Ghost Hunters of Urban Los Angeles

Monday, October 14, 2013

GHOULA's Haunted Red Line Tour!

When: October 6th, 13th, 20th, 27th,
(Every Sunday in October)

Time: Tours start at 7pm
(Except on Oct 13th, when the tour will start at 5pm to accommodate "SPIRITS with SPIRITS" that evening, which will be in North Hollywood at the end point of the tour)

Meeting Place: The palm tree-lined island in front of Union Station
800 North Alameda Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012 (map)

Price: FREE TOUR + Metro "[Day Pass" ($5 + $1 for a "Tap Card")
Please purchase the Metro Pass (not a "Metrolink" ticket) before the meet-up to save time.

Parking: See below.

Los Angeles' lore is filled with tales of secret tunnels. Whether its supposed opium dens, rum-running passages, discontinued "Red Car" tunnels, munchkin transports, celebrity/mistress escape routes, or simply chambers belonging to a race of subterranean lizard people, many buildings and homes claimed to be connected to other buildings and homes below street level (if only we could find their openings).

So, is there a better way to explore the haunted history of Los Angeles than by traveling underground from location to location via our very own (dead) Red Line Metro Subway with the other living dead of this city?

We will meet-up at Union Station (the starting point for the Red Line) and then travel through 13 stops to the North Hollywood Station (at the end of the line), getting off and on along the way. In addition to Union Station and the North Hollywood Station, we will stop at few other stations, step off the train, rise to street-level, and discuss the ghosts and haunted sites visible from that spot before going back aboard to the next stop on our tour.

Come out and hear spooky tales about a spirit solider, a vanishing padre, and a ghostly car. As well as many other phantom figures from our past that haunt our present.

Parking: Since everyone participating in the tour will need a Metro Day Pass to ride the subway, it is advisable to park at one of the FREE lots provided by the Metro at either the North Hollywood Station (our end point) or the Universal City Station, and then just take the Subway to Union Station to meet-up with the group (The lots around Union Station are expensive and they may close early).

Tuesday, October 8, 2013

October's SPIRITS with SPIRITS

GHOULA meets for cocktails in haunted places on the 13th of each month. "SPIRITS with SPIRITS" is a casual social gathering of regional ghost hunters and those that just like ghost stories. Open to all, from the curious skeptic to the passionate phantom pursuer. Make friends, and toast a ghost! Let's put the "Boo!" back into "booze."

All those who attend will receive a free (square) G.H.O.U.L.A. button. If you already have one, please wear it so others can find you, without asking the staff about our group.

THE DATE: October 13th, 2013 (Sunday)
THE PLACE: Saddle Ranch
1000 Universal Studios Boulevard, Universal City (Map)
THE TIME: 8:00pm to the witching hour
THE GHOSTS:

Much has been written about the ghosts of Universal Studios. Not only are there spirits and phantoms roaming the lot, but they also seem to invade the touristy theme park portion of the property as well. And yet, one never reads ghost stories about the entertainment and dining district adjacent to the Studio Tour's main entrance on top of the hill.

GHOULA is happy to report that even Universal's much maligned "City Walk" has a ghost...

Specifically, there is a sad woman dressed in an outfit similar to that of a pioneer woman (a simple long-sleeved blouse, with a dress that goes down to her ankles), who haunts the Saddle Ranch Restaurant at the west end of the "Walk" (next to the main gate). The restaurant is a huge place built to accommodate the summer crowds, but during the slower season, much of the restaurant is closed off to the public, and yet this woman will be seen wandering through the empty rooms. When a member of the staff goes to investigate, she will vanish.

Other than her visual description, no one seems to know anything about her, or why she is so sad, or why she haunts this tourist hang-out. When employees tell each other about the ghost, they use vague allusions to her untimely death due to an unexpected tragedy, and yet no one knows what that tragedy was.

However, what is interesting about her tale, like most theme park ghosts, is that because employees of this Old-Western-themed establishment wear obviously Western-themed costume/uniforms, its hard to determine weather her spirit is attached to this tavern, or does she predate the restaurant, and is psychically connected to something on the hill from over a hundred years ago.

This watering-hole/rib-joint began its life in the early 1980s (Before City Walk existed) as a last-resort restaurant, known as "Whomphoppers," but best known as the place where TV star John Stamos was a waiter before he hit it big. During its construction, in an attempt to make the inside of the building look old and weathered, actual 100 year old barns from California were used to build the structure's interior. Then, they decorated these historic walls (and ceiling) with Western Americana from the 1880s (like old wagons and farm equipment).

So is this mysterious frontier female phantom attached to the restaurant, or perhaps to one of the barns used to make the restaurant (Or maybe even one of the objects hanging on the walls)? we may never know the answer...

It is also worth pointing out that before City Walk came on the scene, and changed the layout of this area, The restaurant used to have the "Mark of the Beast." It's address was 666 Universal Terrace. Coincidence?

So, come out to probably the only restaurant in Southern California that sits on top of a hill, and yet has no view of the city below (maybe that's why she's sad), to toast Universal's least known ghost ... If you dare.

(to read about last month's haunted location... )
(to see a map of previous SPIRITS with SPIRITS locations... )

Monday, October 7, 2013

RETURN of STRINGS...

(For info and tickets click here... )

(For info and tickets click here... )

Thursday, September 19, 2013

4th Annual Haunted Film @ Haunted Places

It's that time again...

...for our annual "Haunted Films at Haunted Places."

In a partnership with the Echo Park Film Center Filmmobile, we present free outdoor screenings of horror films at unusual locations that are said to be haunted, and discuss that ghost lore before showing the film. All are welcome to this family-friendly event. Don't forget to bring chairs and flashlights.

NOTE: This year, as an added bonus we are launching
a GHOULA CHALLENGE before the screening (for info...)

Time: movie starts at 8:00pm (GHOULA CHALLENGE at 7:00pm)
Date: October 5th (Saturday)
Location: San Fernando Pioneer Memorial Cemetery
14451 Bledsoe St, Sylmar (map)
Admission: FREE!
Movie: "Plan 9 From Outer Space" (AKA "Grave Robbers From Outer Space")

"Aww, why do I always get the spook details?"
--- Patrolman Kelton (Plan 9 From Outer Space)

This year we will be screening director Ed Wood's masterpiece "Plan 9 From Outer Space," a campy, low-budget, cult-classic that is famous for being the worst movie ever made in Hollywood, and... was filmed in the (haunted) San Fernando Pioneer Cemetery, because one of it's stars, Tor Johnson (pictured above with Vampira), lived around the corner from the then abandoned graveyard (pictured below). This the second oldest cemetery in the San Fernando Valley (The San Fernando Mission has the oldest), and the oldest non-sectarian cemetery. For more info about this macabre historic landmark, check out the GHOULA CHALLENGE (click here).

GHOULA CHALLENGE: The Curious Case of the Puzzling Pioneer Cemetery

"Abandoned grave markers. Under huge pepper tree lie remains of some San Fernando Valley pioneers..." ---Photograph caption (December 31, 1947)

GHOULA will be doing its 4th Annual "Haunted Films at Haunted Places" screening at the historic (haunted) San Fernando Valley Pioneer Memorial Cemetery. Since the San Fernando Valley Historical Society has been kind enough to open its graveyard gates to us, GHOULA wants to raise awareness of this important piece of our history, and extend an additional invitation to our members, followers, and friends...

Calling all ghost-hunters, paranormal-investigators, psychics, sensitives, and those interested in getting a glimpse of the "other side." Whether you are acting alone, or in a team, GHOULA wants you! Whether you are a seasoned pro or first-timer,...

GHOULA WANTS YOU!

Date: October 5th (Saturday)
Time: 7:00pm - 8:00pm
Location: San Fernando Pioneer Memorial Cemetery
14451 Bledsoe St, Sylmar (map)

Admission FREE!

The San Fernando Valley Pioneer Cemetery has over 6oo bodies buried there, and only 13 tombstones (and those markers are not necessarily over a body). The last official burial was in 1939, when the owner died (and was buried elsewhere). For the next 19 years, the abandoned graveyard was vandalized, and tombstones were stolen or moved. Not even the cement pathway around the grounds (put in the 1970s) corresponds with the plots, crossing over people's remains. The actual locations of those known to be buried there has been lost. The original boundaries of where the bodies are buried is also up for debate, meaning there could be plots outside the gates.

There are so many questions, mysteries, and legends connected to these hollowed grounds (including tales of a Mexican section, a mass grave for victims of the St. Francis Dam disaster, and an area known as "Baby Land.")... Which brings us to our challenge.

Everyone will have exactly one hour (til 8:00pm), to document anything "out of the ordinary." From electro-magnetic anomalies to shivers down your spine, if you feel it, witness it, or hear it, we want to know about it, and we want to know exactly where it happened. So, bring your EMF meters, your "Spirit Boxes," your cameras, or just yourself, and let your "goose-flesh" guide you.

Each participant will receive their own individual map, which will be used to record the location of any activity, evidence, or "heebee-jeebees." Please keep your info confidential until after the experiment, to discourage copy-cat contamination. Then, at the end of the hour (before the screening), the maps will then be returned to GHOULA.

Based on everyone's data, "hot spots" will be determined and revealed at the end of the screening. The actual stories associated with the graveyard's ghost(s) will be revealed, and compared to the collected data.

(for info about our 4th Annual "Haunted Films at Haunted Places"... )

Wednesday, September 18, 2013

BOOs ALERT!

THIS JUST IN:
Who you gonna call?... The LAPD.
(for the full story, click the link below.)

http://la.curbed.com/archives/2013/09/he_aint_afraid_of_no_ghosts_1.php

Saturday, September 14, 2013

2nd Annual Peg Entwistle Memorial Hike

On September 16th, 1932, Peg Entwistle committed suicide by hiking up to the Hollywood sign, and jumping of the "H." Come out and join us for a self-guided hike along that haunted trail to Hollywood's most famous haunted landmark (which celebrates it 90th anniversary this year), and meet-up behind the "H," if you dare...

THE DATE: September 16th, 2013 (Monday)
(on the anniversary of her death)
THE PLACE: Behind the "H" of the Hollywood Sign
(Directions to the "H" are below)
THE TIME: 5:00pm - 7:00pm (Sunset)
(meet us at the top)

Since everyone goes at their own speed, and everyone will be arriving at different times after work, there is no set meet-up time. We will just be hanging out at the sign during the time mentioned above. The hike is about 3-4 miles (round trip) and takes about 2 hours (round trip). Also, there is no organized paranormal investigation included in this hike, but local ghost-hunters are welcome to bring their own equipment, and investigate on their own if they wish.

NOTE: The 2nd annual Peg Entwistle Memorial Hike to the Hollywood Sign is part of a two-part tribute to Hollywood's most famous ghost. On the previous Friday, there will be a special SPIRITS with SPIRITS at a restaurant haunted by Peg's ghost (for more info...)

THE GHOSTS:

"I was hiking near the Hollywood sign today, and near the bottom I found a woman's shoe and jacket. A little further on I noticed a purse. In it was a suicide note. I looked down the mountain and saw a body...."
--- Anonymous call to the Hollywood Police Station

81 years ago, this September, a sad, depressed, possibly drunk, unemployed actress left her home on Beachwood Drive and started walking up the road to the Hollywood sign. On that treacherous hike, that probably took her most of the night, she eventually made it to her destination, the fifty-foot letter "H" at the beginning of the internationally recognized Hollywood sign (then the Hollywoodland Sign). She climbed a ladder that was attached to the backside of the flat metal structure, and leaped to her death once she reached the top. It is thought that she did not die instantly, but instead lingered for hours in the brush below, where her corpse was eventually discovered by hikers. For a short time she was simply known as "The Hollywood Sign Girl," until her published suicide note was recognized by her uncle. Her name was Peg Entwistle.

When people tell her tale, they always point out the ironic twist that occurred shortly after her death. A letter arrived at her address, stating that she had landed the lead role in a new play about a woman who commits suicide. However, there's the bigger (more obvious) irony. This act of desperation over the lack of a show-biz career, ended up making her more famous (or infamous) than any of her working contemporaries. Not everyone can easily name the stars of the early 1930's, but most people know the Hollywood Sign Girl.

Her legend seems to grow with each passing year, and as it does, so do the stories of her restless ghost near the famous landmark. Most people describe her apparition as a young woman dressed in a 1930's style white gown walking along a trail (sometimes dazed). She is most commonly seen by hikers (not unlike those that originally found her body) and dog walkers in the very early or very late hours. Witnesses claim that she is accompanied by the strong scent of the gardenia flower (thought to be her favorite perfume). Some accounts even describe her reenacting her final moments stepping off of the top of the "H" only to vanish as she falls. She seems doomed to repeat the last moments of that last night over and over again, just as we also seemed doomed to repeat those last moments with each retelling of her story.

DIRECTIONS: Follow N. Beachwood Drive up the hill to the end (just before the "Sunset Ranch Hollywood" stables). You'll see cars parked around a trail head, so park anywhere you can. Follow (on foot) the dirt trail up and along the ridge adjacent to the stables. This trail will merge into a larger trail (Mulholland Hwy). Make a hairpin turn left (South-West) on this new trail, and follow it (going towards the Hollywood sign) until it dead ends at a paved road (Mt. Lee Drive). Turn right on the paved road, seemingly away from the Hollywood sign. The road will take you up the backside of Mt. Lee, offering great views of the San Fernando Valley and Forest Lawn, to the top of the mountain and a dramatic reveal of the Hollywood sign, the same view Peg Entwistle had before she jumped (incidentally Peg's studio, RKO, is dead center in this view). Below is a link to a map, which you should study, before going out there, since its very easy to get turned around out there on the trails.

View Larger Map

Wednesday, September 4, 2013

September's SPIRITS with SPIRITS

GHOULA meets for cocktails in haunted places on the 13th of each month. “SPIRITS with SPIRITS” is a casual social gathering of regional ghost hunters and those that just like ghost stories. Open to all, from the curious skeptic to the passionate phantom pursuer. Make friends, and toast a ghost! Let's put the “Boo!” back into “booze.”

All those who attend will receive a free (square) G.H.O.U.L.A. button. If you already have one, please wear it so others can find you, without asking the staff about our group. (i.e. LOOK FOR SOMEONE WITH A GHOULA BUTTON)

THE DATE: September 13th, 2013(Friday the 13th)
THE PLACE: The Beachwood Café
2695 N. Beachwood Drive, Los Angeles (Beachwood Canyon) (Map)
THE TIME: 8:00pm - 10:00pm

NOTE: September's SPIRITS with SPIRITS is part one of a two-part tribute to one of Hollywood's most famous ghosts. On the following Monday (on the anniversary of her death), there will be the 2nd annual Peg Entwistle Memorial hike to the Hollywood Sign at sunset (for more info... )

THE GHOSTS:

"I am afraid I am a coward. I am sorry for everything. If I had done this a long time ago, it would have saved a lot of pain."
--- Peg Entwhistle's Suicide Note.

On the second Friday of September in 1932, failed actress, Peg Entwistle, left her home at 2428 N. Beachwood Drive (which still stands) to fulfill a date with destiny. She told her uncle, who also lived at that residence, that she was going to the Hollywoodland Drugstore (presently known as The Beachwood Café) to get a book, a pack of cigarettes, and meet a friend. It is thought that this neighborhood hang-out was possibly the last place anyone saw her alive, when she walked along the sidewalk past the store-front's windows on her way up Beachwood Drive. From there, she walked/hiked all the way to the iconic "Hollywood Sign" that hovers over Beachwood. Using a workman's ladder at the site, she climbed to the top of the giant letter "H," and leaped to her death, hitting the rocks at the base and rolling down the hill 200ft into the brush.

It is generally accepted that her reason for this larger-than=life suicidal act was that her staring role in an upcoming film, "Thirteen Women" (which was to be her break-out performance) was greatly reduced during the editing process to a minor character. However, GHOULA's favorite version of this conjecture is that an astrologer hired as a consult on this astrology-themed movie, gave all the cast members private readings. When it was Peg's turn, the fortune teller saw nothing in her cards (as if she had no future), which supposedly disturbed the young true-believer. Peg was portraying a character in that film that was driven to madness because of her horoscope. Is that what happened in real life?

Although, the sad tale of Peg Entwistle is one of the most famous tragic, cautionary and mythic tales of Hollywood, with so many retellings over the decades (including legends of her ghost haunting the Hollywood sign), one aspect of this story rarely gets mentioned...

Not only was the Beachwood Café possibly the last place anyone saw her alive, it also may be where people continue to see her in death... on that same sidewalk walking past the café's windows, up Beachwood Drive, presumably repeating that same fateful walk of her last night, She generally seen from inside the café, and some versions came that a cold breeze proceeds the sighting.

Supposedly, none of the locals will talk about Peg's ghost wandering the sidewalk of the shopping district. Beachwood "Village" has a small town feel, and like many small towns, they are weary of outsiders, specifically tourists looking for a photo op with the Hollywood Sign. The community even fought having a bus line to connect them to nearby Hollywood. So naturally because of this uneasy tension, the residents play down any tales that may attract visitors to their otherwise sleepy canyon.

Luckily for GHOULA, local historian, Jim Dawson, chronicled some of these stories in a 1993 issue of Far Out Magazine, including a sighting by a waitress (10 years after Peg jumped from the sign). At the end of the night, when the café was closed, a waitress heard a tapping at the window. She looked up, and saw Peg (in her white dress) waving "hello" through the window. However, when she unlocked the door to see what she wanted, the "woman in white" had vanished.

So, come out to toast one of Hollywood's most famous spirits, a woman with many connections to the number 13 (her Hollywood sign had 13 letters) on Friday the 13th...
if you dare!

(to read about last month's haunted location... )
(to see a map of previous SPIRITS with SPIRITS locations... )

Monday, September 2, 2013

GHOULA's Haunted Red Line Tour

When: October 6th, 13th, 20th, 27th,
(Every Sunday in October)

Time: Tours start at 7pm
(Except on Oct 13th, when the tour will start at 5pm to accommodate "SPIRITS with SPIRITS" that evening, which will be in North Hollywood at the end point of the tour)

Meeting Place: The palm tree-lined island in front of Union Station
800 North Alameda Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012 (map)

Price: FREE TOUR + Metro Day Pass ($5.00)
Please purchase the Metro Pass before the meet-up to save time.

Parking: See below.

Los Angeles' lore is filled with tales of secret tunnels. Whether its supposed opium dens, rum-running passages, discontinued "Red Car" tunnels, munchkin transports, celebrity/mistress escape routes, or simply chambers belonging to a race of subterranean lizard people, many buildings and homes claimed to be connected to other buildings and homes below street level (if only we could find their openings).

So, is there a better way to explore the haunted history of Los Angeles than by traveling underground from location to location via our very own (dead) Red Line Metro Subway with the other living dead of this city?

We will meet-up at Union Station (the starting point for the Red Line) and then travel through 13 stops to the North Hollywood Station (at the end of the line), getting off and on along the way. In addition to Union Station and the North Hollywood Station, we will stop at few other stations, step off the train, rise to street-level, and discuss the ghosts and haunted sites visible from that spot before going back aboard to the next stop on our tour.

Come out and hear spooky tales about a spirit solider, a vanishing padre, and a ghostly car. As well as many other phantom figures from our past that haunt our present.

Parking: Since everyone participating in the tour will need a Metro Day Pass to ride the subway, it is advisable to park at one of the FREE lots provided by the Metro at either the North Hollywood Station (our end point) or the Universal City Station, and then just take the Subway to Union Station to meet-up with the group (The lots around Union Station are expensive and they may close early).

Friday, August 30, 2013

The RETURN of STRINGS That Go Bump in the Night!

GHOULA presents...
The RETURN of
STRINGS That Go Bump in the Night!
An ALL NEW evening of movies, marionettes, and the mysterious.

THE DATE: October 12th, 2013 (Saturday)
THE PLACE: The Bob Baker Marionette Theater
1345 W 1st St Los Angeles, CA 90026 (Downtown) (map)
THE TIME: 7:30pm - 9:30
ADMISSION: ALL SEATS ARE $13 (for ticket info...)
All proceeds go to the preservation of the Bob Baker Marionettes.

This may be your last chance to see more macabre marionette movies on a big screen in an actual haunted marionette theater (before it possibly closes its doors forever)...

Because of a copyright/legal issue, GHOULA can not advertise the main feature film. Trust us, it's a good one that rarely gets screened. Hint: It is a twisted movie from the 1970's that features the puppetry and designs of Bob Baker (pictured above).

Like our previous "STRINGS That Go Bump in the Night," there will be a LIVE horror-themed marionette performance by master puppeteer Eli Presser, a spooky performance from the Bob Baker Marionettes, and...a few surprises and special guests...

Please come out to this enchanted oasis (while it lasts) that has been entertaining the children (and adults) of our city for over fifty years, for this rare spooky night-time event that tempts the spirits... if you dare.

THE BOB BAKER MARIONETTE THEATER'S GHOST(S):

Although people generally associate ghosts with violent/sudden deaths, there are many other theories as to why a ghost will haunt a certain location. Some believe that spirits will return to places that (in life) gave them great pleasure, or perhaps sites where (in life) much time was spent. There is also a theory that confused ghosts sometimes seek out humanoid objects to possess like wax figures, mannequins, or dolls, and thus gravitate to spots where these objects can be found (old wax museums, children's bedroom's, etc.)

So, naturally (or super-naturally) the Bob Baker Marionette Theater, the oldest continuously-operating puppet theater in the United States, is said to have a phantom of a former puppeteer lingering around (seen by staff), watching the staff from his favorite seat on the east side of the theater (last row against the wall, three seats from the aisle). Perhaps he just doesn't want to leave this happy place, or maybe he just likes being around puppets. Additionally, he is seen in the backstage area. On the wings (on the West side of the building), there are mirrors so that performers can check their puppets, or practice moves. While doing this, they will see the ghostly puppeteer (in the mirror's reflection) watching them. When they turn around, no one is there. Plus, whenever something goes wrong during a performance such as a string breaking or a set falling, it's always blamed on the resident spook, presumably unhappy about something in the show.

In ancient times, the "illusion of life" created by marionettes was thought to be work of other-worldly forces. Who knows, maybe this resident "ex-puppeteer" still lends a hand during performances, animating the inanimate objects, and making them move in realistic ways. Is it possible that old habits die hard,... even if the ghost didn't?

(for ticket info...)

Monday, August 26, 2013

ALMAS: Voices of the Pioneer Memorial Cemetery

NOTE: This is not a GHOULA event. This is a ghost-themed event that GHOULA feels its members will enjoy.

San Fernando Valley Historical Society and
LA Mission College Drama Club present:

Voices of the Pioneer Memorial Cemetery
ALMAS
A Day of the Dead Celebration

Historical Re-enactments and Phantasmagorical Installations.
A fund-raiser to restore tombstones and preserve history.

DATE: OCT 25,26, NOV 1,2
TIME: 8pm, 9pm, 10pm, 11pm, Midnight
WHERE: San Fernando Valley pioneer Memorial Cemetery (map)
ADMISSION : $15 (in advance) $20 (at the gate)

http://tinyurl.com/pioneervoices (tickets)
http://tinyurl.com/voicesyalmas (donations)
www.voicesofpioneercemetery.com (info)

Monday, August 12, 2013

August's SPIRITS with SPIRITS

GHOULA meets for cocktails in haunted places on the 13th of each month. “SPIRITS with SPIRITS” is a casual social gathering of regional ghost hunters and those that just like ghost stories. Open to all, from the curious skeptic to the passionate phantom pursuer. Make friends, and toast a ghost! Let's put the “Boo!” back into “booze.”

All those who attend will receive a free (square) G.H.O.U.L.A. button. If you already have one, please wear it so others can find you, without asking the staff about our group.

THE DATE: August 13th, 2013 (Tuesday)
THE PLACE: The Hollywood Bowl
2301 N Highland Ave, Los Angeles (Map)
THE TIME: 8:00pm to the witching hour

"Playful ghosts have interrupted our tour"
-Haunted Mansion, Disneyland

NOTICE:
GHOULA is doing something a little different this month (we just couldn't resist this unique opportunity). We have wanted to do a SPIRITS with SPIRITS at the Hollywood Bowl for years, but since it would be hard to coordinate a meet-up there (parking, seating, tickets, etc.), everyone will be on their own for this 13th. So, if you want to go to one of the great outdoor venues in the world and enjoy an evening of death-themed classical music, bring a bottle of wine (preferably from one of California's haunted vineyards), and go to the Bowl on Tuesday to see Verdi's Requiem. (the same spooky show will repeat on Thursday). Otherwise we will see you all next month on a special Friday the 13th edition of SPIRITS with SPIRITS.

THE GHOSTS:

Despite Hollywood's elite shelling out big dough to sit up front near the "shell," GHOULA believes the best seats at the Hollywood Bowl are the ones at the far back, and as high up as you can go (sections V, W, and X). The reasons for this are many. The seats are cheaper. The atmosphere is more casual and laid back. The sound is said to be better given the natural acoustics of the sloping terrain (the reason the Bowl is there). The view of the Hollywood sign and the city is great (which can't be seen from the expensive seats). But, the best reason of all is the "nose-bleed" seats are said to be haunted...

It has been said that late at night, after the concerts, and after the patrons have left, staff members (clean-up crews or security) will see a man sitting alone on a bench at the far end of the Bowl, and naturally according to the tale... when that staff member makes the trek up there to tell the person to go home, the man vanishes into thin air.

Who this spirit is, and why he haunts the top of the hill is a mystery. But what makes him interesting is the possibility that this male apparition may be connected to the Hollywood Bowl's greatest mystery... The Curse of the Cahuenga Pass.

Back in the days before "Hollywood," when the area was just known as the "Cactus Patch," a poor Mexican sheepherder buried a cache of stolen gold and jewelry in the Cahuenga Pass. The only reference points to the location of this hidden treasure is that it was up a hill above a tavern (roughly located where Highland Ave meets the 101), and it was buried in six hole all equidistant from a "Fresno Tree" (also known a Western Ash Tree).

The circumstances behind how this traveling peasant was in the possession of this great wealth is a long and complicated story, and the details can be read about elsewhere on the Internet, or in historian Horace Bell's "On the Old West Coast." However, simply put, the gold and jewelry were stolen from churches in Mexico during military campaigns, and then went through a series of hands (all of whom died under mysterious circumstances) until it was buried in the Cahuenga Pass. It is said that all those that either seek or handle these riches meet an untimely end. The lonely sheepherder, himself, revealed what little info we have on his death bed. Since then, a few others have searched for this treasure, and have met tragic fates before they could enjoy the spoils.

The most colorful legend connected to the curse is that a Basque farmer accidentally discovered one of the packages of gold, and split town. Fearful that someone may rob him, he had secret pockets sewn into his clothes, that equally distributed the jewelry and gold coins all over his body. As he stood against the rail of a steamship as it approached Spain, he accidentally fell overboard, and because of the weight of all the booty in his suit, he sank like a rock and drowned.

Many believe the location of the buried treasure is where the Hollywood Bowl is today. Is it possible that the "X section" marks the spot? Could this male ghost at the top of the hill be one of the many victims of this legendary treasure?

Incidentally, this land was once owned by "Greek George," who is most famous for harboring the notorious bandit (and possible inspiration for "Zorro") Tiburco Vasquez when he was captured and hanged. Did Vasquez hide in this area as well as some believe? Could this site possibly be one of the many places supposedly where Vasquez hid his stolen gold? What are the chances that two famous lost treasures are buried under the Hollywood Bowl? Maybe the ghost is Vasquez?

Additionally, it has been said that on nights when the Bowl was empty, the noted (and notorious)actor John Barrymore, used the deserted seats as his secret drinking spot. His chronic alcoholism most likely led to his death in 1942. Could his ghost be the man seated alone?

So, come out to picnic and enjoy the music at the site once known as "Magic Valley," because of its strange acoustic quality that causes even whispers spoken dozens of yards away to seem as if they were disembodied voices whispering in your ear... If you dare.

(to read about last month's haunted location... )
(to see a map of previous SPIRITS with SPIRITS locations... )

Tuesday, July 16, 2013

STRINGS That Go Bump in the Night!

For more info and tickets...

This amazing poster was created by local artist Jose Cabrera (http://josecabrera.com/).

Sunday, July 14, 2013

Highlights from July's SWS!

(The haunted underground garage.)

So, at July's "SPIRITS with SPIRITS," while enjoying one of the best views in Los Angeles, a waiter shared some additional stories. First of all, he confidentially mentioned that the Bonaventure actually has a high death count (in addition to the previously mentioned murder), including a man, who in attempt to win a radio contest, tried to jump across an opening to get to a radio station employee first, and instead fell five stories to his death in the lobby.

He also claimed that the elevators (all of them) seem to have minds of their own. Supposedly, sometimes the buttons light up by themselves without anyone pressing them. Additionally, the elevators have a tendency to mysteriously stop on the 19th floor. The elevator doors open, and no one is there. He also claimed that the elevator repair company has tried to solve this issue many times without success.

(to read about more ghosts at the Bonaventure Hotel... )

Thursday, July 11, 2013

July's SPIRITS with SPIRITS

GHOULA meets for cocktails in haunted places on the 13th of each month. “SPIRITS with SPIRITS” is a casual social gathering of regional ghost hunters and those that just like ghost stories. Open to all, from the curious skeptic to the passionate phantom pursuer. Make friends, and toast a ghost! Let's put the “Boo!” back into “booze.”

All those who attend will receive a free (square) G.H.O.U.L.A. button. If you already have one, please wear it so others can find you, without asking the staff about our group. (i.e. LOOK FOR SOMEONE WITH A GHOULA BUTTON)

THE DATE: July 13th, 2013(Saturday)
THE PLACE: The Bona Vista Lounge (34th floor of the Bonaventure Hotel)
404 S Figueroa St, Los Angeles (Downtown) (Map)
THE TIME: 8:00pm

THE GHOSTS:

Local architectural critic, Edward W. Soja described the post-modern design of the Bonaventure Hotel as "a concentrated representation of the restructured spatiality of the late capitalist city: fragmented and fragmenting, homogeneous and homogenizing, divertingly packaged yet curiously incomprehensible, seemingly open in presenting itself to view but constantly pressing to enclose, to compartmentalize, to circumscribe, to incarcerate." Or, as another local architectural critic, Charles Moore, put it more simply "The place is as frustrating as a Piranesi prison drawing."

It's easy to get lost in this 1970's futuristic downtown landmark with so many identical areas and repeating patterns. The only way out appears to be through the ceiling via the glass elevators. Yes, the elevators are the star attraction of this building (check out the plaques at each identical elevator listing their movie appearances). Some say they were inspired by the (spirit-designed) open-air elevator shafts of the Bradbury Building a couple of blocks away. For others, breaking through the glass ceiling brings to mind the "Wonkavator" from "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory." Their ability to travel along the exterior skin of the hotel (past the windows to the suites) also earned them an entry into the book "L.A. Bizarro" as "L.A.'s Premier Moving Peep Show." We, at GHOULA, prefer to think of these elevators as a metaphor for the ascent to heaven, after one dies. Even the 80's TV show, "It's a Living," (set in the bar on the roof) eludes to life and death in its title.

Speaking of dying and/or being trapped in brutalist prison-like architecture. The Bonaventure Hotel is home to at least one trapped spirit... in the underground parking garage.

Given that Southern California is the car-culture capital of the world, one would think that parking garage ghosts would be more common, and yet this is the only one we have heard about. There is a haunted parking lot a couple of blocks away on Main Street, but this oddly seems to be the only haunted garage. Although, the "darkness" in this dimly-lit space has been attributed to grisly murders that occurred on the 24th floor in 1979, involving bodies being chopped into pieces with a meat cleaver, there is another possible explanation for the Bonaventure's underground ghost...

The hotel sits on top of Los Angeles' original subway route, a portion of a Pacific Electric "Red Car" line that went underground. During the hotel's construction, the old subway tunnel was caved-in to build the foundation (and parking garage). However, a section of that original tunnel still exists, starting from the Subway Terminal Building (417 South Hill Street) and ending at the Bonaventure. Hidden from the public, this tunnel can be accessed from the Terminal Building and from the nearby Biltmore Hotel. Those that have entered this forgotten corridor have claimed to have seen a little red-hared girl, maybe 7 years old. No one knows her identity or why she wanders these tracks. According to local lore, those that have seen this little girl are so frightened by the sight that they mark the spot where they saw her (with a spray-painted cross) to warn others. Supposedly, this otherwise empty tunnel is filled with painted crosses, lining the walls.

Could the "presence" that frightens garage attendants be the ghost of this frustrated redhead, forever sealed into that abandoned tunnel, her own underground tomb?

Come out to LA's largest hotel (over 1300 rooms), and drink a toast to LA's scariest readhead... if you dare.

(for more info about this ghost, check out "Gourmet Ghosts" by James Bartlett...)

(to read about more ghosts of this bar... )
(to read about last month's haunted location... )
(to see a map of previous SPIRITS with SPIRITS locations... )

(to see more photos of the old subway... http://io9.com/5912316/shadowy-scenes-from-the-abandoned-los-angeles-subway-system)

Friday, June 28, 2013

STRINGS That Go Bump in the Night!

GHOULA presents...
STRINGS That Go Bump in the Night!
An evening of movies, marionettes, and the macabre.

THE DATE: August 17th, 2013 (Saturday)
THE PLACE: The Bob Baker Marionette Theater
1345 W 1st St Los Angeles, CA 90026 (Downtown) (map)
THE TIME: 7:30pm - 9:30
ADMISSION: ALL SEATS ARE $13 (for ticket info...)
All proceeds go to the preservation of the Bob Baker Marionettes.

This is your chance to see a killer double bill of macabre marionette movies on a big screen in an actual haunted marionette theater (before it possibly closes its doors forever)...

THE NARRATIVE OF VICTOR KARLOCH (2012, 15 mins.) is a Victorian ghost story puppet short film that utilizes 30 inch tall rod puppets, traditional shadow puppetry, rotoscope and rear projection to present the adventure of Victor Karloch, an alchemist, scholar, and ghost hunter, as he battles the supernatural forces of the Unknown.

BLUEBEARD (1944, 70 mins.) with its tagline "The most sinister love story ever told!" this cult classic (starring John Carradine) tells the tale of a 19th-century Parisian puppeteer/serial killer, who murders every woman he employs. This film was not only John Carradine's favorite movie, but it also a favorite of the legendary Bob Baker, who did the puppets and the puppetry seen in the film.

Plus... a LIVE horror-themed marionette performance by master puppeteer Eli Presser,
and...a few surprises and special guests...

Please come out to this enchanted oasis (while it lasts) that has been entertaining the children (and adults) of our city for over fifty years, for this rare spooky night-time event that tempts the spirits... if you dare.

THE BOB BAKER MARIONETTE THEATER'S GHOST(S):

Although people generally associate ghosts with violent/sudden deaths, there are many other theories as to why a ghost will haunt a certain location. Some believe that spirits will return to places that (in life) gave them great pleasure, or perhaps sites where (in life) much time was spent. There is also a theory that confused ghosts sometimes seek out humanoid objects to possess like wax figures, mannequins, or dolls, and thus gravitate to spots where these objects can be found (old wax museums, children's bedroom's, etc.)

So, naturally (or super-naturally) the Bob Baker Marionette Theater, the oldest continuously-operating puppet theater in the United States, is said to have a phantom of a former puppeteer lingering around (seen by staff), watching the staff from his favorite seat on the east side of the theater (last row against the wall, three seats from the aisle). Perhaps he just doesn't want to leave this happy place, or maybe he just likes being around puppets. Additionally, he is seen in the backstage area. On the wings (on the West side of the building), there are mirrors so that performers can check their puppets, or practice moves. While doing this, they will see the ghostly puppeteer (in the mirror's reflection) watching them. When they turn around, no one is there. Plus, whenever something goes wrong during a performance such as a string breaking or a set falling, it's always blamed on the resident spook, presumably unhappy about something in the show.

In ancient times, the "illusion of life" created by marionettes was thought to be work of other-worldly forces. Who knows, maybe this resident "ex-puppeteer" still lends a hand during performances, animating the inanimate objects, and making them move in realistic ways. Is it possible that old habits die hard,... even if the ghost didn't?

(for ticket info...)

Monday, June 10, 2013

June's SPIRITS with SPIRITS

GHOULA meets for cocktails in haunted places on the 13th of each month. “SPIRITS with SPIRITS” is a casual social gathering of regional ghost hunters and those that just like ghost stories. Open to all, from the curious skeptic to the passionate phantom pursuer. Make friends, and toast a ghost! Let's put the “Boo!” back into “booze.”

All those who attend will receive a free (square) G.H.O.U.L.A. button. If you already have one, please wear it so others can find you, without asking the staff about our group.

THE DATE: June 13th, 2013 (Thursday)
THE PLACE: Ray's and Stark Bar (LACMA)
5905 Wilshire Blvd Los Angeles (Behind the "Urban Light" pictured above) (Map)
THE TIME: 8:00pm to 11:00pm

THE GHOSTS:

Part of GHOULA's mission statement concerns the preservation of greater L.A.'s rich haunted history, so we feel its necessary to document some ghost stories of a local landmark that is soon to be demolished, and erased from our local landscape.

Granted, the section of Whilshire Blvd's "Miracle Mile," which is home to the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) could spontaneously explode at any moment, reducing all eight buildings into rubble, thanks to the flammable methane gas trapped underground that sometimes bubbles up into the adjacent tar pits. (This happened to another nearby building in 1985.) LACMA's can't wait that long to get rid of a few structures.

Last month, LACMA announced they will tear down the last of the beige buildings from its original 1965, Pereia-designed complex to make way for a whole new thematic museum campus that resembles the black pools of death that made its location famous. Just as the redundantly titled "La Brea Tar Pits (which gets even more redundant when people say "The La Brea Tar Pits") has preserved specimens from the Ice Age that fatally mistook the pits for water holes, one hopes that some of the folklore surrounding this local institution will also be preserved...

The old Ahmanson Building (which towers above Ray's and Stark Bar), has a haunted floor... the 3rd floor. It is said that the staff does not like to be up there after hours. People have seen a ghostly woman in a white dress with a long train of fabric following her as she wanders the rooms, or they just see the end trail of fabric, slowly moving along the floor, disappearing around a corner (and when they look around the corner no one is there).

Some also claim that the statue on the East side of the elevators will move when viewed in the reflection of an nearby antique mirror. The elevators, themselves, also seem to have minds of their own and always go to (or stop on) that floor on their own. So, one working alone on that floor will continually see the doors opening and closing, accompanied by the announcing bell. Most believe the strange happenings are more likely to be connected to the very old/ancient artifacts on display than to the building itself (so, maybe the ghosts will follow the objects to the new building).

The oddest story GHOULA heard about the third floor comes from a security guard, who said on his first day on the job (before he knew the floor's reputation), he was stationed in front of the bank of elevators on the 3rd floor, with the instructions to make sure people from a private party on the ground floor didn't wander on to that floor. At one point he saw his manager walk past him and down the hall into a darkened room (oddly the only room with no lights on).

Although there are many emergency exits (with stair wells) on that floor, the only way to exit that floor without setting off an alarm are the elevators or the stairs next to the elevators, where the guard stood. So, after a long stretch of time had occurred and the manager had not emerged from the darkened room, he decided to investigate.

The guard said that as he stepped into the darkness, he felt a chill that caused him to step back into the light. Thinking that his imagination was playing tricks on him (especially with all the creepy religious art on the walls), he laughed and proceeded into the darkness. Not only had his manager disappeared, but as he was leaving the space he felt two invisible hands push him out of the room.

Strangely, that manager didn't show up for work the next day or any other day after that. That incident on the 3rd floor was the last sighting of him. It was assumed he quit without telling anyone,... but who knows.

Also, in the Leo S. Bing Theater in the Bing Building on the East side of the campus, some museum staff claim to have seen the phantom of an elderly woman who sits in the back SW corner of the auditorium, who also vanishes into thin air when approached. Perhaps she is a former patron of LACMA's senior matinees.

Additionally, there are possibly as many as three other ghosts that roam this square block that luckily will not be threaten by the wrecking ball...

It is rumored that LACMA West's 1939 art deco building (formerly the May Co.) is the home to a couple of spirits, and by "couple," we mean married ghosts (husband and wife).

The legend is that back in the days when it was a department store, there was a pink restaurant/tea room for customers upstairs with a view of the city (the windows can still be seen from Fairfax Ave.), one day while a Culver City woman was playing card games with friends over snacks, her husband stormed in, pulled out a gun and shot her at point blank range just before turning the gun on himself. Supposedly, the other women present at the table, as well as other regular card players, later asked the police if they could go back into the crime scene to finish their game. This story is so widely told that it is even on LACMA's website.

Lastly, there are the disembodied screams heard from the park late at night, where the tar bubbles up that are believed to be the death cries of the "La Brea Woman," the victim of Los Angeles' oldest unsolved murder case (nine thousand years old).

So, come out to this outdoor bar in LA's deadliest city park, and have a drink on the sight where millions of living creatures met their death attempting to have a drink... if you dare.

(to read about last month's haunted location... )
(to see a map of previous SPIRITS with SPIRITS locations... )

Friday, June 7, 2013

Local Ghost Film at LA Film FEST

Delivery
The Beyond

(USA, 2013, 87 mins, HDCam)

World Premiere!

Tue, Jun 18th 9:50pm
American Airlines Theatre/Regal 11

Tue, Jun 21st 7:30pm
American Airlines Theatre/Regal 11

Regal Cinemas 10
(for more info... )

Directed By: Brian Netto

Producer: Adam Schindler
Screenwriters: Brian Netto, Adam Schindler
Cinematographer: Andy Bates
Editors: Adam Schindler, Brian Netto, Andy Bates
Cast: Laurel Vail, Danny Barclay, Rob Cobuzio
Music: Daniel Cossu

In this unnerving chiller, Kyle and Rachel Massy are a young couple who have agreed to document their first pregnancy for a reality show. During the production and after moving to a new home, a series of unexplained phenomena start plaguing the couple, eventually derailing the production of the show. Rachel, growing increasingly paranoid, starts to believe that there might be something seriously wrong with their unborn bundle of joy.

Told through the show's un-aired footage and interviews from friends, family and production members, Brian Netto's savvy debut feature injects the found footage genre with a fresh perspective and enough eeriness to keep you on the edge of your seat.

Wednesday, June 5, 2013

Ghost Hunting Boot camp

NOTICE: This is not a GHOULA event. This is just a local ghost-themed event that we feel our members should know about.

Ghost Hunting Boot Camp

Slated June 15 at Pioneer Cemetery, Sylmar

A unique fundraising event called “VIP Ghost Hunting Boot Camp” will be held from 6 p.m. to midnight on Saturday, June 15, 2013 at the historic San Fernando Pioneer Memorial Cemetery in Sylmar, 14451 Bledsoe St. at Foothill.

Expert ghost hunters from Valley Investigators of the Paranormal (VIP) will discuss their first-hand experiences in ghost hunting, explain what type of equipment is used to sense ghost activity, demonstrate the techniques they use while on investigations, and provide pointers on how to conduct independent investigations.

Special guest Erik Vanlier of VIP will also discuss the activity he witnessed at Pioneer Cemetery during filming of the pilot for Ghost Girls, an upcoming reality television show. Based on that documented activity, Pioneer Cemetery was featured in A&E/Biography Channel’s popular cable television show “My Ghost Story: Caught on Camera, #49” which aired last November to an audience of 5 million worldwide.

After Erik’s presentation, the gathering will be separated into smaller more personalized groups to tour the graveyard with a VIP guide. These small groups will conduct actual investigations throughout the old cemetery’s 3.8 acres. The six-hour event will include an intermission for conversation and complimentary refreshments.

Pioneer Cemetery, established in 1874, is the second oldest graveyard in the San Fernando Valley and is operated by the San Fernando Valley Historical Society, a 501(c)(3) corporation. Proceeds from the ghost hunting fundraiser will be used for cemetery projects and restoration.

Admission to the fundraiser is $50 for adults (over 21) and $25 for sub-adults (13-20). Please note that children under age 13 will not be admitted to this event. Tickets are available online through www.showclix.com (search ghosthunting) and www.sfvhs.com, or may be purchased at the door. For more information, call 818-970-1286.

Sunday, April 14, 2013

May's SPIRITS with SPIRITS!

GHOULA meets for cocktails in haunted places on the 13th of each month. “SPIRITS with SPIRITS” is a casual social gathering of regional ghost hunters and those that just like ghost stories. Open to all, from the curious skeptic to the passionate phantom pursuer. Make friends, and toast a ghost! Let's put the “Boo!” back into “booze.”

All those who attend will receive a free (square) G.H.O.U.L.A. button. If you already have one, please wear it so others can find you, without asking the staff about our group.

May 13th will be GHOULA's 60th SPIRITS with SPIRITS, and as such, it will mark 5 years of our humble group meeting once a month to explore this great city, and to tell ghost stories over cocktails. Help us celebrate this milestone at one of the most enchanted places in Los Angeles.

RSVP REQUIRED: This meet-up will be in the Oviatt Penthosue, with a full-service (no host) bar set up just for us. The good people at Truly Yours Catering have arranged for GHOULA to get special access into this famously haunted building's inner sanctum (not normally open to the public), so come out for this rare opportunity to see one of the great hidden gems of Downtown. Since there are occupancy limitations... Please RSVP here.

THE DATE: May 13th, 2013 (Monday)
THE PLACE:The Oviatt Penthouse (at the top of the Oviatt Building)
617 S Olive St, Downtown, (map)
(Instructions on how to enter penthouse will come later.)
THE TIME: 8:00pm - ?
ADMISSION: FREE (with RSVP)

THE GHOST(S):

"We're at Nineteen Moonbeam Terrace
Overlooking Starlight Square
We're the couple in the castle
Way up high in the air!
On the corner there's a cloud bank
and we bank our millions there
We're the couple in the castle in the air."
---from the song "We're the Couple in the Castle" (1941)

No one knows for sure if this song, written by Los Angeles-based songwriters, "Hoagy" Carmichael and Frank Loesser, for the animated feature, MR. BUG GOES TO TOWN, about an art-deco "castle" on the top of a skyscraper in the middle of a city, was inspired by the Oviatt Penthouse, but it seems likely.

In 1928, the Los Angeles Times called this Romantic penthouse the "Castle in the Air," and it is every bit as magical today as it was back when James Oviatt, his wife, and their son lived there (even if the rooftop beach with imported sand from the French Riviera no longer exists). It is thought to be the first Art Deco residence in Los Angeles. Also, the penthouse is 13 stories up, and has a tower with three neon clock faces that are 13 feet in diameter each. Coincidence?

James Oviatt opened his haberdashery (men's apparel) at this address in May of 1928 (exactly 85 years ago), and occupied the first three floors of this building until 1966. When his business ended, he continued to live in the penthouse until his death, a few years later. Although haberdasheries have largely disappeared from Los Angeles' landscape, some believe that one haberdasher lingers on...

In life, James Oviatt was an avid pipe smoker, and there are claims that the strong smell of pipe tobacco will inexplicably waft through the rooms of his former home as well as the areas in the building where he used to work, especially the ground floor (now the smoke-free Cicada Restaurant). By all accounts, Oviatt was a perfectionist, and obsessed with keeping a tidy workplace, so is it any surprise that those who work at Cicada and the Penthouse feel that the shadowy figure that watches over them, or the disembodied footsteps that follow them, is just the former owner keeping an eye on things, in an attempt to maintain the standards of excellence he originally set.

Additionally, there seems to a secondary spirit that acts as the "yang" to the orderly Oviatt's "yin," a mischievous "prankster," who playfully creates disorder, moving objects, throwing up papers, and tugging/pushing the staff. Since some have seen (or heard) the ghost of a small boy, who disappears into the walls, these unruly phenomena are generally blamed on Oviatt's son, Jimmy, who in life, used to raise hell, and try to scare the staff by jumping out from behind display cases. Does his energy still engage in such childish thrills? It is said that one former security guard got so spooked in the penthouse, he ran down thirteen flights of stairs to avoid waiting for the elevator ("Feet don't fail me now!")

Although the ground floor (Cicada Restaurant) and the Penthouse are the real hot spots for activity, it seems that this spooky duo, do not apparently limit themselves to those two locations. Just about every tenant within this office building have had their spectral brushes with Oviatt and his son.

Perhaps the old song's lyric should be updated to..
"We're the couple (of ghosts) in the castle in the air"

So, come out to Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument #195, have a cocktail under Downtown's only weather vane, and celebrate 5 years of toasting ghosts... if you dare.

The Oviatt Penthouse
(to read about last month's haunted location... )
(to see a map of previous SPIRITS with SPIRITS locations... )