Late September - James Dean, Liberace and Jan Brady

Hi everyone,

There is so much happening! We continue to forge ahead with the Dearly Departed Weekend by putting the finishing touches on Saturday’s Through the Valley of Death tour. We’re very happy with how things are turning out. This completely new tour is another side of Hollywood, both literally and figuratively. The "Valley" is just over the hill (the other side of the Hollywood sign) and kind of suburban... but still filled with plenty o' weirdos. They are trying to “pass” as normal people. They’re not. And we found them. Remember when Pinky Tuscadero flipped and shot up her neighborhood? We do. The house where the middle child was emotionally tortured by her 5 "siblings"? We got it.

Then we’ll eat a huge Italian meal and pretend we’re hanging out with Brynn Hartman at Buca di Beppo in Encino (without the Zoloft. Oh wait.). After we gorge, we’ll have two guest speakers. Terry Bolo will talk about Phil Hartman, who was a good friend and fellow member of the Groundlings. Craig Harvey will also speak. He is the Coroner Investigator who handled the Hartman case on the scene. He’s also a leading expert in the death of Marilyn Monroe. He will speak and you can ask questions about both. See you on the bus!

We another announcement about the Weekend. We now have a Sunday event! We’re doing an exclusive Hollywood Walking with tour guide extraordinaire Brian Donnelly. He’ll show us around Hollywood Blvd., which is … well, you know. But Brian is also going to take us behind the boulevard—literally, one block behind Hollywood Blvd. There’s a lot to see and Brian will tell you stories that no other tour will. Brian's walking tours have been causing major (positive) ripples in the nipples. I mean neighborhood. This exclusive tour is custom, just for us. We are ecstatic.

Now we have yet ANOTHER new tour announcement. If what we’re doing isn’t deathy enough for you, we have something that will be: The Horrific Homicide Tour. This tour will launch in early October and it's by far our most dreadful excursion to date. True Crime, but with a hometown flair. These folks aren't necessarily famous, but boy, what exits they made. Chainsaw murder, decapitations (yes that's plural), a notorious star f*cker call girl, the Vampire of West Hollywood, two serial killers and a man who was just sitting on a chair in his living room when a plane fell out of the sky and landed on his building. This tour is gonna be gnarly.

And don’t forget: the James Dean Last Day tour is a go! We’ve been pushed out of the city for the day by a bunch of people who want to ride their bikes down the streets our tour vans use. So we’re literally taking the show on the road and retracing the Rebel’s steps on September 30, which is also Jimmy’s deathaversary. We had luck with that this year. The Karen Carpen-tour was also on Karen’s deathaversary thanks to the Super Bowl. Sometimes the tour gods love us.

As you know, I love a good estate sale. And I found a doozy this time. The dead guy in question this time is Seymour Heller (love the name), who was the personal manager of Liberace. Now, we love our Liberace. Doesn’t everyone? He was patron saint of the blue-hairs. Do you believe he sued a newspaper for insuinating he was gay? and he WON? Mmmhmm you go ghrrrrrrl.

Anyway, I went to the Seymour house and scored big time. It was Lee overload. We snagged personal pictures, a funeral card from Liberace’s funeral... so much stuff. It will on be on display soon! You will NOT want to miss it.

Finally, a couple of Dearly Departed associates had some fun cruising around Los Angeles looking for ghosts. Carole Lombard was a primary target. Jill Marie Morris, who does Hollywood Ever After psychic readings at the Dearly Departed Tours shop every other month, has always felt a strong connection to Carole, who died in a plane crash in 1942. Jill brought along Elisa Jordan of L.A. Woman Tours, who in partnership with us does the Marilyn Monroe and Jean Harlow tours as well as the upcoming weekend event. Elisa is the resident Hollywood blonde bombshell expert. Jill recorded her reactions to Carole locations and Elisa was able to explain what the Carole connection might have been. [Note from Elisa: She wanted everyone to know that she’s not on camera because she had an early morning doing volunteer work outside and “looked like ass,” as opposed to just being difficult. Totes whatevs, as the kids say.] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_OODlLGZ0mY

After touring Hollywoodland, they went to the Rainbow Bar and Grill for dinner and Elisa showed Jill the secret Vampire Lair upstairs. In the 1970s, the second floor of the Rainbow was a private club called Over the Rainbow and only “cool” people were allowed up there. Hey, if there is a way for any place in LA to make you feel shitty about yourself, they will find it. Anyway, if you were extra extra special you got the privilege of hanging out in a club within a club. (Think Zoolander.)

It’s about the size of a Kleenex box and the guys who got drunk there called themselves the Hollywood Vampires. This was their Lair. The original Vampires were John Lennon, Harry Nilsson, Ringo Starr, Micky Dolenz, Keith Moon and Alice Cooper, who now uses the name for his all-star band that includes luminaries like Johnny Depp. Although to be fair, Johnny looks like he’s undead these days.

Click on the picture for Jill's video.