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| Above, Bela Lugosi in Plan Nine From Outer Space. |
by Armand Vaquer
But, on Monday (which is Memorial Day), Platrix Chapter No. 2, E Clampus Vitus will be erecting a plaque at the Pioneer Memorial Cemetery in Sylmar, California.
A number of notable pioneers in Los Angeles history are buried there. It is said that some 600 people are buried at the cemetery, but there's only a few headstones there.
The cemetery was abandoned for a number of years and the tombstones fell victim to neglect and vandalism. In recent years, the cemetery has been under care by historical groups.
The cemetery is noted for a particular movie production: Ed Wood's Plan Nine From Outer Space (1959). The movie was shot around 1956-57, but not released until 1959.
According to IMBD trivia on the movie:
The cemetery used for filming is the Pioneer Memorial Cemetery in Sylmar, CA. It still stands, although many of the grave stones were stolen or vandalized.
Bela Lugosi appears in footage shot just before his death, but with no script in mind. Edward D. Wood Jr. wrote the script to accommodate all the footage shot in a cemetery and outside Tor Johnson's house in the new production. Lugosi was doubled by Tom Mason, Wood's wife's chiropractor, who was significantly taller than Lugosi, and played the part with a cape covering his face.The cemetery was near Tor Johnson's home.
The plaque dedication will take place at 11:00 at the cemetery at 14451 Bledsoe, Sylmar.
