Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery

Pierce Brothers Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery & Mortuary

Details
Established	1905 as Sunset Cemetery, 1926 name officially changed to Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery
Location	1218 Glendon Avenue Westwood, Los Angeles, California 90024
Country	United States
Type	Public
Owned by	Service Corporation International
Website	www.pbwvmortuary.com
Find a Grave	Find A Grave.com - Westwood Memorial Park
Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument
Designated	May 16, 2003
Reference no.	731

The Pierce Brothers Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery is a cemetery in the Westwood Village area of Los Angeles, California. It is located at 1218 Glendon Avenue in Westwood, with an entrance from Wilshire Boulevard.

Although it is the resting place of some of the entertainment industry's greatest names, it also contains the graves of many uncelebrated people. For example, when Marilyn Monroe died in 1962, Joe DiMaggio, responsible for Monroe's arrangements, chose Westwood not because of its celebrities but because it was the resting place of Monroe's mother's friend, Grace Goddard, and Goddard's aunt, Ana Lower, both of whom had cared for Monroe as a child.^[1]

Notable burials

A

• Milton Ager (1893–1979), musician, composer
• Charles Aidman (1925–1993), actor
• Eddie Albert (1906–2005), actor
• Margo Albert (1917–1985), actress, wife of Eddie Albert
• Shana Alexander (1925–2005), journalist, columnist and television commentator
• Claud Allister (1888–1970), actor
• Gitta Alpár (1903–1991), actress, opera singer
• Patty Andrews (1918–2013), singer
• Ken Annakin (1914–2009), director
• Eve Arden (1908–1990), actress, comedian
• Jack Arnold (1916–1992), director
• Robert Armstrong (1890–1973), actor
• James Aubrey (1918–1994), producer
• Hy Averback (1920–1997), director
• Lew Ayres (1908–1996), actor

B

Headstone of Ray Bradbury, May 2012, prior to his death

• Henny Backus (1911–2004), author, wife of Jim Backus
• Jim Backus (1913–1989), actor
• Richard Baer (1928–2008), screenwriter
• Dave Barbour (1912–1965), musician
• Edgar Barrier (1907–1964), actor
• Eileen Barton (1924–2006), singer
• Richard Basehart (1914–1984), actor
• Greg Bautzer (1911–1987), attorney
• William Joseph Bell (1927–2005), producer
• Isabel Bigley (1926–2006), actress
• Whit Bissell (1909–1996), actor
• Hilary Blake (1950–2007), musician
• Billy Bletcher (1894–1979), actor, voice artist
• Robert Bloch (1917–1994), writer
• Lloyd Bochner (1924–2005), actor
• Benedict Bogeaus (1904–1968), producer
• John Boles (actor) (1895–1969), actor
• Dorris Bowdon (1914–2005), actress
• Ray Bradbury (1920–2012), author; with his wife Marguerite McClure Bradbury
• Fanny Brice (1891–1951), actress, comedian, singer (previously buried in Home of Peace Cemetery)
• William Brice (1921–2008), artist, son of Fanny Brice
• Les Brown (1912–2001), musician
• Vanessa Brown (1928-1999), actress
• Clarence Bull (1896–1979), photographer

C

• Sebastian Cabot (1918–1977), actor
• Sammy Cahn (1913–1993), songwriter
• Truman Capote (1924–1984), author
• Edward Carrere (1906–1984), director
• Harry Carey, Jr. (1921–2012), actor
• John Cassavetes (1929–1989), actor, screenwriter, director, producer
• Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco (1895–1968), composer
• James Coburn (1928–2002), actor
• Paula Coburn (1955–2004), actress, wife of James Coburn
• Ray Conniff (1916–2002), musician
• Richard Conte (1910–1975), actor
• Lawrence Cook (1930–2003), actor
• Ian Copeland (1949–2006), music promoter
• Alexander Courage (1919–2008), composer
• Bob Crane (1928–1978), actor
• Norma Crane (1928–1973), actress

D

• Rodney Dangerfield (1921–2004), comedian, actor
• Helmut Dantine (1917–1982), actor
• Danny Dark (1938–2004), announcer
• Steve Darrell (1904–1970), actor
• Marvin Davis (1925–2004), oil tycoon and businessman
• Richard Dawson (1932–2012), actor and television host
• Don DeFore (1913–1993), actor
• Philip Dorn (1901–1975), actor
• Eric Douglas (1958–2004), actor; son of Kirk Douglas, youngest brother of Michael Douglas
• Dominique Dunne (1959–1982), actress, daughter of writer Dominick Dunne, sister of actor-director Griffin Dunne, murder victim
• Ariel Durant (1898–1981), historian, Pulitzer Prize in literature, co-wrote The Story of Civilization
• Will Durant (1885–1981), historian, Pulitzer Prize in literature, co-wrote The Story of Civilization

E

• Nora Eddington (1924–2001), actress
• Roger Edens (1905–1970), vocal arranger, songwriter and producer
• Jack Elliott (1927–2001), songwriter
• Harry Essex (1910–1997), writer
• Ray Evans (1915–2007), songwriter

F

• Peter Falk (1927–2011), actor
• Farrah Fawcett (1947–2009), actress; tombstone is engraved with her name only
• Freddie Fields (1923–2007), talent agent
• Jay C. Flippen (1899–1971), actor
• Michael Fox (1921–1996), actor
• Coleman Francis (1919–1973), film director
• Georgia Frontiere (1927–2008), football owner

G

• Eva Gabor (1919–1995), actress
• June Gale (1911–1996), actress, wife of Oscar Levant^[2]
• Michael V. Gazzo (1923–1995), actor
• Christopher George (1931–1983), actor
• Leonard Gershe (1922–2002), composer
• Master Henry Gibson (1942–2002), musician
• Henry Gibson (1935–2009), actor, was cremated here
• Paul Gleason (1939–2006), character actor
• Thomas Gomez (1905–1971), actor
• Robert Gottschalk (1918–1982), camera technician
• Coleen Gray (1922-2015), actress (born Doris Bernice Jensen)
• Howard Greer (1896–1974), costume and fashion designer^[3]
• Jane Greer (1924–2001), actress
• Merv Griffin (1925–2007), producer, television host, and singer

H

The Armand Hammer Family Tomb in Westwood Memorial Park

Hayedeh's gravestone

• Loretta King Hadler (1917–2007), actress
• Hayedeh (1942–1990), Persian language pop and classic singer from Tehran, older sister of Mahasti
• Carrie Hamilton (1963–2002), actress, singer, daughter of Carol Burnett
• Armand Hammer (1898–1990), oil tycoon and art collector, former president of Occidental Petroleum
• Bong Soo Han (1933–2007), martial artist
• Jonathan Harris (1914–2002), actor
• Latasha Harlins (1975–1991), murder victim^[4]
• Harold Hecht (1907–1985), film producer
• Percy Helton (1894–1971), actor
• Jonathan Hole (1904–1998), actor, buried with wife Betty Hanna
• "Benny" Howard (1904–1970), aircraft designer and race pilot^[5]
• James Wong Howe (1899–1976), cinematographer
• Mark R. Hughes (1956–2000), founder of Herbalife
• Ronald Hughes (1935–1970), lawyer
• Ross Hunter (1920–1996), producer, director, and actor
• Jim Hutton (1934–1979), actor

I

• Steve Ihnat (1934–1972), actor

J

• Donald G. Jackson (1943–2003), filmmaker
• Nunnally Johnson (1897–1977), screenwriter and director
• Janis Joplin (1943–1970), singer, was cremated here and ashes scattered in the Pacific Ocean
• Louis Jourdan (1921-2015), actor
• Brenda Joyce (1917–2009), actress

K

• Phil Karlson (1908–1985), director
• Louis Kaufman (1905–1994), violinist
• Beatrice Kay (1907–1986), actress and singer
• Nora Kaye Ross (1920–1987), ballerina, wife of Herbert Ross
• Brian Keith (1921–1997), actor, buried with his daughter, Daisy; both committed suicide
• Cecil Kellaway (1893–1973), actor
• Gene Kelly (1912–1996), actor, dancer, singer, director, was cremated here and ashes scattered at sea
• Nancy Kelly (1921–1995), actress
• Stan Kenton (1911–1979), musician
• Victor Kilian (1891–1979), actor, murdered
• James Howard "Dutch" Kindelberger (1895–1962), aviation executive
• Louis King (1898–1962), director
• Don Knotts (1924–2006), actor and comedian
• Miliza Korjus (1909–1980), opera singer

L

• Perry Lafferty (1917–2005), director
• Bill Lancaster (1947–1997), actor turned screenwriter, son of Burt Lancaster^[6]
• Burt Lancaster (1913–1994), actor
• Sidney Lanfield (1898–1972), director
• Peter Lawford (1923–1984), actor, was cremated and ashes originally buried at Westwood; they were later removed and scattered in the Pacific Ocean
• Marc Lawrence (1910–2005), actor
• Irving Paul Lazar (1907–1993), agent
• Anna Lee (1913–2004), actress, was cremated ashes scattered at sea; has a memorial in the garden
• Joanna Lee (1931–2003), actress
• Peggy Lee (1920–2002), singer, songwriter, actress
• Ernest Lehman (1915–2005), screenwriter
• Janet Leigh (1927–2004), actress
• Jack Lemmon (1925–2001), actor
• Queenie Leonard (1905–2002), actress
• Bruce Lester (1912–2008), actor
• Oscar Levant (1906–1972), actor, pianist, buried next to wife, actress, June Gale Levant
• Richard Levinson (1934–1987), writer
• Jay Livingston (1915–2001), songwriter
• Louis Loeffler (1897–1972), editor
• Robert Loggia (1930-2015), actor, director

M

The crypt of Marilyn Monroe on the North side

• Alexander Mackendrick (1912–1993), director
• Mahasti (1946–2007), Persian language pop singer from Tehran, younger sister of Hayedeh
• Karl Malden (1912–2009), actor
• Janet Margolin (1943–1993), actress, married to Ted Wass
• Dean Martin (1917–1995), actor and singer
• Andrew Marton (1904–1992), actor
• Samuel Marx (1902–1992), producer
• Pamela Mason (1916–1996), actress, wife of James Mason and Roy Kellino
• Portland Mason (1948–2004), actress, daughter of James Mason and Pamela Mason^[7]
• Shirley Mason (1900–1979), actress
• Osa Massen (1914–2006), actress
• Edith Massey (1918–1984), actress
• Carol Matthau (1925–2003), actress, wife of Walter Matthau and William Saroyan
• Walter Matthau (1920–2000), actor
• Ruth McDevitt (1895–1976), actress
• Peter McWilliams (1949–2000), author
• Allan Melvin (1923–2008), actor, voice actor
• Lewis Milestone (1895–1980), director
• Marvin E. Miller (1913–1985), actor
• Shirley Mitchell (1919–2013), actress, wife of Jay Livingston
• Marilyn Monroe (Norma Jeane Mortenson) (1926–1962), actress
• Elizabeth Montgomery (1933–1995), actress, was cremated here
• Constance Moore (1920–2005), singer and actress
• Dolores Moran (1924–1982), actress
• Jeff Morris (1934–2004), actor

N

• Nader Naderpour (1929–2000), Iranian poet
• Robert Nathan (1894–1985), author, husband of Anna Lee, was cremated and ashes scattered at sea
• David Nelson (1936–2011), actor, son of Ozzie and Harriet Nelson, older brother of Ricky Nelson
• William Newell (1894–1967), actor
• Robert Newton (1905–1956), actor
• Lloyd Nolan (1902–1985), actor

O

• Carroll O'Connor (1924–2001), actor
• Hugh O'Connor (1962–1995), actor, son of Carroll O'Connor
• Heather O'Rourke (1975–1988), actress
• Barbara Orbison (1950–2011), wife of Roy Orbison
• Roy Orbison (1936–1988), singer; grave unmarked

P

• Bettie Page (1923–2008), model
• Dorothy Patrick (1921–1987), actress
• Waite Phillips (1883–1964), oil tycoon, philanthropist
• Gregor Piatigorsky (1903–1976), cellist

R

• Ford Rainey (1908–2005), actor
• Donna Reed (1921–1986), actress
• Jimmie Reese (1901–1994), baseball player
• Renie Riano (1899–1971), actress
• Buddy Rich (1917–1987), drummer, bandleader
• Minnie Riperton (1947–1979), singer
• Ava Archer Syme-Reeves (1999–1999), daughter of Keanu Reeves
• Ben Roberts (1916–1984), screenwriter
• Hillevi Rombin (1933–1996), Miss Universe 1955
• Ruth Rose (1896–1978), screenwriter
• Herbert Ross (1927–2001), film director

S

• Franklin Schaffner (1920–1989), film director
• G. David Schine (1927–1996), film producer
• Ernest B. Schoedsack (1893–1979), film director
• George C. Scott (1927–1999), actor; grave unmarked
• Vivienne Segal (1897–1992), singer, actress
• Anne Seymour (1909–1988), actress
• Sidney Sheldon (1917–2007), author
• Dorothy Shay (1921–1978), actress, singer
• Sam Simon (1955-2015), writer, producer and director
• Sara Sothern (1895–1994), mother of Elizabeth Taylor
• Robert Stack (1919–2003), actor
• Sage Stallone (1976–2012), actor, son of Sylvester Stallone
• Ray Stark (1915–2004), film producer
• Josef von Sternberg (1894–1969), film director
• Donald Stewart (1930–1999), screenwriter
• Dorothy Stratten (1960–1980), actress, Playboy Playmate, murder victim
• Danny Sugerman (1954–2005), writer, rock band manager
• Jennifer Syme (1972–2001), actress

T

• Don Taylor (1920–1998), actor and director
• Francis Lenn Taylor (1897–1968), art dealer, father of Elizabeth Taylor^[8]
• Kent Taylor (1907–1987), actor
• Irene Tedrow (1907–1995), actress
• William C. Thomas (1903–1984), film producer
• Marshall Thompson (1925–1992), actor
• Ernst Toch (1887–1964), composer
• Mel Tormé (1925–1999), singer, actor
• Helen Traubel (1899–1972), opera soprano
• Les Tremayne (1913–2003), actor
• Frank Tuttle (1892–1963), screenwriter, producer

V

• Sigrid Valdis (1935–2007), actress, widow of Bob Crane
• John Vivyan (1915–1983), actor

W

• June Walker (1900–1966), actress
• Ray Walston (1914–2001), actor, was cremated here
• Pat Walshe (1900–1991), actor
• Harry Warren (1893–1981), songwriter
• Joe Weider (1919–2013). bodybuilder
• Winifred Westover (1899–1978), actress
• Chrissie White (1895–1989), silent film actress
• Herbert Wiere (1908–1999), performer
• Cornel Wilde (1915–1989), actor
• Billy Wilder (1906–2002), movie director
• Carl Wilson (1946–1998), singer and member of The Beach Boys
• Estelle Winwood (1883–1984), actress
• Natalie Wood (1938–1981), actress

Y

• Edward Yang (1947–2007), filmmaker

Z

Unmarked grave of Frank Zappa, cemetery view looking South-East

• Darryl F. Zanuck (1902–1979), head of 20th Century Fox studios, father of Richard D. Zanuck
• Virginia Zanuck (1908–1982), actress, wife of Darryl F. Zanuck, mother of Richard D. Zanuck
• Frank Zappa (1940–1993), composer, musician, satirist, leader of The Mothers of Invention; grave is unmarked
• Gail Zappa (1945-2015), widow of Frank Zappa and trustee of the Zappa Family Trust; buried next to her husband

See also

• List of United States cemeteries

References

1. The Studio for Southern California History. Retrieved 21 February 2009.
2. "June Gale (1911 - 1996) - Find A Grave Memorial". www.findagrave.com. Retrieved 2016-03-09.
3. "Howard Greer (1896 - 1974) - Find A Grave Memorial". www.findagrave.com. Retrieved 2016-03-09.
4. "Latasha "Little Latasha" Harlins (1975 - 1991) - Find A Grave Memorial". www.findagrave.com. Retrieved 2016-03-18.
5. Benjamine Odel Howard - Find A Grave Memorial
6. "William Henry "Bill" Lancaster (1947 - 1997) - Find A Grave Memorial". www.findagrave.com. Retrieved 2016-02-17.
7. "Portland Mason Schuyler (1948 - 2004) - Find A Grave Memorial". www.findagrave.com. Retrieved 2016-02-10.
8. "Francis Lenn Taylor (1897 - 1968) - Find A Grave Memorial". www.findagrave.com. Retrieved 2016-03-09.

External links

• map showing location of celebrity graves
• California Cemetery and Funeral Bureau Certificate of Authority – Cemetery, License Number 506, Funeral Establishment License Number 951
• U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Westwood Memorial Park

Coordinates: 34°03′30″N 118°26′26″W / 34.05833°N 118.44056°W