10 Reasons To Visit Hollywood Forever Cemetery (Before You're Dead)
1. It's Haunted. Seriously.
When Valentino died in 1926 at the age of 31, his legion of female fans mourned world wide. One of his admirers, however, vowed never to leave his side -- and is known only as "The Lady in Black."
Valentino captivated audiences with his smoldering sex appeal and gravitas, creating a phenomena never seen before. Movies such as, The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, The Sheik, and Blood and Sand firmly established the "Latin Lover" as an international sex symbol.
After tragically dying from complications of a ruptured ulcer, an estimated 100,000 people lined the streets of Manhattan to pay their respects. His body was then transported by train to California -- and that's when things got weird.
Recent financial troubles had left his estate in a shambles despite him earning $10,000-per-week (at a time when most people earned around $2,000 a year). As a result, Valentino's remains were laid to rest in a borrowed crypt from his friend, June Mathis.
Then on the anniversary of his death, a mysterious woman in clad entirely black, including a black veil, left roses at Valentino's final resting place before vanishing. Every year, she would return, fuelling speculation of her identity. Was she a former lover? An obsessed fan? Regardless, the mystery continues today for all to explore. But a word of caution: always respect the dead because one day you'll be one of them.