Standing in the midst of Hollywood, the Hollywood Forever Cemetery is truly an embodiment of the glitter and all shades of Los Angeles. From humble beginnings as a modest 1899 burial ground, it has grown into a unique cultural fixture tying old and new, life and death, and joy with memory.
Unlike many traditional graveyards relegated to being dead places of mourning, Hollywood Forever forms the cultural heart of Los Angeles with concerts, showing classic films and alive cultural events; where countless celebrities rest eternally having become part of American culture’s fabric.
Then Hollywood was more of an open space for agricultural practices mostly, with lemon groves as part of the far-fetched agrarian colonies compared to the entertainment fortress it would later become.
This was the period when the movie sector was taking its baby steps during the early 20th century, and since the studio facilities were nearby, this cemetery soon became a place for the pioneers and greats of that young cinematic world.
The history of the property is deeply entwined with Paramount Pictures, one of Hollywood’s oldest studios. Now, in reality, the studio lot stands in land that used to be a portion of the cemetery grounds; a solid link between living, breathing industry and spirits of those who laid its foundations.
It gives a very good reminder of the complicated history of entertainment from Hollywood’s past to present coexisting together.
By 1999, after years of neglect under previous ownership, the cemetery had been pulled back from financial desolation reinvigorated and rebranded as ‘Hollywood Forever’. That same year, it was listed on the National Register of Historic Sites, solidifying its status as a cultural treasure that must be preserved for the ages to come.
Walking through the beautifully kept grounds of Hollywood Forever is like stepping into a journey through the history of entertainment. The cemetery is home to hundreds of famous figures who shaped music, movies, and pop culture are all resting here. You have stars like Judy Garland, Cecil B. DeMille, and Douglas Fairbanks laid to rest under monuments fully embodying their larger-than-life personas.
Even now, nearly a century later, the crypt of the great silent star Rudolph Valentino draws a covering of flowers from his fans on the anniversary of his death. Hollywood Forever is now also home to the great Mickey Rooney, who spent an amazing nine decades in the business.
It also serves as a final resting place for modern cultural icons, including Johnny and Dee Dee Ramone, founding members of the seminal punk group, The Ramones. A bronze statue of Johnny Ramone playing guitar is one of the most recognizable features within the cemetery. Since his death in 2017, fans of rock have regarded the grave of Soundgarden frontman Chris Cornell as something sacrosanct, while the resting place of iconic television star Valerie Harper stands as a tribute to her indelible contribution to the medium.
These are not lives unto themselves, but rather integral parts of the tapestry of cultural history in America, making Hollywood Forever a living museum of entertainment heritage.
Here’s the rub that sets Hollywood Forever distinctly apart from so many venerable burial grounds: the flourishing of vibrant cultural activity within these gates. Rather than a locus only of grief, the cemetery has become a center for community, history, and art.
In collaboration with Cinespia since the year 2000, it has changed the Fairbanks Lawn (so called for the silent film star at rest nearby) into an open-air summer movie palace. These screenings have become an integral tradition of Los Angeles and draw thousands of people from the local cinephilic community who lie down their blankets on the grass to enjoy classic and new films under the stars.
The historic Masonic Lodge within the cemetery operates also as a concert venue, offering both candlelit acoustic evenings and other full-on productions. Over the years, different sorts of musicians have been on these famous fields creating new memories in a place that is all about saving the old ones.
This kind of cultural programming does not serve to overshadow the main cemetery role of Hollywood Forever but instead honors those buried there by making their legacies vibrantly alive through continued celebrations of the arts they ardently supported when alive.
‘Día de Los Muertos: A Cultural Celebration of Life and Death’ What’s most fascinating, perhaps, is that Hollywood Forever hosts one of the most amazing events during its annual Día de Los Muertos (Day of the Dead): it’s known as the largest Day of the Dead festival outside Mexico and this exuberant cultural happening turns the cemetery into a riot of colour, music and remembrance every autumn.
Such set pieces will include pictures, people’s favorite food or objects as well as marigolds, and the now iconic sugar skulls associated with the tradition. Altars are used to commemorate and celebrate the continued ties that exist between the living and the dead in most Mexican cultural settings.
The festival is full of traditional music, dance performances, art shows, craft sellers, and real Mexican food. People come with faces painted in the calavera or skull design; they wear big costumes related to the custom. Rather than Halloween’s sometimes scary way of looking at death, Día de Los Muertos sees death as a normal part of life that should be respected rather than feared.
By holding this event, Hollywood Forever honors Los Angeles’ strong Mexican cultural influences while giving a place for true cultural sharing that unites different groups. Since the event started it has grown and now many thousands of people come each year.
Beth Olam is found inside Hollywood Forever; it is one of California’s oldest used Jewish cemeteries. This section is part of that very important chapter in the history of the Jewish community of Los Angeles because it has graves from the early 1900s.
In Beth Olam, many influential Jewish figures from early Hollywood are found—executives, writers, performers who have left a permanent mark on the entertainment industry. Pioneers who faced much discrimination; yet through their perseverance, legacies were created that changed American culture.
A well-maintained historic Jewish section proves to you that Hollywood Forever is committed to cultural diversity and heritage. Religious services and memorial observances continue to take place in this section, following Jewish customs of remembering the departed in the greater setting of the cemetery.
Gentle preservation at Beth Olam reminds visitors of the multicultural bases of Hollywood and Los Angeles, where émigrés from many different places came together to build up this capital of entertainment in America.
Beyond the historical importance and cultural programming that come with it, Hollywood Forever sticks with its identity as a full-service cemetery, funeral home, and crematory. It has artistically adjusted to modern memorial needs while steadfastly maintaining its historic character.
Hollywood Forever offers all kinds of burial and cremation offerings starting from traditional burial spaces to more recent columbarium niches. The grounds have both old sections with classic monuments and newer areas with more modern designs.
Cemetery staff are experts in personalized memorials and are very eloquently able to memorialize the lives of the departed with a whole experience. Hollywood Forever is a leader in interactive memorial features among cemeteries nationwide. Certain monuments have QR codes that can be scanned with a smartphone to view pictures, video, and bio information of the deceased.
Families now have more and different ways available to them for keeping and sharing the legacies of their loved ones.
Meticulously maintained grounds bring lusher landscaping, reflective lakes, and peaceful seats for individual reflection; palm trees on many of the paths give an air of Southern California distinctiveness and roadway identity as it grows along this region.
The place is mostly open to any respectful persons who want to come see this unique cultural place. The cemetery sits right in the middle at 6000 Santa Monica Boulevard, next to Paramount Studios and easy to get from lots of Los Angeles areas.
Maps showing important graves and monuments are available at the entrance, making self-guided tours possible. Occasionally walking tours for a more complete exploration are offered that provide historical context and behind-the-scenes stories about the famous residents of the cemetery.
It is highly recommended to pre-book tickets for events like film screenings or concerts as these sell out very quickly. The general entry version of the Día de Los Muertos celebration held late October/early November usually draws much bigger crowds and therefore may have separate entry requirements.
Apart from having cultural programming, visitors should remember that Hollywood Forever is still an active cemetery. Proper respect should be observed especially near the area of funeral services or in the process of paying respects to someone by the mourners.
The gift shop at the cemetery offers a wide range of unique memorabilia about both the cemetery and its many famous residents so visitors can have a little piece of Hollywood history to take home with them.
Hollywood Forever Cemetery is a multifaceted institution where history, culture, and remembrance come together in numerous, almost magical ways far beyond being just a final resting place for stars; this is Los Angeles’ special way of looking to the past while living and creating life and cultural celebrations in the present.
In changing what has traditionally been a rather somber place—a cemetery—into a focal point where people come together to watch films and enjoy all kinds of music and cultural celebrations, Hollywood Forever has redefined what memorial space is.
As it keeps on changing, this amazing old place makes sure that the tales buried in its land stay lively parts of the talk in culture and don’t fade away. In Hollywood Forever, the stories — like the spirits of those behind creative minds who are resting there — stay ever strong.