Rebecca Schaeffer's Murder Relived By Mom In Show

Above, the apartment building where Rebecca Schaeffer lived and died. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

A few years ago, my daughter treated me to a tour of the seamy side of Hollywood called "The Dearly Departed Tour". 

The tour consisted of stops at places in and around Hollywood where deaths (murder and otherwise) of celebrites took place along with a stop at the Westwood Cemetery.

One of the stops was at the apartment where actress Rebecca Schaeffer was murdered. I remember this case well.

Above, the doorway where Robert John Bardo shot Rebecca Schaeffer. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Fox News has reported that Schaeffer's mother had put on a one-woman show on her daughter's murder.

They wrote:

Danna Schaeffer received the worst phone call of her life on July 18, 1989. 

Her daughter, 21-year-old actress Rebecca Schaeffer, was fatally shot in the heart by Robert John Bardo in the doorway of her apartment. The crazed stalker, a 19-year-old, had paid a private investigator to obtain Schaeffer's home address in West Hollywood.

Last year, Danna was compelled to bring her family’s tragic tale to the stage with a one-woman show, titled “You in Midair.” 

Danna told Fox News she wouldn’t exactly call the writing process therapeutic, but she was ready to finally share her story.

Bardo was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

There's another reason this case stands out in my mind. I was a liability/casualty insurance adjuster at the time, the resulting California law, the Driver’s Privacy Protection Act, which prevents the Department of Motor Vehicles from releasing private addresses, somewhat hindered our ability to run license plates on vehicles in auto claims.

To read more, go here.

What?! A Year Already?

Above, the storefront of the Dearly Departed Tour. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

A "memory" notification was posted on my Facebook page of an event that took place a year ago today. It asked if I wanted to share it. I did.

I was a little stunned by this as it doesn't seem like a year had passed. It was when my daughter Amber got us on the "Dearly Departed Hollywood, A Tragical History Tour" around Hollywood and Los Angeles as a Father's Day gift.

Above, the tour at the apartment where Bela Lugosi died in 1956. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The tour took us to places where Hollywood celebrities met their deaths and where others also met their untimely ends. We also visited the graves of several celebrities.

Above,some items for sale at the Dearly Departed store. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

I knew it had been a few months since we took the tour, but it seems so fresh that I find it incredible that it was a year ago. It is amazing how fast a year had flown by!

Above, the doorway where actress Rebecca Schaeffer was gunned down. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

We did another death-related activity in January. We visited the Museum of Death in Hollywood (and Amoeba Music across the street). I may have the two confused or "blended together" in my memory banks. Yes, my daughter takes after me in liking weird or offbeat things to do.

Here is the first of several write-ups on the tour.

Dearly Departed Tour - Part Two

Once everyone set for the tour gathered, the Dearly Departed Tour company brought their tour bus to the front of their store for departure.

The tour began with drive-bys of places where some celebrities met their demise.

Above, the apartment where actor Bela Lugosi died in August 1956. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, the El Coyote Mexican restaurant where Sharon Tate and Jay Sebring had their last meal. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, the apartment where actress Rebecca Schaeffer lived. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, the doorway of Rebecca Schaeffer's apartment where she was gunned down by a stalker. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Other places included: the house where Humphrey Bogart died, the house were Michael Jackson was murdered, the Beverly Hilton (where Whitney Houston died), the house where Bugsy Siegel was gunned down, Mae West's apartment building, the apartment where Jack Cassidy was cooked, the bungalow where John Belushi overdosed and more.

End of part two. Part three will feature the Westwood Cemetery.