The death of writer and editor, Mark Masek, announced on social media in the quiet aftermath of New Year’s Eve, closes a chapter in Hollywood history that few outside a devoted circle ever fully understood—but many relied upon. Masek was not a celebrity in the conventional sense, yet for decades he served as one of the most trusted custodians of Hollywood’s afterlife, a writer and historian whose work preserved the final resting places of film and television figures who might otherwise have slipped into anonymity.
Masek is best known as the author of Hollywood Remains to Be Seen, and his website of the same name. It is a guide that became essential reading for anyone serious about cemetery history, classic Hollywood, or the strange poetry of fame after death. Long before “celebrity grave culture” became a niche fascination online, Masek approached the subject with rigor, humility, and deep respect. His work was never about spectacle. It was about documentation—names, locations, dates, stories—quietly ensuring that Hollywood’s dead were not erased simply because their careers had faded.
No place held his expertise in higher regard than Hollywood Forever and other Southern California graveyards, where he had a near-cartographic sense of who was where and why. To historians, preservationists and aficionados, Masek was viewed as an expert—a person who not only knew the facts but the patterns: which stars got honor, which shame, which oblivion, and what that says about what the industry held dear. He had a way of writing that made cemetery history legible without being dumbed down.
What was remarkable about Masek was his voice. He neither sensationalized nor moralized death. He wrote simply and sparsely, giving the facts -- and the silences between the facts -- the space to speak. In so doing, he gave dignity back to lives reduced to trivia or rumor. For his readers, the effect was often the deeper one that Hollywood history doesn't end with the last film credit but is continued in marble and bronze and grass.
At the time of this writing, formal obituaries were still forthcoming, but the response from those who knew him or relied on his work was immediate and heartfelt. Colleagues and readers in the fields of history, writing, and preservation shared a sense of what had been lost. It was not simply that a skilled and knowledgeable researcher was gone; it was that a careful, steady, and generous presence was removed from a field where such dependability is the product of dogged memory. Masek belonged to a generation of historians who predated the need to amplify credibility through social media platforms, when both the buildup of credibility and the incentives for accuracy were both different.
Mark Masek bequeaths no box-office legacy and no tributes at awards ceremonies. But he leaves something far more lasting: a record. Because of his work, countless figures from Hollywood’s past remain named, located, and remembered. In an industry based on illusion and reinvention, he chose permanence. On a personal note, he was always generous with his support—particularly of my own work in cemetery history, a subject we shared and cared deeply about—and that quiet encouragement is something I will miss.
Because of his commitment to remembrance, and his willingness to advocate for others who share it, Hollywood’s past rests a little more securely today than it otherwise would.
If there is a fitting epitaph for Mark Masek, it is this: he made sure the dead were not forgotten—and in doing so, earned his place among them in the history he loved.
If Mark Masek’s work or friendship touched you, I invite readers to share their memories or reflections in the comments, so his legacy can continue through those who remember him.
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I was friends with Mark from LJ back in the day. I admired his research and knowledge of cemeteries in the LA region. He also was a funny and touching writer as he wrote about his experiences trying to keep work in the dying journalism field and his pursuit of a relationship with a person known as RDN. Then his detailed crush on a cashier at a liquor store. He kept me rooting for him.
Condolences to his family and friends.
Thank you, Ed.,
I'm a younger gravehunter, barely started in 2023 and I had heard of Mark. Super big in the gravehunting community.. As soon as I heard of his passing I ordered his book. I just got it today and he signed it-- "R.I.P- Read in Peace" and it made me giggle. Rest in heavenly peace Mark <3
Hi Layla, thank you for those thoughts. Welcome to graving.
I will never forget my day with Mark and Jayne, they took the time, in fact, they took the day and spent it with me and my grandson. It was a day that I personally will never forget, a couple of years later I sent a message and I was remembered.. Mark was from Illinois so am I. He always took the time to remark, to my remarks when I posted them on any of his sites, he was a special person and he’s going to be missed…. greatly..
Thank you, Dolly, for those memories of Mark and Jayne.
Mark was wonderful. One of the first taphophiles I met when i got into graving. If I ever had a question regarding where someone was located he was always there for me. He became one of my dearest mentors and a friend in the community. He even praised me for how quickly I learned the ropes and was able to help the next class of tombstone trippers that were coming along. I will always cherish that. When I got word of his passing from Jayne I was devastated. Mark will be missed by many.
Thank you, Terry, for your memories of Mark.
Just a reader who was a big fan. I'm also a film professor and used to live near Forest Lawn. I used Mark's book to locate some of my favorite actors and directors' gravesites. Thanks to him I've been able to find the very hard to locate Ernst Lubitsch (100 yards south of the pine tree...) .
Hi Jennifer, thanks for sharing.
Mark was a true friend and a scholar when it came to our shared passion for cemeteries and history. I always enjoyed spending time with him. I will miss him terribly.
Thanks, Steve, for those thoughts. I'm sorry for your loss.
Mark was my brother’s best friend from high school, and was always such a great guy! Even then he had a great way with words, was very quick witted. When he went off to college, they would write letters and some of the quips he had on the outsides of the envelope were so funny! We didn’t care what he actually wrote in his letter but our family couldn’t wait to read the outside! He was so clever!! Prayers and condolences to his family🇺🇸🙏🏻
Sandy, thank you for sharing your memories.
Mark as my best friend, someone who you could always talk with about anything. I have been friends with Mark over 50yrs and will keep in my heart always!!
Thank you, Mike, for your thoughts.
Mark was my best friend's younger brother. I met Mark when he was ten, performing magic tricks for me as Marko the Magnificent. Later in life Mark and I became good friends, playing on the same softball team, vacationing together, and becoming co-workers before he moved to LA. Smart, quick-witted, and dependable. He will be missed! I will be rereading Remains to be Seen all week.
David, thank you so much for sharing this.
Thank you for your beautiful tribute to a great guy who was obviously loved by many. Mark and I were classmates in Joliet, IL. We chatted recently at our 50th high school reunion and decided to team up and plan a reunion for our grade school. He will be sorely missed by many. Heart breaking loss. My condolences to his family and those closest to him.
Thank you for those memories Peg.
Mark was a gem of a man. I’ll always remember how he always tried to pour me more wine at parties.🤣🤣🤣🤣 we’ll miss him at future events
Thank you Patti for sharing the laughter along with the love.
I first ran into Mark in 2002, during the early days of Livejournal. He was a consistently present friend even to people he never met in person. I am seeing this over and over again, and it is not surprising, that he was an especially connected mentor when it came to writing. He made time to read even the writing of distant acquaintances.
You expressed his aura and legacy so well, here. He was skilled at “just seeing” the people and situations around him and treating this with reverence and humor. I’ll miss his being present on the best and worst days, always with an understated but impactful gesture of support.
Sending condolences to his loved ones at this time.
Thank you for sharing this. Your memories capture Mark’s generosity and quiet presence.
I never met Mark, but we corresponded regularly over the years... first, about our shared affinity for cemeteries and old Hollywood. As time went on, we had a friendly rival over his love of the Chicago Cubs and my loyalty to the Philadelphia Phillies. We had further online interactions about television, cartoons and other entertainment related topics. He often expressed his appreciation for my artwork and he even offered a smart-ass quip about a random Facebook post of mine. We last corresponded on December 29, when I asked about his printing source for the Deathiversaries calendar. Mark was a good guy and I'm sorry I will never get the opportunity to tell him in person. He will be missed.
Thanks Josh, for sharing those memories.
That was beautiful. Mark was a good egg. I always enjoyed his company. I learned a lot from him. He will always be with me when I go grave hunting.
Thank you CC. Mark truly was a good egg, quietly sharing what he knew and loved.
As a former Hollywood Forever team member, I want to express my gratitude and respect to Mark. He did SO much good. And his grace and contributions will never be forgotten. Godspeed to a hero.
Hi Annette, thank you for your comments. Coming from someone who worked at Hollywood Forever, your words honor Mark and what he did it.
Mark was a kind, knowledgeable, interesting, and funny man. He had a world of special knowledge at his fingertips and was never at a loss for an interesting anecdote. I am glad to have known him, if not well, at least enough to enjoy his company on the occasions we met. My warmest thoughts go out to Jayne and his family and many friends, who are missing him so much right now. His work - and his life - will not be forgotten. May his memory be a blessing to all who knew and loved him.
Thank you for this remembrance. My thoughts join yours for Jayne, his family, and all who are missing him.
Thank you, Allan. This is truly a loss for us all, but especially Jayne. Mark's family must be devastated as well. I will miss seeing him around.
Scott, thank you for saying this—my heart goes out especially to Jayne and to Mark’s family, who are in my thoughts.
Allan, thank you for this wonderful tribute to our friend. Mark always made gravehunting fun! He found humanity in celebrity and civilian markers alike. I sure will miss him.
Hi Lisa, thank you so much for this—Mark made the work lighter and more meaningful, and he will be deeply missed.
Allan, such an amazing piece of work this is that captures our dear friend so concisely and eloquently. Thank you.
Thank you, Christine, I appreciate your kind words.
I’m just shock. I’ve know Mark since the 90’s. Hollywood Underground dinners, grave hunting, funerals and gathering. God Bless him he will be missed.
Thank you Kim—He touched so many lives through those shared experiences, and it’s clear how deeply he will be missed.
He was a funny, smart, and kind man. I just can’t believe he is gone. Sending my thoughts, prayers, and love to his family and friends.
Allie, thank you for sharing this—your words capture him beautifully.
Did not know him, know his brother well. Just wanted to note that your description and eulogy is a tremendous and thorough love letter to a fallen colleague. God bless you.
Thank you so much for taking the time to write this—it truly means a great deal. Please pass my condolences and warm thoughts to his brother.