Archive for Westwood Memorial Park

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Billy Wilder

Posted in Westwood Memorial Park with tags , , , on September 14, 2013 by Cade

wilder1June 22, 1906 – March 27, 2002

Billy Wilder was regarded as one of the greatest, and certainly most versatile, screenwriters and film directors in Hollywood. Over the course of his career, he wrote and/or directed some of the industry’s biggest hits, including Sunset Boulevard, The Apartment, Double Indemnity, The Seven Year Itch, The Fortune Cookie, Irma La Douce, The Front Page and the perennial classic comedy, Some Like It Hot. He worked with a broad number of stars like Jack Lemmon, Marilyn Monroe, Tony Curtis, Walter Matthau, Fred MacMurray and Shirley MacLaine. Continue reading →

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Roy Orbison

Posted in Westwood Memorial Park with tags , , , on September 13, 2013 by Cade

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April 23, 1936 – December 6, 1988

Roy Kelton Orbison was a popular singer-songwriter in the 1960’s.  His distinctive voice was at times powerful and soft, but was always unmistakable. He charted massive hits such as “Oh Pretty Woman,” “Only the Lonely” and “Crying.”  Known for his cool, almost statuesque, presence on stage and his trademark dark clothes and sunglasses, Roy exuded an aura of mystique. This, along with his deeply emotional vocals, helped further his fame as an artist.  Despite a decade or so of waning popularity, Orbison found new success in the 1980’s as he recorded a new solo album and formed the folk-rock supergroup the Traveling Wilburys with fellow legends George Harrison, ELO’s Jeff Lynne, Bob Dylan and Tom Petty. Continue reading →

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Eve Arden

Posted in Westwood Memorial Park with tags , on September 12, 2013 by Cade

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April 30, 1908 – November 12, 1990

Eve Arden (born Eunice M. Quedens) was a stage, radio and screen actress who famously played the title role in the the radio, television AND film versions of Our Miss Brooks. Arden’s natural wit and ease with comedy made her instantly likable and immensely popular. In addition to Brooks, she was also often seen on stage in New York and Chicago (she made her Broadway debut in the 1934 version of the Ziegfeld Follies) and appeared in over 60 films and dozens of television shows. Continue reading →

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Peter Falk

Posted in Westwood Memorial Park with tags , on July 26, 2013 by Cade

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September 16, 1927 – June 23, 2011

Despite a successful acting career on both stage (The Iceman Cometh, The Prisoner of Second Avenue) and screen (The Great Race, The Princess Bride), Peter Falk will always, ALWAYS be associated with one name and one name only: Columbo. Falk starred as the fog-headed, cigar-chomping detective from 1968 until 2003. With his trademark squint (the result of having a glass eye from the age of 3) and lackadaisical approach to solving mysteries (“Oh, just one more thing…”), Falk turned Columbo into one of the most memorable television characters of all time. Continue reading →

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Bettie Page

Posted in Westwood Memorial Park with tags , on July 26, 2013 by Cade

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April 22, 1923 – December 11, 2008

It’s the classic story:

Girl is voted “Most Likely To Succeed” in high school.
Girl begins modeling and becomes an underground sensation in New York camera clubs.
Girl’s photos go mainstream and she becomes “Queen of the Pin-ups.”
Girl becomes a born-again Christian.
Girl leaves the public eye.
Girl works for Rev. Billy Graham.
Girl is diagnosed with schizophrenia and maybe attacks a couple of old people.
Girl still becomes a pop culture icon to new generations long after her career ends.
Girl dies quietly in relative obscurity at the age of 85. Continue reading →

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Peggy Lee

Posted in Westwood Memorial Park with tags , , , on June 17, 2013 by Cade

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May 26, 1920 – January 21, 2002

Peggy Lee (born Norma Deloris Egstrom) was a popular vocalist, actress and songwriter known for her hit recordings “Fever” and “Why Don’t You Do Right” (made famous by Jessica Rabbit) among others.  She was also a prolific lyricist and songwriter having written dozens of songs for many top composers and musicians.  Lee spent several years as the singer in Benny Goodman‘s orchestra.  She also wrote songs for – and voiced four characters in – the Disney classic animated film Lady and the Tramp and is said to be the inspiration for the Muppet, Miss Piggy. Continue reading →

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Burt Lancaster

Posted in Westwood Memorial Park with tags , , on June 8, 2013 by Cade

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November 2, 1913 – October 20, 1994

It’s the age-old Hollywood story: Athletic boy grows up to become a circus acrobat, joins the military and becomes a film legend. Standard stuff, really.

Burt Lancaster was a tall, muscular actor who started off his long career playing tough guy roles. Eventually, he managed to land roles with more depth like Sergeant Warden in From Here to Eternity or his Academy Award winning titular character in Elmer Gantry. Lancaster was so serious about taking on roles with more substance that he often took pay cuts to play better characters. He even put his own money into projects he truly believed in.  All in all, he made over 60 films throughout his career. Not bad for a kid who started off as a gymnast. Continue reading →

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Donna Reed

Posted in Westwood Memorial Park with tags , , on June 8, 2013 by Cade

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January 27, 1921 – January 14, 1986

Donna Belle Mullenger was born in Iowa, moved to Los Angeles to attend college and accidentally became a Hollywood superstar. After being noticed on stage in school productions, she was offered a number of screen tests and eventually a contract with MGM studios. She changed her name to Donna Reed and went on to star in immortal classic films like From Here to Eternity (for which she won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress) and It’s a Wonderful Life opposite Jimmy Stewart. Continue reading →

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Mel Tormé

Posted in Westwood Memorial Park with tags , on June 4, 2013 by Cade

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September 13, 1925 – June 5, 1999

Because of his rich, smooth voice, Melvin Howard Tormé was known as “The Velvet Fog.” This was not just a silly nickname. His voice was incredibly deserving of such a perfect analogy.  Tormé began singing almost immediately as a young child and enjoyed a long career, both solo and in groups, performing his special brand of jazz classics.  In addition to his singing, he was also a gifted composer, lyricist, drummer, actor, author and – oddly enough – quick-draw artist. Continue reading →

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Heather O’Rourke

Posted in Westwood Memorial Park with tags , , on May 28, 2013 by Cade

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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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