As New York City and it's environs have provided a home and working place for many notables of the screen in the past, so has it provided final resting places. These cemeteries can boast big name permanent residents like Joan Crawford, Judy Garland, Gary Cooper, Jimmy Cagney, Basil Rathbone and Edward G Robinson as well as lower echelon stars and cult faves like Montgomery Clift, Frank Morgan, Nita Naldi, William S Hart and Paul Robeson. Behind the scene artists like Preston Sturges, Lorenz Hart and Harold Arlen can be found here as well as one writer who will forever be associated with Hollywood and the craziness of moviemaking; Nathanael West. Some have come to their end here while others passed away elsewhere and made their final voyage home here. Yet like the many gravesites in and around the Hollywood area there is a cross section of the best and not-so-best that the movies had to offer.
It has often been mentioned that when L Frank Baum wrote about the Wonderful Land of Oz he was describing a fantasist vision of New York City. New York City is often referred to as simply NY. In the alphabet, N is one letter back from O and Y is one letter back from Z. Hence, OZ is NY. The dismal THE WIZ (1978) used NY as Oz. In the NY/Oz area can be found the burial sites of six (count 'em, six) people (I've discovered to date) who were connected with the 1939 classic (and, as some purists will argue, only) version of the Baum fairy tale. Just north of this emerald (well, one can pretend) metropolis is Dorothy herself, Judy Garland (1922-1969). Ferncliff Cemetery is in Westchester County. Although she was born Francis Gumm her crypt #31 of Unit 9, Alcove HH of the Ferncliff Mausoleum identifies her by her professional name. It is one crypt that constantly has flowers placed in front of it by admirers. Also in Ferncliff, in grave 1666, is the composer Harold Arlen, born Hyman Arluck (1905-1986). Arlen's most famous song is 'Somewhere Over the Rainbow,' with lyrics by E Y Harburg. In the borough of Queens in Union Field Cemetery rests the Cowardly Lion; Bert Lahr, born Irving Lahrheim (1895-1967). His tombstone indicates the day he died, Dec 4, and the words 'Beloved Husband and Father.' In yet another borough, Brooklyn, in Greenwood Cemetery is the Wizard himself; Frank Morgan (1890-1949). He is buried in the family plot identified as 'Wupperman.' Glinda, the Good Witch, in the personae of Billie Burke, born Mary William Ethelbert Appleton Burke (1884-1970), is buried in Kensico Cemetery of Valhalla, New York. The stone also bears the name Ziegfeld, her married name. Last of this batch; the Wicked Witch of the West herself, Margaret Hamilton (born 1902), is buried in the East. This Ohio-born actress and former Kindergarten teacher passed away on May 16, 1985 in Salisbury, CT. Two days later she was cremated in the Poughkeepsie Rural Cemetery and her ashes spread over her property in Dutchess County, Amenia, New York. Appropriate, thought I, for one who's character met her demise by having water tossed on her and was actually seriously burned during the shooting of the scene, to have been cremated. L Frank Baum, incidently, is buried far from his land of OZ/NY, in Forrest Lawn (Glendale), California.
Most large active cemeteries are proud of their more famous residents and are willing to provide directories and directions to plots and crypts. Select European cemeteries, like Paris' Père LaChaise, have large billboard directories placed around the grounds. Others, like London's Highgate and Golders Green, will provide a printed document. Most are given free of charge. To the celeb grave finder in the New York area, a stop in the main office will result in a printed listing, a map of the grounds and specific directions. Most do not mind photographs. Others insist on family permission to visit crypts. Once on the premises the grounds personnel will help with pinpointing permanent residents.
Along with Judy Garland and Harold Arlen, Ferncliff's main mausoleum boasts several other unique personalities. Mommie Dearest herself; Joan Crawford (1904-1977, born Lucille LeSur) and her last husband Alfred M Steele are in unit 8, alcove E, crypt 42. Along with her portrayals of characters like Mildred Pierce she will be remembered for her characterizations in films like WHATEVER HAPPENED TO BABY JANE (1962), STRAIT-JACKET (1964) and TROG (1970)--her final screen appearance, and TV's 'Night Gallery.' Two victims of tragic death rest not far away, Ona Munson (1906-1955) and Lya DePutti (1899-1931). Ona Munson is well remembered as the scandalous Belle Watling in GONE WITH THE WIND (1939). After swallowing a fatal dose of sleeping pills she left a note next to the empty box urging, "Please don't follow me." Hungarian born Lya De Putti of such classic German films like VARIETY (1925) and American classic films like THE SORROWS OF SATAN (1926) came to an unfortunate end as the results of a chicken bone that had lodged in her throat. She has recently become the subject of an biography by Peter Herzog and Romano Tozzi titled; Lya DePutti, Loving Life and Not Fearing Death.
Ferncliff mausoleum also contains 'Mr Rock & Roll' Alan Freed, Mr 'Really Big Show' Business Ed Sullivan and 'Tol'able David' Richard Barthelmess. In unit 6, tier A, Col A, N1 is a small crypt with the name 'Conrad Veidt' engraved on it. Veidt, who was born in Germany in 1893 and died in Hollywood in 1943, has recently been the subject of a couple of biographies. This mini monument to Cesare of THE CABINET OF DR CALIGARI (1919), as well as featured player of WAXWORKS (1924), THE HANDS OF ORLAC (1924), THE MAN WHO LAUGHS (1928), THE THIEF OF BAGDAD (1940) and CASABLANCA (1942) bears no birth or death dates on it. From information kindly provided by the Ferncliff Cemetery Association he was disinterred and 'mailed to California on December 2, 1980' (their exact explaination). The inscription was kept on his niche as a memorial. Half of the Vaudeville team Weber and Fields, Lew Fields (1867-1941), also rest in this mausoleum. Reportedly they were together from ages 8 to 63 dressed in checkered suits, told the corniest jokes and had only one argument between them.
Born to British parents in Johannesburg South Africa Basil Rathbone's (1892-1967) remains rest in Ferncliff's other, and newer mausoleum called the Shrine of Memories. His wife, Ouida Bergere, rests with him. Not far from this mausoleum in the Maplewood 4 Garden section of the cemetery is Preston Sturges (born Edmund P Biden, 1898-1959). This auteur of films such as THE GREAT McGINTY (1940), SULLIVAN'S TRAVELS (1941) and THE LADY EVE (1941) occupies plot number 74. At one time it was declared in Hollywood that as a director he was second only to Frank Capra. In the end of his life he was preparing his autobiography. He began it with an epitaph:
Now I've laid me down to die, I pray my neighbors not to pry too deeply into sins that I not only cannot here deny but much enjoyed as life flew by.
In another section; Hillcrest A, plot 1511 is Paul Robeson. The commemorative stone of THE EMPEROR JONES (1933) and singer of 'Old Man River' in SHOWBOAT (1936) has inscribed on it; 'The artist must select to fight for freedom or slavery. I have made my choice. I had no other alternative.' Nearby in the Pinewood B section is a bronze plaque that identifies an El-Haji Malik El Shabazz (1925-1965). He began his life as Malcolm Little. Recently he was the subject of a major Spike Lee movie as what he was better known as; Malcolm X.
Further north near the town of Valhalla is the Gate of Heaven cemetery. One of the more recent arrivals is Jimmy Cagney (1899-1986). This energetic star of THE PUBLIC ENEMY (1931), ANGELS WITH DIRTY FACES (1938), portrayer of George M Cohan and Lon Chaney, Sr is in the St Francis of Assisi Mausoleum. The victim of a mysterious Hollywood murder occupies a plot in division 2 of the same cemetery. Sal Mineo (1939-1976) was stabbed to death when he returned home to his apartment near the Sunset Strip in 1976. Both Cagney and Mineo where originally from the New York area, New York City and the Bronx respectively. Also in Gate of Heaven is famed humorist Fred Allen. In the east end of Long Island rests another major personality who will be indelibly associated with Hollywood. Gary Cooper (1901-1961) is under a 3 ton boulder in Sacred Heart cemetery in Southampton. This two time Best Actor Oscar winner as SERGEANT YORK (1941) and Sheriff Kane of HIGH NOON (1952) was originally interred in Holy Cross cemetery of the Baldwin Hills area of Los Angeles. Thirteen years later his widow, Rocky, had him moved to this present site, not far from where I write these words. In the Brooklyn Quaker cemetery in Prospect Park is buried Montgomery Clift (1920-1964). Clift was living in a brownstone in Manhattan the night he passed away. Reportedly an actor friend also in residence had called to him asking if he wanted to watch himself on TV in THE MISFITS which had just come on. His last words were, "Absolutely not!"
In the same cemetery as Frank Morgan, Greenwood in Brooklyn, is the pioneer director/star of early western films; William Surrey Hart (1870-1946). His face was a study of constant immobility and his acting style was equally as stiff. Yet the films that he made, ie HELL'S HINGES (1916-co-directed with Clifford Smith) were considered the first true sophisticated adult westerns with his character the premier bad/good guy. The section of Greenwood that contains his plot also contains many other stones bearing the name 'Hart.' Two other permanent occupants of Greenwood of interest are Edward R Murrow ( -1965) and Leonard Bernstein ( -1990).
In the Woodside, Queens cemetery of Calvary is buried a silent screen actress who appeared opposite Rudolph Valentino in BLOOD AND SAND (1922). Her other screen appearances include DR JEKYLL AND MR HYDE (1920) with John Barrymore and C B DeMille's THE TEN COMMANDMENTS (1923). Born Anita Donna Dooley, Nita Naldi (1899-1961) is in a family plot that has a view of Manhattan to the west and the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway to the east. Not far away, on the other side of the Long Island Expressway is Mount Zion cemetery of Maspeth, Queens. In a section named the Daniel Webster Benevolent Association is Nathanael West (born Nathan Weinstein, 1903-1940). His novel of 1939, The Day of the Locust set in the neurotic wilds of Hollywood was made into a feature film in 1975.
Along the Jackie Robinson Parkway (formerly the Interburough Parkway) are no less than 17 separate cemeteries. One of the largest, Cypress Hills, contains one of show biz's biggest names; Mae West (1893-1980). She occupies a crypt in the Cypress Hills Mausoleum, not far from the remains of classic boxer 'Gentleman' Jim Corbett. In another cemetery is buried a classic Hollywood gangster; Edward G Robinson (born Emanuel Goldenberg, 1893-1973). Little Caesar himself will also be remembered for such fantastic films as FLESH AND FANTASY (1943), NIGHTMARE (1956) and his one science fiction venture and final screen appearance, SOYLENT GREEN (1973). The family crypt that he occupies in Beth-El cemetery is not accessible to visitors. Next to Beth-El and bordering Union Field cemetery, where Bert Lahr is, is Machpelah cemetery. Perhaps the most visited and fussed over plot in Machpelah is master illusionist and escape artist Harry Houdini (born Erich Weiss, 1874-1926). On the screen he appeared in such thrillers as THE MASTER MYSTERY (serial, 1918), TERROR ISLAND (1920) and THE MAN FROM BEYOND (1921). He was the subject of a George Pal biopic in 1953 and a TV movie in 1976. The gravesite is regularly visited by admirers and magicians' associations. Psychic groups hold seances on or about the day he died, Hallowe'en. The main monument to the family plot reads both 'Houdini' and 'Weiss' and contained a bust of the great prestidigitator. The bust is occasionally missing and recently a few of the graves have been vandalized.
This list could go on to include such cinematic illuminaries like Canadian born Raymond Massey (1896-1983) of such films as THINGS TO COME (1936) and ARSENIC AND OLD LACE (1944) is buried in Hamden Connecticut. John Belushi (1949-1882) is buried in Martha's Vinyard while James Dean (1931-1955) came home to Fairmount, Indiana.
Jim Knusch
