Hell's Angels - Oakland

 

"Angels Forever, Forever Angels."
  - Hell's Angels slogan

A few years back, a friend and I were doing some gravehopping in Oakland, California's Evergreen Cemetery. The park is infamous as the final resting place of nearly 400 victims of the 1978 Jonestown tragedy.  Readers of this blog will remember that report.

I said goodbye to my friend and spent some additional time in the park, looking for, most notably, one of the Little Rascals.  In my search for Allen "Farina" Hoskins, I made a truly unique discovery.  Evergreen is the official cemetery of the Oakland, California, branch of the outlaw biker club, Hell's Angels.

The first chapter was founded in Fontana, California, in 1948.  Otto Friedli, a World War 2 veteran, is credited with forming the initial chapter, after breaking away from a rival gang, the Pissed Off Bastards.  Hey, the more you know.  Chapters soon began cropping up all across the country.

Today, Oakland serves as the worldwide headquarters of Hell's Angels, so it's no surprise that they have such a huge presence within the community.  An entire section of Evergreen is reserved for their fallen members.

Rest in peace, Angels.

The Mick

 

"All I had was natural ability."

Mickey Charles Mantle was born in Spavinaw, Oklahoma, on October 20, 1931.  In 1951, he began playing for the New York Yankees in a career that would span nearly two decades, earning him the nicknames "The Mick" and "The Commerce Comet." 

A sample of his career highlights includes:

  * 7 times World Series Champion
  * 20 times All-Star
  * 3 times American League MVP
  * American League Batting Champion
  * Batting average of .298
  * 536 home runs

A few years after his retirement, Mantle was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.

As much as Mantle loved baseball, he loved alcohol even more.  He took his first drink when he was in the minors, and in his words, he "chugged as if it were a soda pop."  It would be a constant problem for the rest of his life, leading to at least one stint in the Betty Ford Clinic.  He ultimately died of liver cancer on August 13, 1995. He was 63 years old. 

Mickey Mantle was entombed at Sparkman Hillcrest Memorial Park in Dallas. He is located in the St. Matthew Wing of the mausoleum and is relatively easy to find.

 

Rest in peace, Mick.

Willard Scott!

"I'm bald, I'm overweight, I don't make all the smooth moves and I dress like a slob.  I take tremendous pride in the fact that I beat the system."

Willard Herman Scott, Jr. was born in Alexandria, Virginia, on March 7, 1934. From an early age, he was very interested in broadcasting. When he was just eight years old, he walked into radio station WTOP in Washington, DC, and asked to observe the announcers. That day, he met CBS News Correspondent Eric Sevareid, who was telling his listening audience of a recent trip to Burma.  Willard was instantly hooked.

By 15, he was operating his own radio station out of his parents' basement.  A commercial endeavor, he charged his friends and neighbors ad time on the station, which was quickly gaining in popularity.  Unfortunately, his broadcast was also being picked up by commercial pilots at nearby Washington National Airport, so the FAA shut him down.  Within a few years however, he'd have his first real show, "Lady Make Believe," followed by other programs in the Washington market.

After completing his education at American University, Willard went right to work in Washington radio.  He teamed up with fellow graduate Ed Walker and created the Joy Boys radio program for WRC. Consisting mostly of sketch comedy, the series ran from 1955 until 1972.  That year, WRC changed its format to rock and roll, and the Joy Boys were shown the door.

Throughout the show's run, Willard was simultaneously making his first appearances on local television.  He hosted a number of children's shows, including Barn Party, in which he played "Farmer Willard."  He also co-hosted a series called Afternoon with fellow DC broadcast legend Mac McGarry.  The series introduced University of Maryland student and puppeteer Jim Henson and early versions of his Muppets characters.  In 1959, WRC-TV bought the local rights to Bozo the Clown, whom Willard would play for the next three years (right).

When Bozo was canceled in 1962, Willard could no longer legally play the character.  When approached by a Washington area McDonald's franchisee to do just that, Willard had to decline, but it gave him an idea.  Recognizing the great appeal that Bozo had, Willard suggested that they create a clown character of their own.  He ultimately created Ronald McDonald (below), who proved so popular that the company adopted him as their own, turning the character into an international marketing success. Willard played the character for four years, beginning with this first commercial in 1963.  The company let him go in 1967.

That same year, WRC-TV asked Willard to present the weather on a part-time basis after their meteorologist walked off the job.  The position became permanent in 1970, which Willard occupied for the next ten years. Then in 1980, NBC tapped Willard to become the new meteorologist on The Today Show, replacing established weatherman Bob Ryan. Ironically, the two would switch positions, as Ryan came to DC and WRC-TV. Willard stayed with the program on and off until his retirement in 2015.

Despite Willard's obvious commercial appeal, not everyone at Today was happy for his presence. In a letter to NBC executives in 1989, host Bryant Gumbel wrote that Willard "holds the show hostage to his assortment of whims, wishes, birthdays and bad taste...this guy is killing us and no one's even trying to rein him in."  The letter was publicly leaked and the backlash was instantaneous.  The public was clearly Team Willard, and the show's ratings declined. 

In 1996, Willard was replaced by meteorologist Al Roker, but he stayed with Today, continuing to produce segments for the show.  He was simultaneously flexing his pitchman muscles, endorsing such products as Maxwell House Coffee, USA Today, Diet Coke, and most significantly, McDonald's rival Burger King.  Hey, what goes around comes around.

In 2002, Willard's wife of 43 years, Mary Dwyer Scott, passed away.  The following year, he began dating WRC employee Paris Keena, whom he'd first met while working there in 1977.  The couple were married in 2014.  They relocated to Sanibel Island, Florida.

By 2021, Willard's health was in decline.  He ultimately passed of natural causes on September 4, 2021.  He was 87 years old.

Willard Scott was buried next to his first wife Mary at Leeds Community Cemetery in Markham, Virginia.

Rest in peace, Willard.

Trivia

• During his years on Today, Willard was famous giving on-air shout-outs to those celebrating their 100th birthday.  Sadly, he would not reach that age himself.
  
  
• Willard was a successful author, releasing works of fiction and nonfiction alike.  Check out these titles on Amazon.
   * If I Knew it Was Going to be This Much Fun...Grandparent First (2004)
   * The Older the Fiddle, the Better the Tune: The Joys of Reaching... (2003)
   * Murder Under the Blue Skies (1998)
   * America is My Neighborhood (1987)
   * Willard Scott's All-American Cookbook (1986)
   * Willard Scott's Down Homes Stories (1984)
   * The Joy of Living (Autobiography) (1982)
  
  
• With a name like Smuckers, it has to be Willard, who was famous for his Smuckers preserves spots on Today. Here's one on YouTube.
  
  
• Willard served as host of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade from 1987 to 1997.
  
  
• In 2006, Willard co-hosted a TV infomercial for Universal's Those Wonderful Years CD collection.
  
  
• As noted above, Willard published several books, including his Down Home Stories in 1984.  It was a series of letters he'd received from fans, including the following:  "Dear Mr. Scott - I think you're the best disc jockey in Washington. You play the best music and have the nicest voice of anyone on the air. Please excuse the crayon - they won't let us have anything sharp in here."

The Boston Marathon Bomber - Buried in Virginia

 

Doswell, Virginia, just outside of Richmond, is home to the Al-Barzakh Islamic Cemetery.  It is uniquely situated in a residential neighborhood not far from the Kings Dominion amusement park.  Visitors can often hear the everyday sounds of dogs barking and children playing, as well as the screams of those riding a variety of roller coasters.

This small and rather simple cemetery made international headlines in May 2013, when it was revealed that it would be the final resting place of Tamerlan Tsarnaev.  Earlier that spring, Tsarnaev, joined by his brother Dzhokhar, carried out an attack on the Boston Marathon that killed three people and injured hundreds more.  Tsarnaev was killed four days after the attack in a shootout with police, but not before being repeatedly run over with an SUV by brother Dzhokhar.

While his brother went off to prison, Tamerlan's remains were turned over to his uncle, who had difficulty finding a cemetery willing to take them. The citizens of Boston vehemently opposed his burial there and even protested outside of his funeral service.

A Virginia resident named Martha Mullen, who had no ties to the case, took sympathy on the family after hearing media reports and arranged a Virginia burial with her local church.  As in Boston, local residents were outraged by the decision, but Tsarnaev was ultimately laid to rest in the park.

The cemetery is just a quick drive from this blogger's hometown, and it is one I've been meaning to visit for a few years. I finally did just that, and I was amazed by the simplicity of the park. 

Burials are conducted in chronological order.  Each grave has the same concrete slab and a simple name tag listing only the date of death, with no other information.  Anyone looking for Tsarnaev's grave will come up empty handed though, as there is no exact tag with his name or date of death.  I think that I indeed found it under a pseudonym, but without confirmation, I won't post that tag here.

Normally, this is where I end the post by saying "rest in peace."  Not this time though.

Trivia

• Prior to the race, runners observed 26 seconds of silence to honor the victims of the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, which claimed the lives of 26 people.
  
  
• Ethiopian runner Lelisa Desisa won the men's division that year, finishing in two hours and ten minutes.  Kenyan Rita Jeptoo won it for the ladies, finishing in two hours and 26 minutes.  More than 23,000 runners participated.
  
  
• Dzhokhar was found guilty for his role in the attack.  Despite a series of legal reversals, he is currently sitting on death row.
  
  
• Celebrities with ties to the Boston area took to social media to condemn the attacks.
  Howard Stern. "I don't know why, I just never think of Boston being victims of some kind of act like this.  But we're not safe anywhere and there are maniacs running around in our midst..."
  John Kraskinski. "My heart and my prayers are in Boston and with everyone affected by this nightmare of an incident."
  Mark Wahlberg.  "Thoughts and prayers with my hometown Boston today."
  Maria Menounos.  "Flying home because I need to be there."
  Dane Cook.  "My prayers with everyone in Boston right now after this atrocious act of violence!!"
  
  
• A memorial honoring the victims was erected in August 2019.  Built by sculptor Pablo Eduardo, it can be found near the finish line on Boylston Street.  
  
  
  
  
  

The Old Man - Darren McGavin

 

Darren McGavin was born William Lyle Richardson in Spokane, Washington, on May 7, 1922.  When he was eleven, his parents got divorced, and his father sent him to live with friends on Puget Sound.

McGavin wasn't cut out for farm life however, and he soon ran away.  Police and welfare workers found him living with a Native American family along the Nisqually River.  He was returned to his father who placed him in boarding school, but McGavin would flee that as well.  He ultimately moved in with his mother in southern California.

After high school, he enrolled in the University of the Pacific in Stockton, intent on becoming an architect.  To help pay for college, he took a job as carpenter building scenery for a local theatre group.  This would be his introduction to the world of acting.

He dropped out of college and went to work as a painter at Columbia Pictures, where he'd soon land his first role in the 1945 biographical film A Song to Remember. Buoyed by this early success, he left Hollywood for New York and studied at the famed Actors Studio.  Within a few years, he'd be appearing on the Broadway stage, most notably as Happy Lohman in Death of a Salesman as well as live TV, on such shows as the Kraft Television Theatre.

He returned to Hollywood in the early 1950s, landing his first starring role in the 1955 feature film Summertime, opposite Katharine Hepburn.  He was also finding steady work on television as well, appearing on such series as Alfred Hitchcock Presents before landing the starring role on Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer in 1957.  When it folded two years later, McGavin was cast opposite Burt Reynolds on the western series Riverboat (see Trivia below).

In 1972, McGavin was cast in the made-for-TV movie The Night Stalker, playing a reporter who discovered a modern-day vampire living in Las Vegas.  The film was such a ratings success for ABC that it spawned a sequel, The Night Strangler in 1973, before ultimately going to series.  Kolchak: The Night Stalker (left), premiered on rival network NBC in 1974 and ran for just one season.

McGavin never stopped working though, frequently making guest appearances on such popular shows as The Six Million Dollar Man, The Love Boat and Fantasy Island.  Ironically, his greatest claim to fame was yet to come.

In 1983, McGavin was cast in what would become his signature role, that of Mr. Parker, aka "The Old Man," in the holiday classic A Christmas Story.  He was paid $2 million for the role.  Keep in mind that this was 1983.  That was some serious cheddar. 

He'd continue acting throughout the 1980s and 90s, but that was his final starring role.  His last credited work was for two episodes of the popular FOX series The X-Files in 1998.

By 2006, McGavin's health was in decline as the actor was suffering from cardiovascular disease.  He was admitted to a Los Angeles area hospital, where he ultimately died on February 25th.  He was 83 years old.

Darren McGavin was laid to rest at famed Hollywood Forever Cemetery.

Location: Section #7 (Griffith Lawn), Lot #203, Grave #14
Inscription #1: Father, Husband, and Actor
Inscription #2: Enjoyed a Wondrous Journey

Fra-gee-lay, Old Man.

Trivia

• Although a holiday classic today, A Christmas Story was considered a flop at the box office, taking in a mere $20 million over its six-week run. 
  
  
• Like many of his generation, McGavin attempted to join the military as America entered World War 2.  He was rejected from service however, due to bad knees.  Really.
  
  
• Burt Reynolds left the series Riverboat as he and McGavin were unable to work together on set.  He later told TV Guide that "Darren McGavin is going to be a very disappointed man on the first Easter after his death."
  
  
• McGavin appeared in the Robert Redford baseball classic The Natural in 1984 yet received no billing for his role.  Before the film's production, producers could not agree with McGavin's agent over his placement in the credits.  Rather than hold up production, the actor decided to go uncredited.
  
  
• In 1970, McGavin was to take over the role of Tony Nelson on the popular sit-com I Dream of Jeannie following Larry Hagman's departure from the series.  Before production on season 6 could begin however, NBC canceled the series.
  
  
• McGavin's death was overshadowed by that of TV icon Don Knotts, who died one day earlier.
  
  
• This blogger is the only person he knows who actually saw A Christmas Story in the theatre.

Mary Tyler Moore

 

"I'm not an actress who can create a character.  I play me."

Mary Tyler Moore was born in Brooklyn, New York, on December 29, 1936.  She was the oldest of three children born to an Irish-Catholic family.  When she was eight years old, the family relocated to Los Angeles, where she completed her education at Immaculate Heart High School.

The move was a perfect fit for Moore, who had long had stars in her eyes.  She made her first television appearance in 1955, starring as "Happy Hotpoint," an elf, in a series of Hotpoint Appliance ads that aired during the popular sit-com The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet. Yup, that's really her.  She left the role after 39 commercials, as she was unable to conceal her pregnancy in the elf costume.

Her first regular television role was in the David Janssen series Richard Diamond, Private Detective.  She played a glamorous and mysterious telephone receptionist, really, never showing her face on screen.  She'd make guest appearances in other popular series of the day, including The Tab Hunter Show and 77 Sunset Strip.

In 1961, Moore shot to stardom on the popular sit-com The Dick Van Dyke Show (right) as the title character's wife, Laura Petrie.  The show was loosely based on creator Carl Reiner's own experiences as a writer on the Sid Caesar variety series Your Show of Shows.  The series ran for five seasons and 158 episodes, earning Moore two Emmy Awards for Best Actress in a Comedy Series.

In 1970, Moore and her husband Grant Tinker, himself a television executive, approached CBS with a proposal for a new series.  Focusing on the star herself, The Mary Tyler Moore Show (below) would break the traditional TV mold by featuring Moore as single woman Mary Richards, trying to make a career for herself as a television journalist.  The series ran for seven seasons and often incorporated social and political themes of the day, including the Women's Movement.  Moore would win an additional four Emmy Awards for this series.  It also generated three spin-off series for CBS, including Rhoda (1974-78), Phyllis (1975-77), and Lou Grant (1977-82).

Shortly after the series ended, Moore returned to New York and the Broadway stage. She starred opposite James Naughton in 96 performances of Whose Life Is It Anyway, then later starred in 164 performances of the May-December romance story, Sweet Sue.  She'd also return to the silver screen as well, with memorable appearances in such films as Ordinary People (1980) and Six Weeks (1982).

Moore continued acting throughout the 1990s, eventually retiring in the early 21st century. She settled in Connecticut and enjoyed the quiet life.  In early 2017, she began experiencing symptoms of cardiopulmonary arrest and was admitted to Greenwich Hospital.  While there, she developed pneumonia and was placed on a ventilator.  She ultimately passed away on January 25th.  Moore was 80 years old.

Moore was laid to rest at Oak Lawn Cemetery in Fairfield, Connecticut.  Pro tip: If you go to pay your respects, wear boots!

Location: Plot D-27

Rest in peace.

Trivia

• Moore authored two books about her life and career.  You can order a copy of both After All (1995) and Growing Up Again: Life, Loves, and Oh Yeah, Diabetes (2009) from Amazon.
  
  
• Moore was a descendant of Lewis Tilgham Moore, a Lieutenant Colonel who fought with the Confederacy during the Civil War.
  
  
• In 1969, Moore received a Golden Turkey Award for her performance in the Elvis Presley film Change of Habit.  She was recognized in the category "The Ecclesiastical Award for the Worst Performance by an Actor or Actress as a Clergyman or Nun."  Moore claimed to be thrilled for the recognition.  If you do nothing else today, be sure to watch the film's trailer on YouTube.  
  
  
• That same year, Moore and Tinker founded MTM Enterprises, a successful television production company that would go on to produce such memorable series as The Bob Newhart Show, WKRP in Cicinnati, Hill Street Blues, and many more iconic series.  The orange cat seen meowing at the end of every MTM production was named "Mimsie."
  
  
• Moore returned to New York in the early 1980s, taking with her a collection of memorabilia from her years in Hollywood.  Included in this collection was the beret she had so famously tossed into the air during her show's opening credits.  She kept these items in a storage locker in her apartment building, which vandals soon broke into. Their whereabouts today remain a mystery.
  
  
• The soundstage for The Mary Tyler Moore Show was later used for That 70's Show.  In 2006, Moore made a series of memorable guest appearances on the latter series.
  
  
• In 2002, a statue commemorating Moore's iconic beret toss was created and placed at the Minneapolis intersection made famous in the show's opening credits.  It can be found outside Nicolet Mall.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Moore's star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame is located at 7201 Hollywood Boulevard.
  
  
  

Jackie Cooper: Actor, Director and Veteran

 

Jackie Cooper was born John Cooper, Jr. in Los Angeles, on September 15, 1922.  It's an ironic name considering that John, Sr. walked out on the family when the boy was just two years old.  Cooper's mother, a stage pianist, was left to raise Jackie on her own, later remarrying a studio production manager.

By the time he was three, Cooper was already making a name for himself in Hollywood, attending auditions with his maternal grandmother.  After a few bit parts, he was introduced to director Hal Roach, who hired Cooper for his Our Gang series of shorts, playing that little rascal, Jackie. His character was most memorable for having a crush on schoolteacher Ms. Crabtree, played by silent-screen vixen June Marlowe.

In 1931, Roach sold Cooper's contract to MGM Studios, who cast the eight-year-old in director King Vidor's classic The Champ, for which Cooper would receive an Academy Award nomination.  Other films during this period include The Bowery (1933) and Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasure Island (1934).

When America entered World War 2, Cooper put his career on hold and enlisted in the United States Navy. Although he'd return to Hollywood following the war, he'd remain in the Naval Reserves for the next forty years, eventually retiring with the rank of Captain.

In the 1950s, Cooper starred on two television sit-coms, including The People's Choice with Patricia Breslin and Hennessy with Abby Dalton. He also made guest appearances on shows popular at the time, including the legal drama Justice and The Pat Boone Chevy Showroom (actual title).

By the 1960s, Cooper had moved behind the camera and was serving as Vice President of Program Development at Columbia Pictures Screen Gems TV division.  During this time, he oversaw production of the classic series Bewitched, while occasionally acting as well, making a memorable appearance in the 1964 Twilight Zone episode Caesar and Me.

Cooper left Columbia in 1969, continuing to both act and direct with other Hollywood studios.  During this time, he directed several early episodes of the sit-com M*A*S*H, for which he won the 1974 Emmy Award for Best Directing in Comedy.  Other series he directed during this time include The White Shadow, for which he'd also win the Emmy Award.

Unbelievably, Cooper's greatest claim to fame was still yet to come.  In 1977, he was cast in the $40 million Richard Donner blockbuster Superman, playing newspaper editor Perry White.  The film was an international success, introducing Cooper to a new generation of fans.  He'd reprise the role in all three sequels, including Superman IV: The Quest for Peace, one of his final film roles.

Cooper retired in the 1990s and stayed active for the more than 20 years.  By 2011 however, his health was in decline and he'd succumb to natural causes on May 3rd of that year.  Although survived by two sons, he had outlived his wife and two daughters.

Jackie Cooper was laid to rest with full military honors at Arlington National Cemtery outside Washington, DC.

Location: Section #64, Site #1903

Rest in peace.

Trivia

• Cooper released his autobiography, Please Don't Shoot My Dog, in 1981. Of his time directing M*A*S*H, he wrote that the only two actors who weren't a pain to work with were Larry Linville and Wayne Rogers.
  
  
• During his Naval service, Cooper was awarded the Legion of Merit for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements.
  
  
• When Cooper received his Academy Award nomination at age nine, he was the youngest person to ever do so, a title he still holds to this day.
  
  
• While serving in the Naval Reserves in 1977, Cooper gave the oath of enlistment to fellow former child actor Jay North, star of Dennis the Menace.
  
  
• Between 1980 and 1982, Cooper directed seven made-for-TV movies.  One of these was the 1982 film Moonlight, for which Cooper used the industry pseudonym Alan Smithee.  
  
  
• Cooper continued directing even after he had retired, most notably on the syndicated television series Superboy.
  
  
• Cooper's star on the Hollywood Walf of Fame can be found at 1507 Vine Street.