Haunted Cinemas

[David Brent]

I firmly believe that old cinema's and theatre's have a soul & although we have lost many of these wonderful places of entertainment it's not too difficult to believe that something of those halycon days remains as energy inside the walls of these old buildings.

Many stories are told of patrons,projectionist's and even actors haunting the places they worked , performed or enjoyed to visit.

Has anyone experienced or heard stories of such hauntings in their own areas?



Dave.

[DAVID RAYNER]

I recall a story told to me by an ex-projectionist some years ago concerning the time he worked at the Essoldo twin cinemas, the Rex and Rio, Newcastle-under-Lyme in Staffordshire in the late 1960's (both were closed and demolished in the early 1970's).



One night, after the show had finished, he was down in the auditorium checking the seats and getting ready to lock up (all the other staff having gone home), when a woman walked past him and headed for the ladies toilet. "Don't be long in there, will you?", he shouted to her, "as I'm locking up now." But the woman didn't answer and went into the toilet. He waited for ten minutes, but there was no sign of her coming out and the door he had seen her use to enter the toilet was the only one in or out.



So he went and opened the toilet door and shouted "are you alright in there?" But there was no answer. Not really liking to enter a ladies toilet when the woman was still in there, but thinking she may have collapsed or something, he went in to check. But there was no sign of anyone in there and the cubicle door was open.



A feeling of terrible fear gripped him and he ran out of there as fast as his legs would carry him.



After that, he refused to lock up at night in future unless another member of staff was with him.

[Hackett]

The Florida in Enfield Town (now a pub/club) always smelt like someone had died there but no ghosts. It also had an area at the back for 10 standing which I have never seen anywhere else.

[daisymum]

There's a book that came out sometime in the early Seventies called "Our Haunted Kingdom" by Andrew Green. It was a guide book to various haunted sites around the British Isles, including a goodly number of cinemas (and theatres, too). It's been a while, but I remember it mentioning that Sarah Siddons is supposed to haunt somewhere, either a theater or her house in London or someplace similar. Anyway it really is a nifty book & makes for good reading, especially around Halloween.

[dylan]

The King's Tun pub in Kingston was a former theater. The Gent's toilets are supposed to be haunted by the ghost of an actor who committed suicide there - when they were dressing rooms.

[spaced]

ask anyone who knows about the Thornton Heath Swimming Baths...now rebuilt. I can tell you a few stories about that place!

[Ascoyne D'Ascoyne]

(spaced @ Jan 4 2006, 05:09 PM)

ask anyone who knows about the Thornton Heath Swimming Baths...now rebuilt. I can tell you a few stories about that place!

Please do!

[Izkovitch]

(spaced @ Jan 4 2006, 05:09 PM)

ask anyone who knows about the Thornton Heath Swimming Baths...now rebuilt. I can tell you a few stories about that place!

As Jeff says (in a George Sander's voice, perhaps) "Please do!"

[Ascoyne D'Ascoyne]

(Izkovitch @ Jan 4 2006, 05:29 PM)

As Jeff says (in a George Sander's voice, perhaps) "Please do!"

I wish...

[Johnjackgilbert]

(Jeff @ Jan 4 2006, 05:38 PM)

I wish...

Oh yes....!



Anyway - Spaced - tell us!!

[Cuffy]

Sorry to push an old thread.... but..... I'd been reading in one of the local rags that the ghost of Sid James is said to haunt Sunderland Empire.



The piece claims that Barbara Windsor is amongst several who refuse to perform there because of the Sid James connection.



Anyone have any further info? There's not much on the web, although there was mention of Les Dawson having a nasty experience in 1989 and refusing to return to the theatre.

[WiseFilms]

Our local Ken Cinema in Kensington, CA, has often been referred to as having ghosts.

I dunno. I've seen Eyes without a Face there three times though. Pure magic.

This is the last remaining full time, single sceen theater south of Los Angeles.

It may not last much longer. Physically.

[Redstar]

The legendary "Tower Cinema" in Rye lane Peckham was the subject of many ghostly tales. Some were even headlined in the local newspaper. It was a magnificent building complete with a handsome marble staircase that led to a grand concourse with a fountain in the middle. Shamefully demolished by the local council and turned into a car park. There were many stories of ghostly apparitions seen walking across the stage at various times and projectionists having seen "things". When the cinema was being demolished some workmen apparently saw several figures walking through walls and fled in terror. During demolition a basement was discovered with an old horse carriage inside, wether this tale is true I cannot verify. The base of the original "Tower" is still there but the car park was meant to be temporary but the site has never been built on.

[Jim]

name='spaced']ask anyone who knows about the Thornton Heath Swimming Baths...now rebuilt. I can tell you a few stories about that place!

Yes, come on Spaced - there are more unexplained things in life than we can answer.

[BritATit]

Here's a link to theatre ghosts and hauntings in the uk, from the paranormal database





Theatre Royal

[David Brent]

Thanks BritATit, a very interesting site.



Seems Grimaldi The Clown gets around a bit.

He is said to haunt the Theatre Royal in Drury Lane and also the Saddler's Wells Theatre in London.



Dave.

[BritATit]

You are very welcome David.



I'm trying to put my finger on a documentary about Theatre haunts in the UK. It was about this man who would get so physically ill where if he walked in to a particular area of the theatre, he would become so sick and throw up.



I keep thinking it was a theatre in Bristol. The Old Vic maybe?

[Mr Pastry Time]

My home cinema where I show cine films (not DVD'S) in 16mm and 8mm is certainly haunted. We think its George Formby bashing his banjo....

Happy Chrimbo!!

[Ascoyne D'Ascoyne]

name='Mr Pastry Time']My home cinema where I show cine films (not DVD'S) in 16mm and 8mm is certainly haunted. We think its George Formby bashing his banjo....

Happy Chrimbo!!

OOh mother

Has he got his head tucked underneath his arm or is he clutching his little ukulele in his hand?

[ChristineCB]

It sounds like we need a popcorn night there to check this haunting out.