Hollywood’s Haunted Hotspots

There’s no end to the tales of ghosts in Hollywood.  From the All Star Café to the Chateau Marmont the ghosts of those who soared to stardom and those who crashed and burned are reminders to the living that in Hollywood you can have it all, and lose it just as quickly.

In the Chateau Marmont, the ghost of Marilyn Monroe is alleged to haunt this Hollywood Hotel.  One visitor, while riding in an elevator came to realize a woman was standing right next to him without actually coming on.  Figuring he must have not been paying attention when she got on, he continued facing forward following unspoken elevator etiquette until she reached her floor.  As the elevator dors opened, she looked over her shoulder and the man could see the face of Marilyn Monroe glance back at him.  The similarities were unmistakable.  Astonished, he reached out and grabbed the door to hold it open as she walked out and began walking down the hallway.  As he looked out into the hallway, however, he saw no one standing or walking in either direction.  E hadn’t heard a single door open or shut and considers it impossible that anyone could have slid into a doorway so quickly.  Astonished, he continued and thought nothing of it until he related the story to a knowing bartender who related that the Marmont is famous for being one of the last places Marilyn Monroe stayed before her death.  Other ghosts that have been seen here include Howard Hughes, Boris Karloff, John Belushi, and Jim Morrison.  Voices are heard in hallways, and sometimes ghostly apparitions are spotted darting from room to room.

Legends tell of the Lady in Black who walks after hours to the grave of famous silent film actor Valentino, to deliver roses to him every night.  The figure allegedly is able to gain entrance to the mausoleum to pay her respects and mourn Valentino’s death undisturbed.  According to legends, she is one of Tinsel Town’s most reliable ghosts leading some to suspect she may not actually be a ghost at all.  Of course in order to watch this apparition you must gain permission from the cemetery staff.

Those who take a swim in Hollywood High school’s pool in the gymnasium apparently often spot a ghostly teen male walking around them, circling the pool emotionlessly.  It is rumored to be the ghost of a teenager who committed suicide by drowning himself after his girlfriend left him for another.  Another boy who killed himself at the school has been seen as a shadowy figure darting in and out of classrooms by students, walking through doors, and slamming lockers shut.  Others report hearing a hammering sound, and hearing and seeing doors opening and closing even when no one else is anywhere nearby.

Hollywood’s skeletons in the closet are a sure way to bring ghosts back from the beyond who will no doubt haunt the city for years.  Even now as the comforts of the city are unparalleled by any other city, a cold icy hand is often felt on the back of the neck as some departed well loved celebrity calls back, “Don’t forget me.”