On Thursday October 11th I realized I had five days left in Southern California. So in situations like this I usually kick things into high gear. Being the avid cigar smoker that I am. The day got started with me cruising over to Embassy Cigars the local cigar shop I frequented while I was staying in Anaheim, during the “2012 L.A. Gravecation”.

Embassy Cigars is in the Canyon Plaza strip mall at 5773 E. Santa Ana Canyon Rd. On the corner of Santa Ana Canyon Rd, and Imperial Highway, in the Anaheim Hills. When I walked into Embassy Cigars for the first time the day after I arrived in town. I was blown away by the wide selection of cigars this place had to offer, and to boot the dude behind the counter was extremely friendly, and to boot knowledgeable, about the cigars he sold and thus suggested some cigars I should try. Being that I wasn’t familiar with what cigar brands they offered for sale in the walk-in humidor. I went with a few cigars the dude recommended. I just wish I would have taken advantage of the lounge area, that featured a large flat screen TV, and what appeared to be comfortable overstuffed leather chairs.

After making another cigar purchase at Embassy Cigars. I then headed back to where I was staying in the Anaheim Hills. Upon my arrival back at where I was staying. I found myself locked out of the house. Being that no-one was home, I had more than a little time to kill. So I then moved to Plan B. After waiting around for a while, I then decided to cruise over to El Toro Memorial Park. If you’re interested you can find El Toro Memorial Park on Trabuco Rd, in Lake Forest, California. Keep in mind, being that my camera equipment, and the various books I was using as a guide around the L.A. & Orange County cemeteries, were locked inside the home I was staying at. The drive to El Toro Memorial Park, would pretty much be a wasted day, but I had nothing better to do at that very moment. So a dry run to the cemetery it would come to be.

Moving along, on Friday October 12th. I decided to high-tail it back to Hollywood. After my ascent into Los Angeles, from Anaheim. I decided to visit Mt. Sinai Memorial Park, and after that do some typical Hollywood tourist sightseeing (which I’ll discuss later in this article). Mt. Sinai Memorial Park is in the Hollywood Hills section of Los Angeles, at 5950 Forest Lawn Drive, a stones throw away from nearby Forest Lawn Memorial Park – Hollywood Hills. When I arrived at Mt. Sinai Memorial Park, I stopped at the booth inside the gate to get a map of the cemetery grounds. I then made my way to “The Gardens of the Heritage” area (pictured above).

The Tour:

After a leisurely stroll around the area surrounding The Gardens of the Heritage. I found the graveside of actor/comedian Phil Silvers. Known as “The King of Chutzpah” Silvers was known for starring in the 1950s era sitcom, “The Phil Silvers Show.” If your interested in reading a concise biographical overview, of Silvers life feel free to visit his biography on Wikipedia. Or if your more inclined to do so you can visit his TV & film credit listing on the IMDb website.

After paying my respects, & photographing the graveside of Phil Silvers. I then strolled several feet to the wall area where acclaimed actor Norman Fell rests in a cremation niche. Fell was an American actor in film and television. His most famous role was that of the landlord Mr. Roper on the television sitcom of the 70s and 80s “Three’s Company,”and its short-lived spin-off series “The Ropers” If you’re interested in checking out Fell’s biography, and filmography listing feel free to visit his biography on Wikipedia.

After photographing, the graveside of Norman Fell, I then strolled over to the graveside of Sophie Feldman, better known to her fans as Totie Fields. Fields was an actress and comedienne. Fields got her showbiz start singing in Boston area nightclubs while still in high school. She eventually moved on to bigger and better things, after Ed Sullivan discovered Fields while she was performing at the New York hotspot The Copacabana. After being discovered by Sullivan at The Copacabana. Fields made numerous appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show, The Mike Douglas Show, and The Merv Griffin Show, as well as an episode of Here’s Lucy starring Lucille Ball, during that shows fifth season. If you’re interested in reading a more detailed biography on Fields interesting life, feel free to visit her memorial on Find A Grave.

After paying my respects and photographing the graveside of comedienne Totie Fields, I then made a casual stroll over to the graveside where highly prolific film director, & producer Irwin Allen rests. Allen who was nicknamed “The Master of Disaster” for his dedicated work in the disaster film genre, was also responsible for many epic science fiction television series. Most notably Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea (1964–1968), Lost in Space (1965–1968), The Time Tunnel (1966–1967), Land of the Giants (1968–1970), The Swiss Family Robinson (1975–1976), and Code Red (1981–1982).

Moving along some of Allen’s film credits for director & producer include the epic 3-D film Dangerous Mission (1954), The Animal World (1956), The Story of Mankind (1957), The Big Circus (1959), The Lost World (1960), Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea (1961), and Five Weeks in a Balloon (1962). Meanwhile during the early part of the 1970’s, he produced the epically popular disaster films The Poseidon Adventure (1972) and The Towering Inferno (1974).

After I was done photographing the graveside of prolific director and producer Irwin Allen. I then strolled over to where Ellen Naomi Cohen rests. Cohen is better known to her fans as Mama Cass Elliott of the hit musical group of the 1960s & 1970s The Mamas & The Papas. The other members of The Mamas & The Papas included: John Phillips, Denny Doherty, and Michelle Phillips. The group was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, in 1998. If you’re interested in reading a more detailed biography on Mama Cass, you should checkout her Wikipedia biography.

After photographing the graveside of Mama Cass. I then made a casual stroll over to where versatile actor Herschel Bernadi rests. Bernardi was an actor on Broadway, film, and television. He got his start in New York’s Yiddish theater where his parents performed. If you’re interested feel free to checkout his film credits & biography on the IMDb website.

After photographing the graveside crypt of Herschel Bernardi. I then strolled over to the hillside graveside, of actor Lee Cobb. On the hillside where Cobb rests, he has picturesque views (pictured above) of the nearby mountains to the north. Cobb is considered by many to be one of the premier post-WWII character actors in film during the three decades after WWII. Moving along three of the films Cobb is best known for include: 12 Angry Men (1957), On the Waterfront (1954), where he was nominated for an Academy-Award, and The Exorcist (1973) which was one of his last films. If your interested in reading more about the films Cobb had roles in you should visit his biography & filmography on the IMDb website.

After paying my respects at the graveside of Lee Cobb, and photographing his hillside grave at different angles. I then proceeded to stroll over to the graveside of Brandon Tartikoff. Tartikoff was a television executive at NBC. Who was responsible and took the credit for turning around the low prime time ratings NBC was enduring in the mid 1980s, and early 1990s.

Some of the TV shows Tartikoff was responsible for include: Hill Street Blues, L.A. Law, Law & Order, ALF, Family Ties, The Cosby Show, Cheers, Wings, Seinfeld, Miami Vice, The Golden Girls, Knight Rider, The A-Team, St. Elsewhere, Night Court, Hunter, Highway to Heaven, Matlock, Remington Steele, A Different World, 227, and Empty Nest. In August of 1997, Tartikoff lost a tragic battle with Hodgkin’s disease, which he’d been battling on and off for a good part of his life. If you’re interested in checking out a more detailed biography on the life of Brandon Tartikoff feel free to cruise over to Wikipedia.

Rounding out the tour at Mt. Sinai Memorial Park, the last graveside I visited, was of actor Ross Martin. Born Martin Rosenblatt, Martin was a Polish-born American actor who is best known for the character Artemus Gordon in the television series The Wild Wild West, which also starred actor Robert Conrad. If you’re interested in checking out some of the versatile roles Martin portrayed, you should definitely visit his biography & filmography on the IMDb website. So that concludes the tour at Mt. Sinai Memorial Park.

The Touristy Stuff I Did:

After I was finished prancing around, and paying my respects at the gravesides of several celebrities at Mt. Sinai Memorial Park, in the Hollywood Hills. I then cruised over to the Griffith Observatory which sits atop the south-facing slope on Mt. Hollywood in L.A.’s Griffith Park. After photographing different viewpoints of the observatory, the distant Los Angeles skyline, and the famous Hollywood sign to the left, all the while taking in the scenic views of the Los Angeles skyline, and breathing in the crisp mountainous air. I then once again cruised over to Dearly Departed Tours, to take a breather, and plan my next move.

After I left the storefront of Dearly Departed Tours, I then made a leisurely stroll, while smoking a cigar to The Hollywood Museum. The museum is at 1660 N. Highland Ave. On the corner of Highland Ave, & Hollywood Blvd.

According to the “official” Hollywood Museum website:

The Hollywood Museum, the official museum of Hollywood, has the most extensive collection of Hollywood memorabilia in the world. The museum, featuring four floors of breathtaking exhibits, is home to more than 10,000 authentic showbiz treasures– one of a kind costumes, props, photographs, scripts, stars’ car collections and personal artifacts, posters, and vintage memorabilia from favorite films and TV shows. The museum also showcases the history of Hollywood and the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

The overflowing of priceless artifacts, memorabilia, and other Hollywood treasures. You will visualize while strolling around the four floors of The Hollywood Museum. Are housed year round in the historic Max Factor Building, where Hollywood makeup titan, Max Factor, created the ravishing looks of many of Hollywood’s Golden Era’s most beloved & memorable stars. If you’re interested in visiting The Hollywood Museum, feel free to browse around their official website at The Hollywood Museum.com for the hours of operation, and admission fees. This place is definitely worth a visit if you’re going to be in the area anytime soon.

After I was finished ogling, and drooling over the artifacts collection at The Hollywood Museum. I then strolled back to where my “Gravecation Mobile” was parked near the Dearly Departed Tours storefront, and proceeded to drive over to the “Coney Dog – Detroit Style Coney Dog’s in Los Angeles” restaurant, on Sunset Blvd. The last time I was in town in 2011, the restaurant was not open for business yet. But THIS time I made a point to at least eat there once, and check the place out. I ended up devouring a cheese burger smothered with fried onions on top, and two Faygo Red Pops.

After I finished chowing down on some original Detroit food. I then cruised over to The Museum of Death which is on Hollywood Blvd. The museum prides its self in educating the public, on all facets in which people drop dead. Needless to say it was a really interesting experience. If you have morbidly macabre tendencies like yours truly, and many of my friends. The Museum of Death should be on the list of destination points for you to visit, if you’re going to be visiting Hollywood anytime soon. Just please keep in mind, some of the exibits featured within the walls of this place are not for the faint of heart. But its well worth an educational experienced visit.

After I was blown away by the things I saw at The Museum of Death. I then cruised over to local watering hole, Boardners Bar, which is steeped in Hollywood history, to indulge in a few beers. Then it was back to Anaheim I went. And that pretty much concludes this article for the 2012 L.A. Gravecation covering day’s 10-11. And finally if you’re interested feel free to browse the slideshow I’ve included below which highlights the gravesites I photographed during my visit to Mt. Sinai Memorial Park.

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