The Community Idea Stations: Hollywood Cemetery

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About the Production

HOLLYWOOD: Richmond’s Garden Cemetery was produced and directed by the Community Idea Stations’ Paul Tait Roberts, whose past work includes EAST OF THE BLUE RIDGE: Three Presidents; EAST OF THE BLUE RIDGE: The James River; DOWNTOWN RICHMOND MEMORIES; SHAKESPEARE AT WAR; and the independent film series SCANLINE. He also assisted on THE MUSIC SEEN, LAUGHING MATTERS WITH BRETT LEAKE and other Community Idea Stations productions.

Roberts interviewed local historians and artists for the project, including Bryan Clarke Green, a architectural historian with the Virginia Department of Historic Resources, and Suzanne Savory, Director of Collections & Interpretation and the Valentine Richmond History Center, who discuss the history of Hollywood. James E. Wootton, Executive Director of the Capitol Square Preservation Council, is an authority on James Monroe, and talks about the president’s reburial at Hollywood. Kenneth A. Myers Jr., Director of Capital Projects at Valentine Richmond History Center, explains the involvement of Ed Valentine in the development of the cemetery. Dr. Maurice Duke, Professor Emeritus of English at Virginia Commonwealth University, discusses the rivalry between friends and writers James Branch Cabell and Ellen Glasgow. Hollywood Cemetery guide Betty T. Allen explains the symbolism of the cemetery’s remarkable stonework. And artist Katharina Berghdoll paints at Hollywood, and tells viewers why.

Archival images of Hollywood combine with Paul Roberts’ year-round cinematography for a compelling visual experience. Most archival photos were provided by the Valentine Richmond History Center, the Virginia Historical Society and the Library of Virginia. Additional images came from the James Branch Cabell Library at Virginia Commonwealth University, the Library of Congress, the Athenaeum of Philadelphia and Mt. Auburn Cemetery.

The new documentary also features original music by Frank Coleman.

John Felton, executive producer of the documentary and vice president for programming and production for the Community Idea Stations, says that the new special has been in the works for several years. “We knew we wanted to profile this Richmond landmark, and that Paul Roberts was the perfect person to make the program a reality. As soon as Paul had finished work on DOWNTOWN RICHMOND MEMORIES and EAST OF THE BLUE RIDGE: The James River, we asked him to begin working on a documentary on this quintessentially Richmond institution.

“We’re thrilled to be able to provide central Virginians with another program that tells a part of their story—the history, the culture, the people and the land that make the Commonwealth what it is.”