZ. There he rustled cattle, participated
in robberies, and even murder. He also tangled with the Earps and Doc Holliday. That bad
blood came to a boil when Wyatt accused Ringo of participating in the ambush of Virgil Earp,
and killing of Morgan Earp. The Earps set out on a vendetta ride, seeking revenge. In
July 1882, Ringo was found dead, seated against a tree near this spot, a bullet wound to his
temple. The coroner ruled it a suicide. But other theories surrounding Ringo’s death
have circulated over the years, including that he was shot and killed by Wyatt Earp.
There’s more of folklore than fact in the legends of Johnny Ringo, mostly due to fictionalized
depictions on film and television. We’ve visited some famous animals over the
years, specifically in our Animal Lovers Special. Here is a face familiar to anyone who has
ever seen a meme: Grumpy Cat. Her real name was Tardar Sauce, and she was an American
Internet celebrity cat, known for her permanently "grumpy" facial appearance, which was caused
by an underbite and feline dwarfism. Her fame grew as millions shared her meme across social
media. Grumpy Cat’s net worth ballooned to an estimated $99 million. The earnings
came from merchandise, sponsorships, media appearances, and even her own film, "Grumpy
Cat's Worst Christmas Ever." She died at age 7, and lies at Pet Rest Cemetery at Sunland
Memorial here in Sun City Arizona, resting Grumpily.
Back to people graves, this is Green Acres Memorial Park in Scottsdale. Here lies Eddie
Guerrero. He was a professional wrestler, a member of the Guerrero wrestling family.
He spent his early years wrestling in Mexican promotion, before finding success in the US
in the ECW, then the WCW, where he’d be WCW United States Champion. He then moved
into the WWF/WWE, where he’d form a group called The Radicalz, and in 2004 won the WWE
Championship. He’d be considered among the great technical wrestlers of all time. In
2005 Eddie was found unconscious in his Minnesota hotel room. He was pronounced dead at the
scene, from heart failure. He was 38. Next up is Paradise Memorial Gardens in Scottsdale.
Here we find the grave of a kindred spirit of Hollywood Graveyard, Elizabeth Kubler-Ross.
She was a psychiatrist and author, a pioneer in the field of death and dying, and near-death
experiences. Her best-known work is her 1969 book, On Death and Dying, in which she outlined
her theory of the five stages of grief: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance.
Her work helped strengthen the hospice movement in the US. Other of her works to help people
understand and cope with dying include On Life After Death, and Living with Death and
Dying. In 2007 Elizabeth Kubler-Ross was inducted into the National Women’s Hall of Fame.
She lived to be 78. Elizabeth once said, “When I die I'm going to dance first in all the
galaxies...I'm gonna play and dance and sing,” and she called death a “graduation.” This
is reflected here on her tombstone. This is East Lawn Palms Cemetery in Tuscon.
First up here we find the grave of cartoonist, Bill Freyse. He’s remembered for taking
over Gene Ahern’s comic strip, Our Boarding House, in 1939. He continued to draw the daily
and Sunday panels for the cartoon until his death in 1969 at age 70.
Let’s head over to the mausoleum of the Good Shepherd, to find the crypt of Hank Leiber.
He was a professional baseball player, playing outfield between 1933 and 1942, for the Giants
and Cubs. Hank was a 3x All-Star, and played in the 1937 world series with the Giants.
He lived to be 82. Next here at East Lawn Palms we find the grave
of Mitzi Mayfair. She’s best-known as one of the most talented and popular dancers of
the Broadway stage. Her trademark was kicking her leg up to touch the back of her head.
Some of the shows she performed in include the Ziegfield Follies, and Take a Chance.
During WWII, she would be a favorite entertainer of the troops in travelling USO tours. She
and fellow USO favorites, Carole Landis, Kay Francis, and Martha Raye, would bring their
experiences entertaining the troops to the big screen, in the film “Four Jills in a
Jeep.” She’d appear in a handful of other films, but her biggest success was always
dancing on stage. Mitzi lived to be 61. Moving on now to Nevada. This is Mountain
View Cemetery in Reno. Here we find the grave of Dawn Wells, better known to generations
of TV audiences as Mary Ann. Dawn was crowned Miss Nevada in 1959, and in the early 60s
began appearing on television and in film. She landed her signature role, that of Mary
Ann on Gilligan’s Island, in 1964, and would play the character in close to 100 episodes,
as well as spinoffs and TV movies. In the 70s and 80s she shifted much of her focus
to the theater, performing in stage productions like Neil Simon’s Chapter Two. Dawn died
from complications of COVID-19 in 2020, at age 82.
We find ourselves now in Henderson, and Palm Mortuary Memorial Park. Here is the grave
of Phyllis Davis. She’s remembered principally for her roles on television in the 70s and
80s, making numerous appearances on Fantasy Island, The Love Boat, Love, American Style,
and Magnum PI. But her best-known role would have to be that of Beatrice Travis in close
to 70 episodes of the show Vega$. And her film credits include 1970s Beyond the Valley
of the Dolls. Phyllis died from cancer at age 73.
We’re back at Palm Memorial Park in Las Vegas, where in our previous series we found
Tony Curtis and Redd Foxx. We’re back here today to visit the McGuire Sisters. Phyllis
and Christine are two of the three McGuire Sisters, a popular singing trio in the 50s
and 60s. They had two number 1 hits, in the songs “Sincerely,” and Sugartime.”
Sounds like my diet. The sisters would frequently perform on television, including 21 appearances
on the Ed Sullivan Show. The group dissolved in 1968, after which Phyllis could continue
to perform solo for a time. In 2001 the group was inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of
Fame. Christine lived to be 92, Phyllis 89. We’ve made it to the west coast, and the
state of Oregon. This is Crescent Grove Cemetery in Tigard, where rests Rowdy Roddy Piper.
He was a professional wrestler in the WWF and WCW… a villain everyone loved to hate.
He’d be a key figure in the growing worldwide popularity of the WWF in the 80s. Rowdy accumulated
numerous championships in various promotions throughout his career, and in 2005 was inducted
into the WWE Hall of Fame. Piper had a parallel career as an actor, starring in films like
They Live in 1988, and playing wrestler Da’Maniac on It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. Piper
died in his sleep from cardiac arrest at the age of 61.
Our next Oregon stop is Eureka Cemetery in Newport. Here lies John Blackburn. He was
a songwriter, best known today for penning the lyrics to the song, “Moonlight in Vermont,”
referenced right here on his marker. It was introduced in 1944 and would be performed
by artists from Margaret Whiting to Frank Sinatra. Blackburn continued to write songs
throughout his life, but none matched the popularity of “Moonlight in Vermont.”
He lived to be 93. This is Eagle Point National Cemetery. Here
lies George Ray Tweed. He was a WWII veteran whose tale of survival has become the stuff
of legend. Tweed was a Navy Sailor, serving on Guam when it was overrun by Japanese forces.
Rather than surrender, Tweed and others slipped into the jungle. He would be the only survivor
after the others were captured or killed. For two years and seven months, Tweed lived
on the island, avoiding capture. When US destroyers returned to retake the island in 1944, Tweed
signaled them and relayed information about Japanese defenses. After his rescue, Tweed
was awarded the Legion of Merit, and the Silver Star. His story was dramatized in the 1962
film, No Man is an Island. Also here at Eagle Point we find Steve Mason.
He was an Army Captain, a decorated veteran of the Vietnam War. He would become critically
acclaimed as a poet, the Poet Laureate of the Vietnam Veterans of America. His poem,
“the Wall Within,” was read at the 1984 dedication of the Vietnam Veteran’s Memorial
in Washington DC. His poetry relates many of his experiences in the Army and in Vietnam,
and can be summed up by the quote, “The truth is, that the only message I've taken
from war is peace.” Mason was diagnosed with lung cancer as a result of exposure to
Agent Orange during the war. He passed away at age 65.
We’re in Medford now, and the Eastwood Independent Order of Odd Fellows Cemetery. Let’s head
into the mausoleum. Here is the crypt of brothers Harry & David Holmes. If you’ve ever sent
a gift basket like this one, there’s a chance it was a Harry & David. The company began
in 1910 with a pear orchard, and as the company grew, by the 30s was operating a mail order
catalog business, offering a variety of fruits, flowers, and gift baskets. David died in a
car accident at age 60, and Harry died 9 years later.
Also here we find a man who wasn’t famous, but is said to have inspired a beloved character.
Frank Willeke was a simple man whose job it was to stop traffic at the railroad crossing
here in Medford when a train came through. He was friends with another Oregon native,
one you Disney fans know well: Pinto Colvig. Pinto was the voice of Goofy, and he once
said that he modeled the laugh and personality of Goofy off of his friend Frank here.
Pleasant Valley Cemetery is in Grants Pass. This is the grave of Ken Williams. He was
a professional baseball player, playing as an outfielder in the majors between 1915 and
1929, the majority of which was played with the St. Louis Browns. In 1922, Williams became
the first player in MLB history to hit 30 home runs and steal 30 bases in a single season.
Ken Williams lived to be 68. Hillcrest Memorial Park is also in Grants
Pass. Here we find the grave of Kevin Hagen. He began making appearances on television
in the 50s, playing John Colton on Yancy Derringer, and Captain Webber in one of my favorite episodes
of The Twilight Zone, Elegy. But Hagen’s best-known role would have to be that of Dr.
Hiram Baker, on over 100 episodes of Little House on the Prairie. While principally known
as a television actor, he did appear on the big screen as well, in films like The Learning
Tree. Hagen died from cancer at age 77. Continuing up the pacific northwest we reach
Washington state, where we’re greeted by what looks like a marmot scurrying through
the graveyard. Let’s begin our time here in Spokane, and Greenwood Memorial Terrace.
Here is the niche of Albert Salmi. We’ve visited many stars who shined in the Twilight
Zone in the 50s and 60s. Few played unsavory characters we loved to hate better than Albert
Salmi, in the episodes Of Late I Think of Cliffordville, A Quality of Mercy, and Execution.
Salmi would appear in most of the major shows of this era, including Daniel Boone, Gunsmoke,
The Virginian, Bonanza, and Petrocelli. He particularly enjoyed the Western genre. He
also had major roles on film, like Smerdjakov in The Brothers Karamazov, for which he turned
down an Oscar nomination. Salmi’s first love was the stage, where he’d appear in
plays like Bus Stop and The Price. On April 23, 1990, Salmi and his estranged wife were
found dead in their home. Police determined that Albert had shot and killed his wife,
then shot himself. He was 62. Over now to the lawn section, here is the
grave of Sonora Smart Dodd. She was the daughter of a Civil War veteran, a man she held in
high esteem. After hearing a sermon for the newly recognized Mother’s Day, Dodd felt
that fathers deserved recognition as well. She approached authorities in Spokane about
her idea, and suggested her father’s birthday, June 5th, as the date. They instead chose
the third Sunday in June. The first Father’s Day was celebrated in Washington on June 19,
1910. Over time the idea grew and became embraced across the nation. In 1966 President Johnson
signed a proclamation recognizing Father’s Day, then in 1972 President Nixon established
a permanent national observance of Father’s Day. Sonora Smart Dodd, the founder of Father’s
Day, lived to be 96. Next up we reach Holy Cross Cemetery in Spokane.
Here is the unmarked grave of Curley Dresden. The actor appeared in close to 200 productions
throughout his career, often in Westerns in smaller, supporting roles. While never a leading
man, he was a familiar face in Westerns of the 30s and 40s, like Billy the Kid’s Fighting
Pals, and Jesse James at Bay. Curley Dresden died at age 53 from liver failure.
We’re in Tumwater now, and Masonic Memorial Park. This is the grave of Dave Shriver. He
was a musician, playing bass for the Kelly Four, who backed Rockabilly superstar Eddie
Cochran. It’s said that the young Beatles wanted his autograph, and he would later play
on the same stage as the Beatles when he toured with Trini Lopez. Shriver passed away in 2012
after a series of strokes and heart attacks. He was 76. His cremation urn was buried here
with his wife, but his name does not appear yet on the marker.
Also here at Masonic is Don Ingalls. He was a writer and producer for television, known
for collaborations with Gene Roddenberry. Among the shows he would writer for and/or
produce include Star Trek, Have Gun – Will Travel, Fantasy Island, T. J. Hooker, Gunsmoke,
and more. He also wrote the screenplay for Airport 1975. Don Ingalls lived to be 95.
We’ve visited a number of gravesites from the various shuttle disasters. Here at Grandview
Cemetery in Anacortes we find Columbia pilot, William McCool. He was a pilot, aeronautical
engineer, and NASA astronaut. In 2003 he was the pilot of Space Shuttle mission STS-107,
aboard Columbia. The crew successfully carried out a 16-day research mission in space, before
returning to earth. Unbeknownst to the crew, during launch weeks earlier, a piece of insulating
foam had broken off and struck the wing, damaging the thermal protection layer on the wing.
Upon re-entry the shuttle broke apart, killing all on board, and scattering debris across
Texas and Louisiana. It was McCool’s only spaceflight; he was 41. There are numerous
monuments and cenotaphs to McCool and the Columbia crew nationwide, but this is McCool’s
actual grave, which to date remains unmarked. For our final stops of the day, let’s hop
over the border north into Canada once again, for a visit to Vancouver. This lovely cemetery
in bloom is Fraser Cemetery. In these grounds we find a magician who went by the mononym,
Mandrake. Leon Mandrake was a magician, mentalist, illusionist, escapologist, and ventriloquist
who began performing magic on Vaudeville in the 1920s. He travelled extensively throughout
the US, and found great success as Mandrake the Magician. He was known for his top hat,
mustache, and cape, and would serve as visual inspiration for the comic strip character,
also known as Mandrake the Magician. Leon Mandrake died in 1993 at age 81.
And finally, surrounded by pink blossoms, we find the grave of the legendary Raymond
Burr. He was one of the biggest stars on television in the 50s and 60s. In 1957 he landed the
career-defining role as criminal-defense lawyer, Perry Mason, in the series of the same name.
The role would make him a major star, and he would play the lawyer who never lost in
some 271 episodes, and a number of subsequent TV movies. Burr was the star of another successful
series in the 60s and 70s, playing Robert T. Ironside in Ironside. And his best-known
film role is that of the suspected killer in Hitchcock’s Rear Window. Fans of Godzilla
lore will also remember that Burr was edited into the original Godzilla for the Americanized
version of the film in 1956. In 1993, Burr was diagnosed with cancer. Realizing it was
inoperable and the end was in sight, he threw a number of goodbye parties to bid farewell
to his friends before passing away at age 76. 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.
