A Visit to San Fernando Mission Cemetery

Last April we paid our first-ever visit to San Fernando Mission Cemetery, an old Roman Catholic Cemetery located in Mission Hills, California.

We paid our respects to a number of actors buried in the cemetery grounds, including "The Rifleman," Chuck Connors. His grave marker notes his most famous role along with his pro baseball and basketball affiliations. (Click on this or any photo to enlarge it for a closer look.)

There are a number of great character actors at this cemetery, including Walter Brennan. Brennan is one of a couple actors buried here who was in one of my favorite movies, RIO BRAVO (1959).

Edward Arnold, who was in several Frank Capra classics and many other films:

And a personal favorite, Henry O'Neill, who was in many wonderful films.

Ed Begley (Sr.) is there as well:

Penny Singleton of BLONDIE fame is under a marker for her sister, June; her name was never added. Their parents are buried nearby.

Estelita Rodriguez was another cast member from RIO BRAVO:

Olga San Juan (BLUE SKIES) was long married to Edmond O'Brien; they divorced in the '70s but neither ever remarried. Edmond O'Brien is buried at another Catholic cemetery, Holy Cross in Culver City.

Jo Ann Marlowe was a child actress of the '40s whose notable roles included Josie Cohan as a child in YANKEE DOODLE DANDY (1942) and ill-starred Kay Pierce in MILDRED PIERCE (1945). She would go on to graduate from Loyola Law School and was an attorney in Los Angeles. Tragically she was in a coma for 22 years following an accident. Her marker contains her birth and married names.

Singer Ritchie Valens is also at San Fernando:

We also paid a couple of return visits to Forest Lawn Hollywood Hills earlier this year, and I plan to share photos from those trips at a future date.

Additional photo posts on the final resting places of historic Hollywood figures: A Visit to Forest Lawn Glendale, Part 1, A Visit to Forest Lawn Glendale, Part 2, A Visit to the Forest Lawn Museum (Glendale), A Visit to Hollywood Forever Cemetery (2014), A Visit to Westwood Village Memorial Park - The Musicians, A Visit to Westwood Village Memorial Park - The Comedians, A Visit to Westwood Village Memorial Park - The Actors, A Visit to Westwood Village Memorial Park - Writers, Directors, and More, A Visit to Holy Cross Cemetery, Part 1, A Visit to Holy Cross Cemetery, Part 2, A Visit to Holy Cross Cemetery, Part 3, A Visit to Desert Memorial Park, Los Angeles National Cemetery, A Visit to Forest Lawn Hollywood Hills, Part 1 (2017), A Visit to Forest Lawn Hollywood Hills, Part 2 (2017), A Visit to Forest Lawn Hollywood Hills, Part 3 (2019), A Visit to Forest Lawn Cathedral City, A Visit to Oakwood Memorial Park, A Visit to Hillside Memorial Park, Part 1, A Visit to Hillside Memorial Park, Part 2, A Visit to Hollywood Forever Cemetery (2019), A Visit to Woodlawn Cemetery, A Visit to Valley Oaks Memorial Park, A Visit to Valhalla Cemetery, A Visit to Pacific View Memorial Park, A Visit to Glen Haven Memorial Park, A Visit to Forest Lawn Glendale (2020), A Visit to Calvary Cemetery, A Visit to Home of Peace Memorial Park, Visits to Sedona and Las Vegas Cemeteries, A Visit to Forest Lawn Glendale (2022), Visits to Orange County Cemeteries (Holy Sepulcher Cemetery and El Toro Memorial Park), A Visit to Inglewood Park Cemetery, A Visit to Mt. Sinai Memorial Park, A Visit to Palm Springs (Coachella Valley Public Cemetery), A Visit to Marysvale Cemetery, A Visit to Holy Cross Cemetery, Part 1 (2022), A Visit to Holy Cross Cemetery, Part 2 (2022), A Visit to Forest Lawn Hollywood Hills (2022), and A Visit to Rose Hills Memorial Park.

Articles on the final resting places of Western stars from my Western RoundUp column at Classic Movie Hub: May 2019, February 2022, November 2, 2022, November 29, 2022, and April 2023.

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