bodyType

customContents

entityId

printArticlePageQuery

filter

article

body

urlAlias

articleSectionsContent

articleSeoArticle

articleSourceHeaderArticle

contentSchemaRenderContent

contentSubHeadlineContent

contentHeadlineContent

mainImagePrintArticleArticle

authorBlockPrintArticleArticle

contentSponsorTagContent

articlePianoPaywallContent

scmpYoutubeContent

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

query printArticlePageQuery(
  $entityId: String!
  $customContents: [CustomContentInput]
  $bodyType: BodyFormatTypeEnum
) {
  article(filter: {entityId: $entityId}) {
    entityId
    body(customContents: $customContents, type: $bodyType) {
      json
    }
    urlAlias
    ...articleSectionsContent
    ...articleSeoArticle_3o8td4
    ...articleSourceHeaderArticle
    ...contentSchemaRenderContent
    ...contentSubHeadlineContent
    ...contentHeadlineContent
    ...mainImagePrintArticleArticle
    ...authorBlockPrintArticleArticle
    ...contentSponsorTagContent
    ...articlePianoPaywallContent
    ...scmpYoutubeContent
    ...hooksTrackPageViewArticle
    id
  }
}

fragment articlePianoPaywallContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...hooksPaywallPromiseContent
}

fragment articleSectionsContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  sections {
    value {
      ...helpersCheckIfNewsSectionInFirstIndexSection
      ...entityLink
      name
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment articleSeoArticle_3o8td4 on Article {
  ...hooksArticleSeoArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
  ...helpersGetArticleTypeArticle
  entityId
  publishedDate
  updatedDate
  summary {
    text
  }
  subHeadline {
    text
  }
  body(customContents: $customContents, type: $bodyType) {
    text
  }
  keywords
  sections {
    value {
      name
      id
    }
  }
  topics {
    name
    entityId
    id
  }
  urlAlias
  authors {
    name
    id
  }
  images {
    style(filter: {style: "768x768"}) {
      url
    }
  }
  readingTime
}

fragment articleSourceHeaderArticle on Article {
  urlAlias
  ...entityLink
}

fragment authorBlockPrintArticleArticle on Article {
  ...defaultArticleDateContent
  ...authorNamesArticle
}

fragment authorNameAuthor on Author {
  ...entityLink
  name
  entityUuid
}

fragment authorNamesArticle on Article {
  authorLocations
  authors {
    entityId
    location
    ...authorNameAuthor
    id
  }
}

fragment blockquoteQuoteContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...contentShareWidgetContent
}

fragment checkersCheckContentContainsStarlingImageContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  topics {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment contentHeadlineContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  headline
  socialHeadline
  ...contentHeadlineTagContent
  ...helpersUseContentSponsorContent
}

fragment contentHeadlineTagContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...hooksContentHeadlineTagContent
}

fragment contentNewsletterWidgetContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  topics {
    relatedNewsletters {
      ...helpersMassageToNewsletterItemNewsletter
      id
    }
    id
  }
  sections {
    value {
      relatedNewsletters {
        ...helpersMassageToNewsletterItemNewsletter
        id
      }
      id
    }
  }
  ... on Article {
    relatedNewsletters {
      ...helpersMassageToNewsletterItemNewsletter
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment contentSchemaRenderContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...blockquoteQuoteContent
  ...imageContent
  ...inlineWidgetContent
  ...photoGalleryWidgetContent
  ...scmpYoutubeContent
}

fragment contentShareWidgetContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  entityId
  urlAlias
  shortUrl
  socialHeadline
  headline
}

fragment contentSponsorTagContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...helpersUseContentSponsorContent
}

fragment contentSubHeadlineContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  subHeadline {
    json
  }
  summary {
    json
  }
  ...contentSchemaRenderContent
}

fragment defaultArticleDateContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...hooksArticleDateUtilsContent
}

fragment entityLink on BaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias {
  __isBaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias: __typename
  __typename
  entityId
  entityUuid
  urlAlias
  urlRedirect {
    toUrl
    id
  }
  application {
    entityId
    id
  }
  ... on Section {
    fullSectionPath {
      entityId
      id
    }
    parentSection
  }
  ...helpersAppBarVariantBase
  ...helpersApplicationBase
  ...helpersCheckIsPlusArticle
  ...helpersStyleSectionContent
}

fragment helpersAppBarVariantBase on BaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias {
  __isBaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias: __typename
  ...helpersCheckIsLiveArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPlusPage
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesPage
  ...helpersCheckIsPostMagazineArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsStyleArticle
  ...helpersSectionContent
  ...helpersStyleSectionContent
}

fragment helpersApplicationBase on BaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias {
  __isBaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias: __typename
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesPage
  ...helpersCheckIsPlusPage
}

fragment helpersCheckIfNewsSectionInFirstIndexSection on Section {
  name
}

fragment helpersCheckIsAmpEnabledArticle on Article {
  entityId
  types {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
  sections {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
  disableOffPlatformContent
  sponsorType
  published
  ...helpersCheckIsPlusArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
}

fragment helpersCheckIsLiveArticle on Article {
  flattenTypeIds
  liveArticle {
    status
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsMainTopicContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  topics {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPlusArticle on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ... on Article {
    paywallTypes {
      entityUuid
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPlusPage on Page {
  urlAlias
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPostMagazineArticle on Article {
  sections {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle on Article {
  sections {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPostiesPage on Page {
  urlAlias
}

fragment helpersCheckIsStyleArticle on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  sections {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersGetArticleTypeArticle on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ... on Article {
    types {
      value {
        entityId
        id
      }
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersMassageToNewsletterItemNewsletter on Newsletter {
  entityId
  name
  alternativeName
  description {
    text
  }
  summary {
    text
  }
  homepageDescription {
    text
  }
}

fragment helpersSanitizeArticleTypeEntityIdsArticle on Article {
  types {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersSanitizeAuthorTypesArticle on Article {
  authors {
    types
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersSanitizedAuthorEntityIdsArticle on Article {
  authors {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersSectionContent on Section {
  fullSectionPath {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersStyleSectionContent on Section {
  fullSectionPath {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersUseContentSponsorContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  topics {
    entityId
    sponsor {
      ...sponsorTagSponsor
      name
      type
      id
    }
    id
  }
  ... on Article {
    sponsorType
  }
  ...helpersCheckIsMainTopicContent
}

fragment hooksArticleDateUtilsContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  createdDate
  publishedDate
  updatedDate
}

fragment hooksArticleSeoArticle on Article {
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostMagazineArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsStyleArticle
  ...hooksContentHeadlineTagContent
  ...helpersCheckIsAmpEnabledArticle
  entityId
  headline
  socialHeadline
  types {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
  authors {
    entityId
    id
  }
  images {
    generic_og: style(filter: {style: "og_image_scmp_generic"}) {
      url
    }
    styles(filter: {styles: ["og_image_posties_article", "og_postmag", "og_image_style", "og_image_scmp_analysis", "og_image_scmp_explainer", "og_image_scmp_editorial", "og_image_scmp_fact_check", "og_image_scmp_debate", "og_image_scmp_live", "og_image_scmp_obituary", "og_image_scmp_opinion", "og_image_scmp_review", "og_image_scmp_series", "og_image_scmp_generic"]}) {
      url
      style
    }
    type
  }
  urlAlias
}

fragment hooksContentHeadlineTagContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  __typename
  ... on Article {
    types {
      value {
        name
        entityId
        description {
          text
        }
        id
      }
    }
    ...helpersCheckIsStyleArticle
  }
  flag
  sections {
    value {
      name
      id
    }
  }
  ...hooksContentHelperContent
}

fragment hooksContentHelperContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...helpersSanitizeArticleTypeEntityIdsArticle
  ...helpersSanitizeAuthorTypesArticle
  ...helpersSanitizedAuthorEntityIdsArticle
  flag
}

fragment hooksPaywallPromiseContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  entityId
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
}

fragment hooksTrackPageViewArticle on Article {
  entityId
  publishedDate
  headline
  sections {
    value {
      name
      id
    }
  }
  urlAlias
  authors {
    name
    id
  }
  entityUuid
}

fragment imageContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  headline
  ...checkersCheckContentContainsStarlingImageContent
}

fragment inlineWidgetContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...contentNewsletterWidgetContent
}

fragment mainImagePrintArticleArticle on Article {
  images {
    title
    url
    isSlideshow
    size_652x446: style(filter: {style: "652x446"}) {
      url
    }
  }
}

fragment photoGalleryDialogContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  __typename
  ...contentShareWidgetContent
}

fragment photoGalleryWidgetContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...photoGalleryDialogContent
}

fragment scmpYoutubeContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  entityId
  urlAlias
  publishedDate
}

fragment sponsorTagSponsor on Sponsor {
  name
  type
  images {
    url
  }
}


sections

types

disableOffPlatformContent

sponsorType

published

headline

socialHeadline

authors

images

publishedDate

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

keywords

topics

readingTime

authorLocations

entityUuid

Harry Harrison

Rob Woollard

It is one of the oldest maxims in show business:  death is the ultimate career move.  With  a thriving sightseeing company in the heart of Hollywood, Scott Michaels is busy trying to prove that the saying is  equally applicable to the tourist trade.

Begun this year, Michaels' rubbernecking 'Dearly Departed: The Tragical History Tour' around Los Angeles is a must for anyone interested in the seedy side of the entertainment world's spiritual capital.

'It's a tour for people who like reading salacious, tabloidy kind of news,' says Michaels. 'And let's face it, most people do like reading that stuff - they just don't like to admit it. My tour is for those people who do.'

Michaels previously ran a similarly themed tour operation, Grave Line Tours, before moving to England in 1996, where, thanks mainly to his boyfriend, up-and-coming celebrity Graham Norton, he regularly rubbed shoulders with London's glitterati. Grave Line returned from the afterlife as Dearly Departed in January this year and has grown steadily, owing its success to painstaking attention to detail.

If you were to imagine a guided tour that combined the meticulous research of a Lonely Planet travel book with the dark humour of a James Ellroy novel, you would probably come up with something similar to Michaels' entertaining and often very funny three-hour odyssey around LA.

It's all there: the diner where James Dean tucked into his last meal and the garage where he collected the Porsche he was driving when he died;  the crime scene of the 1969 Manson family murders; the soon-to-be demolished hotel in which Robert Kennedy was shot dead.

The tour takes in the side street where Hugh Grant was caught with prostitute Divine Brown in 1995, the public toilet in a posh Beverly Hills park in which George Michael was arrested for lewd behaviour, the Sunset Strip nightclub where River Phoenix had one too many with fatal consequences and, most recently, the news-stand from which Paris Hilton swiped a copy of her bootleg porn home video.

'Nothing is off-limits,' says Michaels. 'The only things I won't do are boring stories. O.J. Simpson is to me a boring story so I don't feature it on the tour. If people want to find out about that case then there are a million outlets for them to go to.'

Unsurprisingly, Michaels' name  is not on everyone's Christmas card list. He's been spat at and had his car scratched while someone claiming to be an envoy of Jesus barked verses from the Bible at him near  Dean's grave.

'I wait for the day when somebody comes up and tries to kill me,' Michaels says cheerfully. 'Because it pisses a lot of people off. When I appeared on television talking about O.J. I had people phone me up and say, 'I'm going to blow your head off', that sort of thing. But my thing is, if you don't want the attention, don't get famous. It's fairly simple really. Just because you die doesn't mean your fame ends. Generally though, the reception is pretty good. It's LA, after all, and we're just part of the tapestry.'

As an illustration of how closely Tinseltown's history is interwoven with the macabre you need only look as far as the famous giant Hollywood sign,  which straddles the hills overlooking LA: British actress Lillian Millicent Entwistle leapt to her death from the top of the H in 1932, depressed at her failure to achieve fame and fortune.

Perhaps the most striking features of the tour are the countless examples of where the boundaries of real and reel life are blurred, where fact and fiction merge.

The 14-seat tour bus has barely pulled away from its pick-up point off Hollywood Boulevard before Michaels informs us that the nondescript looking hotel fire escape to our left is the very one that Richard Gere scaled to reach Julia Roberts at the end of Pretty Woman. ('That great Disney prostitution movie,' Michaels remarks wryly.) On a more grisly note, the hotel was also a home to Elizabeth Short, better known as the 'Black Dahlia', victim of one the most gruesome unsolved murders in LA's history. A movie based on the murder, starring Hilary Swank, is due out next year.

At one point, we sweep through an affluent, tree-lined neighbourhood that could be anywhere in moneyed, suburban America. That is until Michaels informs us that the mansion we are looking at is the one in which gangster Bugsy Siegel  was shot dead in 1947. And that just around the corner is the house where Lana Turner's teenage daughter stabbed another mobster,  Johnny Stompanato, to death in 1958. This leafy corner of Beverly Hills was also where eccentric tycoon Howard Hughes crash-landed his failing XF-11 aircraft in 1946 while attempting to set it down at the Los Angeles Country Club, a scene vividly recreated in Martin Scorsese's Oscar-nominated bio-pic The Aviator.

Not far away are the houses used for filming horror classics Halloween and A Nightmare on Elm Street. 'If you look hard enough, there's a story in almost every street,' says Michaels. But the landscape is changing quickly.

The Ambassador Hotel,  the  backdrop to presidential candidate Bobby Kennedy's killing in 1968, is to be knocked down this year. 'To me that's a shame. You're talking about destroying the scene of one of the standout moments of 20th century American history,' says Michaels. Other infamous addresses have already vanished. The home in Cielo Drive where Sharon Tate and four others were butchered by the Manson family in 1969 was bulldozed in the 1990s. The telephone pole that Charles Manson disciple Tex Watson shimmied up to sever communications to the house is still standing.

Michaels, meanwhile, speaks admiringly of the fact that Trent Reznor of  rock group Nine Inch Nails  had the door of the house - where the killers scrawled the word 'Pig' in blood - shipped to New Orleans and fitted in the group's recording studio. Can there be any possible justification for Reznor's ghoulish choice of furnishing, something most people would regard as sheer, out-and-out weirdness? Michaels thinks so.

'People might think that's creepy or sick but to me it's preserving an important part of LA history,' Michaels explains. 'Before the Manson murders, security wasn't an issue. Charles Manson practically created the security industry in Hollywood.'

After three hours, Michaels' tour winds towards its conclusion. But while it began with a landmark from Pretty Woman, the tour does not have a Hollywood

ending. The last spot on the scandal trail is the run-down apartment block in which rock star Dee Dee Ramone

died from a drug overdose in 2002. 'On his gravestone he had written, 'Okay ... I gotta go now',' says Michaels. 'I love that.'

Getting there: Cathay Pacific (www.cathaypacific.com) flies from Hong Kong to Los Angeles. Dearly Departed: The Tragical History Tour, leaves at 1pm daily from the junction of McCadden Place and Hollywood Boulevard, Hollywood. Cost: US$35 per person. Tel: +1-323-466-3696. Web site: www.findadeath.com.



Gutter snooping