Entry No. 7 — the Los Angeles file — filed under: haunted
Hollywood Forever Cemetery
Founded in 1899 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, this is the resting place of Rudolph Valentino, Cecil B. DeMille, Judy Garland, and the horror hostess Vampira. The grounds back directly onto the Paramount lot, so its mausoleums and reflecting ponds sit in the literal shadow of old Hollywood. After-dark night tours run roughly 2.5 hours and ask you to bring your own flashlight; by day the same paths host the city's enormous Dia de los Muertos celebration.
The story
Founded in 1899, Hollywood Forever doesn't just sit near movie history—it physically anchors it, backing directly against the backlot wall of Paramount Pictures. Stand near the reflecting-pool mausoleums on a quiet afternoon and you can look up to see studio soundstage walls looming directly over marble headstones. This is where silent-era idol Rudolph Valentino rests alongside director Cecil B. DeMille, Judy Garland, and cult horror hostess Vampira (Maila Nurmi), tucked into a sprawling grid of palm trees and ornate stone crypts.
What makes the place genuinely strange isn't just who is buried here, but how alive the cemetery remains. It is a fully functioning working cemetery and mortuary where full-body burials still take place in the upper tiers of its historic mausoleums. Yet after hours, the grounds flip into one of the city's premier cultural gathering places—hosting Cinespia outdoor movie screenings projected onto mausoleum walls, massive annual Día de los Muertos celebrations, and late-night walking tours detailing a century of Hollywood deaths, murder mysteries, and studio-era scandals.
What it's like
Entering off Santa Monica Boulevard, you step directly into a quiet oasis of manicured grass, wandering peacocks, and imposing granite monuments. If you book the 2.5-hour evening walking tour, bring a reliable flashlight; once darkness settles over the unlit cemetery paths, navigating between the headstones gets genuinely dark. Keep in mind that because this remains an active cemetery with ongoing funeral services, day visitors should remain respectful near mausoleum entrances, and you should always verify open hours online before arriving since scheduled evening events can close off sections of the grounds.
The move: Take the lantern-lit night walking tour, then linger by the Valentino crypt and the reflecting-pool mausoleums as the guide unspools the cemetery's century of Hollywood deaths.
📍 Before you go Night tours (~$50) and standard day walks (~$35) run on scheduled dates; bring a flashlight for the night tour. It is a working cemetery, so be respectful of services.
- 📍 Hollywood
- 💸 $$
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: 6000 Santa Monica Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90038
Hours: Added 2026-06-23 — confirm current hours before you go.
⚠ Seasonal or scheduled — always check before you go.
Pair it with
- Museum of Death — Double down on Hollywood's darkest side by heading under a mile down the road to this dense shrine of mortality and true-crime artifacts.
- Memento Mori — After touring the mausoleums, browse vintage medical tools, mounted insects, and oddities at this specialized Hollywood shop.
- La Descarga — Once you're done lurking near crypts, step through a secret armoire door less than a mile away for a stiff drink in an Old Havana-style speakeasy.
- Pan's Apothika (formerly Panpipes Magickal Marketplace) — Follow up a stroll through historic graves with a visit to one of the country's oldest continuously operating occult shops.
Good to know
How much do the tours cost and do I need tickets?
Guided walks run on specific scheduled dates. Standard daytime walking tours are typically around $35, while the 2.5-hour evening night tours are around $50.
What should I bring for a night tour?
Bring a strong flashlight and comfortable walking shoes. The cemetery paths are not illuminated like city streets once night falls.
Who are some notable people buried here?
The grounds house actors Rudolph Valentino and Judy Garland, director Cecil B. DeMille, and horror television pioneer Vampira, among hundreds of early film industry pioneers.
Is Hollywood Forever still an active cemetery?
Yes. It operates as a full-service cemetery and mortuary, offering traditional burials, cremation services, and mausoleum crypt entombment.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Wikipedia · Official site · ladayofthedead.com · cinespia.org
last checked: 2026-06-23