Oakwood Memorial Park, Chatsworth, CA

Nestled against rocky hills that could have been torn from the backdrop of an early western, Oakwood Memorial Park is a green haven. A variety of trees — eucalyptus, pine, pepper and olive — whisper overhead.

The cemetery opened in 1924 along what had been a stage coach trail adjacent to a Native American burial ground that later burned. 

As the entertainment industry blossomed, this area became a favorite location for filming. As early as 1912, Karl and August Iverson were allowing their family ranch above Chatsworth to be used for filming. An estimated 3,500 movie and television productions filmed there including the movies "Stagecoach" (1939), "The African Queen” (1951) and "Around the World in 80 Days" (1956).

Cars made it easy to reach areas like Oakwood at the northwestern edge of the San Fernando Valley. Modern in appearance, Oakwood Memorial Park remains today far enough from the tourist routes to provide those interred with peace and privacy.

This cemetery is a classic memorial park with ground level gravestones. A highlight is the historic Chatsworth Community Church, now used by the Anglican congregation of St. Mary the Virgin in the Pioneer section. Built by volunteers in 1903 at 10051 Topanga Canyon Blvd., it was originally used for weddings, funerals, christenings, church suppers, meetings, safety from floods and fires and even high school classes from 1906-08. The church closed its doors in 1963. It was threatened with demolition when the Chatsworth Historical Society raised funds to move the church to the memorial park in 1965. 

The Park

The entrance to the park is at the southwestern corner. This is where you’ll find the administration building, the flower shop and the Chapel. The park is divided into sections identified by either letters or names. It has two mausolea. The newer one, Vista del Roble, is at the top of the road that loops around Vista Heights. The older one, The Fountains, is located west of Sequoia and Oaknoll. A valley of low-lying ground runs between Sections E and D. This is the Vale of Memory and is marked on the curbs with the initials VM.

Other landmarks you’ll find here are the canon along the road in Section C and a monument inscribed with the Lord’s Prayer in the Elm section. 

The map and sections that follow show where some of the well-known people buried at Oakwood can be found.

Section C

Grace Cunard Shannon (1893 – 1967) was an early director and wrote more than 30 scripts, although she’s virtually unknown today.  From her 1908 debut, she appeared in more 120 silent films. She married stuntman Jack Shannon and retired in 1945. Lot 870

Section E

Ginger Rogers (Virginia K. McMath) (1911-1995) was an actress and singer best known for her pairing with dancer Fred Astaire. She got her start in film with “A Night in a Dormitory” (1929) but caught public attention singing “We’re in the Money” in “Gold Diggers of 1933.” That year, she was first paired with dancer Fred Astaire in “Flying Down to Rio.” They made eight more movies together. In 1940, she won an Academy Award for Best Actress for “Kitty Foyle” (1940). She decided to leave the duo and strike out on her own. Her last movie was “Harlow” (1965) after which she only appeared in stage.

Section F

Ida Moore (1882-1964) made her acting debut in 1925 and all but disappeared until her sixties. She then built a reputation as a character actress playing grandmas and spinsters in comedies such as “Ma and Pa Kettle at Waikiki” (1955) and TV series such as “I Love Lucy,” “The Jack Benny Show” and “Alfred Hitchcock Presents.” She appeared in “Johnny Belinda” (1948), “The Egg and I” (1947) and the “George Burns and Gracie Allen Show” (1950). Lot 4, Space 3.

Henry Victor (1892 - 1945) was a tall, hulking leading man in British silent films. His upbringing in Germany left him with a heavy accent and a career as a character actor when sound came to film. . He was the villainous circus strongman Hercules in the horror. Film "Freaks" (1932). When World War II broke out, he was often cast as a Nazi. He spoofed the dim-witted Gestapo Capt. Schultz in “To Be or Not to Be” (1942). Lot 225, Space 2

Section G

Fred Astaire ( (Frederick Austerlitz) (1899 – 1987) was famous for his exquisite and inventive tap dancing and pairing with dancer Ginger Rogers. (She is buried in Section E of this cemetery.) Dancer Gene Kelly said that “the history of dance on film begins with Astaire.” The son of an Austrian immigrant, he was born in Omaha and got into show business at five. He and his older sister Adele worked in vaudeville and Broadway. When she got married in 1932, he headed to Hollywood. He got his big break in 1933 when he was paired Ginger Rogers in “Flying Down to Rio.” They made eight more movies together over the next six years. He danced in movies such as “Holiday Inn” (1942) and “Easter Parade” (1948) and acted without dancing in dramas such as “On the Beach” (1959) and “Ghost Story” (1981). His grave is at the edge of the boundary between Section G and Sequoia. The graves change alignment at that edge.  If you drew a line from the southern leg of the road leading into Vista Heights, it would go through Astaire’s grave. His sister Adele and other Astaire family members are nearby. Lot 82, Space 4.

Adele Astaire (Austerlitz) Douglass (1897-1981) was Fred Astaire’s older sister and an entertainer in her own right. She retired from the stage to marry British Lord Charles Arthur Cavendish. When he died in 1944, she married Air Force Col. Kingman Douglass, who later became assistant director of the Central Intelligence Agency. While tempted to return to entertainment, she was intimidated by her brother’s Hollywood fame. She backed out of a British film with Maurice Chevalier after two days, feeling it wasn’t right for her.

Scott Bradley (1891 – 1977) was the music director of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer’s animation studio from 1937 to 1957. He helped Hanna-Barbera’s “Tom and Jerry” series win seven Academy Awards. He scored 250 cartoons for MGM over two decades. He and Carl W. Stalling are considered the most celebrated creators of cartoon music of Hollywood’s classic era.

Section H

Russell “Lucky” Hayden (Hayden Michael Lucid) (1912 - 1981) started in show business as a camera assistant and became an actor in the mid-1930s. He was the cowboy Lucky Jenkins in the Hopalong Cassidy films and appeared in leading and supporting roles in more than 75 films. On TV, he was featured on “The Gene Autry Show,” “Cowboy G-Men” “Judge Roy Bean” and the ABC Radio series, “The Marshal of Gunsight Pass.”  Lot 174, Grave 5

Ted Snyder (1881 - 1965) was a composer who in 1909 hired songwriter Irving Berlin as a staff pianist for his music publishing company. Snyder was known for such songs as “Sheik of Araby” and “Who’s Sorry Now?” Lot 223, Grave 7

Elm

Richard Jourdan Reeves (1912 - 1967) was cast in roles for burly, gruff, dim and crude henchmen in productions such as “The Adventures of Superman” in the 1950s, “I Love Lucy,” “Wagon Train,” “Untouchables,” “Batman” and “Man From U.N.C.L.E.” Lot 209

Oakview

Shirley Hardman (1939-1973) was a popular Roller Derby star, nicknamed “The Blonde Bomber” in the late 1960s during the sport’s heyday. Between 1965 and 1971, she skated for the New York Bombers, Texas Outlaws and Los Angeles T-Birds, helping the latter win the 1971 World Championship. She accidentally drowned at the age of 34. Lot 264, Space 8.

Pioneer

Gloria Grahame (1923-1981) was a stage, film and television actress known for her portrayals of tarnished, sexy beauties. Despite an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for a role in “The Bad and the Beautiful” (1952), the studios never seemed to quite know what to do her blend of bad girl/innocent girl. In a situation as fresh as today’s #MeToo movement, she was denied the lead in the 1950 film “Born Yesterday” when she refused to ride unaccompanied in a limousine with then RKO Studio head Howard Hughes. Among her roles were Violet Bick in “It’s a Wonderful Life” (1946) and as Ado Annie in “Oklahoma!” (1955). She was nominated for a second Academy Award as Best Supporting Actress for her role as Ginny Tremaine in “Crossfire” (1947) and a third for her role as Rosemary Bartlow in “The Bad and the Beautiful” (1952). The story of her final days is told in “Film Stars Don’t Die in Liverpool” (2017) starting Annette Bening as Ms. Grahame. Lot 242, Space I.  Her grave is east of the church, about midway to the end of the section near a bottlebrush tree.

Adele Jergens Langan (1917 - 2002) was known for her portrayals of tough-talking, bottle blondes. A model and chorus girl, she got into film in the early 1940s. She was in 50 films between 1944 and 1956, including “Jane Eyre” (1956), “Abbot and Costello Meet the Invisible Man” (1951) and “Girls in Prison” (1956). In 1949, she met and married actor Glenn Langan and they had a son, Tracy (1952-2001). Lot 533, Grave 2. The Langans are buried west of the church south of where the eastern leg of the road around Willows Heights joins the road in front of the Pioneer section.

Glenn Langan (1917 - 1991) was an actor who appeared in "Riding High" (1943), "Fury at Furnace Creek" (1948), "Treasure of Monte Cristo" (1949), and "Mutiny in Outer Space" (1965). He is buried beside his wife Adele Jargons and son Tracy Langan. Lot 533, Grave 1.

Trinity Loren (Roxanne McPherson) (1963 – 1998) was model for adult magazines, who became a stripper and was a popular porn star in more than 150 adult films. She married porn star Barry Woods, had a daughter and attempted to leave the business to raise her daughter. She and Woods had a contentious divorce. She ultimately lost a series of drawn-out custody battles. She became depressed and addicted to prescription drugs. She died of an overdose at 35. Lot 441, Space 2, (unmarked grave).

Oak Glen

Milton Kibbee (1896 -1970) was an actor who appeared in "Strike Up the Band" (1940) and "The Cherokee Strip" (1937). His brother was actor Guy Kibbee. Plot 189.

Oakdale

Nydia Westman (1902 - 1970) was an actress who appeared in 30 televisions shows, 50 films and many stage productions. Plot 312, Space A.

Sequoia

Frank Kelly Freas (1922 - 2005) was a prolific illustrator who drew covers for Mad Magazine (shaping the image of Alfred E. Newman) and illustrations for science fiction and fantasy books. During World War II, he served in the Pacific theater doing photo reconnaissance and painting beautiful women on the noses of bombers. He drew the official patch for NASA’s 1973 Skylab 1 orbiting space station and the cover of Queen’s 1977 album “News of the World.” His work in science fiction was recognized with 11 Hugo Awards. Lot 458, Grave 1

Vale of Memory

Al Jennings (1863 - 1961) was an Oklahoma Territory attorney turned train robber. Never making much money as a train robber, he was finally caught in 1895 and sentenced to life in prison. He was pardoned by President Theodore Roosevelt in 1904. He wrote a book about his exploits and was called to Hollywood to help turn it into a movie. He stayed around working as a technical consultant, screenwriter and character actor during the early days of film. His grave is on the northern end of the Vale, approximately aligned with Holly Point at the hub, where five roads meet. His wife is buried next to him. Lot 29, Grave 2

Willows West

Montie Montana (Owen Harlan Mickel) (1910 - 1998) was a rodeo performer, famed for his rope tricks, and an actor. He competed in rodeos as a teenager and used his roping and riding skills to get to Hollywood in the early 1930s. He acted in 19 films, including “The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance” (1962) and did stunts for a dozen others. From 1932 on, he participated in the annual Tournament of Roses Parade, lassoing unsuspecting audience members as he rode his pinto Rex. He lassoed President Dwight D. Eisenhower as a a gag during the inaugural parade in Washington, much to the displeasure of the Secret Service. His tombstone has a horse and rope lettering on it. Willows West Section, Lot 134, Space 4A

The Fountains Mausoleum

Stephen Boyd (William Millar) (1931 - 1977) portrayed the villain Messala in “Ben-Hur”(1959), who had a duel to the death with actor Charlton Heston, playing Ben Hur. Heston went on to win an Academy Award for Ben Hur, while Boyd never fulfilled his potential as a leading man. His career suffered from bad timing and poor script choices, among other factors. Born in Belfast, he started acting in his teens, appearing on stage in the U. S. and Canada. He got into films in England in 1955. He appeared in action films, but was probably best known for a role in the science fiction adventure “Fantastic Voyage” (1966). He was the original choice to play Marc Antony opposite Elizabeth Taylor in “Cleopatra” (1963) but had to drop out because of production delays and other commitments. Mausoleum 1, North Wall, Niche 257

Also buried in Oakwood is Floyd Roberts (1900-1939) was a race car driver who won the 1938 Indianapolis 500 race and then was killed in competition during the 1939 race. During his 1938 race, he set a speed record of 117.2 mph and led the race for 92 laps. In 1939, he crashed into a wooden fence at 100 mph on the backstretch. He was the first former winner and defending race champion to have been killed while competing.

The Details: Oakwood Memorial Park

Location: 22601 Lassen St., Chatsworth, CA 91311

Hours: 8:30 a.m. To 5 p.m. daily