You’ve probably driven right past it. If you’re stuck in that soul-crushing Wilshire Boulevard traffic, inches away from the towering glass of the Avco Center or the Hammer Museum, you’d never guess one of the most famous patches of dirt on Earth is sitting right behind a parking garage. It’s tucked away. Hidden. Pierce Brothers Westwood Village Memorial Cemetery is basically the "speakeasy" of graveyards.
It’s tiny. We’re talking about two and a half acres. Compare that to the sprawling 400-acre hills of Forest Lawn Glendale, and Westwood feels like a postage stamp. But that’s exactly the point. It’s dense with history. It’s a quiet, green pocket where the noise of the city just... stops. You walk through that narrow entrance and suddenly the 405 freeway feels like it's on a different planet.
The Marilyn Factor and the "Marilyn Tax"
Let’s be real. Most people come here for one person: Marilyn Monroe. She’s in a crypt in the Corridor of Memories, and you can’t miss it because the marble is literally stained pink from decades of fans pressing their lipstick-covered lips against it. It’s a strange, intimate ritual that’s been going on since 1962. Honestly, it’s kind of beautiful and kind of gross at the same time.
But here is the thing about Pierce Brothers Westwood Village Memorial Cemetery—it’s expensive. Like, "down payment on a house in the Valley" expensive. Because space is so limited, the price of being buried near Marilyn has skyrocketed over the years. In 2009, a crypt directly above hers went up for auction on eBay. The bidding hit $4.6 million before the buyer backed out. Later, in 2024, a crypt located one row over and four spaces up sold for $195,000. People pay a premium for permanent neighbors.
Hugh Hefner famously bought the plot right next to Marilyn back in 1992. He paid $75,000 then, which was a steal compared to today's rates. He wanted to be next to the woman who helped launch Playboy, even though they never actually met in real life. It’s a classic Hollywood ending—manufactured, expensive, and iconic.
It’s Not Just About the Glitz
While the tourists swarm the Corridor of Memories, the rest of the cemetery is actually pretty understated. You’ll see names that defined 20th-century culture just sitting there on simple flat markers. No giant pyramids. No golden statues. Just grass and stone.
Take Ray Bradbury, for example. The man who wrote Fahrenheit 451 has a headstone that simply says "Author of Fahrenheit 451." It’s humble. Then you’ve got Jack Lemmon, whose marker is a legendary piece of comedic timing even in death. It just reads: "JACK LEMMON in." That's it. Like he's about to appear in one last movie.
Who Else Is Sleeping Here?
The density of talent is staggering. You can turn a corner and stumble upon:
- Truman Capote: The In Cold Blood author shares a spot with his friend Joanne Carson.
- Farrah Fawcett: Her headstone is often adorned with flowers from fans who still remember the Charlie's Angels era.
- Dean Martin: His epitaph is a perfect nod to his signature song: "Everybody Loves Somebody Sometime."
- Florence Henderson: America’s favorite mom from The Brady Bunch.
- Natalie Wood: A site that still draws people interested in the mystery surrounding her 1981 passing.
It’s a weirdly casual experience. You aren't hiking up a mountain or taking a tram. You’re just walking across a lawn that’s smaller than a high school football field. You might see a family having a quiet service on one side, while a tourist in a Hawaiian shirt is taking a selfie with Rodney Dangerfield’s grave (which, by the way, says "There goes the neighborhood").
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The Architecture of Quiet
The cemetery was established in 1904 as Sunset Cemetery, long before the high-rises moved in. It was a rural spot back then. As Los Angeles grew up around it, the cemetery stayed flat. This created a unique visual contrast. When you stand in the center of the park, you’re surrounded by these massive, gray office buildings that act like sound barriers.
The "Pierce Brothers" part of the name comes from the famous funeral home family that eventually took over. They’ve managed the site through several ownership changes, but the vibe has stayed consistent. It’s manicured but not flashy. It feels like a secret garden that the city forgot to pave over.
The Weird and the Wonderful
One of the more tragic but frequented spots is the grave of Heather O’Rourke, the little girl from Poltergeist. She’s buried near her co-star Dominique Dunne, who also died young under horrific circumstances. It’s a sobering reminder that Hollywood isn't always about the lights and the applause.
On a lighter note, you have the grave of Mel Tormé, the "Velvet Fog." Or the legendary director Billy Wilder. If you’re a film student, this place is basically a required field trip. You can pay your respects to the people who literally invented the visual language of modern cinema.
Navigating the Grounds
If you’re planning to visit, don't look for a giant gate. The entrance is off Glendon Avenue. It looks like you’re turning into a private driveway for an apartment complex.
- Park on the street: The internal parking is tiny and usually reserved for families attending services.
- Be respectful: This isn't a museum; it's an active cemetery. People are grieving there every day.
- Check the hours: They generally close at 5:00 PM, and they are strict about it.
- Bring water: L.A. sun bounces off those white marble crypts, and it gets hot fast.
One thing people get wrong is thinking they can just wander into the private rooms. Some areas are gated off. But the vast majority of the famous sites are right there in the open.
The Business of the Afterlife
Ownership of Pierce Brothers Westwood Village Memorial Cemetery currently falls under Service Corporation International (SCI), a massive funeral service provider. This is why the operations are so slick. They know what they have. They know the "celebrity value" of the land.
There has been talk over the years about how they will handle running out of space. When you’re landlocked by skyscrapers, you can’t exactly expand. The solution has been "cremation niches" and "double-depth" plots. They are maximizing every square inch of that 2.5 acres. It’s the ultimate Los Angeles real estate play: even when you’re gone, your "lot size" matters.
Why This Place Still Captivates Us
There's a specific kind of melancholy at Westwood. It’s different from the Gothic vibes of New Orleans or the historical weight of Arlington. It’s a "working" cemetery in the heart of a "working" city. You can hear the muffled sound of sirens and buses, but the grass is soft and the trees are old.
It represents the paradox of fame. These people were the biggest stars in the world—names known in every corner of the globe—and now they are tucked behind a Best Buy. It levels the playing field. In a city that is obsessed with "the next big thing," this is the one place that honors the "last thing."
Planning Your Visit: Actionable Insights
If you actually want to see the sites without feeling like a lost tourist, do a little prep work.
- Use a Find-A-Grave App: The office doesn't usually hand out "star maps" like they do for celebrity homes. An app will give you the exact GPS coordinates for specific plots.
- Go on a Weekday: Saturday and Sunday can get crowded with "death hags" (the affectionate term for celebrity grave hunters) and tour groups. Tuesday morning is usually silent.
- Visit the Chapel: It’s small, but it has hosted some of the most private, star-studded funerals in history. Just being inside that space feels heavy with history.
- Look for the hidden names: Not everyone is a movie star. There are scientists, authors, and local L.A. icons who contributed just as much to the world as the actors did.
Pierce Brothers Westwood Village Memorial Cemetery isn't just a graveyard. It’s a concentrated dose of Los Angeles history. It’s a place where the 20th century goes to rest, surrounded by the 21st century's glass and steel. Whether you're there to see Marilyn or just to find a quiet place to sit, it’s a spot that stays with you long after you’ve fought your way back into the Wilshire traffic.