Dark sights in Los Angeles

1. A Map

   Hollywood Forever Cemetery

   • Los Angeles, USA
   • Sights › Dark

   Rock ’n’ roll faithful flock to the monument of guitar-playing Johnny Ramone at this Paramount-adjacent boneyard. Other residents include Hattie McDaniel, Rudolph Valentino and Cecil B DeMille. From Bugsy Siegel’s mausoleum, catch the perfectly framed view of the Hollywood sign – proving Hollywood, at least here, really is forever. Watch outdoor movie screenings in the summer (www.cinespia.org).

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2. B Map

   Forest lawn Cemetery

   • Los Angeles, USA
   • Sights › Dark

   Pathos, art and patriotism rule at this humongous cemetery next to Griffith Park. A fine catalog of old-time celebrities – including Lucille Ball, Bette Davis and Stan Laurel – rests within the manicured grounds strewn with paeans to early North American history. Look out for the giant The Birth of Liberty mosaic, Boston's re-created Old North Church and bronze sta­tues of Washington, Jefferson and Lincoln or watch a movie about the American Revolution. Staff aren't helpful in locating stars' graves but you can download guides from the internet (try www.seeing-stars.com). More dead stars are at the original Forest Lawn in nearby Glendale.

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3. C Map

   Green Hills Memorial Park

   • Los Angeles, USA
   • Sights › Dark

   Amid the glitz and sprawl of Los Angeles, the port town of San Pedro (San Pee-dro) keeps it real. A slice of 1960s small-town America, its high street is devoid of chain-store clutter, down-to-earth locals ask how you're doing and actually mean it, and restored vintage cars time-warp you back to American Graffiti days. Despite some sprucing up, especially along 6th and 7th Sts in the historic downtown, an air of working-class grit remains, and so do many of the dive bars where Charles Bukowski probably ruined his liver. LA's late, great bad-boy poet now rests in Green Hills Memorial Park .

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4. D Map

   Forest Lawn Memorial Park - Glendale

   • Los Angeles, USA
   • Sights › Dark

   This humungous cemetery is the final home of such Golden Age superstars as Clara Bow, Humphrey Bogart and Jimmy Stewart. Alas, many of their graves are in mausoleums and off-limits to the public. It doesn't help that cemetery staff strongly discourage star seekers. You can download maps from the internet (for example www.seeing-stars.com), but be discreet or risk having them confiscated. The grounds are still worth a visit if only to marvel at the country-club feel of the place and oddly impressive art such as a stained-glass version of Leonardo da Vinci's Last Supper.

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