Thursday, May 21, 2015

Dame Barbara Cartland Deathaversary 15th Deathaversary May 21, 2000


Dame Barbara Cartland
July 9, 1901 - May 21, 2000

One of the most wonderful things I learned about while living in Britain, is Princess Diana's step-grandmother, Barbara Cartland.


Diana's father was married to the most amazing looking Raine Spencer.  Diana referred to her as "ghastly" or "Acid Raine".

Apple - Tree - not too far.


Barbara was a romance novelist.  As a child, Lady Diana Spencer considered those books among her favorites.

 Boo.

Barbara's signature was wearing pink.  Oh my God, the pink.  Pink pinkity pink.  


She put Angelyne to shame.



Actually, everything puts Angelyne to shame.  Angelyne defines shame.


Cartland completed a book every two weeks, completing over 720 in her life and selling over 750 million over the period of her 300 years - fact some doubt.


This is Cartland dictating one of her many novels to her secretary Jean Smith.



This is Little Britain's take on it.  I wish I could find a bette quality one, but this is a fair example.


Clive James described Dame Barabara's eyes as, “Twin miracles of mascara, her eyes looked like the corpses of two small crows that had crashed into a chalk cliff.”


Cartland died in her sleep after "a short illness" in her home, Camfield Place in Hertfordshire.   Her sons were at her side.

She was placed in a cardboard coffin and buried on the grounds of her estate under a tree that was planted by Queen Elizabeth I.

Take a very dramatic trip to her grave.



Saturday, May 16, 2015

It's Sammy Davis Jr.'s 25th Deathaversary! Let's SHAKE! (or dig him up... again.)



Sammy Davis Jr.December 8, 1925 - May 16, 1990
"Being a star made it possible for me to get
insulted in places where the average Negro
could never hope to go and get insulted."

I think "Being a star" is code for "hanging around Frank Sinatra".


Watch Sammy tear it up

I went to Forest Lawn the day after his funeral and took these photographs.



Then his wife went and dug him up.

After the funeral, Sammy’s wife Altovise went through all kinds of financial troubles with the estate.  The Samster, when buried, was FESTOOONED with valuable jewelry.  It cost her over $400, but she dug that shit up.  Here come 'da Judge.


For all the details check Sammy's death and exhumation read Findadeath



Friday, May 15, 2015

The Death of Gary Cooper - Findadeath.com


Gary Cooper
May 7, 1901 - May 13, 1961
"Yup."

Coop had a long, long lengthy career that was admired by many.  


He was nominated for 5 Academy Awards and won two.

If you were to write down a list of his lovers on a sheet of looseleaf paper, the list would be over a foot schlong, such the man-slut he was.


Patricia Neal, Lupe Velez, Clara Bow, Marlene Dietrich, Grace "the mattress" Kelly...

When he and Lupe were doing the do,  they were (I'm not kidding) living in the Happy Days house.


Lupe: "He has the biggest organ in Hollywood but not the ass to push it in."





At the end of his life, Gary Cooper was living in this home in Bel Air.




A mid-century masturbation fantasy.



In 1960 Cooper had surgery for prostate cancer and colon cancer.  Docs thought the treatment was a success but shortly afterward the cancer returned to his lungs and bones.  He refused aggressive treatment.

"We'll pray for a miracle but if not, it is God's will and that's all right too."

The Academy awarded him with an honorary Oscar in 1961, but he was too ill to show up.  Jimmy Stewart accepted it and gave an emotional speech, clueing in the world that something was wrong with Gary.  The next day, news broke that The Coop had the big C.


The photograph above shows where Gary's death bed was located in the room.


On May 12 he was given last rites.

He died on May 13, 1961.

He was 60 years old.


His funeral was held in Good Shepherd Catholic Church in Beverly Hills.






Pall bearers included Jimmy Stewart and Jack Benny.  Other attendees included Dean Martin, Marlene Dietrich, Randolph Scott, Burt Lancaster, Jimmy Durante, John Wayne, George Burns and Gracie Allen, Fred Astaire, Bob Hope, Dinah Shore and Frank Sinatra.

He was buried in Holy Cross Cemetery in Culver City.

Until he wasn't anymore.

In 1974 his family moved back east and brought Gary along with them.  He's now buried in 
Sacred Heart Cemetery in Southampton, NY.

"Cousin" Ginny Michaels snapped these quality photos for us to enjoy.  Thanks!


In 2000 his wife passed away as well.


Wanna see his mailbox?


Special thanks to Marla Brooks and her fab book Ghosts of Hollywood


Trivia from Kevin Hassell:  Bing Crosby named his son Gary Crosby after Coop.






Monday, May 11, 2015

Death Hag Sticker of the Day - Steven Parent's grave.


Steven Earl Parent
February 12, 1951 - August 9, 1969
"Please don't hurt me.  I won't say anything."


Steven Parent is the young man who became the first of the victims of the Tate murders on the night of August 8, 1969.  

He lived with his family in this home in El Monte.



Annnndddd this would be his mailbox.


He worked at Jonas Miller Stereo on Wilshire Blvd. in Beverly Hills.



At around 11:45 that Friday night, Parent drove to the house on Cielo Drive to William Garretson and "sell him a clock-radio."

About 45 minutes after he arrived, Parent got in his car and pulled up to the gate of the property in an attempt to leave.  At that very moment, Tex Watson hopped over the fence and ordered Parent to "HALT!"

Parent became the first of the victims.

Tex slashed Parent's wrist sending his wrist-watch into the back seat, then shot him 4 times.



His Death Certificate.




Since Parent's body was the first discovered at the crime scene, the original documentation from the case calls it the "Parent" homicides.  Not Tate, not Polanski or Folger.




Rest in Peace.