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Community Corner

Does Marilyn Monroe's Ghost Haunt Westwood?

Unexplained phenomenon seen near screen icon's crypt.

As Valentines Day rolls around, and we are inundated with all things pink, there is one local pink "thing" that people don't generally think about during this holiday. Witnesses at Westwood Village Memorial Park claim that a super-natural pink fog sometimes forms in front of the pink-stained marble marker of screen star, Marilyn Monroe.
 
Tucked away in a small cemetery, which in itself, is fittingly tucked away behind a one can find the final resting place of the legendary blonde bombshell. Since Marilyn's spirit is one of the most ubiquitous ghosts in Hollywood (along side the ghost of silent screen star Rudolf Valentino) and has being seen at just about any location she had a connection with in this city, it makes perfect sense that her crypt would also be counted as one of the many places said to be haunted by the spirit of this larger than life sex symbol.
 
Then again, since her famous form, which inspired both the shape of Coca-Cola's trademarked bottle and the Disney character, Tinkerbell, has never actually materialized, just this strange pink ectoplasm, maybe it isn't her at all. Perhaps these formless blobs are the restless spirits of others there, who like Marilyn died under mysterious circumstances. Some of the tragic figures interned at this address  include Bob Crane, Dorothy Stratten, Karen Carpenter, Natalie Wood, Dominique Dunne and Heather O'Rourke (both of them victims of the supposed "Poltergeist Curse"), and Victor Killian (who is said to haunt the Chinese Theater in Hollywood). Janis Joplin was cremated here. Don Knotts, although not a tragic figure like the others, is buried here and is best remembered by ghost-hunters for starring in arguably the best "haunted house" movie ever made,"The Ghost and Mr. Chicken." Additionally, almost a thousand other celebrities are there in this very tiny graveyard.
 
Legend has it that when baseball superstar, "Jolt'n" Joe DiMaggio, chose this location for Marilyn (his ex-wife), he picked it because of its remote and hidden location. He wanted a place, where her fans wouldn't bother her, not realizing that the presence of her remains would forever attract other celebrities and tourists. So much so, that Marilyn's marker has been permanently stained pink from all the fans (wearing red lip-stick), who have kissed it. So, if you don't have a special someone to kiss this Valentine's Day,... you can always kiss Marilyn,... and maybe if you're lucky,... she will appear to you, too.

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