The Salem Witch Memorial

Last summer, this blogger visited Salem, Massachusetts, a city with a dubious history dating back to 1692.  That year, a wave of "witch hysteria," started by two bratty schoolgirls, overtook the community, which ultimately sent 20 innocent people to their deaths for witchcraft.

In the years since, Salem has often sought to atone for its actions by remembering those whom it condemned.  One result is the Salem Witch Memorial, a serene park in the heart of the tourist district.  Designed by architect Jim Cutler and artist Maggie Smith, the memorial first opened to the public in 1992.

The park contains twenty individual stones like the one shown above, each one in tribute to the 13 women and 7 men who were put to death.  These include Alice Parker, Ann Pudeator, Bridget Bishop, Elizabeth Howe, George Burroughs, George Jacobs, Giles Corey, John Proctor, John Willard, Margaret Scott, Martha Carrier, Martha Corey, Mary Easty, Mary Parker, Rebecca Nurse, Samuel Wardwell, Sarah Good, Sarah Wildes, Susannah Martin and Wilmot Redd.

While Hollywood would tell you that these twenty were burned at the stake, the majority of them were actually hanged, the exception being Giles Corey, who was pressed to death in a pit of boulders.  It took him three days to die.

Rest in peace.

Trivia

• If you want to learn more about the Salem Witch trials, take a voyage to Amazon.  It's all in books.
  
  
• The two schoolgirls who started it all were Betty Parris (8) and Abigail Williams (11).  The two exhibited strange fits, which they attributed to being under the spell of a witch.
  
  
• Every November, an organization called Voices Against Injustice presents the Salem Award for Human Rights and Social Justice to an individual or organization who works to end discrimination.  The awards began in 1992 and the first recipient was actor GregAlan Williams, co-star of the underrated sit-com Baywatch Nights.  He was honored for helping to save a motorist who was being beaten during the Los Angeles riots that year.
  
  
• Hollywood has produced several adaptations of the trials, including 1996's The Crucible, an adaptation of Arthur Miller's celebrated stage production, which starred Winona Ryder and Daniel Day-Lewis.  Check out the trailer on YouTube.
  
  
• Salem is also home to a number of other attractions, many of them cheesy, that celebrate the town's history.  This blogger highly recommends the Salem Witch Museum, the Witch Dungeon Museum, and Count Orlok's Nightmare Gallery, among others.  Salem is also home to a statue, donated by TV Land, that honors the famed television sit-com Bewitched.
  
  
  

Happy Halloween!

Bela Lugosi

 

"Every actor's greatest ambition is to create his own, definite and original role, a character with which he will always be identified.  In my case, that role was Dracula."

Bela Lugosi was born Bela Ferenc Dezso Blasko in Hungary on October 20, 1882.  He was the youngest of four children to father Istvan, a baker turned banker, and mother Paula de Vojnic.  When Bela was just 12 years old, he gave up school to help support his family, but he had already set his sights on a career on stage.

By the time he was 20, Lugosi had already carved out a name for himself, having appeared in more than 170 stage productions.  With the onset of World War I however, he'd emigrate first to Germany, then later to New Orleans, eventually becoming a naturalized U.S. citizen.  

Lugosi first played Count Dracula in a 1927 Broadway adaptation of Bram Stoker's novel.  He followed the play out to the West Coast, where he caught the eye of Universal Studios, who cast him in the role he'd be most famously known for.  Dracula, directed by Tod Browning, was released in 1931, cementing Lugosi's role as a horror screen legend.  Despite a slew of horror films that followed, Lugosi only played Dracula in one subsequent film - 1948's Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein.

Bela Lugosi died of a heart attack on August 16th, 1956.  He was 73 years old.  In a funeral service conducted at Los Angeles's Holy Cross Cemetery (oh the irony), Lugosi was laid to rest wearing a replica of his famous Dracula costume.

Happy Halloween!

Trivia

• If you want to learn more about Bela Lugosi, take a voyage to Amazon.  Its all in books.
  
  
• At the time of his passing, Lugosi was working with Director Ed Wood on the film that would come to be known as Plan 9 From Outer Space.  Wood subsequently served as a pallbearer at Lugosi's funeral.
  
  
• As noted above, Lugosi was buried in a replica of his famous Dracula cape.  In 2019, his son, Bela George Lugosi, donated the original to the museum for the Academy of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles.  A swatch of this cape is also on display at the Ripley's Believe it or Not Odditorium in Ocean City, Maryland.
  
  
• Lugosi was a noted stamp collector, who would himself later adorn two U.S. stamps.
  
  
• Similarly, there are two flowers named after the actor - the Bela Lugosi daylily and the Dracula-Bela Lugosi orchid.

Victor Buono - King Tut

 

"Being on Batman allowed me to do something we actors are taught never to do: overact."

Victor Charles Buono was born in San Diego, California on February 3, 1938.  He was named after his father, a former police officer and bail bondsmen who himself went to prison for murder and armed robbery (see Trivia below).

As a teenager, Buono began appearing on local television and radio stations in America's Finest City before joining the Globe Theater Players.  This further enhanced his appreciation for Shakespeare, appearing in such adaptations as A Midsummer Night's Dream.

Buono was discovered by a Warner Brothers talent scout in 1959, who invited the heavyset actor to Hollywood for a screen test.  This led to early television roles on such series as 77 Sunset Strip and The Untouchables.  In 1962, he made his feature film debut in the Bette Davis and Joan Crawford classic, What Ever Happened to Baby Jane.  The role would win Buono an Academy Award nomination.

In 1966, Buono was cast in the role for which he is most famously associated, that of King Tut on the Adam West Batman TV series.  Tut was an original villain created for the series, who was later reimagined and rebranded for DC Comics.  Buono proved so popular in the role that producer William Dozier later cast him as the lead villain in his TV pilot Dick Tracy, which unfortunately never sold (see Trivia below).

Victor Buono died of a heart attack on New Years Day, 1982.  He was only 43 years old.  He was entombed with his mother Myrtle, who died in 1979.  They are laid to rest at Greenwood Memorial Park in San Diego.  Victor's name does not appear on the crypt.

Location: Lily Lake Crypt 1, Tier A

Rest in peace.

Trivia

• Although given a life sentence for murder, Buono Sr. was released after only seven years (it is California, after all).  He'd ultimately return to prison however, on a new charge of bird smuggling (yes, really).  While in the joint, he continued serving as his son's business manager (you can't make this stuff up).  
  
  
• As mentioned above, William Dozier's Dick Tracy pilot failed to sell the series to a network, but you can watch it for free on YouTube.  Special bonus: Eve Plumb!
  
  
• In 1972, Buono released a book of salty poetry called It Could Be Verse.  Pick up a copy here.
  
  
• Buono was a frequent guest on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson, back when late-night TV was actually funny.  Here's one such appearance from 1975.
  
  
• Buono also released a series of self-deprecating comedy albums, including 1971's Heavy.  You can hear it in its entirety on YouTube or pick up a copy on Amazon.
  
  
• Exactly twelve years after Buono's death, fellow Batman villain Cesar Romero, aka The Joker, died on January 1, 1994.

Motorcycle Legend Randy Renfrow

 

Randy Renfrow is not exactly a household name.  He was born in Boonville, Missouri on April 9, 1956, and by the time he passed a mere 46 years later, he'd be enshrined in the American Motorcycle Association's (AMA) Hall of Fame.

Renfrow wound up on this blogger's radar when I discovered that he was laid to rest in Virginia just a short distance from my home.  As of this posting, I can find no connection to the Old Dominion, so his burial here remains a mystery to me.

He began his professional road racing career in 1981.  A few quick stats - altogether, he won a total of 17 AMA Nationals, including the 250 Grand Prix (1983), the Formula One (1986), and the Pro Twins Series (1989).  In 1998, he was named AMA's Sportsman of the Year.

In late March 2002, Renfrow was participating in another race at the Daytona International Speedway when he crashed.  He broke nine ribs, as well as his right knee, ankle, and foot.  Upon release from the hospital, he continued to recuperate at his parent's home in Pickerington, Ohio.  Five months later on August 9th, while still on crutches, Renfrow tragically fell down a flight of stairs, suffering multiple head injuries from which he'd ultimately pass away.

He was laid to rest at Stafford Memorial Park in Stafford, Virginia.

Note the remains of a Dunlop tire sticker, lower right.

Rest in peace.

Trivia

• Renfrow died in Pickerington, Ohio, the same city where the AMA Hall of Fame opened twelve years earlier.  Coincidence?
  
  
• AMA's Hall of Fame produced a five-minute tribute video to Renfrow.  Check it out on YouTube.
  
  
• Ironically, there is a retired NASCAR driver also named Randy Renfrow, who won an impressive 237 races throughout his career.

Stonewall Jackson - A Man With Two Graves!

 

"Let us cross over the river and rest under the shade of the trees."
  -- Stonewall Jackson's dying words

When most people pass away, they're typically laid to rest or cremated and that's the end of it.  There are some occasions however, when the deceased will have more than one final resting place.  This was the case for both Judy Garland and Anton Yelchin, both previously covered in this blog.  

In both of those cases, family members had the final remains moved from one cemetery to another, in order to better accommodate grieving fans.  Yelchin even got a statue!  Like those two Hollywood notables, Confederate General Thomas Jonathan "Stonewall" Jackson also has two graves, but he's actually buried in both of them!

On May 2, 1863, Jackson was wounded by friendly fire at the Battle of Chancellorsville, Virginia.  He took three bullets to the arm, which necessitated its amputation.  Regiment Chaplain Beverly Tucker Lacy buried the limb in a field behind Ellwood Manor in Fredericksburg.  A stone marker was set in place, which still welcome visitors to this day.

Jackson died of his wounds eight days later on May 10th.  He was 39 years old.  He was laid to rest at Oak Grove Cemetery in Lexington, about 120 miles away.

Rest in peace.

Trivia

• If you want to learn more about Stonewall Jackson, take a voyage to Amazon.  It's all in books.
  
  
• Jackson earned his nickname during the Battle of Bull Run, where General Barnard Bee noted "there is Jackson standing under a stone wall."
  
  
• Legend tells that the arm was exhumed by the military in 1921, but this has never been substantiated.  Whatever the truth may be, the marker remains as a local tourist attraction.
  
  
• Several museums honoring Jackson can be found in Virginia.  They include Stonewall Jackson's Headquarters in Winchester, the Jackson House Museum in Lexington, and the Jackson Death Site in Woodford.
  
  
• In recent years, several memorials to Jackson have been removed, including a monument in Richmond, Virginia and a stained-glass window at Washington National Cathedral.

Merv Griffin - I Will Not Be Right Back After This Message

 

"You know I never really get down.  My philosophy is that you have to constantly be turning the page, which prevents me from getting caught up in any negativity.  It's all about change for me.  I just keep moving and enjoying the ride."

Mervyn Edward "Merv" Griffin was born in San Mateo, California on July 6, 1925.  He was the son of a stockbroker and a homemaker, both active in their local church.  It was there that Griffin got his first taste of music by singing in the choir, then later serving as the official organist.

After graduating from high school, Griffin wanted to serve his country in World War 2.  His dreams were cut short, however, when he was classified as 4F, a status that would exempt him from military service.  He launched his professional singing career instead.  In 1949, he released the curiously titled single I've Got a Lovely Bunch of Coconuts, which sold three million copies.

Griffin began performing in nightclubs, where he was soon discovered by Doris Day.  She brought him to Hollywood for a screen test, where he was subsequently cast in a number of films, including The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms (1953) and Phantom of the Rue Morgue (1954).  Griffin was dissatisfied with the films however, and turned his attention to television.

By 1958, Griffin was an established game show host working for friends Mark Goodson and Bill Todman.  He had a few ideas of his own however, including one initially dubbed What's the Question?, wherein contestants are given the answer and must come up with the question.  This concept, which he credited to his wife Julann, evolved into the worldwide phenomenon called Jeopardy!, a series initially canceled by NBC, but which now flourishes in syndication.  In 1975, he created companion series Wheel of Fortune, which has found equal if not greater success in worldwide syndication.

Between hosting game shows and launching his own, Griffin found equal success as a daytime talk show host, first at NBC before setting out on his own.  He launched The Merv Griffin Show in 1965 and spent the next two decades interviewing actors, politicians, and all sorts of newsmakers.  His show is credited with introducing America to an as-yet-unknown actor named Arnold Schwarzenegger.

In 1996, Griffin was diagnosed and treated for prostate cancer.  It bought him another decade, but by 2007, it had returned with a vengeance.  He ultimately died on August 12th at the age of 82.  He was laid to rest at Pierce Brothers Westwood Memorial Village.  His headstone contains a humorous nod to his show business career.

Trivia

• If you want to learn more about Merv, take a voyage to Amazon.  It's all in books.
  
  
• The musical interlude that accompanies "Final Jeopardy" was written by Griffen himself.  Take a listen on YouTube.
  
  
• Griffin owned more than 20 hotels, gaming resorts, and riverboats throughout the world.
  
  
• Griffin's sexuality was a source of constant speculation for the tabloids.  Although divorced with a son, it was generally accepted in Hollywood's inner circles that Griffin was gay.  In 1991, he was even sued for sexual harassment by Dance Fever host Deney Terrio.  The case was later dismissed.
  
  
• There's a classic episode of Seinfeld from 1997 wherein Cosmo Kramer finds the remains of Griffin's set in a New York City dumpster and recreates it in his living room.  That was quite an accomplishment, considering that Griffin's series, which was filmed in Los Angeles, ended its run in 1986.  Check out a clip on YouTube.
  
  
• Pierce Brothers is the final resting place for hundreds of Hollywood notables, most famously Marilyn Monroe.  Griffin's plot can be found among its famed "Celebrity Row," which includes the likes of Farrah Fawcett, Carroll O'Connor, George C. Scott and more.
  
  
• Scroll back up and look at Merv's profile picture.  What's he hiding in his pocket?

The Final Flight of Carole Lombard

 

"Heads up, hands up, America!  Let's give a cheer that will be heard in Tokyo and Berlin!"

A few years ago, my friend Tom gave me a fantastic biography of actress Carole Lombard called Fireball (see Trivia below).  Author Robert Matzen shares the fascinating story of Lombard's rise to fame, her marriage to the legendary Clark Gable, and the horrific plane crash that took her life while serving her country.  It offers much more than this blog post will ever convey, and I highly recommend it.

Carole Lombard was born Jane Alice Peters in Fort Wayne, Indiana on October 6, 1908.  She was born into a lap of luxury, and by the time she was 12, the family had relocated to Los Angeles, where she made her debut in the 1921 film A Perfect Crime.  Her career was almost cut short, however.  When she was just 19, she was involved in a horrible car accident, a precursor for tragedies to come.  Her face was severely scarred, threatening any hopes for a Hollywood career.  She'd spend more than a year in physical therapy and would often wear her hair so as to cover the scar.

In 1927, she began her comeback by appearing in a series of short sketch comedies.  They caught the eye of Paramount Pictures, who signed her on as its next leading lady.  During this time, she married Hollywood hearthrob William Powell, but the marriage was doomed from the start.  By 1937, they were divorced, at which time she married Clark Gable.  They were Hollywood's first power couple.

Hollywood stars of the day tended to be quite patriotic, and Gable and Lombard were no different.  When America entered World War 2, they wrote to President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, asking how they could help serve their country.  As a result, Lombard became the public face of America's war bond campaign.  In early January 1942, she traveled by train to her native Indiana, where she kicked off the campaign by raising more than $2 million (in 1942 dollars).

After the event, Lombard was in a hurry to return to Los Angeles, having recently fought with her husband.  Against the wishes of both Gable and the studio, Lombard and her party, which included her mother, opted to fly home.  While that may seem like an everyday occurrence now, air travel in 1942 was not the refined operation that exists today.  The Lombard Party boarded TWA Flight #3.  Although bound for Boulder City, it would reroute to Las Vegas, where it would meet with tragedy.

On Friday, January 16, shortly after 7:00 p.m., Flight #3 took off from Vegas bound for Los Angeles.  A few minutes into the flight, it disappeared from radar.  In the nearby town of Goodsprings, locals heard a fiery explosion atop Mount Potosi.  A command center was established at the Pioneer Saloon (see Trivia below), where a team of volunteers launched their search and rescue operation.  Upon hearing of the crash, Gable immediately traveled to Goodsprings, though his exact mode of travel is still a subject of great debate.

It took the rescue team more than a day to locate the wreckage, which ended all doubt of any possible survivors.  Lombard and 21 others, including members of the Army Air Corps, all perished in the crash, which was later attributed to pilot error.  Fireball describes the exact condition of Lombard's charred remains, which were missing the head and left arm.

In accordance with his wife's wishes, Gable conducted a fairly low-key service at Forest Lawn Glendale, a dual ceremony for both Carole and her mother.  Lombard was interred in the Great Mausoleum.  Despite remarrying twice in the years that followed, Gable would claim his final resting place next to her when he ultimately passed away himself in 1960.

Location: Memorial Terrace, Sanctuary of Trust, Crypt #5874

Rest in peace.

Trivia

• For more information on Lombard's life, the accident, and the aftermath, this blogger recommends Fireball: Carole Lombard and the Mystery of Flight 3, by author Robert Matzen.
  
  
• Two months after Lombard's death, her final film, To Be or Not to Be, a satirical look at the rising Nazi threat, was released in theatres.  It was a box office success, in part due to morbid curiosity.  Out of respect for Lombard, producers deleted a sequence in which her character asks the question "what can happen in a plane?"
  
  
• Lombard's childhood home in Fort Wayne is a recognized historical site.  There is also a memorial bridge named in her honor.
  
  
• Lombard and Gable honeymooned at Palm Spring's historic Willows Inn, which is still in service today.  The couple shared what's known as the Library Room, which you and your party can custom reserve.  
  
  
• Following her death, the Navy christened the S.S. Carole Lombard, a cargo ship that saw great service during World War 2 and beyond.  It has since been decommissioned and scrapped.
  
  
• Wanna see the crash site for yourself?  Plan your hike today!
  
  
• As noted above, much of the rescue effort was headquartered in Goodsprings, Nevada.  Today, the Pioneer Saloon, which first opened its doors in 1913, maintains a Clark Gable Room which tells the story.  This blogger first visited the saloon in 2008.