For decades, the common assumption was that Elsa Lanchester had been cremated and her ashes spread in the ocean after her death in 1986.
But a Hollywood historian, creator of Dearly Departed Tours, made a surprising discovery: her cremated remains were actually interred in a rose garden under her married name, Elsa Lanchester Laughton.
"For almost 40 years no one had made the connection – until this moment," he states.
A Passion for Tinseltown's Tragic Tales
Mr Michaels, 63, focuses in the dark side of Hollywood. He provided expertise for movies including the director's Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.
Extremely dedicated about unsung Hollywood, he organizes fundraisers for overlooked or cult actors, like Schlitzie and Ken Weatherwax.
It was this interest that led him to look into what happened to Lanchester's remains.
The Life of a Hollywood Legend
Born on October 28, 1902 in London's Lewisham district, she was a young performer in theatre and cabaret, and even made records of old ballads.
When she was 25 she married fellow actor Charles Laughton, and appeared with him in The Private Life of Henry VIII, for which he won the Best Actor Oscar.
He played the title role in the 1939 classic, and the couple worked on twelve films together, including Witness for the Prosecution in 1957, for which they were both nominated for Academy Awards.
Lanchester had been nominated before in 1949 for Come to the Stable, and after her husband's passing she kept acting steadily, including a number of Disney films such as a musical and a comedy.
Memories from Co-Stars
Actor Bruce Davison, who starred as Willard alongside Lanchester as his controlling mother Henrietta, speaks fondly of their collaboration.
She advised me: 'You know when a director is giving you a load of codswallop? What you do is say 'Oooh, that's very interesting, let me do that.' Then perform exactly as you please!' he laughs.
Davison also recalled an incident that would tantalise genre enthusiasts today.
"I brought a Super 8 camera to set, and once I filmed her at the staircase when she recreated her Bride role," he added. "She was glad for the iconic part," she understood its impact on her career.
The Mystery of Where She Was Buried
Although the 1935 film – in which Lanchester's own long hair was stretched up over a wire beehive contraption – secured her a place in film history, the issue of what became of her body posthumously was poorly documented.
She wrote in her memoirs that she did not like the location of her husband's burial plot in a famous cemetery – Laughton died in 1962. She wrote she would prefer to be burned with no ceremony, which is partly why it was believed for decades that her remains were dispersed.
The Expert's Early Interest with Death
An interest in death began early for the tour guide, who was born and grew up in Detroit.
He recalls observing the funeral canopy at a relative's burial and asking his mom "is this a circus?" He was just a toddler.
Additionally, the his house was on one of the most dangerous intersections in the city. A young Mr Michaels witnessed so many collisions that it seemed normal, and the catalyst for an unique profession honoring those who have died.
Upon discovering of Lanchester's interment, during his ongoing investigations into historic death certificates, he decided she would be his next memorial project.
An Impact That Deserves Recognition
Her brief, dialogue-free performance with the horror icon as the Bride was legendary – she earned to have her legacy remembered.
She was basically the sole leading lady of the studio's horror lineup.
"Many people also forget that she played Mary Shelley at the beginning of the film," he notes.
Attention toward the actress had been ignited earlier in the year when Universal Studios issued products and special editions of the classic to celebrate the film's 90th anniversary.
It was a surprise when Mr Michaels found that Lanchester's agent had placed her ashes at a cemetery in a Los Angeles neighborhood – and that her cremains had remained interred as was commonly thought.
"Perhaps she was indifferent 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 honor this horror legend.
The unveiling ceremony will be held on October 28 – her birthday.
"I aimed to commemorate on her 123rd birthday," he explains, "and truly I overlooked that it was only days before the spooky season."
