The Bell Tolls for Patsy Cline

 

Patsy Cline was born Virginia Patterson Hensley in Winchester, Virginia, on September 8, 1932. From an early age, she had an interest in music, with her sights set on Nashville.

After several false starts, including an audition at the Grand Ol' Opry, Cline released her first album in 1955.  The first single to hit the airwaves was called A Church, a Courtroom, Then Goodbye.  Although the song was not a commercial success, more would follow, including her signature hit Crazy, released in 1961.  Over the course of her brief career, Cline recorded a total of 104 songs.

On March 3, 1963, Cline performed a benefit concert in Kansas City, Kansas, in honor of a local DJ killed in a car accident one month earlier. Appearing with her on stage were notable country luminaries including Dottie West, George Jones, and the Clinch Mountain Boys. Her final song that night, and ultimately the final song she ever performed live, was I'll Sail My Ship Alone.

She spent the night at a local motel, intent on flying out the next morning. Fog conditions prevented any takeoffs, however. Although West offered her a ride back to Nashville, Cline opted to wait another day and try again, telling West and her husband "don't worry about me, Hoss.  When it's my time to go, it's my time."

On March 5th, she checked out of the hotel and arrived at Fairfax Airport.  There, she boarded a Piper PA-24 Comanche with several of her friends, including amateur pilot Randy Hughes.  The plane stopped in Rogers, Arkansas to refuel, then headed to Dyersburg Municipal Airport in Dyersburg, Tennessee.  There, they were advised by the airfield manager to postpone their travel due to inclement weather, even offering to put them up in a local motel for the night.  Hughes declined the offer however, telling the group "I've already come this far.  We'll be there before you know it."  The plane took off in high winds at 6:07pm.  It soon disappeared from radar.

The next morning, a local man named Roger Miller discovered the plane's wreckage on his property.  It had crashed nose down, and forensic analysis would conclude that all five passengers died on impact.  Cline's watch had stopped at 6:20 pm, just thirteen minutes after take-off.

Cline's body was returned to her hometown of Winchester, where she was laid to rest at Shenandoah Memorial Park.  A bell tower was erected nearby, which chimes every day at exactly 6:20 pm in her honor.

Located on Patsy Cline Highway in Winchester, Virginia.

A section of the park is dedicated to the memory of Cline and
her husband, Charles Dick.

The shared grave of Cline and her husband Charles, who didn't
pass until 2015.

The headstone includes Cline's real name.

A belltower in the park was created in tribute to Cline's legacy.
It tolls every day at 6:20 pm, the exact time her plane crashed 
in 1963.

A memorial plaque at the base of the tower.

Rest in peace.

Bettie Page - The Queen of Curves

 

"I never was the girl next door."

Bettie Mae Page was born in Nashville, Tennessee, on April 22, 1923. She was the second of six children to Walter Roy Page and Edna Mae Pirtle.  Her childhood was brief.  Walter went to prison for stealing a car while Edna Mae held down two jobs to support the children.  In their absence, Bettie assumed responsibility for the care of her younger siblings.

Despite this, Page excelled academically. In 1940, she graduated as salutatorian of her high school class after being named "Girl Most Likely to Succeed."  She earned a scholarship to what is today Vanderbilt University, intent on becoming a teacher.  By her sophomore year however, she began studying acting, hoping to become a movie star.  She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1944.

After a brief marriage and a quickie divorce, Page moved to New York City.  While working in a store at Coney Island, she met Jerry Tibbs, a New York City police officer and avid photographer.  He took the initial photos that would inevitably launch her career.

She quickly found work as a pin-up model, posing for several photographers throughout the 1950s.  Her photos eventually caught the eye of Hugh Hefner, who was just starting his new magazine, Playboy.  She appeared as Miss January 1955, one of the very first Playmates of the Month.

In 1959, Page became a born-again Christian and went to work for Reverend Billy Graham.  She studied at Bible colleges in Los Angeles and Portland, Oregon, now intent on doing missionary work in Africa.  She was ultimately rejected however, on account of her divorce. She would later twice remarry, but both would end in divorce as well.

In 1978, Page had a nervous breakdown and was arrested for assaulting her landlady.  She was diagnosed with acute schizophrenia and would spend the next 14 years in and out of institutions.

In December 2008, Page was hospitalized in critical condition following a heart attack.  She was placed on life support, which her family opted to discontinue.  She died on December 11, 2008.  She was 85 years old.

Bettie Page was buried at the famed Pierce Brothers Westwood Village Memorial Park in Los Angeles.

Rest in peace.

Trivia

• A number of Page biographies have cropped up over the years, including:
     * The Real Bettie Page: The Truth About the Queen of the Pin-Ups   
     * Bettie Page: The Life of a Pin-Up Legend
     * Bettie Page: The Lost Years
  
  
• Page is buried next to notable character actor Allan Melvin and his wife, but this blogger can find no connection between them.  Melvin is probably most famous for his role of Sam the Butcher on The Brady Bunch.
  
  
• This blogger loves attending autograph shows and comic cons, such as the Chiller Theatre Expo and The Hollywood Show. Page would never participate in these events however, stating "I want people to remember me the way I was."
  
  
• Page's photos were the inspiration for the leading lady of the Rocketeer comics, a series that became the basis for the film adaptation The Rocketeer in 1991.  It starred Jennifer Connelly as a Bettie Page-inspired character named Jenny.
  

Dudley Moore - Buried in New Jersey

 

"I can't imagine not having music in my life, playing for myself or for other people.  If I was asked, 'which would you give up,' I'd have to say acting."

Dudley Stuart John Moore was born in London, England on April 19, 1935.  Now, I always knew him as an eccentric actor from the two Arthur films, neither of which I've ever seen, but not much beyond that.  It wasn't until I visited his grave and saw his headstone that I knew he had any connection to the music industry. A talented pianist he was.

His love of music came early, and by the time he was eleven, he'd already earned a scholarship to the Guildhall School of Music, where he studied the violin, the harpsichord and musical composition.  It was enough to earn him a full scholarship to Oxford.

Although music was his first interest, he moved to Hollywood in the late 1970s.  His early film roles included Foul Play (1978) and Blake Edwards 10, which became one of the biggest box-office hits of 1979.  It launched Moore to leading man status, though he'd prefer to be known for his musical talent.

In April 1997, doctors told Moore that he had calcium deposits in his brain, which had caused irreversible frontal lobe damage.  On top of that, he underwent coronary artery bypass surgery, which led to a series of strokes.

For the next few years, Moore was cared for by friend and fellow musician Rena Fruchter in Plainfield, New Jersey. She was holding his hand when he ultimately passed away on March 27, 2002, at the age of 66.  Acording to Fruchter, Moore's final words were "I can hear music all around me."

Dudley Moore was buried at Hillside Cemetery in Scotch Plains, New Jersey.  His headstone includes a tribute to his skills as a pianist.

Rest in peace.

Trivia

• In 1998, author Barbara Paskin released her biography of the actor/musician.  Pick up a copy of Dudley Moore: The Authorized Biography from Amazon.
  
  
• After he passed away, several of Moore's works were turned into books as well, which are also available from Amazon, including Letters From Dudley (2006) and Songs Without Words (2011).
  
  
• In 1983, Moore turned down the lead role in the romantic comedy Splash. The part ultimately went to Tom Hanks.
  
  
• Moore disowned the 1988 sequel Arthur 2: On The Rocks.
  
  
• A bar in Cromwell, Connecticut, Digger McDuff's Tavern, is named in his honor.  I don't get it either.
  
  
• Moore died the same day as legendary comedian Milton Berle.

2023 Year in Review!

2023 is coming to a close, so its time for a year in review.  It's been a busy time for this blogger, who visited 48 graves across eleven states.  

This year, I paid my respects to actors, politicians, historical figures, and even an animal or two.  While I'm not going to show them all here, I do want to share some of the more notables, which you'll see below. 

Some of these graves have already been profiled here at Six Feet Under Hollywood, others will come with time.  Regardless, please enjoy the highlights of the past year.

Muhammad Ali
Cave Hill Cemetery
Louisville, Kentucky

Willard Scott
Leeds Cemetery
Markham, Virginia

Trigger and Bullet the Wonder Dog
John Wayne Museum Gift Shop
Fort Worth, Texas

Texas Space Alien
Aurora Cemetery
Aurora, Texas

President Abraham Lincoln
Oak Ridge Cemetery
Springfield, Illinois

Not pictured: Alan Freed, Alexander Haig, Ben Bradlee, Bernard Henry Kroger, Caspar Weinberger, Charley Pride, Daniel Patrick Moynihan, David Frisch, Ed Koch, Eliot Ness, Frank Perdue, Frank Woolworth, Fred Baur, Gene Lyons, Glenn Brenner, Harvey Pekar, Howard K. Smith, Irving R. Levine, Jack Kent Cooke, Jack Thayer, James Gamble, John D. Rockefeller, John Jacob Astor, John James Audubon, John Marley, Katharine Graham, Madeline Albright, Martin Balsam, Mary Todd Lincoln, Medgar Evers, Michael Hootkins, Morgan Woodward, Nancy Kulp, Nick Berg, Peter Mayhew, Robert Mitchum, Scott Hall, Tallulah Bankhead, Tom Landry, Tom Wolfe, Trini Lopez, Walter Matt Jefferies, William Procter.

Happy new year!   

Penn and Teller

 

No, you didn't miss a breaking news story.  Penn Fraser Jillette and Raymond Joseph Teller are both very much alive.  But why should that stop them from having a grave?

This blogger isn't exactly sure as to how long it's been there, but the famed comedy duo have a cenotaph in notable Forest Lawn Hollywood Hills.  What's a cenotaph?  It's a marker or a tribute to someone who's not buried in that particular cemetery.  Typically, however, the cenotaph is for someone who has actually died!  So why these two happen to have one is a mystery to this blogger.

The answer, however, may be in the cards.  Look closely at the cenotaph and you'll see that the card they've chosen is the three of clubs.  Now, take another look at their publicity photo up above.  Notice the card that Teller is holding?  Yup, it's the three of clubs.

So, what is the significance of this card?  Well, this blogger did a little digging into the world of cartomancy and tarot and came up with a few interesting explanations.  According to one source, "three of clubs make good directors of men. They might be indecisive in their lives, but they are not afraid to take responsibility for others. They can work successfully...in any occupation that involves their communication skills."  An ironic choice, given that Teller never speaks.

Another explanation states that "three of clubs is a sign that your efforts will be crowned with success...it is a trump that beats all the negative cards next to it.  It is a fine omen that you will gain fortune and fame."  Ascribing good fortune to the afterlife certainly can't hurt.

Also, if you go down the rabbit hole that is Reddit, you'll see that this particular card is commonly used among magicians when they want to force a specific card.  Allegedly, low numbers with black-on-white images are easier to read than say, face cards.

Whatever the meaning, this blogger appreciates unique and one-of-a-kind headstones, and this one certainly fits the bill.  Next time you're in L.A., be sure to check it out.

Trivia

• Ironically, this blogger had no idea that the cenotaph was even there.  While visiting Forest Lawn with a friend and fellow grave enthusiast, we were approached by a former disgruntled associate of the magical duo, who asked us to videotape him dancing on their grave.  Only in Hollywood.
   
• Penn and Teller are regular performers at the Rio Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.  Although this blogger has stayed there many times, he's never actually caught their act.
  
  
• This blogger has visited cenotaphs for actual dead people, including Robert Mitchum and Jayne Mansfield.

Happy Life Day!

 

On November 17, 1978, a dubious kind of history was made. CBS Television aired what is technically the first direct sequel to the 1977 box office sensation Star Wars. With the theatrical release of The Empire Strikes Back still two years away, creator George Lucas wanted to keep the franchise alive in order to keep the merchandise flowing.  The result is what many consider to be the holy grail of lost films, The Star Wars Holiday Special.

Our story begins with recycled footage of the Millennium Falcon taken directly from the first movie. Han Solo is desperate to get his best friend and co-pilot Chewbacca home for the holidays, on the eve of the greatest of all wookiee celebrations, "Life Day."  Don't count on seeing much of Han, Chewy, or any of the others until the end of the special, however.  They're simply the framework for a two-hour variety show featuring a bevy of 70s TV icons. 

The film is so bad that it was never rerun.  To this day, George Lucas likes to pretend that it does not exist.  Unfortunately for him, VCRs did exist in 1978, and quite a few folks recorded the special.  Today, it is all over YouTube.  There is even a new theatrical documentary all about the special entitled A Disturbance in the Force: How the Star Wars Holiday Special Happened. 

Since its airing, many of the film's stars have passed away.  This blogger has visited the graves of five of the more notables.  So, in honor of the film's 45th anniversary, let's visit those graves here and pay our respects.  What better to celebrate Life Day?

Harvey Korman.  Yup, that's really Harvey under all that make-up.  He had the distinction of playing not one, but three different characters in the film. The one pictured at left was an inter-galactic Julia Childs, whose program is a favorite among the wookiees.

Harvey was of course an icon from The Carol Burnett Show, so his casting in the film was almost a given. 

He passed away in 2008 at the age of 81 and was buried at Woodlawn Cemetery in Santa Monica, California.

Peter Mayhew.  Mayhew was no stranger to the special, where he reprised his iconic role of Chewbacca the wookiee.  While Mayhew was born in London, he later became a legal United States citizen, ultimately residing in Texas.  For the last few years before his death, he was a mainstay on the convention circuit, where this author met him in 2014.

Sadly, Mayhew passed away in 2019, just four months shy of the release of the final film in the Star Wars saga, The Rise of Skywalker.

Mayhew was buried at Azleland Memorial Park in Reno, Texas, and given a headstone commemorating his alter ego.

Carrie Fisher. The high point of the special would have to be Carrie Fisher's solo act, which appears at the climax of the film.  Of the special she would later say "it was so bad it's NOT good."  Still, that didn't stop her from signing "Happy Life Day" to this blogger when he met her in 2013.

As has been well reported, even by Fisher herself, she had a long history of substance abuse. She ultimately died of sudden cardiac arrest on December 27, 2016.  The princess was only 60 years old.

She was entombed at Forest Lawn Hollywood Hills, where her mother, Debbie Reynolds, would join her just a few short days later.

Diahann Caroll.  Fisher isn't the only singer in the film, however.  Famed actress Diahann Carroll appears as well, as a holographic entertainer.  She is a favorite of wookiee father Itchy, who employs a virtual reality headset to catch her act.  To say that it is the creepiest segment in the special would be an understatement.

Carroll passed away on October 4, 2019, at the age of 84.  She was entombed at Woodlawn Cemetery in the Bronx, New York.

Art Carney.  Yup, Jackie Gleason's long-time comedic partner Art Carney appears throughout the film as Saun Dann, a trader who befriends the wookiee family.  Apparently, the producers allowed him to retain his eyewear for the film, as its the only time we ever see eyeglasses in the Star Wars universe.

Carney died on November 9, 2003, at the age of 85.  He was buried at Riverside Cemetery in Chester, Connecticut.

Rest in peace to all, and as always, Happy Life Day!

The Only Celebrity Grave in Delaware is Empty

 

"I gave up being serious about making pictures around the time I made a film with Greer Garson and she took 125 takes to say no."

Robert Charles Durman Mitchum was born in Bridgeport, Connecticut on August 6, 1917. His father was a railroad worker who was crushed to death in a 1919 worksite accident.  His mother, who was pregnant with her third child at the time, relocated the family to South Carolina, before ultimately returning to Connecticut.

To say that Mitchum had a troubled childhood would be an understatement.  He was known as a prankster and was frequently in trouble at school.  By the time he was 16, he was already sentenced to serve on a Georgia chain gang after being arrested for vagrancy.  By his own admission, he escaped from captivity and relocated to Delaware, where he met 14-year-old Dorothy Spence, a girl he would ultimately marry and spend the rest of his life with.

Mitchum landed in Hollywood in 1936.  He rose to prominence following an Oscar nomination for one of his best-known roles in the film The Story of G.I. Joe (1945).  Throughout his career, he'd star in a number of box-office hits, including River of No Return (1954), Thunder Road (1958), which Mitchum produced, and the original Cape Fear (1962). He is also widely remembered his for role as U.S. Navy Captain Victor "Pug" Henry in the 16-hour television mini-series The Winds of War (1983) and it's 30-hour 1988 sequel War and Remembrance.

A lifelong smoker, Mitchum's health had deteriorated by the 1990s.  He ultimately died of lung cancer and emphysema on July 1, 1997.  He was 79 years old.

Robert Mitchum was cremated and his ashes were scattered in the Pacific Ocean.  Dorothy returned to her hometown of Camden, Delaware, where she eventually passed in 2014.  She was laid to rest in her family's plot at the Odd Fellows Cemetery.  A cenotaph honoring Robert was placed next to her.

Rest in peace.

Trivia

• There are a number of Robert Mitchum biographies for sale.  Check out this listing on Amazon.
  
  
• Film critic Roger Ebert declared Mitchum his favorite movie star and the soul of film noir.
  
  
• Mitchum had a photographic memory that allowed him to read a script and memorize his lines instantly.  As such, he rarely rehearsed.
  
  
• In 1966, Mitchum tried his hand at singing and released the album "That Man Robert Mitchum Sings."  You can hear it in its entirety on YouTube.
  
  
• In 1971, Mitchum was offered the role of Popeye Doyle in The French Connection, which he declined, finding the storyline offensive.  The role ultimately went to Gene Hackman, earning him an Academy Award for Best Actor.
  
  
• Mitchum provided the voice-over narration for the 1993 film classic Tombstone.  He was originally hired for a much more significant on-screen role in the film, but script changes provided by Kurt Russell pushed him out of the picture.  Here's a sample of that narration.
  
  
• Mitchum also narrated those "Beef - It's What's for Dinner" commercials back in the 1990s.