The Haunted Movie Theaters of Hollywood

It seems that spirits or ghosts seem to enjoy not only the theater but also watching movies. Many of these ghosts have chosen to haunt Hollywood movie theaters. They can be former actors or actresses or even staff members of the theaters.

Mann’s Chinese Theater

One of the best-recognized landmarks all over the world especially in Hollywood is the building formerly known as Grumman’s Chinese Theater located on Hollywood Boulevard in Los Angeles, California. Showman Sid Grumman built the theater in 1927 to host the premiere of the epic film “King of Kings” directed by Cecil B. DeMille. The building was designed in an Oriental style and actresses and actors could leave behind their foot and hand prints in front of the theater.

This tradition came alive when actress Norma Talmadge was coming out of the theater one evening unaware that fresh cement had been poured outside of the theater’s lobby. She accidentally stepped right into the cement leaving an impression of her shoes behind. Since then many actresses and actors have left their prints here along the sidewalk and it has become one of Hollywood’s most popular tourist attractions.

As unusual as it might seem this stretch of sidewalk is also haunted. It all began in 1979 when actor Victor Kilian stopped for a drink at a local bar and had a conversation with a stranger. Later on, authorities thought that the two of them had left the bar together and headed for Kilian’s apartment. Whatever happened the next day the actor’s badly beaten body was discovered. He lived a block away from Mann’s Chinese Theater and the theater had been burglarized as well. Now apparently Kilian’s ghost keeps walking the route between the theater and his apartment looking for his murderer.

Meanwhile, the interior of the theater is also haunted. A little girl ghost named Annabell likes to roam the backstage area of the theater. She likes to tug on the curtains and appears to the surprised staff members. Today the theater is called the TLC Chinese Theater.

Warner Pacific Theater

Another haunted movie theater on Hollywood Boulevard is the old Warner Pacific Theater. Four Warner brothers, Harry, Albert, Sam, and Jack risked everything in the late 1920s for the first talkie film “The Jazz Singer”. It was an iconic moment because now movie theaters would have to be equipped with sound. The brothers were hoping to have the theater ready for the premier of the movie. Sam Warner was the one supervising the installation of the sound system. When Sam realized that the theater would not be ready for the premier he stood in the lobby and cursed the place. Because of this “The Jazz Singer” had its premiere in New York City on October 6, 1927. None of the Warner brothers could attend and 24 hours before the premier Sam Warner suffered a cerebral hemorrhage and died in Los Angeles. Finally, six months later the Warner Pacific Theater opened its doors showing a long-forgotten film called “The Glorious Betsy” starring Conrad Nagel. Al Jolson was the emcee that night and a plaque honoring Sam Warner was placed in the theater lobby.

Since that night in April 1928, there have been sightings of Sam Warner in the theater and in the administration offices above the theater. He has also been spotted walking back and forth in the lobby. Then late one night in the 1970s two men on the late night cleaning crew shift saw Sam walking across the lobby and getting into the elevator. The elevator doors closed and it ascended. When a security guard made his rounds the men on the cleaning crew told him what they had seen and immediately quit. For some years Sam wasn’t seen but he could be heard in the office upstairs, moving chairs, scratching on doors, and tapping on objects to get attention.

For many years afterward the elevator operated by itself until it was damaged in the Northridge Earthquake of 1994. The USC Entertainment Technology Center Digital Cinema Lab operating in the old theater knows that Sam is still very much in evidence. Objects have a way of turning up missing such as cell phones, PDAs. and digital cameras. Other things that disappear are sharp objects and hand tools. A strange thing happened when two pairs of scissors disappeared and were replaced by a different pair.

The Pantages Theater

The last of the glorious Hollywood movie palaces is The Pantages Theater, considered to be an Art Deco masterpiece. When he bought RKO Pictures, eccentric billionaire Howard Hughes purchased the Pantages Theater in 1949. Whenever he happened to be in Hollywood he set up two offices at the theater on the second floor. Hughes abandoned the offices and sold all of his RKO stock in the mid-1950s. Pacific Theaters bought the Pantages in 1967, restoring the theater to its original splendor.

Working on the second floor particularly in the conference room, once the office of Howard Hughes staff members felt cold spots in the room and there seemed to be a wind blowing through. Banging and bumping sounds could be heard and when a wind goes through the room one can smell cigar smoke. An apparition of a tall man has been seen thought to be Howard Hughes.

However, Hughes hasn’t come alone with him a singing woman has been seen dating back to about 1932. It was then that a female patron died in the mezzanine during a film. Now when the theater auditorium is dark and quiet, the voice of a woman can be heard singing in the silence. Her voice has also been picked up by a microphone during the stage setting for a live performance.

The eeriest occurrence happened some years ago. A wardrobe lady who was the last one left in the theater found herself in the dark when the emergency lights in the aisles went out. She found herself stumbling around in the darkness, getting confused, and couldn’t find her way out. Suddenly from out of the darkness a firm hand gripped her by the elbow and led her to the door. She opened the door and let some light in. At this moment she turned to thank her rescuer and discovered that there was no one there.

So if you have the chance to visit Hollywood take a visit to these theaters because even if you go alone you will have company and perhaps you’ll meet someone famous from the world beyond.