Hollywood Forever Historic Walking Tour

05/06/2024

Rudolph Valentino was born on May 6th, 1895 in Castellaneta, Italy. Valentino became one of the greatest stars of the silent era. To this day, people from around the world visit his grave at Hollywood Forever and pay tribute. He continues to live on through his films. If you want to see rare photos and daily updates on Valentino, make sure to join the group "We Never Forget" Rudolph Valentino and follow "My Silent Boyfriend" on social media. Valentino is interred in the Cathedral Mausoleum at Hollywood Forever.

12/24/2020

Choreographer Michael Kidd died on December 23rd, 2007. His film credits include "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers", "The Band Wagon" and "Hello, Dolly"! He won five Tony Awards for his work on Broadway and was awarded an honorary Oscar in 1996 for his contributions to film. He is buried at Hollywood Forever.

06/06/2020

Character actor Vito Scotti died on June 5th, 1996. Scotti's extensive television credits include "Columbo", "The Golden Girls", "Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color", "Gunsmoke", "Get Smart", "The Addams Family", "Bewitched" and "Mike Hammer". He is interred in the Abbey of Psalms at Hollywood Forever.

Actor. He is best remembered as a character actor whose more than 200 movie and television appearances over his nearly 50-year career spanned a variety of ethnic roles. Born in San Francisco, California to Italian parents, he spent his early years in Naples, Italy where he developed an interest in t...

06/04/2020

The Criterion Channel has taken down their paywall and there are now films from African American film artists and pioneers that you can watch for free including THE BRONZE BUCKAROO starring Hollywood Forever resident Herb Jeffries!

Directed by Richard C. Kahn • 1939 • United States Starring Herb Jeffries, Lucius Brooks, Artie Young A Hollywood-style western with a black cast, THE BRONZE BUCKAROO stars Herb Jeffries as singing cowboy Bob Blake, a smooth, brave, and honorable hero who is assisted by his comic sidekick Dusty,...

06/04/2020

Hollywood pioneer and real estate developer Hobart Whitley died on June 3rd, 1931. He developed Whitley Heights, which was one of the first hillside subdivisions in Hollywood. It was home to film stars such as Barbara La Marr and Rudolph Valentino. Whitley was known as “The Father of Hollywood” and is appropriately interred at Hollywood Forever.

06/01/2020

Actress Barbara Pepper was born on May 31st, 1915. She began her career in the Ziegfeld Follies before finding work as the tough talking dame in films such as “The Singing Vagabond” (1935) with Gene Autry and “Mummy’s Boys” (1936) with Wheeler and Woolsey. In later years, she found her most memorable role as "Doris Ziffel," the mother of "Arnold the Pig" on the television sitcom "Green Acres" (1965-1968). She is buried at Hollywood Forever.

06/01/2020

Cinematographer George S. Barnes died on May 30th, 1953. His career began in 1918 and lasted until his death. Barnes shot films for several luminaries at Hollywood Forever including Rudolph Valentino (“The Eagle”), Marion Davies (“Polly of the Circus”) and Cecil B. Demille (“Sampson and Delilah”). He was married to Joan Blondell from 1933- 1936 and shot five of the films she made at Warner Bros. including "Footlight Parade" and "Dames". Other notable credits include “Our Dancing Daughters”, “Spellbound” and “Force of Evil”. Barnes received several Academy Award nominations for Best Cinematography and took home the prize for Alfred Hitchcock’s “Rebecca” (1940). He is interred in the Abbey of the Psalms at Hollywood Forever.

05/30/2020

Watch this youtube clip to learn more about Mabel Fairbanks and the fight for diversity in figure staking.

A glimpse of Mabel Fairbanks, an African-American skater in the early days of ice skating in the U.S. and other skaters like Atoy Wilson, Tai Babilonia, Debb...

05/30/2020

Here are the two books I recommend reading to learn more about Mary Noland and the lives of other women who tried to make a name for themselves in Hollywood.