Dearly Departed

While it may not be everyone’s taste, I dearly loved the Dearly Departed Museum, so I was honored when owner Scott Michaels asked me to photograph it for posterity before all of its historic contents went into storage. Here is a look at some of the items one could find inside its Hollywood location on Santa Monica Boulevard.

This display of recently acquired items came from the Sharon Tate auction.



Tate is best known for her role in the campy “Valley of the Dolls” and sadly the Manson murders.



Her false eyelashes. NOW we know why they looked so lush!



One of her bras:



Her “let ’em droop” scene in “Dolls” is definitely one of the most memorable of the film.



Jayne Mansfield held a large portion of real estate inside the museum.



Here’s a section of the gate from her Pink Palace mansion which was located in Holmby Hills...before it was demolished in 2002.



Mansfield died tragically in a car accident on the way to New Orleans at the age of 34. The 1966 Buick Electra 225 she was in was also in display here. To see it in person was unbelievable.



These two vintage mugs/steins of Bette Davis and Joan Crawford are favorites of mine.



Karen Carpenter’s sink:



The death mask of notorious 1930’s Depression-era gangster John Dillinger:



For fans of Mae West, how about this framed display showing her autograph on a check to Bullock’s Department Store?



Last but not least...her dental bridges:



Want to see More Dearly Departed? Check out their youtube channel.

See more Dearly Departed Museum photos at my main website.

Vertigo in Indianapolis

As I have gotten older, I have noticed that I do not as well when it comes to closed spaces and heights. I forgot to take this into consideration when I decided to go to the top of the Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument in the heart of Indianapolis last month.



The first time I approached the monument on the last day of my visit, it was still closed. I utilized this time to snap a few shots of the nearby statues and buildings that surrounded Monument Circle. The carved limestone statues by Rudolph Schwarz have always been favorites of mine.



The boring building shown here replaced the English Hotel/Opera House in 1951. During a 1957 visit to Indianapolis, Frank Lloyd Wright said, “Indianapolis, like every big city is doomed. The only good building I saw downtown is the one used by J.C. Penney’s downtown, which is a little radical. It probably was designed by some out-of-town man.”



He was wrong on both counts; it was designed by Nathaniel Owings of Indianapolis, and compared to the gorgeous building it replaced, it was a piece of poo. Here's what the Opera House looked like:



Both of the historic images above are from the Indiana History site. Here's what FLW's beloved building looks like today:



To spice up your morning, here's a vintage FauxD© shot of Monument Circle:



The 1916 Hilbert Circle Theatre was restored in 1982.



One of the features that came back to life was this beautiful mural on the exterior. This Grecian pastoral scene was "painted" using tinted cement by H.A. Wheeler.



But enough about the surroundings. Let's go to the top of the Monument!



As you enter, you'll see this grim and foreboding face. I should have paid attention!



My two choices were to take the narrow stairs or the tiny elevator. I paid my $2, entered the ancient elevator, and closed my eyes for what seemed like an eternity.



Exiting the elevator, I still had a number of stairs to climb. I thought I was going to hurl. Fortunately, the amazing views were worth it.



Here you can see the Christ Church Cathedral and The Columbia Club:



How about this cute little house atop the main building?



The Statehouse:



The top of the Ghostbusters Building. Well, actually, it's the Circle Tower, but it looks like the building from Ghostbusters to me.



The Indiana World War Memorial:



I was able to make it back down, but not without getting drenched in sweat. And then before I knew it, it was time to fly home. At the airport, this 1933 Essex Terraplane used by famed criminal John Dillinger was on display:



The hood ornament:



Hope you enjoyed my trip to Indianapolis as much as I did!

See more vintage & current Daveland Indianapolis photos on my main website.