Hillside Memorial Park Cemetery

Hillside Memorial Park and Mortuary
Waterfall and Al Jolson monument at Hillside Memorial Park
Map
Details
Established1941
Location
6001 West Centinela Avenue, Culver City, California, US
CountryUnited States
Coordinates33°58′50″N 118°23′23″W / 33.98056°N 118.38972°W / 33.98056; -118.38972
TypeJewish
Owned byTemple Israel of Hollywood
Websitewww.hillsidememorial.org
Find a GraveHillside Memorial Park and Mortuary
The Political GraveyardHillside Memorial Park and Mortuary

The Hillside Memorial Park and Mortuary is a Jewish cemetery in Culver City, California, United States. Many Jewish people from the entertainment industry are buried here. The cemetery is known for Al Jolson's elaborate tomb (designed by Los Angeles architect Paul Williams), a 75-foot-high pergola and monument atop a hill above a water cascade, all visible from the adjacent San Diego Freeway.

History

Built on 35 acres of rolling hills in an undeveloped area near Inglewood, the cemetery was originally founded as B'nai B'rith Memorial Park in 1941 by Lazare F. Bernhard and Robert S. and Harry Groman, founders of Groman Mortuaries in 1936 and sons of Charles Groman, who co-founded the first licensed Jewish mortuary west of Chicago, Glasband-Groman-Glasband, before it was renamed "Hillside Memorial Park" in 1942. Because of objections by the Inglewood Chamber of Commerce, they were not granted a permit to operate by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors until July 1943.

In 1951 the park became famous when Al Jolson's widow, Erle, purchased a large plot and had erected a 75-foot-high domed monument in his memory. Thousands attended the dedication and service, which included a eulogy by Jack Benny.

After a bitter legal dispute between the Groman brothers, and Robert's death in 1957, the park was acquired by Temple Israel of Hollywood, which continues to own and operate it.

Jack Benny's funeral in 1974 included a eulogy by Bob Hope and was attended by over 2000 people, including dozens of well-known members of the entertainment community. Major figures in the worlds of philanthropy, women's rights, law, education, medicine and religion are interred at Hillside, some of whom are listed below.

Notable interments

See also Category:Burials at Hillside Memorial Park Cemetery

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  • William Gary Young (1950-1970), PFC, United States Marine Corps

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See also


This page was last updated at 2024-02-19 00:22 UTC. Update now. View original page.

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