Welles, Webb, Chaney Sr., Clift and Valentino were renowned actors in their days of glory. Which one, without intent, created a paranormal hoax? Who is the busiest ghost? Which one inspired horror in life? Who was a chain smoker and, as a ghost, leaves evidence of his habit? Whose ghost haunts a hotel?
Orson Welles
Orson Welles is considered to be one of Hollywood’s best directors, writers, actors, and producers. His most memorable film was Citizen Kane, 1941, a commercial failure that lost $150,000, but is esteemed by many as the best film ever made. He won an Oscar for the best writing and was nominated for the best actor, but lost.
Welles’ most memorable escapade was his Hallowe’en treat, an Unplanned Paranormal Hoax - War of the Worlds: Radio Broadcast about Martian Attacks that Created Mass Panic. The October 30, 1938 broadcast sounded like a regular radio program with interruptions of simulated news bulletins. Some of the audience either missed or didn’t pay attention to several announcements that the program was a fictional presentation of H. G. Wells’ book by the ssame name. People panicked because they thought there was a real invasion.
Welles loved to eat and smoked cigars. He died October 10, 1985. His spirit continues to be sighted in Sweet Lady Jane's Restaurant, known for its excellent food and sumptuous deserts. Customers and staff reported seeing Welles' caped specter sitting at his favorite table. The scent of his favorite brandy and cigars often accompany his ghost.
Clifton Webb
A popular star in the 1940’s and ‘50’s, Webb is known best for his role of Mr. Belvedere in a series of movies. He died in 1966 from heart disease. He never married and shared his home with his mother until she died. He claimed her ghost visited him every night. Webb told his friends that he would haunt the house after he died. His wraith has been sighted in the library, muttering, “Well, well, well...,” one of his favorite phrases. He was a chain-smoker. Non-smokers have awakened in the house covered by ashes. He didn’t like women sitting in his armchair. When a female sits on it, the chair makes noises and bounces. Webb’s ghost has been seen at the Abbey of the Psalms Mausoleum in the Hollywood Forever Memorial Park, where his body rests.
Montgomery Clift
Montgomery Clift was a popular film star of the 1950’s and 60’s, Montgomery Clift was a four-time Oscar nominated actor who is best known for his roles in A Place in the Sun, From Here to Eternity and Judgment at Nuremberg. His spirit has been seen at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, most often in Room 928. It was here that he spent a three months in 1953 where he was known to pace back and forth, memorizing his lines for From Here to Eternity. Today, unexplained loud noises are often heard coming from the otherwise empty suite, phone is continually found to be off the hook and unexplainable cold spots are felt in the room. Others sense the actor’s presence and, reportedly, one guest felt an invisible hand patting her shoulder.
Lon Chaney Sr.
Like Webb, Chaney, Sr was a star of the silent screen era. He is best remembered as the pioneer actor of horror films. Chaney died in 1930. His ghost haunts Sound Stage 28, used to film Phantom of the Opera, in Universal Studios. Chaney’s specter, clad in a cape, has been sighted running along the catwalks above the stage. Some people believe that his spirit is responsible for other paranormal phenomena that include lights turning on and off and doors opening and closing by themselves.
Rudolph Valentino
The actor, best known for his role in The Sheik, was the supreme romantic idol of the silent screen era. He died suddenly, in 1926, from blood poisoning. Many people don’t know about Valentino's Ghost and Cursed Ring, Interest in the Occult and his Haunting Falcon Lair
Immediately after his death, his ghost was haunting various places. His specter is, most often seen at his home, the Falcon’s Lair. His phantom has been sighted hallways, his old bedroom, peering from a window on the second floor and in the stables. A stable worker, after having seen Valentino’s ghost petting his favorite horse, quit his job and never returned.
His ghost has been sighted in Haunted Paramount Studios, on the catwalks above studio 5, costume department and walking through the Lemon Grove Gate. Valentino’s wraith haunts his beach house in Oxnard, the Santa Maria Inn and near the Cathedral Mausoleum, Hollywood Forever Memorial Park.
The actor bought the cat’s eye ring in San Francisco’s Chinatown. The shopkeeper told him it was a ring of destiny. Valentino told people it was his lucky ring. He was wearing it when he died. The ring was bequeathed to Russ Columbo, who was killed in a car accident shortly after he received it. Joe Casino inherited the cat’s eye ring and put it on display because he thought it was cursed. He wore it when he thought the curse ended and, within days, died in an accident. Jack Dunn was chosen to play Valentino in a film based on the idol’s life and wore the ring. He died from a blood disease ten days later. The ring was secured in a bank vault. There were two robberies, a fire and a cashier’s strike.
Sources:
- Dennis William Hauck, Haunted Places, Penguin Books, 2002.
- Sherry Hansen-Steiger and Brad Steiger, Hollywood and the Supernatural, St Martin's Press, 1990.
- Ghosts among Us, Brad Steiger, Berkley Books, 1990.
- War of the Worlds, H. G. Wells et al, Sourcebooks, Inc., 2003.
Jill Stefko - I'd rather deal with the paranormal than human abnormal - having dealt extensively with both.
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