(no subject)
My Hollywood Business Practices and History class went on a tour of Hollywood and the surrounding areas today. It was pretty awesome, even though is was the hottest day of the year and there was a huge fire burning just over the mountains, which means it was also a nice day to get out of the Valley.
Most of the pics I took were at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery, since that's one of the few points where we actually got out of the van to look around. Funny thing: a good chunk of Hollywood Forever used to be the Paramount Studios backlot. Indeed, it's directly behind Paramount. I guess when they were done with you, they just took you out back or something.
We begin, however, with one of the only pics taken from the van that turned out well enough to show. This is the famous Ren-Mar studios, formerly Desilu Studios. "I Love Lucy" was shot here, as was "The Dick Van Dyke Show" and "Golden Girls." Now I think "Weeds" shoots here.
The headstone of the late, great Mel Blanc. Love the epitaph.
One of Hollywood Forever's many mausoleums.
The grave of Carl "Alfalfa" Switzer, of "Our Gang" and "Little Rascals" fame. Besides teaching us about the business practices of Hollywood, our instructor also tells us of Hollywood's many scandals. To wit: Carl Switzer, all grown up and broke, went hunting one day and took along a friend's dog. The dog got away, but Switzer put signs up in his neighborhood reading, "Lost Dog. $50 Reward." Pretty soon, the dog was returned and Switzer drove up to the Valley to return him to his owner. However, Switzer demanded his friend pay back the $50 he had given as a reward. The friend refused, saying that since Switzer lost the dog in the first place, it was his own damn fault. Switzer pulled a knife. His friend pulled a gun. Guess who won. Oh, and the cops ruled it a justifiable homicide, done in self-defense.
The grave of Johnny Ramone...
And Dee Dee Ramone! I think Joey Ramone is buried in New York somewhere.
Speaking of "Little Rascals," here's the crypt of Darla Hood.
Hattie McDaniel, who portrayed "Mammy" in "Gone With The Wind" and was the first African-American to win an Academy Award, always said she wanted to be buried here, but alas, due to the segregation of the time, she is not (she was buried at Rosedale Cemetery downtown). However, this marker was put up by the Hollywood Forever Cemetery in 1999.
The glorious grave of Douglas Fairbanks, Sr. I'm quite proud of this picture, actually.
Of course, you can't go to Hollywood Forever Cemetery and not stop by the crypt of Rudolph Valentino.
Here's Tyrone Power...
...who has "Hamlet" carved into his tombstone. Classy.
Janyne Mansfield
Cecil B. DeMille and wife, ready for their closeup.
One of my classmates and what appears to be a nuclear bomb test behind him. Oh wait no, that's the fire over in La Canada Flintridge. I will never get used to those things.
As Mel Blanc would say, "That's All, Folks!"
Most of the pics I took were at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery, since that's one of the few points where we actually got out of the van to look around. Funny thing: a good chunk of Hollywood Forever used to be the Paramount Studios backlot. Indeed, it's directly behind Paramount. I guess when they were done with you, they just took you out back or something.
We begin, however, with one of the only pics taken from the van that turned out well enough to show. This is the famous Ren-Mar studios, formerly Desilu Studios. "I Love Lucy" was shot here, as was "The Dick Van Dyke Show" and "Golden Girls." Now I think "Weeds" shoots here.
The headstone of the late, great Mel Blanc. Love the epitaph.
One of Hollywood Forever's many mausoleums.
The grave of Carl "Alfalfa" Switzer, of "Our Gang" and "Little Rascals" fame. Besides teaching us about the business practices of Hollywood, our instructor also tells us of Hollywood's many scandals. To wit: Carl Switzer, all grown up and broke, went hunting one day and took along a friend's dog. The dog got away, but Switzer put signs up in his neighborhood reading, "Lost Dog. $50 Reward." Pretty soon, the dog was returned and Switzer drove up to the Valley to return him to his owner. However, Switzer demanded his friend pay back the $50 he had given as a reward. The friend refused, saying that since Switzer lost the dog in the first place, it was his own damn fault. Switzer pulled a knife. His friend pulled a gun. Guess who won. Oh, and the cops ruled it a justifiable homicide, done in self-defense.
The grave of Johnny Ramone...
And Dee Dee Ramone! I think Joey Ramone is buried in New York somewhere.
Speaking of "Little Rascals," here's the crypt of Darla Hood.
Hattie McDaniel, who portrayed "Mammy" in "Gone With The Wind" and was the first African-American to win an Academy Award, always said she wanted to be buried here, but alas, due to the segregation of the time, she is not (she was buried at Rosedale Cemetery downtown). However, this marker was put up by the Hollywood Forever Cemetery in 1999.
The glorious grave of Douglas Fairbanks, Sr. I'm quite proud of this picture, actually.
Of course, you can't go to Hollywood Forever Cemetery and not stop by the crypt of Rudolph Valentino.
Here's Tyrone Power...
...who has "Hamlet" carved into his tombstone. Classy.
Janyne Mansfield
Cecil B. DeMille and wife, ready for their closeup.
One of my classmates and what appears to be a nuclear bomb test behind him. Oh wait no, that's the fire over in La Canada Flintridge. I will never get used to those things.
As Mel Blanc would say, "That's All, Folks!"