Hollywood Forever Cemetery

Hollywood Forever Cemetery is a historic cemetery at 6000 Santa Monica Boulevard in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California. Founded in 1899 as Hollywood Memorial Park, it is the resting place of many figures from the golden age of film and music, including Rudolph Valentino, Douglas Fairbanks, Judy Garland, Johnny Ramone and Cecil B. DeMille. The grounds are free to walk during opening hours, which run roughly from 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM, and a map of notable graves is sold at the entrance for about five dollars. The landscape combines lawns, palm trees, mausoleums, lakes and ornate monuments, with the Fairbanks Lagoon and its memorial among the most photographed spots. Stately marble crypts and the Cathedral Mausoleum add to the architecture. The cemetery also serves as an events venue. Cinespia screens classic films on the lawn in summer, with picnics encouraged, and the Day of the Dead festival in autumn draws large crowds with altars, music and food. A typical visit lasts one to two hours. Weekday mornings are quiet and give the most reflective atmosphere, while event evenings are crowded and ticketed. Visitors should be respectful, avoid walking on graves and keep to paths, since this is an active burial ground. The Paramount Pictures studio wall borders the site, and the area is close to Melrose Avenue. Metro Line 4 buses run along Santa Monica Boulevard, and parking is available on the grounds.