MansonBlog Tour 2019: Dearly Departed Tours

Scott Michaels of Dearly Departed Tours deserves a big shout out from MansonBlog. He is the owner/operator of the "black bus" that carried us about for a day through Laurel Canyon, The Whiskey a Go Go and Horn Ave.

This day was planned since last year's tour. The idea was to have a day of knowledge exchange. We got an education on many of the LA landmarks and Scott got more TLB arrows in his quiver. We even had a writer affiliated with 60 Minutes Australia along for the ride.

Scott Michaels is a gentleman and his tours and museum dedicated to LA macabre are a must for anyone reading this blog. If you get to LA, get on board one of his Hollywood Celebrity Tours and don't be shy about admitting you read MansonBlog.

MansonBlog Tour 2018: Scott Michaels and his Dearly Departed Tours and Artifact Museum

We stopped in at Dearly Departed Tours & Museum. There wasn't time to take the TLB tour, but owner Scott Michaels was gracious enough to spend a little time with us discussing his business, MansonBlog and possible motives for the crimes. We did spend some time in his museum. It has some artifacts like Jane Mansfield's car, the comforter that Rock Hudson died on and John Dillinger's death mask.

Scott was the one who raised the funds to put a marker on Donald Shea's grave, without which it would be difficult to find. He is also responsible for raising the funds and paying for grave stones for other forgotten celebrities. According to Michaels:

"These people spent their lives yearning to be recognized, and to end up in an unmarked hole in North Hollywood is a shame."

It was bogusly suggested here in the comments section recently that the grave markers are an effort by Michaels "put in a marker so you could have another stop on your F***ing tour". Fact: Dearly Departed Tours makes ZERO stops at cemeteries, so the markers have no effect on DDT's bottom line.

Michaels was complimentary of our efforts on the blog. Next year we will be sure to allot time to take the tour.