Celebrity Graveland

November 23, 1959 – November 4, 1982

Not all Hollywood stories have happy endings.

Dominique Dunne was a rising star who had appeared in a number of television shows when her life was cut short by a jealous and possessive ex-boyfriend.  Dunne – the daughter of writer Dominick Dunne and sister of director/producer Griffin Dunne – appeared in the 1981 horror classic Poltergeist. This was to be her first and only feature film appearance.  She was cast in and was in rehearsals for a new mini-series, V, when she was attacked and strangled on her front porch by her estranged boyfriend. Continue reading →

December 27, 1975 – February 1, 1988

For all the glitz and glamour that is represented in a large cross-section of the population in tiny Westwood Memorial Park, there is also a fair amount of tragedy present. Many of the permanent residents there died way too young.  There’s no better example of that than Heather O’Rourke.  The adorable, blonde child star was made famous by her portrayal of Carol Anne in the Poltergeist film trilogy. She also went on to guest star on a number of mid-’80’s television shows.  Heather became sick in 1987 and was misdiagnosed with Crohn’s disease.In early 1988, at the age of 12, she collapsed and was rushed to the hospital where she later died while in surgery for a congenital bowel obstruction – the true cause of her illness.

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