Beyond the bright lights of Hollywood’s bustling cityscape lies a tranquil place, where the glitz and glamour of the movie industry fade away into solemn silence. This is Hollywood Forever Cemetery, a place where the famous and the celebrated are laid to rest. Here, the mortal remains of some of Tinseltown’s most iconic figures, including Rudolph Valentino, Cecil B. DeMille, and Judy Garland, are interred beneath ornate headstones and grand mausoleums.
However, Hollywood Forever Cemetery is also shrouded in mystery and intrigue. It is rumored to be inhabited by a spectral cast of ghosts and apparitions, who refuse to leave even after death. Some visitors have reported eerie sightings and unexplained phenomena, adding to the cemetery’s mystique and allure.
Paramount and Rudolph Valentino
One of the most popular and most visited graves is that of Rudolph Valentino, the dashing Italian heartthrob who was known as the “Latin Lover”. Valentino’s life was tragically cut short at 31 when he died from sepsis following an operation done on his stomach. His sudden demise sent shock waves throughout the world. It has been said, however, that Valentino’s spirit still lives on. Visitors and staff have reported fleeting glimpses of a man in vintage attire. Some claim to have heard the echo of his laughter, while others swear they’ve caught a whiff of his signature cologne.
It should be known that Hollywood Forever is right behind what is now Paramount Studios. Paramount has been reported to have ghostly visitors, including Valentino himself. In spite of the fact that Valentino died before Paramount moved to its current location, the current location remains close to Valentino’s crypt. Several witnesses have reported seeing him walking around the Paramount studio lot.
Cliffton Webb: Haunting two places?
Another ghostly resident is said to have emerged from the cemetery’s monuments: Clifton Webb. Known for his impeccable wit and portrayal of urbane characters like Mr. Belvedere, his spirit is believed to live on. Many people have noticed a man who looked strikingly similar to him near his mother’s crypt and his own crypt. It would be no surprise if he was by his and his mother’s graves. He was a true Mama’s boy who lived with his mother all his life until she passed away in 1960. Webb would follow her only six years later.
Webb supposedly also haunts his old house in Beverly Hills. It has been rumored that when he was alive, he told his friends that he loved his home so much that he would never leave it even in death. Perhaps he is spending his afterlife visiting his beloved mother and living in his beloved home.
The Cries of Virginia Rappe
Virginia Rappe’s story is one of the most hauntingly tragic tales of the ghosts that haunt Hollywood Forever. She was a promising silent film actress whose career was cut short in 1921 when she died of peritonitis and a ruptured bladder. Roscoe “Fatty” Arbuckle was tried for her death in a sensational trial that cast a dark shadow upon Hollywood’s glitzy facade. In death, Rappe became the most famous woman in the papers. Although Arbuckle was acquitted, Rappe’s reputation suffered a great deal. Even in death, she went from being viewed as an innocent victim to being exploited.
Nowadays, her grave is a pilgrimage site for those with an interest in the dark side of Hollywood’s history. Many believe that her spirit still roams the cemetery. Visitors have even reported hearing weeping and crying by her grave, as they believe that Rappe was crying over her life being cut short and her inability to become the rising star she intended to be.
Conclusion
Hollywood Forever Cemetery represents the everlasting charm of Hollywood. The legends buried there are more than just red carpets and flashing cameras. In the end, the cemetery pays tribute to Hollywood’s intriguing past. Whether it’s a figment of the imagination or a glimpse into another world, there’s one thing for certain: the ghosts of Hollywood Forever Cemetery are an inseparable part of Hollywood’s history, reminding us that even in death, the show must go on.