For decades, the common assumption was that Elsa Lanchester had been incinerated and her remains scattered at sea following her passing in 1986.
However Scott Michaels, founder of Dearly Departed Tours, uncovered an unexpected truth: her ashes were actually buried in a rose garden under her legal name, Elsa Lanchester Laughton.
"For nearly four decades the link had gone unnoticed – until now," he states.
An Interest for Hollywood's Dark Side
Mr Michaels, sixty-three, focuses in the dark side of Hollywood. He provided expertise for movies including Quentin Tarantino's Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.
Deeply passionate about unsung Hollywood, he organizes charity events for overlooked or iconic performers, including the actor known as Pinhead and Pugsley from Addams Family.
This fascination that inspired Mr Michaels to look into what became of the actress's ashes.
The Career of Elsa Lanchester
Born on October 28, 1902 in Lewisham, London, she was a young performer in theatre and cabaret, and even recorded albums of old ballads.
When she was 25 she met and married fellow actor her husband, and starred alongside him in The Private Life of Henry VIII, for which he won the Academy Award.
He played the title role in the 1939 classic, and the pair worked on a dozen movies together, including Witness for the Prosecution in 1957, for which they were both Oscar-nominated.
She had been previously nominated in 1949 for Come to the Stable, and after Laughton's death she continued to work steadily, including a number of Disney films like Mary Poppins and That Darn Cat!.
Recollections from Fellow Actors
Bruce Davison, who played Willard with her as his domineering mom Henrietta, recalls warmly of their collaboration.
She told me: 'When a director gives you nonsense? Just say 'Oooh, that's very interesting, let me do that.' And then just do whatever the hell you want!' he laughs.
Davison also recalled something that would tantalise horror fans today.
"I used to take a home movie camera to set, and one time I recorded her at the staircase when she did The Bride for me," he added. "She appreciated for the iconic part," she recognized what it had done for her.
The Puzzle of Where She Was Buried
Although the 1935 film – in which her hair was pulled upward over a wire beehive contraption – did indeed earn her a historic status, the issue of what happened to her body posthumously was poorly documented.
In her autobiography that she disliked the site of her husband's grave in a famous cemetery – Laughton died in 1962. She stated she would prefer to be cremated with no ceremony, which is a reason everyone assumed for years that her remains were dispersed.
The Historian's Fascination with Death
A fascination with mortality began early for the tour guide, who was born and grew up in the Motor City.
He recalls seeing the tented graveside set-up at a relative's burial and asking his mom "is this a circus?" He was three years old.
More than that, the family home was on one of the riskiest crossroads in the urban area. As a boy heard – and saw so many collisions that it seemed normal, and the catalyst for an unusual career honoring those who have passed away.
When he learned of Lanchester's interment, during his regular research into historic death certificates, he determined she would be his next memorial project.
A Legacy That Deserves Recognition
Her brief, dialogue-free appearance with the horror icon as the Bride was iconic – she deserved to have her legacy remembered.
After all, she was essentially the sole leading lady of the Universal Horror cast.
"It's often overlooked that she portrayed the author at the start of the film," he notes.
Attention toward the actress had been sparked earlier in the year when the film studio released merchandise and collector's versions of Bride of Frankenstein to celebrate the film's 90th anniversary.
The discovery was unexpected when Mr Michaels discovered that Lanchester's agent had placed her ashes at Valhalla Memorial Park in a Los Angeles neighborhood – and that her cremains had remained interred as was commonly thought.
"Maybe she didn't really care about what occurred posthumously," he suggests.
A Fitting Tribute
In less than 36 hours, Mr Michaels had raised funds enough for a formal wall marker to recognize this cinema icon.
The unveiling ceremony will be held on October 28 – the anniversary of her birth.
"I aimed to commemorate on her 123rd birth anniversary," he explains, "and honestly I forgot that it was just a few days before the spooky season."
