ELSA LANCASTER GETS A GRAVESIDE MARKER!

On October 28th, the occasion of her 123rd birthday, just a few days before Halloween, the beloved Bride of Frankenstein herself, Elsa Lanchester, is finally receiving a long-overdue graveside marker. Nearly 40 years after her death, fans will now have a place to pay their respects to one of classic Hollywood’s most iconic and memorable actresses.

Lanchester, who brought to life the unforgettable “Bride” in Universal’s 1935 Bride of Frankenstein, passed away on December 26, 1986, at the Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital in Woodland Hills. After suffering multiple debilitating strokes in her later years, she was cared for by the Motion Picture Fund, which became executor of her estate. Her actor husband Charles Laughton had preceded her in death and the couple had no children.

After her death, Lanchester’s resting place remained anonymous — and unmarked.
For decades, biographers and fans believed her ashes had been scattered at sea. But as it turns out, that wasn’t the full story.

Enter Scott Michaels, founder of Dearly Departed Tours, known for his meticulous research into Hollywood’s darker corners as shown on his popular YouTube channel. In his words, “I did a little digging (as it were) and found out that Elsa wasn’t scattered at all.” Michaels discovered that Elsa Lanchester’s cremated remains were quietly interred at Valhalla Memorial Park Cemetery in North Hollywood, in a rose garden vault and recorded under her married name, Elsa Lanchester Laughton.
Scott Michaels is using his YouTube and social media platform to crowd source for funds to cover the cost of the modest marker via Spotfund.com.

Michaels has previously led the charge to remember and mark the graves of other notables, including Susan Cabot, Donald "Shorty" Shea, Johnny Arthur, Jonathan Hale, Thelma Pelish, William Anderson, Ken Weatherwax and The Mighty Michu.

An official marker unveiling ceremony will be held at Valhalla Memorial Park, North Hollywood, where horror fans, film historians, and members of the Hollywood community are invited to gather and celebrate Elsa’s legacy. The event will coincide with the Halloween season — a perfect time to remember the actress who gave cinematic life (and one unforgettable hiss) to the Bride of Frankenstein.

EVENT DETAILS
Graveside Marker Unveiling for Elsa Lanchester (The Bride of Frankenstein)
■ Valhalla Memorial Park Cemetery, North Hollywood, CA
■October 28, 2025 – 11:00am
■ Open to the public – fans and press welcome
Scott Michaels
Founder, Dearly Departed Tours Online
■ info@dearlydepartedtours.com
■ www.dearlydepartedtours.com