Today we’d like to introduce you to Karie Bible.
Hi Karie, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
You’ve asked me to tell my story, but frankly it is a long one. Life has been full of twists and turns that I never saw coming. To boil it all down, I was born on Halloween night, have two different colored eyes and my last name is Bible. There was no hiding from the fact that I was different. I was raised in a suburb of Fort Worth, Texas. I knew from a very early age that I did not belong there. I fell in love with classic Hollywood films in early childhood and dreamed of coming to Hollywood. I’m so grateful that I was finally able to make that happen.
I moved to Los Angeles in 2000. I did stints as an assistant at HBO, Miramax and for an agent. I’ve been working for a box office reporting firm since 2009.
Along the way, I’ve developed many other projects and pursuits. When I first moved to Los Angeles, I visited the Hollywood Forever Cemetery and fell in love with it. After asking around, I realized they didn’t have a tour guide, so I wound up creating my cemetery tour and got the approval of Tyler Cassity. I’ve now been doing tours several times a month since 2002.
I love film history with such a passion and I just try to keep it alive and hopefully interest new and even younger audiences. Sometimes people will text or email me after a tour saying they plan to watch many of the films I mentioned or read up on the stars I discussed. That always makes my day! I also try to debunk myths and make people see the stars in a different light. There is so much more to them than meets the eye. I encourage people to take a deeper, closer look.
In 2002, I also created the e-newsletter FilmRadar, which covers repertory, revival and special film going in Los Angeles. Now my friend Ray McDermott runs it. I’m glad that people still read it and learn about great films playing all over the city.
I’ve co-written the books “Location Filming in Los Angeles” with Marc Wanamaker and Harry Medved and “Hollywood Celebrates the Holidays” with Mary Mallory.
During the pandemic, I started a project called Hollywood Kitchen where I make recipes attributed to classic film stars and I interview authors, historians, fans and collectors to discuss their films an of course their food.
https://www.hollywoodkitchenshow.com/
I live in a 1920s garden court apartment and wear and collect vintage clothing. In my free time, I enjoy axe throwing, gardening, reading, traveling and making jello.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I’m a private person so I want to go into detail here but rest assured there are obstacles and challenges I face all the time. Social media can be very heavily curated and often gives the impression that many of us have perfect lives. That’s far from the truth. I like that quote, “Be kind. Everyone out there is fighting some kind of a battle.” It is really true.
What do you like and dislike about the city?
I love Los Angeles so much and for a host of reasons! There are so many creative, vibrant people in this city.
I love the historic architecture, movie palaces, palm trees, weather, history and cultural events. When I’ve heard people say they are bored, I tell them they aren’t trying! There are tons of things to do, see and explore here. It’s endless.
I can see classic film on the big screen almost all the time here! That is a dream come true!
I love living in such a diverse place and meeting people from all over the world. Sometimes my friend Lynn and I go on urban adventures and drive all over town and see where the day takes us. Often we stumble onto something fun and totally unexpected.
What I like least about Los Angeles is the traffic, wildfires and high cost of living. That said, it’s a small price to pay for being able to wear a swimsuit and go to the beach in December.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.cemeterytour.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cemeterytourguide/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/karie.bible
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFJ7csEiiSJn3v-EN07I6Og
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/walking-tour-of-hollywood-forever-cemetery-hollywood-3
Image Credits
All photos are by Diana Lundin https://www.dianalundin.com/
