Pierce Brothers Westwood Village Memorial Park and Mortuary

Pierce Brothers Westwood Village Memorial Park and Mortuary
Pierce Brothers Westwood Village Memorial Park & Mortuary is a cemetery and mortuary located in the Westwood Village area of Los Angeles. It is located at 1218 Glendon Avenue in Westwood, with an entrance from Glendon Avenue.
The cemetery was established as Sunset Cemetery in 1905, but had been used for burials since the 1880s. In 1926, the name was officially changed to Westwood Memorial Park and was later changed again to Pierce Brothers Westwood Village Memorial Park & Mortuary.
Although it is the resting place of some of the entertainment industry's greatest names, it also contains the graves of many uncelebrated people. For example, when Marilyn Monroe died in 1962, Joe DiMaggio, responsible for Monroe's arrangements, chose Westwood not because of its celebrities but because it was the resting place of her mother's friend, Grace Goddard, and Goddard's aunt, Ana Lower, both of whom had cared for Monroe as a child.
Notable interments
A
Kip Addotta (1944–2019), comedian
Milton Ager (1893–1979), musician, composer
Charles Aidman (1925–1993), actor
Eddie Albert (1906–2005), actor
Margo Albert (1917–1985), actress, wife of Eddie Albert
Shana Alexander (1925–2005), journalist, columnist, television commentator
Claud Allister (1888–1970), actor
Gitta Alpár (1903–1991), actress, opera singer
Richard Anderson (1926–2017), actor, co-star of The Six Million Dollar Man and The Bionic Woman
Patty Andrews (1918–2013), singer
Tige Andrews (1920–2007), actor
Ken Annakin (1914–2009), director
Eve Arden (1908–1990), actress, comedian
Jack Arnold (1916–1992), director
Robert Armstrong (1890–1973), actor
James Aubrey (1918–1994), producer
Hy Averback (1920–1997), director
Lew Ayres (1908–1996), actor
B
Henny Backus (1911–2004), author, wife of Jim Backus
Jim Backus (1913–1989), actor
Richard Baer (1928–2008), screenwriter
Dave Barbour (1912–1965), musician
Edgar Barrier (1907–1964), actor
Patricia Barry (1921–2016), actor
Eileen Barton (1924–2006), singer
Richard Basehart (1914–1984), actor
Greg Bautzer (1911–1987), attorney
Lee Phillip Bell (1928–2020), television host, producer
William J. Bell (1927–2005), producer
Isabel Bigley (1926–2006), actress
Whit Bissell (1909–1996), actor
Hilary Blake (1950–2007), musician
Billy Bletcher (1894–1979), actor, voice artist
Robert Bloch (1917–1994), writer
Lloyd Bochner (1924–2005), actor
Peter Bogdanovich (1939–2022), director and screenwriter
Benedict Bogeaus (1904–1968), producer
John Boles (1895–1969), actor
Dorris Bowdon (1914–2005), actress
Ray Bradbury (1920–2012), author; buried with his wife Marguerite McClure Bradbury
Fanny Brice (1891–1951), actress, comedian, singer (formerly buried in Home of Peace Cemetery)
William Brice (1921–2008), artist, son of Fanny Brice
Les Brown (1912–2001), musician
Vanessa Brown (1928–1999), actress
Clarence Bull (1896–1979), photographer
Anne Buydens (1919–2021), philanthropist, film producer, wife of Kirk Douglas
C
Sebastian Cabot (1918–1977), actor
Sammy Cahn (1913–1993), songwriter
Truman Capote (1924–1984), author
Edward Carrere (1906–1984), director
Harry Carey, Jr. (1921–2012), actor
Mary Carlisle (1914–2018), actress
John Cassavetes (1929–1989), actor, screenwriter, director, producer
Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco (1895–1968), composer
James Coburn (1928–2002), actor
Jackie Collins (1937–2015), novelist, screenwriter, producer
Michel Colombier (1939–2004), musician, composer
Ray Conniff (1916–2002), musician
Richard Conte (1910–1975), actor
Tim Conway (1933–2019), actor, comedian
Lawrence Cook (1930–2003), actor
Ian Copeland (1949–2006), music promoter
Alexander Courage (1919–2008), composer
Bob Crane (1928–1978), actor
Norma Crane (1928–1973), actress
D
Rodney Dangerfield (1921–2004), comedian, actor
Helmut Dantine (1917–1982), actor
Danny Dark (1938–2004), announcer
Steve Darrell (1904–1970), actor
Marvin Davis (1925–2004), oil tycoon, businessman
Jason Davis (1984–2020), actor
Richard Dawson (1932–2012), actor, television host
Don DeFore (1913–1993), actor
Laura Devon (1931–2007), actress
Philip Dorn (1901–1975), actor
Eric Douglas (1958–2004), actor
Kirk Douglas (1916–2020), actor
Dominique Dunne (1959–1982), Poltergeist actress, daughter of writer Dominick Dunne, sister of actor-director Griffin Dunne, murder victim
Ariel Durant (1898–1981), historian, Pulitzer Prize in literature, co-wrote The Story of Civilization, wife of Will Durant
Will Durant (1885–1981), historian, Pulitzer Prize in literature, co-wrote The Story of Civilization, husband of Ariel Durant
E
Nora Eddington (1924–2001), actress, 2nd wife of Errol Flynn, 3rd wife of Dick Haymes
Roger Edens (1905–1970), vocal arranger, songwriter, producer
Jack Elliott (1927–2001), songwriter
Geoff Emerick (1945–2018), sound engineer
Harry Essex (1910–1997), writer
Dennis Etchison (1943–2019), writer
Ray Evans (1915–2007), songwriter
F
Peter Falk (1927–2011), actor
Farrah Fawcett (1947–2009), actress
Bert Fields (1929–2022), entertainment attorney, writer, musician
Freddie Fields (1923–2007), talent agent
Jay C. Flippen (1899–1971), actor
June Foray (1917–2017), voice actress
Michael Fox (1921–1996), actor
Coleman Francis (1919–1973), film director
Leslie Frankenheimer (1948–2013), set decorator
Stan Freberg (1926–2015), voice actor
Georgia Frontiere (1927–2008), football owner
Faiza Rauf (1923–1994) Egyptian Princess
G
Eva Gabor (1919–1995), actress
June Gale (1911–1996), actress, wife of Oscar Levant
Michael V. Gazzo (1923–1995), actor
Christopher George (1931–1983), actor
Leonard Gershe (1922–2002), composer
Master Henry Gibson (1942–2002), musician
Paul Gleason (1939–2006), character actor
Thomas Gomez (1905–1971), actor
Don Gordon (1926–2017), actor
Robert Gottschalk (1918–1982), camera technician, co-founder of Panavision
Walter Grauman (1922–2015), director
Howard Greer (1896–1974), costume and fashion designer
Jane Greer (1924–2001), actress
Merv Griffin (1925–2007), producer, television host, singer
H
Loretta King Hadler (1917–2007), actress
Hayedeh (1942–1990), Persian language pop and classic singer from Tehran, older sister of Mahasti
Carrie Hamilton (1963–2002), actress, singer, daughter of Carol Burnett
Armand Hammer (1898–1990), oil tycoon, art collector, former president of Occidental Petroleum
Bong Soo Han (1933–2007), martial artist
Jonathan Harris (1914–2002), actor
Harold Hecht (1907–1985), film producer
Hugh Hefner (1926–2017), Playboy magazine founder and publisher, businessman
Percy Helton (1894–1971), actor
Florence Henderson (1934–2016), actress, singer, television host
Francesca Hilton (1947–2015), actress, daughter of Zsa Zsa Gabor
Connie Hines (1931–2009), actress
Jonathan Hole (1904–1998), actor, buried with his wife Betty Hanna
Ben Howard (1904–1970), aircraft designer, race pilot
James Wong Howe (1899–1976), cinematographer
Rosanna Huffman (1938–2016), actress
Mark R. Hughes (1956–2000), founder of Herbalife
Ronald Hughes (1935–1970), lawyer
Ross Hunter (1920–1996), producer, director, actor
Jim Hutton (1934–1979), actor
I
Steve Ihnat (1934–1972), actor
J
Donald G. Jackson (1943–2003), filmmaker
Kevin Jarre (1954–2011), screenwriter
Nunnally Johnson (1897–1977), screenwriter, director
Louis Jourdan (1921–2015), actor
Brenda Joyce (1917–2009), actress
K
Phil Karlson (1908–1985), director
Louis Kaufman (1905–1994), violinist
Beatrice Kay (1907–1986), actress, singer
Nora Kaye (1920–1987), ballerina
Brian Keith (1921–1997), actor
Cecil Kellaway (1893–1973), actor
Nancy Kelly (1921–1995), actress
Stan Kenton (1911–1979), musician
Victor Kilian (1891–1979), actor, murdered
James Howard "Dutch" Kindelberger (1895–1962), aviation executive
Louis King (1898–1962), director
Jack Klugman (1922–2012), actor
Don Knotts (1924–2006), actor, comedian
Miliza Korjus (1909–1980), opera singer
Phyllis Kennedy (1914–1998), actress
L
Perry Lafferty (1917–2005), director
Bill Lancaster (1947–1997), actor, screenwriter
Burt Lancaster (1913–1994), actor
Sidney Lanfield (1898–1972), director
Paul Laszlo (1900–1993), architect, furniture designer
Ed Lauter (1938–2013), actor
Marc Lawrence (1910–2005), actor
Irving Paul Lazar (1907–1993), agent
Joanna Lee (1931–2003), actress
Peggy Lee (1920–2002), singer, songwriter, actress
Ernest Lehman (1915–2005), screenwriter
Janet Leigh (1927–2004), actress
Jack Lemmon (1925–2001), actor
Queenie Leonard (1905–2002), actress
Murray Lertzman (1928-1984), attorney
Bruce Lester (1912–2008), actor
Oscar Levant (1906–1972), actor, pianist
Richard Levinson (1934–1987), writer
Harry Lewis (1920–2013), actor, restaurateur
Marilyn Lewis (1929–2017) fashion designer, producer
Alan W. Livingston (1917–2009), writer, producer
Jay Livingston (1915–2001), songwriter
Sondra Locke (1944–2018), actress
Louis Loeffler (1897–1972), editor
Robert Loggia (1930–2015), actor, director
M
Alexander Mackendrick (1912–1993), director
Mahasti (1946–2007), Persian language pop singer from Tehran, younger sister of Hayedeh
Karl Malden (1912–2009), actor
Janet Margolin (1943–1993), actress, married to Ted Wass
Dean Martin (1917–1995), actor, singer
Andrew Marton (1904–1992), actor
Samuel Marx (1902–1992), producer
Pamela Mason (1916–1996), actress, wife of James Mason and Roy Kellino
Portland Mason (1948–2004), actress, daughter of James Mason and Pamela Mason
Shirley Mason (1900–1979), actress
Osa Massen (1914–2006), actress
Edith Massey (1918–1984), actress
Carol Matthau (1925–2003), actress, wife of Walter Matthau and William Saroyan
Walter Matthau (1920–2000), actor
Ruth McDevitt (1895–1976), actress
Rod McKuen (1933–2015), poet, composer
Peter McWilliams (1949–2000), author
Allan Melvin (1923–2008), actor, voice actor
Lewis Milestone (1895–1980), director
Marvin E. Miller (1913–1985), actor
Shirley Mitchell (1919–2013), actress, wife of Jay Livingston
Marilyn Monroe (1926–1962), actress
Constance Moore (1920–2005), singer, actress
Dolores Moran (1924–1982), actress
Jeff Morris (1934–2004), actor
N
Nader Naderpour (1929–2000), Iranian poet
David Nelson (1936–2011), actor, son of Ozzie and Harriet Nelson, older brother of Ricky Nelson
William Newell (1894–1967), actor
Lloyd Nolan (1902–1985), actor
O
Carroll O'Connor (1924–2001), actor
Heather O'Rourke (1975–1988), actress
Barbara Orbison (1950–2011), wife of Roy Orbison
Roy Orbison (1936–1988), singer; grave unmarked
P
Bettie Page (1923–2008), model
Dorothy Patrick (1921–1987), actress
Wolfgang Petersen (1941–2022), director
Frank Pierson (1925–2012), screenwriter, director
Waite Phillips (1883–1964), oil tycoon, philanthropist
Gregor Piatigorsky (1903–1976), cellist
Jacqueline Piatigorsky (1911–2012), chess player
James Prideaux (1927–2015), playwright
R
Ford Rainey (1908–2005), actor
Donna Reed (1921–1986), actress
Jimmie Reese (1901–1994), baseball player and coach
Renie Riano (1899–1971), actress
Buddy Rich (1917–1987), drummer, bandleader
Minnie Riperton (1947–1979), singer
Ben Roberts (1916–1984), screenwriter; co-creator of Charlie's Angels
Doris Roberts (1925–2016), actress, philanthropist, author
Wayne Rogers (1933–2015), actor
Hillevi Rombin (1933–1996), Miss Universe 1955
Ruth Rose (1896–1978), screenwriter
Herbert Ross (1927–2001), film director
S
Franklin Schaffner (1920–1989), film director
G. David Schine (1927–1996), film producer
Ernest B. Schoedsack (1893–1979), film director
George C. Scott (1927–1999), actor; grave unmarked
Vivienne Segal (1897–1992), singer, actress
Anne Seymour (1909–1988), actress
Sidney Sheldon (1917–2007), author
Dorothy Shay (1921–1978), actress, singer
Sam Simon (1955–2015), writer, producer, director
Lu Ann Simms (1932–2003), singer
Sara Sothern (1895–1994), mother of Elizabeth Taylor
Robert Stack (1919–2003), actor
Sage Stallone (1976–2012), actor, son of Sylvester Stallone
Ray Stark (1915–2004), film producer
Josef von Sternberg (1894–1969), film director
Donald E. Stewart (1930–1999), screenwriter
Dorothy Stratten (1960–1980), actress, Playboy Playmate
Danny Sugerman (1954–2005), writer, rock band manager
Jennifer Syme (1972–2001), actress
T
Don Taylor (1920–1998), actor, director
Francis Lenn Taylor (1897–1968), art dealer, father of Elizabeth Taylor
Kent Taylor (1907–1987), actor
Irene Tedrow (1907–1995), actress
William C. Thomas (1903–1984), film producer
Marshall Thompson (1925–1992), actor
Dan Tobin (1910-1982), actor
Ernst Toch (1887–1964), composer
Alvin Toffler (1928–2016), author
Mel Tormé (1925–1999), singer, actor
Helen Traubel (1899–1972), opera soprano
Les Tremayne (1913–2003), actor
Frank Tuttle (1892–1963), screenwriter, producer
V
Sigrid Valdis (1935–2007), actress, widow of Bob Crane
Clyde Van Dusen (1886–1951), horse trainer, won 1929 Kentucky Derby
Romeo Vasquez (1939–2017), actor
John Vivyan (1915–1983), actor
W
June Walker (1900–1966), actress
Pat Walshe (1900–1991), actor
Larry Ward (1925–1985), actor, screenwriter
Harry Warren (1893–1981), songwriter
Joe Weider (1919–2013), bodybuilder
Winifred Westover (1899–1978), actress
Chrissie White (1895–1989), silent film actress
Michael White (1936–2016), producer
Sean Whitesell (1963–2015), actor
Margaret Whiting (1924–2011), singer
Herbert Wiere (1908–1999), performer
Cornel Wilde (1915–1989), actor
Billy Wilder (1906–2002), filmmaker
Carl Wilson (1946–1998), singer, member of The Beach Boys
Estelle Winwood (1883–1984), actress
Albert Wohlstetter (1913–1997), nuclear strategist
Roberta Wohlstetter (1912–2007), historian of military intelligence
Natalie Wood (1938–1981), actress
Y
Edward Yang (1947–2007), filmmaker
Z
Darryl F. Zanuck (1902–1979), head of 20th Century Fox studios, father of Richard D. Zanuck
Virginia Zanuck (1908–1982), actress, wife of Darryl F. Zanuck, mother of Richard D. Zanuck
Frank Zappa (1940–1993), composer, musician, satirist, leader of The Mothers of Invention; grave unmarked
Gail Zappa (1945–2015), widow of Frank Zappa and trustee of the Zappa Family Trust; buried next to her husband Frank Zappa
Notable cremations and funerals
These individuals had their services held at the park but were ultimately interred elsewhere, or their ashes were issued to their loved ones:
Peter Fonda (1940–2019), actor
Dennis Hopper (1936–2010), actor and filmmaker
Tom Petty (1950–2017), musician
See also
List of United States cemeteries
References
External links
map showing location of celebrity graves
California Cemetery and Funeral Bureau Certificate of Authority – Cemetery, License Number 506, Funeral Establishment License Number 951
Cemeteries in Los Angeles
Westwood, Los Angeles
1880s establishments in California
Cemeteries established in the 1880s