Pierce Brothers Westwood Village Memorial Park and Mortuary explained

Pierce Brothers Westwood Village Memorial Park and Mortuary
Map Type:	United States Los Angeles Western
Established:	1880s as unnamed cemetery 1905 as Sunset Cemetery 1926 name officially changed to Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery
Country:	United States
Location:	1218 Glendon Avenue Westwood, Los Angeles 90024
Coordinates:	34.0583°N -118.4406°W
Type:	Private
Owner:	Service Corporation International
Findagraveid:	8440

Pierce Brothers Westwood Village Memorial Park and Mortuary is a cemetery and mortuary located in the Westwood area of Los Angeles. It is located at 1218 Glendon Avenue in Westwood, with an entrance from Glendon Avenue.^[1]

The cemetery was established as Sunset Cemetery in 1905, but had been used for burials since the 1880s. In 1926, the name was officially changed to Westwood Memorial Park and was later renamed to Pierce Brothers Westwood Village Memorial Park & Mortuary.^[1]

Though not exclusive to public figures, the cemetery has become the final resting place of many Hollywood actors and those in the entertainment industry. Prominent interred figures include Marilyn Monroe, Hugh Hefner, Natalie Wood, Dean Martin, Ray Bradbury, and Kirk Douglas.^[2]

Noted interments

A

• Kip Addotta (1944–2019), comedian
• 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^[3]
• Shana Alexander (1925–2005), journalist, columnist, television commentator
• Claud Allister (1888–1970), actor
• Gitta Alpár (1903–1991), actress, opera singer
• Richard Anderson (1926–2017), actor, co-star of The Six Million Dollar Man and The Bionic Woman
• Patty Andrews (1918–2013), singer
• Tige Andrews (1920–2007), actor
• 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^[4]

B

• Henny Backus (1911–2004), author, wife of Jim Backus
• Jim Backus (1913–1989), actor^[4]
• Richard Baer (1928–2008), screenwriter
• Dave Barbour (1912–1965), musician
• Edgar Barrier (1907–1964), actor
• Patricia Barry (1921–2016), actor
• Eileen Barton (1924–2006), singer
• Richard Basehart (1914–1984), actor^[4]
• Greg Bautzer (1911–1987), attorney
• Lee Phillip Bell (1928–2020), television host, producer
• William J. 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
• Peter Bogdanovich (1939–2022), director and screenwriter
• Benedict Bogeaus (1904–1968), producer
• John Boles (1895–1969), actor
• Dorris Bowdon (1914–2005), actress
• Ray Bradbury (1920–2012), author; buried with his wife Marguerite McClure Bradbury
• Fanny Brice (1891–1951), actress, comedian, singer (formerly 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
• Anne Buydens (1919–2021), philanthropist, film producer, wife of Kirk Douglas

C

• Sebastian Cabot (1918–1977), actor^[5]
• Sammy Cahn (1913–1993), songwriter
• Truman Capote (1924–1984), author^[6]
• Edward Carrere (1906–1984), director
• Harry Carey, Jr. (1921–2012), actor
• Mary Carlisle (1914–2018), actress
• John Cassavetes (1929–1989), actor, screenwriter, director, producer
• Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco (1895–1968), composer
• James Coburn (1928–2002), actor
• Jackie Collins (1937–2015), novelist, screenwriter, producer
• Michel Colombier (1939–2004), musician, composer
• Ray Conniff (1916–2002), musician
• Richard Conte (1910–1975), actor
• Tim Conway (1933–2019), actor, comedian
• 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^[7]
• Helmut Dantine (1917–1982), actor
• Danny Dark (1938–2004), announcer
• Steve Darrell (1904–1970), actor
• Marvin Davis (1925–2004), oil tycoon, businessman
• Jason Davis (1984–2020), actor
• Richard Dawson (1932–2012), actor, television host
• Don DeFore (1913–1993), actor
• Laura Devon (1931–2007), actress
• Philip Dorn (1901–1975), actor
• Eric Douglas (1958–2004), actor
• Kirk Douglas (1916–2020), actor
• Dominique Dunne (1959–1982) murder victim, Poltergeist actress, daughter of writer Dominick Dunne, sister of actor-director Griffin Dunne
• Ariel Durant (1898–1981), historian, Pulitzer Prize in literature, co-wrote The Story of Civilization, wife of Will Durant
• Will Durant (1885–1981), historian, Pulitzer Prize in literature, co-wrote The Story of Civilization, husband of Ariel Durant

E

• Nora Eddington (1924–2001), actress, 2nd wife of Errol Flynn, 3rd wife of Dick Haymes^[8]
• Roger Edens (1905–1970), vocal arranger, songwriter, producer
• Jack Elliott (1927–2001), songwriter
• Geoff Emerick (1945–2018), sound engineer
• Harry Essex (1910–1997), writer
• Dennis Etchison (1943–2019), writer
• Ray Evans (1915–2007), songwriter

F

• Peter Falk (1927–2011), actor
• Farrah Fawcett (1947–2009), actress
• Bert Fields (1929–2022), entertainment attorney, writer, musician
• Freddie Fields (1923–2007), talent agent
• Jay C. Flippen (1899–1971), actor
• June Foray (1917–2017), voice actress
• Michael Fox (1921–1996), actor
• Coleman Francis (1919–1973), film director
• Leslie Frankenheimer (1948–2013), set decorator
• Stan Freberg (1926–2015), voice actor
• Georgia Frontiere (1927–2008), football owner
• Faiza Rauf (1923–1994), Egyptian princess

G

• Eva Gabor (1919–1995), actress^[7]
• June Gale (1911–1996), actress, wife of Oscar Levant^[9]
• Michael V. Gazzo (1923–1995), actor
• Christopher George (1931–1983), actor
• Leonard Gershe (1922–2002), composer
• Master Henry Gibson (1942–2002), musician
• Gary Glasberg (1966-2016), writer and producer
• Paul Gleason (1939–2006), character actor
• Thomas Gomez (1905–1971), actor
• Don Gordon (1926–2017), actor
• Robert Gottschalk (1918–1982), camera technician, co-founder of Panavision
• Walter Grauman (1922–2015), director
• Howard Greer (1896–1974), costume and fashion designer
• Jane Greer (1924–2001), actress^[10]
• Merv Griffin (1925–2007), producer, television host, singer^[11]

H

• 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, art collector, former president of Occidental Petroleum
• Bong Soo Han (1933–2007), martial artist
• Jonathan Harris (1914–2002), actor
• Harold Hecht (1907–1985), film producer
• Hugh Hefner (1926–2017), Playboy magazine founder and publisher, businessman^[12]
• Percy Helton (1894–1971), actor
• Florence Henderson (1934–2016), actress, singer, television host
• Francesca Hilton (1947–2015), actress, daughter of Zsa Zsa Gabor
• Connie Hines (1931–2009), actress
• Jonathan Hole (1904–1998), actor, buried with his wife Betty Hanna, and son David Jon Hole
• Ben Howard (1904–1970), aircraft designer, race pilot
• James Wong Howe (1899–1976), cinematographer^[13]
• Rosanna Huffman (1938–2016), actress
• Mark R. Hughes (1956–2000), founder of Herbalife
• Ronald Hughes (1935–1970), lawyer
• Ross Hunter (1920–1996), producer, director, actor
• Jim Hutton (1934–1979), actor

I

• Steve Ihnat (1934–1972), actor
• Franklin D. Israel(1945-1996), Architect; 1975 Rome Prize for architecture

J

• Donald G. Jackson (1943–2003), filmmaker
• Kevin Jarre (1954–2011), screenwriter
• Nunnally Johnson (1897–1977), screenwriter, director
• 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, singer
• Nora Kaye (1920–1987), ballerina
• Brian Keith (1921–1997), actor^[14]
• Cecil Kellaway (1893–1973), actor
• 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
• Jack Klugman (1922–2012), actor, comedian, director, screenwriter
• Don Knotts (1924–2006), actor, comedian
• Miliza Korjus (1909–1980), opera singer
• Phyllis Kennedy (1914–1998), actress

L

• Perry Lafferty (1917–2005), director
• Bill Lancaster (1947–1997), actor, screenwriter
• Burt Lancaster (1913–1994), actor^[15]
• Sidney Lanfield (1898–1972), director
• Paul Laszlo (1900–1993), architect, furniture designer
• Ed Lauter (1938–2013), actor
• Marc Lawrence (1910–2005), actor
• Irving Paul Lazar (1907–1993), agent
• 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^[16]
• Queenie Leonard (1905–2002), actress
• Murray Lertzman (1928-1984), attorney
• Bruce Lester (1912–2008), actor
• Oscar Levant (1906–1972), actor, pianist
• Richard Levinson (1934–1987), writer
• Harry Lewis (1920–2013), actor, restaurateur
• Marilyn Lewis (1929–2017), fashion designer, producer
• Alan W. Livingston (1917–2009), writer, producer
• Jay Livingston (1915–2001), songwriter
• Sondra Locke (1944–2018), actress
• Louis Loeffler (1897–1972), editor
• Robert Loggia (1930–2015), actor, director

M

• 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^[16]
• Dean Martin (1917–1995), actor, singer^[7]
• 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
• Shirley Mason (1900–1979), actress^[17]
• 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^[18]
• Ruth McDevitt (1895–1976), actress
• Rod McKuen (1933–2015), poet, composer
• 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 (1926–1962), actress^{[19] [20]}
• Constance Moore (1920–2005), singer, actress
• Dolores Moran (1924–1982), actress
• Jeff Morris (1934–2004), actor
• Lloyd Morrisett (1929–2023), psychologist, co-founder of Sesame Workshop, co-creator of Sesame Street

N

• Nader Naderpour (1929–2000), Iranian poet
• David Nelson (1936–2011), actor, son of Ozzie and Harriet Nelson, older brother of Ricky Nelson
• William Newell (1894–1967), actor
• Lloyd Nolan (1902–1985), actor

O

• Carroll O'Connor (1924–2001), actor
• Ryan O'Neal (1941–2023), actor^[21]
• Heather O'Rourke (1975–1988), actress^{[6] [22]}
• Barbara Orbison (1950–2011), wife of Roy Orbison
• Roy Orbison (1936–1988), singer; grave unmarked^[7]

P

• Bettie Page (1923–2008), model
• Dorothy Patrick (1921–1987), actress
• Wolfgang Petersen (1941–2022), director
• Frank Pierson (1925–2012), screenwriter, director
• Waite Phillips (1883–1964), oil tycoon, philanthropist
• Gregor Piatigorsky (1903–1976), cellist
• Jacqueline Piatigorsky (1911–2012), chess player
• James Prideaux (1927–2015), playwright

R

• Ford Rainey (1908–2005), actor
• Donna Reed (1921–1986), actress^[23]
• Jimmie Reese (1901–1994), baseball player and coach
• Renie Riano (1899–1971), actress
• Buddy Rich (1917–1987), drummer, bandleader
• Minnie Riperton (1947–1979), singer^[24]
• Ben Roberts (1916–1984), screenwriter; co-creator of Charlie's Angels
• Doris Roberts (1925–2016), actress, philanthropist, author
• Wayne Rogers (1933–2015), actor
• Hillevi Rombin (1933–1996), Miss Universe 1955
• Ruth Rose (1896–1978), screenwriter
• Herbert Ross (1927–2001), film director
• Gena Rowlands (1930-2024), actress

S

• Jay Sandrich (1932–2021), television director
• 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
• Jeremy Silman (1954-2023), chess player
• Sam Simon (1955–2015), writer, producer, director
• Richard Simmons (1948–2024), Fitness instructor, television personality
• Lu Ann Simms (1932–2003), singer
• 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 E. Stewart (1930–1999), screenwriter
• Dorothy Stratten (1960–1980), actress, Playboy Playmate
• Danny Sugerman (1954–2005), writer, rock band manager
• Jennifer Syme (1972–2001), actress

T

• Don Taylor (1920–1998), actor, director
• Francis Lenn Taylor (1897–1968), art dealer, father of Elizabeth Taylor^[25]
• Kent Taylor (1907–1987), actor^[25]
• Irene Tedrow (1907–1995), actress
• William C. Thomas (1903–1984), film producer
• Marshall Thompson (1925–1992), actor
• Dan Tobin (1910–1982), actor
• Ernst Toch (1887–1964), composer
• Alvin Toffler (1928–2016), author
• Mel Tormé (1925–1999), singer, actor^{[6] [7]}
• Helen Traubel (1899–1972), opera soprano
• Les Tremayne (1913–2003), actor
• Michael Trikilis (1940-2019), TV/film producer
• Frank Tuttle (1892–1963), screenwriter, producer

V

• Sigrid Valdis (1935–2007), actress, widow of Bob Crane
• Clyde Van Dusen (1886–1951), horse trainer, won 1929 Kentucky Derby
• Romeo Vasquez (1939–2017), actor
• John Vivyan (1915–1983), actor

W

• June Walker (1900–1966), actress
• Pat Walshe (1900–1991), actor
• Larry Ward (1925–1985), actor, screenwriter
• Harry Warren (1893–1981), songwriter
• Joe Weider (1919–2013), bodybuilder
• Winifred Westover (1899–1978), actress
• Chrissie White (1895–1989), silent film actress
• Michael White (1936–2016), producer
• Sean Whitesell (1963–2015), actor
• Margaret Whiting (1924–2011), singer
• Herbert Wiere (1908–1999), performer
• Cornel Wilde (1915–1989), actor
• Billy Wilder (1906–2002), filmmaker^[26]
• Carl Wilson (1946–1998), singer, member of The Beach Boys^[7]
• Estelle Winwood (1883–1984), actress
• Albert Wohlstetter (1913–1997), nuclear strategist
• Roberta Wohlstetter (1912–2007), historian of military intelligence
• Natalie Wood (1938–1981), actress^[7]

Y

• Edward Yang (1947–2007), filmmaker

Z

• 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 unmarked
• Gail Zappa (1945–2015), widow of Frank Zappa and trustee of the Zappa Family Trust; buried next to her husband Frank Zappa

See also

• List of United States cemeteries

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

Notes and References

1. Web site: Pierce Brothers Westwood Village Memorial Park and Mortuary. October 14, 2018.
2. Web site: Lopez . Steve . 2020-05-27 . Column: Exclusive West L.A. property, surrounded by stars, on sale for $745,000. Are you dying to move in? . 2024-06-25 . Los Angeles Times . en-US.
3. Book: Wilson, Scott. Resting Places: The Burial Sites of More Than 14,000 Famous Persons, 3d ed.. August 19, 2016. McFarland. 9781476625997. October 14, 2018. Google Books.
4. Book: Bahn, Paul. The Archaeology of Hollywood: Traces of the Golden Age. April 14, 2014. Rowman & Littlefield. 9780759123793. October 14, 2018. Google Books.
5. Book: Bahn, Paul. The Archaeology of Hollywood: Traces of the Golden Age. April 14, 2014. Rowman & Littlefield. 9780759123793. October 14, 2018. Google Books.
6. Web site: 10 Things You Might Not Have Known About Truman Capote. September 30, 2014. October 14, 2018.
7. Web site: Los Angeles' celebrity cemetery: Where the stars are buried. Stuff. October 14, 2018.
8. https://books.google.com/books?id=vTWSCgAAQBAJ&pg=PA221 Hollywood Death and Scandal Sites
9. https://books.google.com/books?id=FOHgDAAAQBAJ&pg=PA266 Resting Places
10. Book: Wilson, Scott. Resting Places: The Burial Sites of More Than 14,000 Famous Persons, 3d ed.. August 19, 2016. McFarland. 9781476625997. October 14, 2018. Google Books.
11. https://www.loc.gov/item/2013632121/ Library of Congress
12. News: Hugh Hefner, Who Built the Playboy Empire and Embodied It, Dies at 91. The New York Times . September 28, 2017 . October 14, 2018 . Mansnerus . Laura .
13. Web site: Google Doodle gives tribute to cinematographer James Wong Howe on his 118th Birthday!. August 28, 2017. October 14, 2018.
14. Web site: The Suicide Death of Brian Keith – Reel Reviews – Official Site. Frank. Wilkins. October 14, 2018.
15. Book: Bahn, Paul. The Archaeology of Hollywood: Traces of the Golden Age. April 14, 2014. Rowman & Littlefield. 9780759123793. October 14, 2018. Google Books.
16. Book: Bahn, Paul. The Archaeology of Hollywood: Traces of the Golden Age. April 14, 2014. Rowman & Littlefield. 9780759123793. October 14, 2018. Google Books.
17. https://books.google.com/books?id=8bOJCgAAQBAJ&dq=shirley+mason+westwood&pg=PA218 Celebrities in Los Angeles Cemeteries
18. Web site: Walter and Carol Matthau gravesite at Pierce Brothers Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery, 1218 Glendon Avenue, Los Angeles, California . .
19. Web site: Burial Crypt Next to Hugh Hefner and Marilyn Monroe on Sale for $2 Million in Los Angeles .
20. Web site: Bid For Crypt Above Marilyn Monroe Falls Through. Jaffe. Ina. NPR. 27 August 2009. 7 June 2024.
21. Web site: Ryan O'Neal Cause Of Death Revealed. Bruce. Haring. Deadline. December 23, 2023. December 24, 2023.
22. News: Obituary for Heather O'Rourke (Aged 12) . Scrantonian Tribune . February 6, 1988 . 19 .
23. Book: Royce, Brenda Scott. Donna Reed: A Bio-bibliography. October 14, 1990. Greenwood Publishing Group. 9780313268069. October 14, 2018. Google Books.
24. https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/1353874:60525?tid=&pid=&queryId=81d96f99-eb01-4364-a0e4-9ffb776b64cb&_phsrc=kqG5&_phstart=successSource
25. https://books.google.com/books?id=ZraJCgAAQBAJ&pg=PA221 Celebrities in Los Angeles Cemeteries
26. Web site: Visiting Billy Wilder | Suzanne Gates .