FAMOUS GRAVE TOUR - Viewers Special #11 (Benjamin Franklin, Luther Vandross, etc.)
Welcome to Hollywood Graveyard. Today I turn the camera over to you, the Hollywood Graveyard community, as we travel the world to visit famous and historical graves in your neck of the woods. In this tour we continue down the east coast, to find legends like Maureen O’Hara, Benjamin Franklin, Pearl Bailey, Luther Vandross, and many more. My friends, the time is yours.
We left off our last video in New York, so today we continue our exploration of famous graves in the Mid-Atlantic region. We’ll travel through New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, West Virginia, and finally Virginia, including our national cemetery at Arlington. Let’s begin in New Jersey, with its rich musical heritage.
This is Hackensack Cemetery, where we find the grave of Ben E. King. He was an R&B singer and songwriter, who had a top-10 hit with the song “Stand By Me” in 1961. The song would shoot to the top of the charts again in 1986 when it was used in the film of the same name. King was also one of the singers in the doo-wop group, The Drifters, with hits like “Save the Last Dance for Me.”
He was inducted into the rock and roll hall of fame in 1988, and lived to be 76. Glendale Cemetery is in Bloomfield, where rests a musical legend from here in New Jersey, the Divine One, Sarah Vaughan. The talented jazz singer rose to prominence in the 40s, performing at Harlem’s Apollo Theater. She would go on to perform on TV variety shows, and with
jazz greats like Count Basie and Dizzy Gillespie. Among her hit records is “Broken Hearted Melody.” Sarah won four Grammys, and a lifetime achievement award. She passed away from lung cancer at age 66. In previous tours we’ve visited Tommy, Johnny, and Dee Dee Ramone. Let’s find the last of the original Ramones lineup, shall we? This cemetery with a magnificent view of the Manhattan skyline off in the distance is New Mount Zion Cemetery. This is where Jeff Hyman, aka Joey Ramone, is laid to rest. The influential punk rock band known as The Ramones formed in the 70s. Joey
originally played drums, but soon took over as lead vocalist and front man. His vocal style would come to define punk rock in America, with hits like “Blitzkrieg Bop,” and “I Wanna Be Sedated.” Joey continued to perform with the band until their final show in 1996. He was just 49 when he died from lymphoma. George Washington Memorial Park is our next stop on our journey of musical memories across New Jersey. Here we find the crypt of one of the most smooth and soulful voices of the 80s and 90s,
Luther Vandross. He was an in-demand background vocalist, and later lead a group called Change, but it was his work as a solo-artist in which he truly soared. He sold over 40 million albums, 11 platinum, and won 4 Grammys.
He’s remembered for ballads like “Here and Now,” and duets like “Endless Love” with Mariah Carey. Luther had diabetes, and in 2003 suffered a severe stroke, which left him in a coma for 2 months. He never fully recovered, and passed away in 2005 at age 54.
A few spaces away, high on this same wall, is Sylvia Robinson. She was a singer, half of 50s R&B duo, Mickey & Sylvia. They had a hit in the song “Love is Strange.” Sylvia was also the founder of Sugar Hill Records, and is sometimes called “The Mother of Hip Hop.” She died from heart failure at the age of 76. Another of the famous musical neighbors here is Marvin Isley. He was the bass player and youngest brother of the musical group, The Isely Brothers, which formed in the 50s. Marvin joined his brothers in the group in the early 70s,
playing with them until his complications from diabetes prevented him from performing. He passed away in 2010 at age 56. We head into the mausoleum to find another of the Isley brothers, O’Kelly Isley. He was the eldest brother, and founding member of the Isley Brothers. With his brothers he co-wrote and performed their first big hit, “Shout.”
O’Kelly continued to perform with the group until suffering a fatal heart attack in 1986. He was just 48. From music history, to American history, we’re in Princeton Cemetery now. Here’s a name familiar to you Hamilton fans and historians alike: Aaron Burr. He served as an officer under George Washington during the Revolutionary War, before becoming a successful lawyer and politician.
He would serve as third Vice President of the United States, under Thomas Jefferson, but is best-remembered today for his feud with Alexander Hamilton. The bitter rivalry culminated in a duel on July 11, 1804, in which Burr fatally shot Hamilton, the former Secretary of the Treasury. Burr was never tried in the death of Hamilton, but it did effectively end his political career. He died in a boarding house at age 80. Also here at Princeton is an American president, Grover Cleveland.
He was the 22nd, and the 24th president of the United States… the only individual to date to serve two nonconsecutive terms. And while he ended his second term in resounding unpopularity, today, Cleveland is considered by most historians to have been a successful leader, and has been praised for his integrity. He died after suffering a heart attack at age 71. He rests here alongside his daughter, Ruth, who according to legend was the namesake of the candy bar, Baby Ruth. This is Beth-El Cemetery in Paramus. Here is a name familiar to just about
anyone who uses cosmetics, Estee Lauder. While still in high school, young Estee, born Josephine Esther Mentzer, learned how to make skin creams from her uncle. She got her start selling these creams to beauty salons, before starting her own company with her husband in 1946. Thus, Estee Lauder was born, and would soon become a household name with other beauty products, like bath oils. In 1998, Lauder was the only woman on Time magazine's list of the 20 most influential business geniuses of the 20th century. She lived to be 95. Next up is Mount Hebron Cemetery in Montclair. You may not know the name Herman Hupfeld,
but there’s a good chance you know one of the songs he wrote. In 1931 he wrote the song, “As Time Goes By,” for the Broadway show, Everybody’s Welcome. It was a moderate success. A decade later the song would be featured in one of Hollywood’s greatest films, Casablanca, performed by Dooley Wilson. Through its association with Casablanca, it’s now one
of the most recognized songs in movie history. Herman was just 57 when he died from a stroke. Also here at Mt. Hebron we find a familiar face from the Broadway stage, as well as 60s television, Shirley Booth. She received the triple-crown of acting: a Tony for her role in the Broadway play, Come Back, Little Sheba, an Oscar for her role in the film adaptation of Come Back Little, Sheba, and two primetime Emmys for her title role in the sitcom, Hazel, for 5 seasons in the 1960s. She was also voice Mrs. Claus on “The Year Without a Santa Claus.” Shirley lived to be 94, passing away in 1992. This is Summerfield Methodist Cemetery in Oxford, where we find a legend of classic cartoons. Here
lies Jack Mercer. When the Fleischers were looking for someone to replace the original voice actor for Popeye in their Popeye the Sailor cartoons, Lou Fleischer heard Jack, who was working at the studio, singing the Popeye song. He offered him the job of voicing Popeye, which Jack would do for over 40 years, beginning in 1935. “I am what I am, and that’s all what’s I am. I’m Popeye the sailor man.” He would play Popeye in hundreds of productions, up until his very last film, 1980’s Popeye, in which he voiced the character during the opening cartoon.
Jack can be heard in other Fleischer favorites, as Felix the Cat, as Grampy in “Christmas Comes but Once a Year,” and the spider in “Cobweb Hotel.” He passed away at age 74 from stomach cancer. And fittingly, someone has left a can of Popeye spinach here on his grave. At King Solomon Memorial Park in Clifton we find the grave of Joseph Wiseman. He has the distinction of being the first actor to play the main villain in a James Bond film, when he played Dr. No in the 1962 film. On television he played Manny Weisbord
in Crime Story, and made appearances in shows like The Untouchables, and The Twilight Zone. He was also well-known as a theater actor throughout his career, his final Broadway role being Judgement at Nuremburg. Joseph lived to be 91. This is Gate of Heaven Cemetery in East Hanover where we find a name familiar to you fans of baseball, Yogi Berra. He was a catcher who played in the major leagues for 19 seasons,
all but 4 with the New York Yankees. He was an 18-time All Star, and won 10 World Series Championships as a player, more than any other player in MLB history. He’d go on to be a coach and manager, racking up more championships, and was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1972. He’s also remembered for his Yogi-isms, like “It ain’t over ‘til it’s over.”
Yogi died in his sleep at age 90. There’s a Super Bowl on the horizon, and either the Rams or the Bengals will be awarded the Lombardi trophy for winning that game. Here is the namesake of that trophy, Vince Lombardi. He was a coach and NFL executive, best known as the head coach of the Green Bay Packers during the 60s, leading his team to 5 NFL championships and 2 Super Bowl wins, which happened to be the very first two Super Bowls, in 1967 and 1968. Lombardi is regarded as one of the greatest NFL coaches in history, and following
his death in 1970 from cancer, the Super Bowl trophy was officially renamed in his memory. Jacob’s Chapel Cemetery is in Mount Laurel. Meet Dr. James Still. He was known in this region as “The Black Doctor of the Pines,” in the mid-19th century. Born into poverty to two former slaves, James had just 3 months of
formal education, and was mostly self-taught in healing and distilling. He began to make a living selling homemade oils, tinctures, and herbal medicines. He’d soon became a much-respected and successful doctor in the area. James’s brother, William, was an abolitionist and conductor on the Underground Railroad, which helped fugitive slaves escape to freedom in the north. James died from a stroke in 1882, at age 69, a few years after publishing an autobiography.
Let’s hop over the Delaware river into Pennsylvania. This is Christ Church Burial Ground in the capital, Philadelphia, in the shadow of Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell. In these grounds is one of the most famous and recognized men in American history, a true American Renaissance man, Benjamin Franklin. He was one of the Founding Fathers of the United
States, a drafter and signer of the Declaration of Independence, signed at Independence Hall, just minutes from here. He was also the first Postmaster General. As a scientist Franklin was a major figure in American Enlightenment, famous for his experiments with electricity – remember the kite? He also invented bifocals. Having made his indelible mark on this country, honors to him can be seen everywhere from city names, to educational facilities, statues, and of course, he’s the Benjamin on the Benjamins. He died at the age of 84 from pleurisy. Visitors here often toss pennies on his grave for good luck, a nod to his saying, “a penny saved is a penny earned.” Just down the street is the Betsy Ross House, where we find the grave of Betsy Ross.
She was a Revolutionary War-era upholsterer who made extra money sewing flags for the Pennsylvania Navy, and later sewing US flags for some 50 years. Almost a century later, in the 1870s, Betsy Ross’s descendants made the claim that it was she who sewed the very first American Flag, now known as the Betsy Ross flag, at the behest of George Washington. It was based on a design by Francis Hopkinson. While now part of American folklore, this legend surrounding Betsy Ross and
the first flag has grown without any historical evidence to corroborate it. But regardless of whether or not Betsy Ross’s was the first, she is no less an important figure in American history -- a symbol of female Revolutionary patriotism. Betsy Ross lived to be 84. We turn the compass north to our next Philadelphia stop, Ivy Hill Cemetery. Here we find the grave of Smokin’ Joe Frazier, one of the great boxers of the 20th century. He reigned as heavyweight champion from 1970 to 1973.
Two of the greatest fights of the century featured Joe Frazier vs Muhammad Ali. Frazier was the first fighter to beat Ali, in the 1971 match dubbed The Fight of the Century. His last world title challenge came in 1975, in the match dubbed the Thrilla in Manilla, against Muhammad Ali. Ali won by technical knockout. Before going pro, Frazier won gold at the ’64 Olympics. He even made an appearance as himself in the movie, Rocky. Smokin’ Joe died from cancer at age 67. Not far from here is another sporting legend, one for you golfers, Willie Anderson. He was the first golfer to win 4 US Opens, between 1901 and 1905,
and the first and only man to win 3 consecutive titles. He was an original member of the PGA Hall of Fame, and a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame. He was just 31 when he died, various causes of death listed, from epilepsy to arteriosclerosis.
You car afficionados might know this name: Charles Duryea. He was the engineer of America’s first ever working gasoline powered car, which he built with his brother Frank and first demonstrated in 1893, later forming the Duryea Motor Wagon Company to sell the vehicle. The Duryea would become the first commercially produced vehicle in the US. Charles died from a heart attack at age 76. When strolling through a cemetery, sometimes you can’t help but ponder when it will be your time to go. But while you’re still alive, and you need to go, be grateful for the Scott brothers,
whose highly useful product proudly sits here atop their tombstones. Brothers E. Irvin and Clarence Scott formed the Scott Paper Company in 1879. In an era when sanitary tissue was considered “unmentionable,” the Scott brothers brought toilet paper to the masses, being the first to market toilet paper sold on a roll, now the standard. By 1890 Scott was the leading producer of bathroom tissue. And in 1907 they introduced the paper towel, an important innovation to mitigate the spread of disease. Moving on now to Roosevelt Memorial Park, where we find the grave of Arlene Francis. As an actress she can be seen in films like The Thrill of it All, but audiences remember her best today for her long-running role as a panelist on the gameshow, What’s My Line? She appeared as a panelist on the show for some 25 years, between 1950 and 1975, in somewhere in the neighborhood of 1000 episodes. Arlene died from Alzheimer’s and cancer at age 93.
This magnificent mausoleum stands in Landsdale Cemetery. Heading inside we find the crypt of Barry Nelson. Many of you know that Sean Connery was cinema’s first James Bond. And while that’s true, Connery was not the first actor to portray James Bond on screen. That distinction goes to Barry Nelson here, when he played James Bond in a TV adaptation of “Casino Royale” on a series called Climax, in 1954. Other notable
films include Airport, and The Shining, as Stuart Ullman. Barry lived to be 89. This is Boehm Cemetery in Blue Bell, where rests Edward van Sloan. As an actor he’s remembered for often playing the nemesis to monsters and evil-doers in Universal’s horror films of the 30s and 40s. He played Dr. Waldman in Frankenstein, Doctor Muller in The Mummy, and Professor Van Helsing in two Dracula films, as well as on Broadway. Van Sloan lived to be 81.
Another one for you football fans here at Gulph United Church of Christ Cemetery. This is Emlen Tunnell. He was the first African American to play for the New York Giants, and the first to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He played defensive
halfback and safety, and by his retirement in 1962 he held the record for interceptions, interception return yards, punt returns, and punt return yards. Tunnell died from a heart attack at just 51. Our travels take us now to Sunset Memorial Park in Feasterville. Here lies Gia Carangi, known as one of the world’s first supermodels. She would be featured on the covers of major fashion magazines like Vogue, and model for fashion houses like Armani and Versace. After becoming addicted to heroin her career declined. At the age of 26 she died from complications of HIV/AIDS,
believed to have been contracted through a contaminated needle. She was one of the first famous women to die of the disease. Her story was dramatized by Angelina Jolie in the film Gia. In Rose Hill Cemetery in Altoona we find a name synonymous with Hollywood gossip: Hedda Hopper. She began her career as an actress in the silent era, but when her acting career waned in the 30s, she turned to writing. Her newspaper column and radio show would focus on Hollywood gossip.
At the height of her influence in the 40s, she had a readership of 35 million, and her rumor mill would make her one of the most feared and sometimes hated women in Hollywood. At the dawn of television, she began making appearances on shows, often as herself, and even made an appearance as herself in the noir classic, Sunset Blvd. She died of pneumonia at age 80. We’re at Union Hill Cemetery, in Kennett Square. Here lies Linda Darnell. In the 30s she was Hollywood’s youngest leading lady, and would come to be known for her frequent on-screen collaboration with Tyrone Power, like in The Mark of Zorro, and Blood and Sand. She’s also remembered for starring alongside Robert Newton in Blackbeard the Pirate, and she won critical acclaim for her starring role in Forever Amber. In that film her
character survived the Great Fire of London… tragic foreshadowing of Linda’s own fate. In 1965 she was staying at the home of a friend in Illinois when a fire broke out. She was trapped on the second floor, and suffered burns over 80% of her body. Linda died at the hospital a short time later. She was 41. Rolling along we reach Longwood Cemetery.
Here is the grave of Bayard Taylor. He was a popular poet and writer of the 19th century, his poetry readings commanding audiences in the thousands. He was also famous for his travelogues, a predecessor to the modern travel vlogger on YouTube. Taylor is also credited with writing America’s first gay novel in 1870, titled Joseph and His Friend: A Story of Pennsylvania. He died while visiting Berlin, at the age of 53. Next up is Westminster Presbyterian Cemetery in Mifflintown.
Here we find the grave of Nancy Kulp. She’s best remembered, as alluded to here on her marker, for playing Jane Hathaway in over 200 episodes of The Beverly Hillbillies in the 60s and 70s. The role earned her an Emmy nomination. She appeared in many of the other great
shows of the era, and in films like Shane and The Parent Trap. And you fans of the Aristocats will remember her as the voice of Frou-Frou. Nancy died from cancer at age 69. We’re on the grounds of the Pearl S. Buck House, formerly known as the Green Hills Farm, a National Landmark. Here lies its namesake, Pearl S. Buck. She was an author and social reformer, known for being the first American woman to receive the Nobel Prize in Literature, "for her rich and truly epic descriptions of peasant life in China and for her biographical masterpieces." This
included her best-selling novel, The Good Earth. Her writings were strongly influenced by her time growing up in China, and she would later become an advocate for women’s rights, and minority rights, advocating in particular for Asians, and on behalf of mixed-race adoption. Pearl died from lung cancer at age 80. Her stone was designed by herself, featuring her name in Chinese. This is King David Memorial Park in Bensalem. Here lies Nancy Spungen. She was a prominent figure in the 70s punk rock scene – the girlfriend of Sex Pistols bassist, Sid Vicious. The two spiraled
into drug abuse. On October 12, 1978, Nancy’s body was found under the sink of their Hotel Chelsea bathroom. She had a fatal stab wound to her abdomen. Sid Vicious was arrested and charged with her murder, but out on bail, he died from a drug overdose before the trial could take place. Our next stop is Mount Lawn Cemetery in Sharon Hill. This is where Hank Gathers is laid to rest. Hank was a college basketball star, leading the NCAA in both scoring and rebounds in 1988-89, playing for the Loyola Marymount Lions. He was also a two-time MVP. But in his senior year, Hank was diagnosed with an abnormal heartbeat after collapsing during a game.
He began to take medication for the issue, but he collapsed again during the semi-finals of the 1990 WCC Tournament. Hank was taken to the hospital where he was pronounced dead at just 23. His number 44 has since been retired by the Lions. Moving on now, our cemetery strolls take us to Rolling Green Memorial Park in West Goshen. Here lies legendary actress and singer, Pearl Bailey. During the war she toured the country with the USO, entertaining troops.
After the war she began appearing on Broadway, and would go on to win a special Tony Award for the title role in the all-black production of Hello Dolly! On TV she won an Emmy for the ABC Afterschool Special, “Cindy Eller: A Modern Fairy Tale,” and even hosted her own variety show in 1971. On the big screen she can be seen as Maria in Porgy and Bess, Frankie in Carmen Jones, and was the voice of Big Mama in the Fox and the Hound. In 1976 she became the first African-American woman to receive the Screen Actor’s Guild Life Achievement Award. Pearl died from arteriosclerosis at age 72. Next we visit nearby Oaklands Cemetery to find one of my favorite composers, Samuel Barber.
He was one of the most celebrated composers of the 20th Century, penning symphonies, operas, chamber and choral works, and more, winning two Pulitzer Prizes along the way. His best-known work is his Adagio for Strings, which debuted in 1938. It’s notable for its pathos and cathartic passion. The emotion of the piece has made it a perfect backdrop for heart-wrenching moments on screen, making an appearance in dozens of film and television productions, like Platoon.
Barber died from cancer at age 70. He arranged for the plot next to him to be reserved for his life-long partner, fellow composer Gian Carlo Menotti, with the proviso that if Gian Carlo ended up buried elsewhere (he is in fact in Scotland), that a marker that reads “To the Memory of Two Friends” be placed here. This is the grave of Dorothy Page, at Allen Union Cemetery.
She has the distinction of being Hollywood’s first “singing cowgirl.” She would play that singing cowgirl in three films in the late 30s: Water Rustlers, Ride ‘Em Cowgirl, and The Singing Cowgirl. Grand National pictures staked their entire fate on the success of these films, but the films were not enough to save the studio, which went under in 1939. Dorothy retired from acting at the same time. She passed from cancer at age 57.
We’re in Shenandoah, Pennsylvania, and Annunciation Blessed Virgin Mary Cemetery. In these grounds is a big band legend by the name of Jimmy Dorsey. He played the saxophone and clarinet, and was the brother of another big band legend who we visited in New York, Tommy Dorsey. The brothers played together for a time before having a falling out,
and leading their own respective bands. Jimmy Dorsey and his Orchestra found great success, Jimmy becoming particularly renowned for his unparalleled skills on the clarinet and saxophone. They would accompany greats like Bing Crosby, release numerous hit records, and even appear in movies like Hollywood Canteen. Jimmy was 53 when he died from throat cancer.
Shawnee Presbyterian Church is our next stop, where we find the grave of another bandleader, Fred Waring. His band, Waring’s Pennsylvanians was a popular band in the 30s through the 50s, selling millions of records. During this time, he also had his own musical variety show, The Fred Waring Show, both on radio and television. He was known particularly
for his choral work, and beginning in the 40s, organized a choral workshop to teach singing. Waring would come to be known as “the man who taught America how to sing.” He was also an entrepreneur, providing financial backing for the first modern electric blender on the market, dubbed the Waring blender. Fred Waring died after suffering a stroke at age 84. Not far from here is Laurelwood Cemetery, where rests Walter Burke. The distinctive Irish-American character actor was a familiar face on film and television in the 50s and 60s. He played Sugar Boy in All the King’s Men, and made appearances on just about every major TV show of the era, like Bewitched, The Munsters, Perry Mason, and Gunsmoke.
Later in life he would teach acting, and passed away from emphysema at age 75. This is Shreiner’s Cemetery in Lancaster. Here is the tomb of Thaddeus Stevens. He was a congressman during the Civil War era. A fierce opponent of slavery and discrimination against African-Americans, he pressured President Abraham Lincoln to free the slaves during the Civil War and then pushed through the 13th Amendment, abolishing slavery. After the war,
during Reconstruction, he continued to fight for the rights of African Americans and freed slaves, with the 14th Amendment, which guaranteed citizenship and equal protection under the law. Thaddeus Stevens died from various stomach ailments, at the age of 76. After his death, his body lay in state in the Capitol rotunda – the guard of honor protecting his casket consisting entirely of Black soldiers. Stevens chose this burial spot because it admitted all races… rare in those days. The inscription reads: I repose in this quiet and secluded spot, not from any natural preference for solitude, But, finding other Cemeteries limited as to race by Charter Rules, I have chosen this that I might illustrate in my death, The Principles which I advocated through a long life: EQUALITY OF MAN BEFORE HIS CREATOR.
This lovely churchyard is at Robeson Lutheran Church in Plowville. Here we find a distinctive monument to John Updike. He was a noted author of the post-war era who published dozens of novels, short-story collections, and books of poetry over his career. His most famous work is his “Rabbit” series of novels, chronicling the life of a middle-class everyman from young adulthood, to death. He won two Pulitzer Prizes for the series. He’s also known for The Witches of Eastwick, adapted
on stage, film, and television. Updike died from lung cancer at age 76. Two years after his death a portion of his ashes was interred here, beneath this unique stone carved by his son. We’re making our way west across Pennsylvania now, to the sweetest sounding cemetery in the world: Hershey Cemetery. As the name of this cemetery and town indicate, this is where Milton Hershey
is laid to rest. As a confectioner he pioneered the manufacture of caramel, using fresh milk. But it was another tasty treat for which Hershey would become known. In the 19th century, milk chocolate was a luxury item. Through trial and error, Hershey created his
own formula for milk chocolate, and in 1900, began producing Hershey chocolate bars for the masses. This would be the first time many Americans had ever tasted chocolate. Hershey’s chocolate proved so popular he was able to build his own town around the industry, including a school, and theme park. Hershey died from pneumonia at age 88. If you saw our food-lovers special, you’ll recall that another name familiar to those of you with a sweet tooth is buried here: a man I’m eternally grateful for, having created, in my mind, the greatest confectionery in the history of mankind. Meet H.B. Reese. Yep,
that Reese, as in Reese’s. Harry Reese was working at the Hershey factory when he began experimenting with his own tasty treats, eventually forming his own company in 1923. Among the various products he made was a 1928 concoction called the peanut butter cup. It soon rose to the top of the ranks in popularity, becoming so popular in fact Reese’s eventually discontinued its other lines, to keep up with demand for the peanut butter cups. Reese’s is now a subsidiary of Hershey’s, and has become the best-selling candy brand in the US. Harry Burnette Reese died from a heart attack at age 76. Thank you, Mr. Reese.
We’ve arrived now in Pittsburgh, and Allegheny Cemetery. Here lies Don Brockett. He’s best remembered as a friendly neighborhood chef, as Chef Brockett in Mister Roger’s Neighborhood, in over 100 episodes. Don also had bit parts in films like Flashdance, and Day of the Dead, as a featured zombie. Brockett died of a heart attack at 65. Let’s follow the signs to our next stop here at Allegheny: the grave of Josh Gibson, considered one of the great power hitters and catchers in baseball history. He played primarily in the Negro leagues, sometimes called the black Babe Ruth. Gibson never played in the major leagues, since non-whites were prevented from doing so at that time. In 1972
he would become the second Negro League player inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame. In his 30s he was diagnosed with a brain tumor, and died after suffering a stroke at just 35. This is Homewood Cemetery in Pittsburgh. Here lies Erroll Garner. He ranks among the great jazz pianists and composers of the 20th century. He had a hit in the ballad, “Misty,”
which would inspire the Clint Eastwood film, Play Misty for me. And Garner’s live album, Concert by the Sea, sold over a million copies. Erroll Garner died of cardiac arrest at age 55. If you’re like me, you can’t eat fries or a hot dog without ketchup. The biggest name in that red king of condiment is Heinz. Meet its namesake, Henry J. Heinz. After failing in a horseradish venture, Heinz tried his hand at tomato ketchup and other condiments, releasing Heinz Tomato Ketchup in 1876. Heinz now ranks number one for ketchup in the US. Heinz was also involved in the passage of the Pure Food and Drug Act in 1906. He died from pneumonia at 74.
Let’s head now to Calvary Cemetery. Meet Mary Lou Williams, a renowned pianist and composer, sometimes called “the first lady of the jazz keyboard.” She wrote hundreds of compositions and arrangements for other legends like Duke Ellington and Benny Goodman. Mary Lou is considered a female pioneer in the big band world, writing and arranging in an age when such was principally the role of men.
She would even mentor the next generation of greats, like Thelonious Monk, and Dizzy Gillespie. Among her best-known works is the Zodiac Suite. Mary Lou died from cancer at age 71. Also here at Calvary is a legendary comedian and Batman foe, Frank Gorshin. He was best-known in his day as an impressionist, frequently appearing on The Ed Sullivan Show, but today audiences remember him best as The Riddler in the Batman series in the 60s. The role earned him an Emmy nomination. “Riddle me this, crime fighter.
What room can no one enter?” A mushroom… well, unless you’re a Smurf. Frank can be seen in films like Bells are Ringing, and his final role was playing George Burns in the one-man play, Say Goodnight, Gracie. He died from lung cancer at age 72. Our last Pennsylvania stop takes us all the way to the western border, in Sharon. This is where Ty Longley is laid to rest. He was a guitar player for a number of bands, including Great White, which he joined in 2000. The band was playing at The Station nightclub in February 2003,
when the venue caught fire from pyrotechnics. 230 people were injured and 100 people perished in the fire, including 31-year-old Ty. He was the only member of the band to die in the fire, after reportedly going back into the venue to retrieve his guitar. Let’s double back east to Delaware now, and Odd Fellows Cemetery. Here we find a cenotaph to
one of Hollywood’s tough leading men, Robert Mitchum. From noir films to westerns, he was known to be charming and menacing at once. He rose to prominence with an Oscar-nominated performance in The Story of G.I. Joe in 1945. He would follow this up with a string of popular films, like Out
of the Past, and Cape Fear. Today Mitchum ranks among the greatest male stars of classic cinema. He died from lung cancer at age 79, after which he was cremated, his ashes scattered at sea. This marker was later placed here in his memory. Crossing the border west brings us into Maryland. We’ll begin here at Prospect Hill Cemetery. In these grounds is a legendary performer named Harris Glenn Milstead, better known as “Divine.” Closely associated with filmmaker John Waters, and the counterculture, Milstead was a character actor, singer, and usually performing in female roles, adopted a female drag persona. Among Divine’s best-known performances are in 1972s Pink Flamingos,
and 1988s Hairspray. Divine also had a successful singing career, touring clubs and releasing a number of albums. But shortly after the release of Hairspray, he died in his sleep of heart failure. He was just 42. Divine remains a cult figure, particularly within the LGBT community, and was even visual inspiration for Ursula in The Little Mermaid. Old Saint Mary’s Catholic Church Cemetery is in Rockville. Here lies F. Scott Fitzgerald, an author, the best-known chronicler of the flamboyance and
excesses of the Jazz Age – a term he popularized. This is perhaps best reflected in his 1925 novel, The Great Gatsby. It was actually a commercial failure in its day, but has since come to be hailed as the Great American Novel. It would also inspire a number of film adaptations. Fitzgerald was just 44 when he died of a heart attack. He rests here with his wife Zelda, canonized as the first American flapper – a prominent emblem of the Jazz Age. “So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.”
Let’s head to Mount Olivet Cemetery in Frederick to find the namesake and distant cousin of F. Scott Fitzgerald, a man who gave America its national anthem, Francis Scott Key. During the war of 1812, Key observed the British bombardment of Fort McHenry in 1814. The following dawn, Key was able to see the American flag still waving, and later wrote a poem about the experience, titled “Defense of Fort McHenry,” published later that year.
It would then be set to John Stafford Smith’s tune, “To Anacreon in Heaven.” The song grew in popularity, and by the eras of the Mexican-American War and the Civil War, had become the de facto national anthem. “The Star-Spangled Banner” was officially adopted as the American national anthem more than a century later, by an act of Congress in 1931. This is Saint Paul’s Kent Churchyard in Chestertown, where we find Tallulah Bankhead. She’s known particularly as a stage actress, both in London and New York, with award-winning performances in plays like The Little Foxes, and The Skin of Our Teeth. But she also had notable film roles, like in Hitchcock’s Lifeboat, and her final role appearing as Black Widow on television’s Batman. Tallulah was also a tabloid favorite, speaking openly about her vices,
and relationships, with both men and women, and was notoriously uninhibited at social gatherings. The outrageous Miss Talllulah Bankhead passed away from pneumonia at age 66. This mausoleum is located at Lorraine Park Cemetery in Woodlawn. Here is the crypt of Mildred
Natwick. Her career began on Broadway, where she would twice be nominated for a Tony award, then catching the eye of filmmakers like John Ford and Alfred Hitchcock, would appear in movies like The Quiet Man and The Trouble with Harry. She was nominated for an Academy Award for her performance in the 1967 film, Barefoot in the Park. Mildred would also win an Emmy for her role in The Snoop Sisters. She died from cancer at age 89. Where are we headed to next, John Denver? “To the place I belong, West Virginia…” The country roads that run through Hollywood Graveyard have taken us to West Virginia.
This is Rosewood Cemetery in Lewisburg. In the mausoleum we come on down to the final resting place of Johnny Olson. As a television personality and announcer, Johnny is best remembered for his work on gameshows. He was a longtime announcer for shows like To Tell the Truth, and What’s My Line?, but is perhaps best-remembered today as the original announcer for The Price is Right. He held that role until his death in 1985, making famous the exuberant delivery of that iconic line, “Come On Down!” “Come on down! You’re the next contestant on The Price is Right.” Johnny Olson died after suffering a stroke at age 75.
Our last West Virginia stop is Queens Meadow Point Cemetery in Keyser. This little guy here gives us a clue as to who we’ll find here. Meet Jack Rollins. As a songwriter he wrote tunes aimed toward children, like “Here Comes Peter Cottontail,” and “Smokey the Bear,” but his biggest claim to fame would certainly have to be “Frosty the Snowman,” which he co-wrote with Steve Nelson. The song has become a Christmas standard, and that jolly happy soul has been brought to life on screen numerous times. Jack lived to be 66.
Goodbye West Virginia, hello Virginia. This is Hollywood Cemetery. No, we’re not back in California, this Hollywood Cemetery overlooks the James River and Richmond here in Virginia, and is one of the truly magnificent funerary gems not just on the east coast, but in all of America. Resting in this ornate gothic revival cage, sometimes called the bird cage, we find a president: James Monroe. He was a founding father, who served as the 5th president of the United States, from 1817-1825. He’s perhaps best remembered for issuing the Monroe Doctrine, which opposed European colonialism in the Americas, and asserted US dominance in the hemisphere. He also signed the Missouri Compromise,
and secured Florida from Spain. Monroe died on July 4, 1831 from heart failure and tuberculosis. This would make him, if you can believe it, the third president of the first five to die on Independence Day, after Thomas Jefferson and John Adams. Woodland Cemetery is also here in Richmond. Here we find legendary tennis player, Arthur Ashe. He’s world renowned as the first black male tennis champion. He won singles titles at the US Open,
the Australian Open, and Wimbledon, and doubles at the French Open and Australian Open, and was also the first black player selected to the US national team. In 1983 Arthur Ashe underwent heart bypass surgery. In the process he was given a transfusion of blood contaminated with HIV. Years later he would publicly announce that he had AIDS, and worked to educate society about the disease, and advocate for a cure. He died from AIDS-related pneumonia at just 49. He was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Heading south we reach Blandford Cemetery. Here we find husband and wife, Patricia Medina and Joseph Cotton. Actress Patricia Medina was
an exotic beauty, remembered for roles in films like Phantom of the Rue Morgue, and for playing the Queen in Snow White and the Three Stooges. She was married to Joseph Cotten, an actor remembered for his frequent collaboration with Orson Welles, in films like Citizen Kane, The Magnificent Ambersons, and The Third Man. He also achieved prominence on Broadway, starring in original stage productions of The Philadelphia Story, and Sabrina Fair. On television he’d make appearances in shows like The Alfred Hitchcock Hour, and General Electric Theater. Joseph Cotten died from pneumonia at age 88. Let’s turn the compass north again and head to Shenandoah Memorial Park.
The entrance of this cemetery is dedicated to its most famous occupant, the velvet-voiced Patsy Cline. She’s considered one of the most influential vocalists of the 20th century, one of the first country music artists to cross over into the popular mainstream. She had her first hit, “Walkin’ After Midnight,” after performing it on a television variety show. Throughout the early 60s she’d have a string of hits, on both the country and pop music charts, like “Crazy,” “She’s Got You,” and “I Fall to Pieces.” On March 3, 1963, Patsy performed a benefit concert in Kansas. Due to fog, she was unable
to fly out the next day. She declined a 16-hour car ride to her next destination, Nashville, saying “When it’s my time to go, it’s my time.” She boarded a plane to Nashville on March 5th… it never made it. The plane crashed in a Tennessee forest due to heavy weather.
Patsy died on impact at the age of 30. A decade later she would be the first woman inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame, and later a film would be made about her life, titled Sweet Dreams. Her marker here reads “Death cannot kill what never dies: Love.” The last cemetery we’ll visit today is Arlington, America’s national cemetery. In these grounds are buried the countless heroes who served their country. All gave some, some gave all. And while our focus tends to be on artists and entertainers, during our time
here today we’ll find notable historical figures and American heroes from all walks of life. Our first stop here was one of the most famous and highly decorated combat soldiers from WWII, Audie Murphy. After the attack on Pearl Harbor, 17-year-old Audie falsified his age to join the army. He trained in north Africa, and saw action in Italy, and France. By the time he was 21 he received every American combat award, including the Medal of Honor, which he earned after ordering his men to fall back, and single-handedly holding off a squad of advancing Germans with a machine gun. After the war, already a national celebrity for his war heroism, he was encouraged to try
acting. He would appear in around 50 productions, including To Hell and Back in 1955, which was a biopic about his own life. After the war he also suffered from PTSD, and advocated for increased awareness and healthcare for veterans. In 1971 Audie was killed when the private plane he was a passenger in crashed into a mountain outside of Roanoke, VA during conditions of poor visibility. Audie was 45, and his grave is the second-most visited here at Arlington, after JFK.
This is Ira Hayes. You may not know his name, but I guarantee you’ve seen his picture. He was a United States Marine of Native American ancestry, who was one of six marines featured in the iconic Raising the Flag on Iwo Jima photograph. This is Hayes here on the left. Tragically, three of those six men would die in battle on that very island within a month of that photo. Hayes survived the war, but suffering from PTSD,
fell into alcoholism, and died of exposure and alcohol poisoning in 1955 at age 32. There are two presidents buried here, the most famous being John F. Kennedy, resting next to an eternal flame. He served as the 35th president of the United States, from 1961 to 1963, the youngest man elected to the office. “And so, my fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for you. Ask what you can do for your country.”
He came into office at the height of the cold war, and many of his efforts were in easing tensions with the Soviet Union and Cuba. He also fought for civil rights, and championed the space programs and efforts to reach the moon. But it all came to a tragic end when Kennedy was killed by an assassin’s bullet while riding in a car through Dallas Texas. Kennedy was 46, his death sending the country into a state of shock and mourning.
Though he didn’t serve a full term, Kennedy generally ranks highly among presidents. After his death, congress enacted many of his proposals, including the Civil Rights Act, which outlaws discrimination based on race, color, religion, or sexual orientation. Resting alongside John is his wife, first lady Jacqueline Kennedy. She was a very popular first
lady, endearing herself to the public with her fashion sense, devotion to her family, and dedication to the historic preservation of the White House. She also contributed to the National Endowment for the Arts, and Humanities. She’s regarded today as one of the most influential figures of the 20th century. Jackie died from lymphoma at the age of 64.
In humanity’s efforts to break the bonds of gravity and reach toward the stars, we have sometimes faltered, to tragic ends. This is the grave of Captain Michael Smith. He was an astronaut, the pilot of the Space Shuttle Challenger when it took off for its 10th flight on January 28, 1986. It had been an unseasonably cold morning, which caused O-ring seals to fail on the solid rocket boosters. The broken seals led to gas leaks during takeoff, and Challenger
exploded 73 seconds into its flight, killing all seven crewmembers aboard, including Smith. It was the first fatal accident involving American spacecraft in flight. Captain Smith was 40. This gravestone reads “Ginsburg.” You know who she is… the notorious RBG, Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. She served on the nation’s highest court from 1993 until her death in 2020.
Ginsburg was the first Jewish woman and the second woman to serve on the court. She spent much of her career advocating for gender equality and women’s rights. She’s perhaps the only justice to ever become a pop culture icon. After passing away at age 87, she became the first female government official to lay in state in the Capitol. Another supreme court justice rests just a few rows away. Here lies Thurgood Marshall. He was the court’s first African-American justice, and served on the court from 1967 to 1991. Before that
he successfully argued cases before the supreme court, including Brown v. Board of Education, which in 1954 determined that racial segregation in public schools was unconstitutional, and opened the doors for the Civil Rights Movement. Marshall died of heart failure at age 84. Let’s find another civil rights leader resting here, Medgar Evers. After the war,
the decorated combat veteran engaged in efforts to overturn segregation in Mississippi, and enforce voting rights for African Americans. He worked for the NAACP to investigate lynchings, and boycott Jim Crow segregation. His efforts drew the ire of white nationalist groups, and he was under constant threat of violence and death. On June 12, 1963, Evers was shot and killed by a white supremacist in the driveway of his Mississippi home, at just 37. Medgar Evers was buried here with full military honors.
A number of folks in these grounds lived to entertain us as well as serve their country. Take actor Charles Durning for example. He was nominated for two Academy Awards in his career, for The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, and To Be or Not to Be. Some of his more memorable roles include as a corrupt cop in The Sting, Pappy O’Daniel in O Brother, Where Art Thou?, and as Doc Hopper in The Muppet Movie. “I’m a great businessman and a sweet fella, but I do lack the skills of a performer.” “You also make a lousy frog.”
“You, on the other hand, make a terrific frog!” During WWII he served in the army, and was among the first wave of troops that landed on Omaha Beach during the invasion of Normandy. Durning lived to be 89, passing away on Christmas eve, 2012. Next we find the grave of Constance Bennett. She was a major Hollywood star during the 20s and 30s, being at one time the highest-paid actress in Hollywood. She had leading roles in films like What Price Hollywood? and Bed of Roses. She also had a prominent supporting role in Greta
Garbo’s final film, Two-Faced Woman. Constance died from a cerebral hemorrhage at age 60. Another Hollywood legend here at Arlington is Jackie Cooper. He has the distinction of being the youngest performer ever nominated for an Academy Award for best actor. At just 9 years old he was nominated for his performance in the 1931 film, Skippy. Later in life he would become well-known to another generation of viewers,
playing Perry White in the four Superman films of the 70s and 80s. Cooper served in the Navy during WWII, and remained in the reserves until 1982. He lived to be 88. This is the grave of Jane “Poni” Adams. She began her career as a model, which is when she was given the unique moniker of “Poni.” As an actress she’s perhaps best-remembered for her role as
the sympathetic hunchback nurse, Nina, in House of Dracula. She’s also remembered for roles in very early DC Comics adaptations, including as Vicki Vale in Batman and Robin, and Babette in Adventures of Superman. Jane lived to be 95. Whenever Hollywood needed a hard-nosed and brash military officer, they would call on their favorite drill sergeant, The Gunny, R. Lee
Ermey. As a real-life Marine Corps Sergeant, he began his movie career as a technical advisor on films like Apocalypse Now, and Full Metal Jacket. While working as advisor on Full Metal Jacket he caught the eye of director Stanley Kubrick, who was so impressed with him, he fired the actor hired to play the role of Gunnery Sergeant Hartman in the film, and gave the role to Ermey. It would become his defining role, and he even wrote or improvised many of his own lines.
He won critical acclaim for the role, and would later mirror it in The Frighteners. “What in the hell are you doing in my graveyard? You have been told to stay away. Sound off like you’ve got a pair!” You can also hear that authoritative voice in Toy Story, as Sarge. Ermey died from pneumonia at age 74.
From Hollywood, to outer space, this is the grave of John Glenn. He was a fighter pilot, astronaut, and US. Senator, best remembered as the third American in space, and the first American to orbit the earth, circling it three times in 1962. He later served as a senator for Ohio. John Glenn lived to be 95. Earlier we remembered the Challenger disaster. In 2003, NASA suffered its second major shuttle disaster. During takeoff of space shuttle Columbia, a piece of insulating foam broke off
and struck the left wing of the orbiter. As the shuttle carried out its two-week mission in orbit, NASA decided that the foam strike likely wasn’t an issue, and even if it was, there was nothing that could be done about it. The crew was informed, but told it was of no concern for reentry. On February 1 Columbia reentered Earth’s atmosphere, making its way back home. The damage to the left wing allowed hot gasses to penetrate the heat shield, which caused the spacecraft to become unstable and break apart. All 7 crew members were killed, and debris from the shuttle rained down across Texas and Louisiana.
Three of Columbia’s crew are buried side by side here at Arlington: Mission specialists Michael P. Anderson, Laurel Clark, and David Brown. Let’s make our way to section 7A… oh, hello Mr. Squirrel. Here is the grave of Joe Louis. Known as the Brown Bomber, Louis is widely regarded as one of the greatest boxers of all time. He reigned as Heavyweight Champion from 1937 to 1949, the longest single reign as champion of any boxer in history. One of his most famous bouts, indeed one of the most significant in boxing history, was a re-match against German fighter Max Schmeling. In
1936 Louis lost to Schmeling, and though Schmeling wasn’t a Nazi, Nazi officials used this as proof of their doctrine of Aryan superiority. A re-match was set in 1938, with Nazi publicists claiming a black man could never beat Schmeling, and the prize money would be used to build German tanks. Louis knew he was fighting not only for himself, but his country. The fight lasted just two minutes and four seconds, Louis bombarding Schmeling with a barrage of swift attacks. Schmeling was knocked down three times, after which his trainer threw in the towel, giving victory to Joe Louis. The historic significance of this event is that it was the first time many white Americans openly cheered for a black man against a white opponent, making Joe Louis America’s very first black national hero. He died from cardiac arrest at age 66.
Next to Louis is the great actor, Lee Marvin. He’s remembered for lead roles as tough-guy characters, in films like The Dirty Dozen, as well as comedies like Cat Ballou, which earned him an Oscar for best actor. On television he’s remembered for his starring role as Detective Lt. Ballinger on M Squad. During the war, young Lee joined the Marines, serving in the Pacific Theater. He died after suffering a heart attack at age 63.
Another of Hollywood’s biggest legends who rests here is the one and only Maureen O’Hara, known as the Queen of Technicolor. She was born in Ireland, and found success in Hollywood in the 40s through the 60s. She’s particularly known for her association with filmmaker John Ford, and appearing alongside John Wayne, in films like Rio Grande, and The Quiet Man. “Some bold one you are. And who gave you leave to be kissin’ me?” “So you can talk?” “Yes I can, I will, and I do. And it’s more than talk you’ll be getting if you step a step closer to me!”
Other memorable films include the Christmas classic, Miracle on 34th Street, and the Disney classic, The Parent Trap. In 2014 Maureen was given an Honorary Academy Award, and still ranks among Hollywood’s brightest stars. She lived to be 95. For our last stop here, we find this unassuming marker in the shade of a tree, dedicated to Glenn Miller. He was one of the leading figures of the big band era, a trombonist, composer,
and band leader. He would be the best-selling artist from 1939 to 1942, scoring more to-10 hits than Elvis or the Beatles would in their careers. In 1942 Miller volunteered to join the US Military to entertain troops during WWII, playing with the American Air Force Band. In entertaining the
troops overseas, Glenn Miller gave hope to weary, war-torn servicemen, playing for them the songs they danced to with their sweethearts back home, like “In the Mood,” and “Moonlight Serenade.” On December 15, 1944, while flying to Paris, Miller’s aircraft disappeared without a trace in bad weather over the English Channel. Neither the aircraft nor Miller’s body were ever recovered. He was 40, and was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star. This memorial marker was placed here in his honor. Glenn Miller was portrayed by Jimmy Stewart in the 1954 film about his life. While there are countless more notable figures in these grounds, our time for today is at an end. Let’s conclude our tour in solemn remembrance of all those who served,
and paid the ultimate price for freedom. Thanks for watching.
2022-02-15 11:09
