Forest Lawn, Hollywood Hills Cemetery
The Forest Lawn, Hollywood Hills Memorial Park Cemetery, a secondary location of the original Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery in Glendale, California, is located at 6300 Forest Lawn Drive, in Los Angeles, California, USA. The Forest Lawn memorial parks are recognized and serve as a cultural institution in the Los Angeles regional area. Forest Lawn, Hollywood Hills is a park dedicated to the preservation of American history, and hosts such high profile events as the annual Veteran's Day ceremony attended by dignitaries and VIPS. The park features such notable sights as:
- The Court Of Liberty features statues of Washington and Jefferson, and the Birth of Liberty Mosaic
- Birth Of Liberty Mosaic America's largest historical mosaic, at 162 feet long and 28 feet high, contains more than 10 million pieces of Venetian glass and depicts 25 famous scenes from early America, 1619-1787
- Lincoln Terrace features a life-like 16 foot bronze statue of the 16th president by Augustus St. Gaudens, and flanked by a panoramic mosaic depicting key scenes from Lincoln's eventful life.
- Monument To Washington, marble and bronze tribute to America's first president, created by sculptor Thomas Ball. Four of Washington's generals are also honored in the memorial.
- Old North Church, a precise replica of Boston's historic church, immortalized by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow in his famous poem, Paul Revere's Ride. The historical rooms contain rare documents and mementos of the colonial period.
- Hall Of Liberty American History Museum features a precise duplication of the Liberty Bell, and other exhibits. The museum includes a 1,200 seat auditorium.
- Plaza of Mexican Heritage, with sculpture and artifacts from the early civilizations of what is now Mexico - from the Olmecs to the Aztecs.
History
Forest Lawn was founded in 1917 by Dr. Hubert Eaton, a firm believer in a joyous life after death, who was convinced that most cemeteries were "unsightly, depressing stoneyards," and pledged to create one that would reflect his optimistic beliefs, "as unlike other cemeteries as sunshine is unlike darkness". He envisioned Forest Lawn to be "a great park devoid of misshapen monuments and other signs of earthly death, but filled with towering trees, sweeping lawns, splashing fountains, beautiful statuary, and...memorial architecture..."Forest Lawn, Hollywood Hills is the final resting place for a number of important personalities from the entertainment industry including:
- Steve Allen, comedian
- Carl David Anderson, Nobel winning scientist
- Gene Autry, singing cowboy actor, entrepreneur
- Bonny Lee Bakley, murdered wife of actor Robert Blake
- Lucille Ball, actress, Lucy
- Clyde Beatty, circus owner
- Ralph Bellamy, actor
- Albert Broccoli, film producer
- Godfrey Cambridge, comedian, actor
- Roy Campanella, Hall of Fame baseball player
- William Conrad, actor
- Scatman Crothers, actor, singer, dancer and musician
- Bette Davis, actress
- Leo Durocher, Hall of Fame baseball player/manager
- Richard Farnsworth, actor
- Bobby Fuller, singer
- Andy Gibb, singer
- Hard Boiled Haggerty, professional wrestler, actor aka H.B. Haggerty
- Gabby Hayes, actor
- Buster Keaton, comedic actor
- Ernie Kovacs, actor, comedian
- Dorothy Lamour, actress
- Charles Laughton, actor
- Stan Laurel, comedic actor, half of the famous comedy team "Laurel & Hardy."
- Liberace, entertainer
- Ricky Nelson, televison actor and singer
- Donald O'Connor, singer, actor
- Freddie Prinze, actor
- George Raft, actor
- John Ritter, actor
- Dar Robinson great film stuntman
- Telly Savalas, actor, buried with a lollypop
- Roberta Sherwood, singer, actress
- Jack Soo actor, Detective Nick on TV's "Barney Miller"
- Rod Steiger, actor
- McLean Stevenson, actor
- Forrest Tucker, actor
- Lee Van Cleef, actor
- Jack Webb, actor, "Dragnet"
- Jess Willard, world heavyweight boxing champion