Classic Hollywood: A cemetery tour with Hollywood grave hunter Steve Goldstein

Rodolfo Guglielmi Valentino’s final resting place at Hollywood Forever cemetery was supposed to be temporary. “They were supposed to build an elaborate memorial. The money never materialized,” Goldstein says. Instead, he remained in the crypt his family borrowed from screenwriter June Mathis. When she passed away a year after the actor, she was laid to rest in the crypt next to him.  (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

The wall of Marilyn Monroe‘s crypt at Westwood Memorial has been replaced numerous times because of all the fans touching and kissing it. In fact, her followers still celebrate the actress each year on the anniversary of her death, Aug. 5. Goldstein describes Westwood Memorial as the “cemetery of tragic females.” Besides Monroe, there’s Natalie Wood, Dorothy Stratten, Minnie Ripperton and Dominique Dunne.  (Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles Times)

West of the mausoleum at Hollywood Forever cemetery is Fairbanks Lawn, a valley featuring a pool leading up to a lavish memorial for silent screen actor Douglas Fairbanks. Goldstein says he’s heard from eyewitnesses that when they opened the sarcophagus to bury Douglas Fairbanks Jr. in 2000 that Fairbanks senior was still perfectly preserved 61 years after his death. “He was so embalmed, they must have used stronger chemicals.”  (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

Although Johnny Ramone’s ashes remain with his wife, fans can visit his statue in his honor at Hollywood Forever Cemetery.  (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

A bench at the Hollywood Forever grave site of Tyrone Power, who died of a heart attack while filming “Solomon and Sheba,” is engraved with the “Goodnight sweet prince” speech from “Hamlet.”  (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

Natalie Wood‘s drowning over Thanksgiving weekend in 1981 drew heavy media attention. Thousands of of fans, friends and reporters gathered at Westwood Memorial for the funeral.  (Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles Times)

Dean Martin is among the famous and infamous laid to rest at Westwood Memorial.  (Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles Times)

Steve Goldstein pauses at the recently installed memorial plaque for “Psycho” actress Janet Leigh.  (Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles Times)

Bob Crane, whose 1978 murder remains unsolved, was originally interred in Chatsworth, Calif., before being exhumed and moved to Westwood Memorial in 1999.  (Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles Times)

Walter Matthau‘s final resting spot at Westwood Memorial is near the grave site of his frequent costar Jack Lemmon.  (Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles Times)