Hollywood Forever Historic Walking Tour

Tune in today at 12pm to my "Hollywood Forever Tour Talk".

Character actor Vito Scotti died on June 5th, 1996. Scotti's extensive television credits include "Columbo", "The Golden Girls", "Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color", "Gunsmoke", "Get Smart", "The Addams Family", "Bewitched" and "Mike Hammer". He is interred in the Abbey of Psalms at Hollywood Forever.

The Criterion Channel has taken down their paywall and there are now films from African American film artists and pioneers that you can watch for free including THE BRONZE BUCKAROO starring Hollywood Forever resident Herb Jeffries!

Hollywood pioneer and real estate developer Hobart Whitley died on June 3rd, 1931. He developed Whitley Heights, which was one of the first hillside subdivisions in Hollywood. It was home to film stars such as Barbara La Marr and Rudolph Valentino. Whitley was known as The Father of Hollywood and is appropriately interred at Hollywood Forever.

Actress Barbara Pepper was born on May 31st, 1915. She began her career in the Ziegfeld Follies before finding work as the tough talking dame in films such as The Singing Vagabond (1935) with Gene Autry and Mummy’s Boys (1936) with Wheeler and Woolsey. In later years, she found her most memorable role as "Doris Ziffel," the mother of "Arnold the Pig" on the television sitcom "Green Acres" (1965-1968). She is buried at Hollywood Forever.

Cinematographer George S. Barnes died on May 30th, 1953. His career began in 1918 and lasted until his death. Barnes shot films for several luminaries at Hollywood Forever including Rudolph Valentino (The Eagle), Marion Davies (Polly of the Circus) and Cecil B. Demille (Sampson and Delilah). He was married to Joan Blondell from 1933- 1936 and shot five of the films she made at Warner Bros. including "Footlight Parade" and "Dames". Other notable credits include Our Dancing Daughters, Spellbound and Force of Evil. Barnes received several Academy Award nominations for Best Cinematography and took home the prize for Alfred Hitchcock’s Rebecca (1940). He is interred in the Abbey of the Psalms at Hollywood Forever.

Watch this youtube clip to learn more about Mabel Fairbanks and the fight for diversity in figure staking.

Here are the two books I recommend reading to learn more about Mary Noland and the lives of other women who tried to make a name for themselves in Hollywood.

Join me at 12pm today on the Hollywood Forever Historic Walking Tour page and learn all about THIS amazing, trail blazing woman!

Cinematographer Gregg Toland was born on May 29th, 1904. His career began in 1926 and lasted until his death in 1948. His work on Citizen Kane established him as one of the most inventive and influential cinematographers in Hollywood history. Other highlights from his career include The Grapes of Wrath, The Little Foxes, Ball of Fire, The Best Years of Our Lives and The Outlaw. He is interred in the Chapel colonnade at Hollywood Forever.

The virtual tour I gave of Hollywood Forever for Discover Los Angeles is now online and you can view it anytime!