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Scott Wilson is the author of "Resting Places",
an impressive resource containing the burial information of over 7,000
well-known personalities. In addition to the burial location, it also
provides the individual's claim-to-fame (or infamy), the cause of
death, bios, anecdotes and countless other bits of valuble knowledge.
Never before has such a massive index of politicans, military figures,
athletes, criminals, entertainers and icons come together so
professionally. Mr. Wilson recently agreed to talk with us regarding
his book, his inspirations and aspirations and death...or rather, life
in general.
MP: How did you come to write "Resting Places"? Was it the result of a life long
interest in grave-hunting or information that you felt needed exposure?
Scott: I began going to historic sites when I was in my teens, in 1968. I started with the
U.S.
Presidents and other historical figures. The first such place I visited was William
Henry
Harrison's tomb at North Bend, Ohio. After hundreds of birthplaces, homes, museums, I
came to prefer the cemeteries because of the quiet, I think; maybe just the relief
of not
having bed-warmers and petticoat mirrors explained over and over.
As for the book, I started putting a list of final stops together about 1986-87,
just as a
hobby, and from working on it all the time it grew into a behemoth in short order. I
was
aware since 1984 only of "Permanent Addresses". In 1990, Arthur Koykka's immense
work "Project Remember" was pointed out to me.
MP: Did you have any personal prerequisites for the graves you chose to cover? Did
the person have to be a fairly well-known personality?
Scott: No. The categories of inclusion grew, just as the individual names did. A very obscure
character would invariably have an interesting story, or a familiar face in the case of
actors, so after a few years everyone was thrown in that could be in any way accounted
for.
MP: What has been the most difficult grave to locate, and why?
Scott: There are hundreds. For several years I attempted to find out more about where Harpo
Marx's ashes actually ended up, but to no avail. The family wishes it undisclosed,
and that
is how it will stay, I imagine. He was cremated, there is no grave that is known,
and they
either have him or have scattered him. That's enough for me. For many of my contacts,
it's not, but I think to some extent you can just use your imagination, and leave
people
their privacy as well.
Another was Colin Clive, whose ashes went to actress-double Iris Lancaster. The
documents all indicate there was a ceremony, probably a scattering, but that was 1937,
and to date no one has found anyone left that knows. Another the same year was the
character actor Arthur Edmund Carewe, whose ashes I made several attempts to trace to a
cemetery or a specific person, but without success.
Those are three from a list dating back to 1987 or so which never had an absolute
resolution. There are a great many more.
MP: Do you find that people frown upon this type of "undertaking"? (pardon the pun)
Scott: Yes, that's a grave concern. Sure, some think it's morbid, and I suppose it is, but
isn't just
about everything excused and rationalized today? I would only say if it seems a
ghoulish
or depressing subject, ignore it. Buy another book. I would point out though, there
is also
a fair amount of history and biography contained in the pages, and if the death and
burial
part puts a reader off, they can always skip the last sentence or two.
If one is interested in U.S. or European politics, in film or theater, music,
literature,
sports, crime, or several other categories, they will find a fair amount of the
characters
comprising those histories in this book.
MP: Speaking from some experience, it's disappointing to realize that someone was
cremated, because it usually leaves no place to remember them, or to visit. Are you
disappointed in that situation?
Scott: No, and in fact, many cremations have places to visit. Niches are abundant at most
cemeteries today. Even before cemeteries became memorial parks and built
columbariums for cremains, grave markers sometimes were placed over just urns.
Cremation has grown in the U.S. since the 1890s, I think. In England the cremation
rate is
very high, and in the U.S. several states - Connecticut, Florida, Washington state,
have an
immense number of cremations.
Many are also scattered at sea. Still some of those have cenotaphs, or markers where
there
are no remains, in cemeteries with their relatives' plots.
Scattering at sea is a disposition that many of my contacts don't care for,
prefering to find
a gravesite. I worked on genealogy for many years though, so definite evidence from
primary sources is invaluable, and nothing is more final and irrevocable than ashes
buried
in the ocean.
MP: What is the furthest you've traveled to visit a grave, or to obtain information?
Scott: To either coast from Indiana, and back to New York quite a few times. The Los Angeles
area cemeteries and their film related occupants comprise a world apart. I think the
longest road trip for a single gravesite though, was nearly 250 miles to where
silent and
talkies actress Lila Lee's ashes are buried. My son, 8 at the time, went with me and
was
not amused, as some of the photos indicate.
MP: Have you ever considered a second "Resting Places"? There is certainly enough
material to cover!
Scott: Yes, and you can contact McFarland Publishers about that. Whenever they are ready to do
a second edition, the material is there.
MP: In the current age of online sleuthing, does it worry you that books of this nature,
after having been assembled with great effort, could get lost in the shuffle?
Scott: It doesn't worry me. It's inevitable that cyberspace will gradually diminish the use
of the
printed page, but I think there will always (or at least for a great many
generations yet) be
a place for books and libraries. At least I hope so.
MP: If you could, describe what an actual "grave-hunter" is.
Scott: Someone who turns to the last chapter on picking up any new biography.
MP: Do you have a favorite grave to visit? Do you ever visit any of them multiple
times, or is it just a constant move to the next one?
Scott: Not really. I like the variety and history in the older cemeteries as opposed to the
flat, golf
course type gardens where every plaque is nearly identical. From a groundskeeper's
point
of view though, I can see the logic in the latter.
MP: Are there any graves you still haven't located that you'd like to?
Scott: There are many whose ashes were returned to the family, and that constitutes the end
of it
as far as the public will know. As to some names about whom absolutely nothing has
been found or printed that I am aware of, that would include actors Paul Lukas, Edna
Best, Oscar Homolka, writer Richard Llewellyn, the German cinematographer Fritz Arno
Wagner, quite a few others.
MP: Again, from some experience, I find it upsetting when graves are in masoleums
or in areas of a cemetery restricted to the public. It seems like they're purposely
hidden away. Though it's a matter of respect, do you feel discouraged /annoyed
when you're unable to access the gravesite?
Scott: Only mildly. After all, the family has a right to provide whatever security, and
maintain
whatever privacy, they can. In some cases, such as the huge mausoleum at Forest Lawn in
Glendale, they pay an enormous amount for restricted areas.
MP: What advice would you give to those looking to start grave-hunting?
Scott: It may be a temporary reaction to reading too many cheerful poems by Edgar A. Guest.
Take some time and think about it.
Seriously? If one plans to do research, it's expensive and it's very time consuming.
Otherwise, though many efforts do not pan out, those that do generally make up the
difference. In many cases, we are preserving a little piece of history which would
otherwise have been lost forever. Some film aficionado 75 years from now may decide to
do a biography of, say, Lewis Stone, and because I contacted his last surviving daughter,
the information on him is there for that person to have, and that is gratifying. I
certainly
have had a mountain of help from others, and preserving some snippets and trivia for
the
future is indeed a nice feeling.
MP: What does the future hold for you?
Scott: My intention is to stick with this avocation, which I am rather glued to now and
update
daily or close to it, by phone, mail or e-mail, in addition to work and family.
MP: Where can the readers purchase your book? Is it available online and/or local
retailers?
Scott: McFarland Publishers at http://www.mcfarlandpub.com/ or through the web site Find-A-Grave's Related Books page at http://www.findagrave.com/bibliography.html or of
course on Amazon.
MP: Any final words or anecdotes?
Scott: Since your site is dedicated to the films of the 1920s through the 40s and beyond, your
regular visitors should find a great many of their favorite actors and all manner of
film
artists and technicians in "Resting Places." I hope you and they get some use from the
book. Let the mighty Wurlitzer begin and I wish you well with The Midnight Palace.
I would like to extend our
sincere appreciation to Scott Wilson for taking time out of his
schedule to speak with us. We'd also like to urge our readers to
pick up a copy of "Resting Places" through one of the
available online retailers. Whether you are an aspiring grave-hunter
or simply interested in the subject, this is a book that should
find its way to your collection!
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