FUNERALS/MEMORIALS

Mary “Maria” Bennett:

The Cat Lady of Hollywood Forever

By Allan R. Ellenberger

Many old-timers who work and visit at Hollywood Forever Cemetery may remember Maria Bennett, the so-called Cat-Lady, who cared for many of the stray cats that made the cemetery their home. This was especially true many years ago before the cemetery was bought and restored by the Cassity family. At the time, the cemetery was going into bankruptcy, and with little or no staff to tend to the graves, the entire property was soon in shambles.

That, of course is another story. However, during this time many volunteers came forward to water the graves, pull weeds and make sure that many of the famous and not-so-famous still had some respect.

The inscription on Maria’s monument

Maria chose to take care of the stray cats that made the cemetery their home. She would come by on a regular basis to make sure the animals had food, water and shelter. She did this for many years. There are still cats living at the cemetery, many of them descendants of those that Maria cared for.

Maria died in 2007 at the age of 72 and was cremated at Hollywood Forever. While her ashes are not interred there, her son recently had a memorial placed there for her. Maria’s monument can be found in Section 2, across the road from Cecil B. De Mille.

Maria’s monument is across the road from Cecil B. DeMille

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FUNERALS/MEMORIALS

Services for theater organist Bob Mitchell

(Cinecon)

Larry Harnisch

The Daily Mirror

Los Angeles Times

Daily Mirror fan Karie Bible of Film Radar reports the death of theater organist Bob Mitchell. Mitchell was a regular feature of the Los Angeles Conservancy’s Last Remaining Seats series. He was quite frail at this year’s event but it was good to see him.

Mitchell’s services are scheduled on Friday at 9:30 a.m. at  Christ the King Catholic Church, 624 N. Rossmore Ave. He will be buried at Hollywood Forever Cemetery, 6000 Santa Monica Blvd.

Memorial donations may be made to the American Heart Assn. or Boys Town.

Here’s a field recording I made at Last Remaining Seats a few years ago of Mitchell playing “He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands.”

Thanks to our friend Jon Weisman of the fabulous Dodger Thoughts blog for reminding us that Mitchell was the first organist at Dodger Stadium.

 Interview with Bob Mitchell (YouTube)

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FUNERALS/MEMORIALS

Farrah Fawcett is remembered at downtown L.A. funeral

Los Angeles Times

June 30, 2009

The life of “Charlie’s Angels” star Farrah Fawcett was celebrated today at a private funeral in the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels.

Her longtime companion, Ryan O’Neal, was among pallbearers who accompanied the casket, covered in yellow and orange flowers, into the Roman Catholic cathedral. 

Click here to continue reading

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FUNERALS/MEMORIALS

Farrah Fawcett’s funeral to be held next Tuesday

Farrah Fawcett’s funeral has been set for this coming Tuesday, June 30th and will take place at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in downtown Los Angeles at 4PM. Fawcett will be laid to rest in a private ceremony which will be open by invitation only.  Her longtime companion, Ryan O’Neal is in charge of all the arrangements. Farrah’s son Redmond O’Neal will be temporarily released from prison to pay respects to his mother.

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FUNERALS/MEMORIALS

Hundreds Attend L.A. Funeral for David Carradine

  Guests arrive at the funeral of David Carradine.

(THE ASSOCIATED PRESS/Matt Sayles)

KTLA News

Los Angeles Times

June 14, 2009

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LOS ANGELES — Hundreds of people, including friends, family and former co-stars, attended a funeral service for actor David Carradine Saturday.

The service was held indoors at the Hall of Liberty at Forest Lawn Hollywood Hills, the cemetery adjacent to Griffith Park. The service was invitation only, and security guards stood outside the hall.

The funeral, attended by more than 400 people, lasted for more than two hours. Among the guests were numerous actors, including Michael Madsen, Jane Seymour, Tom Selleck, Frances Fisher, Daryl Hannah, Lucy Liu, Ali Larter, Edward James Olmos, Rob Schneider and James Cromwell.

Click here to continue reading

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FUNERALS/MEMORIALS

Ann Savage

Ann Savage

(February 19, 1921 – December 25, 2008)

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By Allan R. Ellenberger

The affirmation of life ceremony for film noir actress, Ann Savage, was held on Sunday in the chapel of Hollywood Forever Cemetery with interment  in the Beth Olam Mausoleum. Those who spoke included Eddie Muller, writer and founder of the Film Noir Foundation; Arianne Ulmer Cipes, former actress and daughter of director Edgar G. Ulmer [Detour (1945)], and Kent Adamson, filmmaker and Savage’s manager.

Memorial program

A recent photo (2005) of Ann Savage and writer, Eddie Muller,

who spoke at today’s memorial (Films in Review)

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Selected blessings and prayers from Christian, Jewish and secular writings were read. The ceremony concluded with the annointment of Savage’s urn with Chanel No. 5 – her favorite perfume. Following the service, a procession led guests to the Beth Olam Mausoleum niche where her cremains were placed with those of her husband, Bert D’Armand.

Processional to the niche in the Hall of Solomon

in the Beth Olam Mausoleum

Preparation to inter the cremains of Ann Savage

The urns of actress Ann Savage and her husband, Bert D’Armand

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FUNERALS/MEMORIALS

Ann Savage

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FUNERAL/MEMORIAL

Bidding Bettie Page farewell

The pinup queen, who died Thursday at 85, was remembered at a private service conducted by the Rev. Robert Schuller.

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By Louis Sahagun

Los Angeles Times

December 17, 2008

Legendary pinup queen Bettie Page was remembered at a private memorial service Tuesday as a taboo-breaking model who later gave it all up to become a devout Christian — only to reenter the public eye as a sexy trendsetter.

“So it is only fitting that her final resting place be here, not far from Marilyn Monroe’s final resting place,” said Mark Roesler, chairman of Indianapolis-based CMG Worldwide, which markets Page’s image, during the rite held at the Pierce Bros. Westwood Village Memorial Park.    (Click on ‘Continue Reading’ for more)

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Continue Reading »

Memorial planned for actress Beverly Garland

December 10, 2008

A memorial service for actress Beverly Garland, who died last Friday at the age of 82, will be held at 1 p.m. Friday at her namesake hotel, Beverly Garland’s Holiday Inn, 4222 Vineland Ave., North Hollywood.

Instead of flowers, Garland’s family requests that donations in her memory be made to the Motion Picture & Television Fund, Box 51150, Los Angeles, CA 90051; or to the Interval House Crisis Shelters and Centers for Victims of Domestic Violence, Interval House, Beverly Garland Memorial Fund, Box 3356, Seal Beach, CA 90740.

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ANNUAL MEMORIAL SERVICE

Tyrone Power

A recent vistor to Tyrone Power’s grave

This Saturday, November 15, 2008, is the 50th anniversary of the death of actor Tyrone Power.

A memorial service will be held at

Hollywood Forever Cemetery at 11:30 a.m.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: http://www.tyrone-power.com/

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In conjunction, the American Cinematheque will be presenting a a two-night tribute to Power at the Egyptian Theater.

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AMERICAN CINEMATHEQUE PRESENTS

A TYRONE POWER TRIBUTE

Egyptian Theatre
6712 Hollywood Boulevard

Friday, November 14, 7:30 pm - Nightmare Alley (1948)

Saturday, November 15, 7:30 pm - The Razor’s Edge (1946)

Sunday, November 16, 6:30 pm - Love is News (1937) & The Mark of Zorro (1940)

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 Tickets and info: Fandango (www.fandango.com) (put 90028 in search box) or Egyptian Theatre box office (www.americancinematheque.com)

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