Archive for Desert Memorial Park

Suzanne Somers

Posted in Desert Memorial Park with tags , , on August 10, 2026 by Cade

October 16, 1946 – October 15, 2023

We have all heard every adage about blondes. Blondes have more fun. Gentlemen prefer blondes. She’s having a blonde moment…

Whatever stereotype you choose to accept or deny, one thing can’t be argued: Blondes get noticed.

So, when a bubbly blonde from California gets her first role in a motion picture (1973’s American Graffiti) and is billed as “Blonde in Thunderbird”…well, you better believe a career arc has been born.

Suzanne Somers (née Mahoney) didn’t have the best home life growing up. Her father was an alcoholic and was abusive. She was dyslexic and struggled in school. She dropped out of college after becoming pregnant. But she found a positive outlet in performing. She modeled in her native San Francisco. She appeared in some local TV game shows. She wrote poetry. After being noticed in the NBC Commissary in Los Angeles, she was asked to appear on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson to promote a book of poetry she had just written. Watching that night was ABC President, Fred Silverman, who remembered Somers a few years later when trying to find the third lead in a new sitcom called Three’s Company.

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Sonny Bono

Posted in Desert Memorial Park with tags on June 21, 2013 by Cade

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February 16, 1935 – January 5, 1998

Salvatore “Sonny” Bono was good at a lot of things.  He was a pretty good singer. He was a much better songwriter, entertainer and producer, though.  This was evidenced by the massive popularity of his 1960’s and ’70’s pop duo, Sonny and Cher. While Cher may have gotten most of the attention and had an arguably better career, it was Sonny who goofily smiled and quietly wrote all of their huge hits. He was a good actor and funnyman. Sonny and Cher had their own TV shows – mostly of the variety genre – and he enjoyed post-S&C success on television and in films like Airplane II and Hairspray. He was even a decent politician. In 1988, he was elected as mayor of Palm Springs, California. Continue reading →

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Frank Sinatra

Posted in Desert Memorial Park with tags , , , , on February 20, 2013 by Cade
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December 12, 1915 – May 14, 1998

“The Chairman of the Board.” “The Voice.”  “Old Blue Eyes.” Francis Albert Sinatra had a lot of names.  But, mostly, everyone just called him “Frank.”

Hoboken, New Jersey’s favorite son was one of the largest entertainers in the world for decades.  His smooth and unmistakable baritone catapulted him into super-stardom and made him the idol of a generation. From his early days singing with bandleaders Harry James and Tommy Dorsey to his unprecedented success as a solo artist, Sinatra wowed audiences and radio listeners with his rich voice and unique phrasing.

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