#RIP #OTD in 1896 author (Uncle Tom’s Cabin) and abolitionist, Harriet Beecher Stowe died in Hartford, Connecticut, aged 85. Phillips Academy Cemetery in Andover, Massachusetts
On this day in 1991, actor, writer, director, producer, Michael Landon died from pancreatic cancer at the age of 54, in Malibu, California. Born Eugene Maurice Orowitz in Forest Hills, Queens, a neighborhood of Queens, New York on 31 October 1936. Known for his roles as Little Joe Cartwright in Bonanza (1959–73), Charles Ingalls in Little House on the Prairie (1974–83), and Jonathan Smith in Highway to Heaven (1984–89). Landon produced, wrote, and directed many of his series’ episodes. In 1981, Landon won recognition for his screenwriting with a Spur Award from the Western Writers of America. In 1976, Landon wrote and directed an auto-biographical movie, The Loneliest Runner, which was nominated for two Emmys. Landon was married three times, and father to nine children: Dodie Levy-Fraser (1956 – 1962 divorce), Marjorie Lynn Noe (1963 – 1982 divorce), Cindy Clerico (1983 – 1991 his death).
The Final Footprint – Landon was entombed at Hillside Memorial Park Cemetery, in Culver City, California. His crypt plate reads;
The remains of his son, Mark, were also entombed there upon his death in May 2009.Other notable Final Footprints at Hillside Memorial include; Jack Benny, Milton Berle, Cyd Charisse, Lorne Greene, Moe Howard, Al Jolson, Leonard Nimoy, Suzanne Pleshette, Dinah Shore, and Shelley Winters.
#RIP #OTD in 1995 disc jockey (XERF, XERB), radio personality, musician, television presenter Wolfman Jack, Robert Weston Smith died from a heart attack at his house in Belvidere, North Carolina, aged 57. Smith Family Estate Cemetery, Belvidere. Clap for the Wolfman, y’all!
On this day in 1996, granddaughter of Ernest Hemingway, sister of Mariel Hemingway, fashion model and actress, Margaux Hemingway died, one day before the anniversary of her grandfather’s suicide, from an overdose of phenobarbital in her studio apartment in Santa Monica, California at age 42. Born Margot Louise Hemingway in Portland, Oregon on 16 February 1954.
Hemingway earned success as a supermodel in the mid-1970s appearing on the covers of Cosmopolitan, Elle, Harper’s Bazaar, Vogue, and TIME. She signed a contract for Fabergé as the spokesmodel for Babe perfume.
Hemingway’s first marriage, to Errol Wetson (Wetanson), ended in divorce. They met when, at age 19, she accompanied her father to the Plaza Hotel in New York City on a business trip. They divorced in 1978.
On the last day of 1979, Hemingway married French filmmaker Bernard Faucher in Ketchum, and they lived in Paris for a year. She divorced him in 1985.
The Final Footprint – Hemingway was cremated and her cremated remains were buried in the Hemingway family plot in the Ketchum Cemetery in Idaho. See additional photos below
On this day in 1997, actor, author, composer and singer, Robert Mitchum died in Santa Barbara, California, due to complications of lung cancer and emphysema at the age of 79. Born Robert Charles Durman Mitchum on 6 August 1917 in Bridgeport, Connecticut. In my opinion, one of the greatest male American screen legends of all time. Mitchum rose to prominence for his starring roles in several major works of the film noir style, and is considered a forerunner of the anti-heroes prevalent in film during the 1950s and 1960s. My favorite Mitchum film roles include: as Max Cady in Cape Fear (1962), based on the John D. MacDonald book The Executioners with Gregory Peck; as sheriff J. P. Harrah in Howard Hawk‘s El Dorado (1967) with John Wayne and James Caan. Mitchum was married to Dorothy Spence (1940–97 his death).
The Final Footprint – Mitchum was cremated and his cremated remains were scattered at sea. There is a memorial marker in the Odd Fellows Cemetery in Camden, Delaware.
On this day in 2000, actor Walter Matthau died of a heart attack in Santa Monica at the age of 79. Born Walter John Matthow in New York City’s Lower East Side on 1 October 1920. Perhaps best known for his role as Oscar Madison in The Odd Couple and his frequent collaborations with Odd Couple co-star Jack Lemmon, as well as his role as Coach Buttermaker in the 1976 comedy The Bad News Bears. He won an Academy Award for his performance in the 1966 Billy Wilder film The Fortune Cookie. Other notable roles included: as Max Goldman in Grumpy Old Men (1993) with Ann-Margret, Lemmon and Burgess Meredith and in the sequel Grumpier Old Men (1995) with Ann-Margret, Sophia Loren, and Meredith. Matthau married twice; Grace Geraldine Johnson (1948–58; divorced; 2 children) and Carol Grace (1959–2000 his death; one child).
The Final Footprint – interred in the Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery (a Dignity Memorial property) in Los Angeles. Less than a year later, Lemmon was buried at the same cemetery. After Matthau’s death, Lemmon as well as other friends and relatives had appeared on Larry King Live in an hour of tribute and remembrance; many of those same people appeared on the show one year later, reminiscing about Lemmon. His wife Carol, died of a brain aneurysm in 2003. Her remains are buried next to Matthau’s. The remains of actor George C. Scott are also buried next to Matthau, in an unmarked grave. Other notable final footprints at Westwood include; Ray Bradbury, Sammy Cahn, Truman Capote, James Coburn, Rodney Dangerfield, Hugh Hefner, Janet Leigh, Farrah Fawcett, Brian Keith, Don Knotts, Burt Lancaster, Peter Lawford, Peggy Lee, Jack Lemmon, Karl Malden (see below), Dean Martin, Marilyn Monroe, Carroll O’Connor, Roy Orbison, George C. Scott, Dorothy Stratten, Natalie Wood, and Frank Zappa.
On this day in 2004, Academy Award-winning actor and activist, Marlon Brando died at the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles of respiratory failure brought on by pulmonary fibrosis at the age of 80. Born Marlon Brando, Jr. on 3 April 1924 in Omaha, Nebraska. In my opinion, one of the greatest and most influential actors in the history of film. Jack Nicholson said of Brando; “When Marlon dies, everybody moves up one.” My favortie Brando roles include: as Stanley Kowalski in Elia Kazan‘s adaptation of Tennessee Williams’ play, A Streetcar Named Desire (1951) with Vivien Leigh, and Karl Malden; as Vito Corleone in Francis Ford Coppola’s adaptation of Mario Puzo’s novel, The Godfather (1972) with Al Pacino, James Caan, Robert Duvall, Diane Keaton, and Talia Shire; as Robert E. Lee Clayton in The Missouri Breaks (1976) with Nicholson; as Colonel Walter E. Kurtz in Coppola’s adaptation of Joseph Conrad’s novel Heart of Darkness, Apocalypse Now (1979) with Martin Sheen, Duvall, and Dennis Hopper. Brando was married three times; Anna Kashfi (1957-1959 divorce), Movita Castaneda (1960-1962 divorce), and Tarita Teriipia (1962-1972 divorce). Brando reportedly had an affair with Marilyn Monroe.
The Final Footprint – Brando was cremated and his cremated remains were scattered in Tahiti and Death Valley, California.
On this day in 2005, singer, songwriter, and record producer Luther Vandross died at the JFK Medical Center in Edison, New Jersey, at the age of 54 of a heart attack. Born Luther Ronzoni Vandross Jr. on April 20, 1951 in Manhattan. Throughout his career, Vandross was an in-demand background vocalist for several different artists including Todd Rundgren, Judy Collins, Chaka Khan, Bette Midler, Diana Ross, David Bowie, Ben E. King, and Donna Summer. He later became a lead singer of the group Change, which released its gold-certified debut album, The Glow of Love, in 1980 on Warner/RFC Records. After Vandross left the group, he was signed to Epic Records as a solo artist and released his debut solo album, Never Too Much, in 1981.
His hit songs include “Never Too Much”, “Here and Now”, “Any Love”, “Power of Love/Love Power”, “I Can Make It Better” and “For You to Love”. Many of his songs were covers of original music by other artists such as “If This World Were Mine” (duet with Cheryl Lynn), “Since I Lost My Baby”, “Superstar”, “I (Who Have Nothing)” and “Always and Forever”. Duets such as “The Closer I Get to You” with Beyoncé, “Endless Love” with Mariah Carey and “The Best Things in Life Are Free” with Janet Jackson were all hit songs in his career.
During his career, Vandross received eight Grammy Awards including Best Male R&B Vocal Performance four different times. He won a total of four Grammy Awards in 2004 including the Grammy Award for Song of the Year for a song recorded not long before his death, “Dance with My Father”.
Vandross was never married and had no children.
The Final Footprint
Vandross’s funeral was held at Riverside Church in New York City on July 8, 2005. Cissy Houston, founding member of The Sweet Inspirations and mother of Whitney Houston, sang at the funeral service. Vandross was entombed at the George Washington Memorial Park in Paramus, New Jersey.
On this day in 2009, actor Karl Malden died at his home in Los Angeles at the age of 97. Born Mladen George Sekulovich on March 22, 1912 in Chicago. Perhaps primarily known as a character actor in such classic films as A Streetcar Named Desire (1951) — for which he won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor — On the Waterfront (1954), Pollyanna (1960), and One-Eyed Jacks (1961). Malden also played in high-profile Hollywood films such as Baby Doll (1956), The Hanging Tree (1959), How the West Was Won (1962), Gypsy (1962) and Patton (1970). From 1972 to 1977, he portrayed Lt. Mike Stone in the prime time television crime drama The Streets of San Francisco. He was later the spokesman for American Express.
On December 18, 1938, Malden married Mona Greenberg (May 9, 1917 – July 13, 2019), who survived him. Their marriage was one of the longest in Hollywood’s history, their 70th wedding anniversary occurring in December 2008. In 1997, Malden published his autobiography, When Do I Start?, written with his daughter Carla.
The Final Footprint
He was buried at the Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery in Los Angeles. Other notable final footprints at Westwood include; Ray Bradbury, Sammy Cahn, Truman Capote, James Coburn, Rodney Dangerfield, Farrah Fawcett, Hugh Hefner, Janet Leigh, Brian Keith, Don Knotts, Burt Lancaster, Peter Lawford, Peggy Lee, Jack Lemmon, Dean Martin, Walter Mathau (see above), Marilyn Monroe, Carroll O’Connor, Roy Orbison, George C. Scott, Dorothy Stratten, Natalie Wood, and Frank Zappa.
Malden’s friend and former co-star Michael Douglas wrote a tribute to Malden for Time‘s “Milestones” section. For his contribution to the film industry, Malden has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6231 Hollywood Blvd. In 2005, he was inducted into the Western Performers Hall of Fame at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. In November 2018, a monument to Karl Malden was revealed in Belgrade, Serbia.
Ketchum Cemetery, Idaho. Photo by sheli ellsworth
Hemingway family plot Ketchum Cemetery, Idaho
#RIP #OTD screenwriter (Chinatown, The Two Jakes, The Last Detail, Shampoo, Mission: Impossible), director/screenwriter (Personal Best, Without Limits, Tequila Sunrise, Ask the Dust), Robert Towne died at his home in Los Angeles aged 89. Cremated
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The Final Footprint – Mansfield is interred in Fair View Cemetery in Pen Argyl, Pennsylvania. Her grave is marked by an upright granite marker in the shape of a heart with the inscription; WE LIVE TO LOVE YOU MORE EACH DAY. A memorial cenotaph, showing an incorrect birth year, was erected in the Hollywood Forever Cemetery, Hollywood, California. The cenotaph was placed by The Jayne Mansfield Fan Club. Other notable Final Footprints at Hollywood Forever include; Mel Blanc
On this day in 1880, frontier scout, actor, and cowboy, Texas Jack Omohundro died of pneumonia in Leadville, Colorado at the age of 33. Born John Baker Omohundro on 26 July 1846 in Pleasure Hill, Virginia. In his early teens, he left home, made his way alone to Texas, and became a cowboy. He participated in early cattle drives, notably on the Chisholm Trail. On one drive across Arkansas to meat-short Tennessee, grateful citizens nicknamed him “Texas Jack.” In 1869, he moved to Cottonwood Springs, Nebraska, near Fort McPherson and became a scout and buffalo hunter. There he met William F. “Buffalo Bill” Cody. Together, they participated in Indian skirmishes and buffalo hunts, acted as guides for notables such as the Earl of Dunraven, and led the highly publicized royal hunt of 1872 with Grand Duke Alexei Alexandrovich of Russia and a group of prominent American military figures. Omohundro and Cody traveled to Chicago in December 1872 to debut in The Scouts of the Prairie, one of the original Wild West shows produced by Ned Buntline. Observers described Omohundro as physically impressive and magnetic in personality. He was the first performer to introduce roping acts to the American stage. During the 1873-74 season, Omohundro and Cody invited their friend James Butler “Wild Bill” Hickok to join them in a new play called Scouts of the Plains. On August 31, 1873, Omohundro married Giuseppina Morlacchi, a dancer and actress from Milan, Italy, who starred with him in the Scouts of the Prairie and other shows.
On this day in 1975, United States Army Airborne veteran, screenwriter, novelist, television producer, and narrator Rod Serling died of a heart attack in Rochester, New York at the age of 50. Born Rodman Edward Serling on 25 December 1924 in Syracuse, New York. Perhaps best known for his television series The Twilight Zone and Night Gallery. Serling served as executive producer and head writer for both shows. The Twilight Zone ran on CBS for five years from 1959 to 1964 and featured several young actors who would later become famous including; Ron Howard, Robert Redford, Burt Reynolds, and William Shatner. In my opinion, The Twilight Zone is one of the best shows in the history of television. Serling was married to Carol Serling (1948-1975 his death).
The Final Footprint – Serling is interred in Lake View Cemetery in Interlaken, New York. His grave is marked by an individual engraved granite VA marker. Other notable Final Footprints at Lake View include; 20th President of the United States James A. Garfield; member of The Untouchables, Eliot Ness and John D. Rockefeller.
On this day in 2001, United States Navy veteran, Academy Award-winning actor and musician, Jack Lemmon died of colon and bladder cancer in Los Angeles at the age of 76. Born John Uhler Lemmon III on 8 February 1925 in Newton, Massachusetts. Lemmon graduated from Harvard. In my opinion, Lemmon is one the funniest and best film actors. My favorite Lemmon movie roles include; as Jerry “Daphne” in Billy Wilder’s Some Like it Hot (1959) with Marilyn Monroe and Tony Curtis; as Nestor Patou/Lord X in Wilder’s Irma la Douce (1963) with Shirley MacLaine; as Felix Ungar in The Odd Couple (1968) with Walter Mathau and written by Neil Simon; as George Kellerman in The Out-of-Towners (1970), written by Simon; as Jack Godell in The China Syndrome (1979) with Jane Fonda and Michael Douglas; as Shelley Levene in David Mamet’s Glengarry Glenn Ross (1992) with Al Pacino, Alec Baldwin, Ed Harris, Alan Arkin, and Kevin Spacey; as John Gustafson in Grumpy Old Men (1993) with Ann-Margret, Mathau and Burgess Meredith and in the sequel Grumpier Old Men (1995) with Ann-Margret, Sophia Loren, Mathau and Meredith. Lemmon was married twice; Cynthia Stone (1950-1956 divorce) and Felicia Farr (1962-2001 his death).
The Final Footprint – Lemmon is interred in a bench estate plot, near his friend Mathau, in Westwood Memorial Park (a 
