Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
201
can direct you around), smack-dab in the middle of some of L.A. 's priciest real
estate (behind the A VCO office building south of Wilshire Blvd.). But it 's not
going anywhere, especially when you consider its most famous resident: Mari-
lyn Monroe (entombed in a simple wall crypt, number 24). It's also got Truman
Capote, Ro y Orbison, John C assavetes, Armand Hammer , Donna Reed , and
Natalie Wood. Walter Matthau and Jack Lemmon are buried here as well, a fit-
ting ending for the Odd Couple.
Forest La wn Glendale ,
1712 S. Glendale A ve. (
&
800/204-3131;
www.
forestlawn.com), likes to pretend it has no c elebrities. The most prominent of
L.A. cemeteries, it's also the most humorless. The place is full of bad art, all part
of the c ontinuing vision of f ounder Hubur t Eat on, who thought c emeteries
should be happ y places. S o he banished those gloom y upright t ombstones
and monuments in fa vor of flat, pleasant, char acter-free, flush-to-the-ground
slabs. Contrary to urban legend, Walt Disney was
not
frozen and placed under
Cinderella's castle at Disneyland. His cremated remains are in a little garden to
the left of the Freedom Mausoleum. Turn around, and just behind you are Errol
Flynn and Spencer Tracy. In the Freedom Mausoleum itself are Nat “King” Cole,
Chico Marx, Gummo Marx, and Gracie Allen—finally joined by George Burns. In
a columbarium near the M ystery of Lif e is Humphr ey Bogar t. Unfortunately,
some of the best c elebs—such as Clark G able, Carole Lombard, and Jean Har-
low—are in the Great Mausoleum, which you often can't get into unless you're
visiting a relative.
You'd think a place that encourages people to visit for fun would understand
what the attraction is. But no—Forest Lawn Glendale won't tell you where any
of their illustrious guests are, so don't ask. This place is immense—and, frankly,
dull in c omparison to the pr eviously listed cemeteries, unless y ou appreciate
the kitsch value of the Forest Lawn approach to art.
Forest La wn Holly wood Hills ,
6300 F orest La wn Dr . (
&
800/204-3131;
www.forestlawn.com), is slightly less anal than the Glendale branch, but
the same basic attitude pr evails. On the right la wn, near the statue of
George Washington, is Bust er Keaton. In the C ourts of Remembranc e are
Lucille Ball, Charles Laught on, and the not- quite-gaudy-enough t omb of
Liberace. Outside, in a vault on the Ascension Road side, is Andy Gibb. Bette
Davis's sarcophagus is in front of the wall, to the left of the entrance to the
Courts. Gene A utry is also buried her
7
e, almost within earshot of the
museum that bears his name.
Beach, separated from the noisy highway by sandstone cliffs. A trail leads over the point's
headlands to Pirate's Cove, once a popular nude beach.
PARADISE COVE
This private beach in the 28000 block of the Pacific Coast Highway
(Calif. 1) charges $25 to par k and $5 per person if y ou walk in—or y ou can dine at
Paradise Cove Restaurant and get validated for 4 hours. Changing rooms and showers are
included in the price. The beach is often full b y noon on weekends.
