Some stars refuse to leave the building, even after the curtain falls. The ghost of Marilyn Monroe is said to linger near a Hollywood hotel mirror. The spirit of Elvis may still be shaking things up at Graceland, and somewhere between old movie studios, famous mansions, hotel rooms, crime scenes, and concert halls, a few other celebrated guests may be staying behind to star in their very own real-life ghost story.
Whether it be late, great Hollywood icons, rock legends who met a tragic end, presidents who never left the White House, or legendary outlaws with unfinished business, our world is full of bone-chilling tales of dead famous folk floating amongst their living fans. But what keeps these spooky tales alive? Are people witnessing the real restless spirits of the stars of the past? Or is this all just wishful thinking? Either way, if you’re afraid of ghosts, especially famous ones, then stay away from Hollywood, or Vegas, or Disneyland—or, you know what, pretty much any place where a famous person lived, ate, partied, or died.
Would you act out a real-life jump scare if a long-dead Hollywood icon suddenly appeared before your eyes? Would you investigate? Would you run away? Would you call the Ghostbusters? Or would you simply just curl up under your blanket like Haley Joel Osment and whisper, “I see dead celebrities”?
Are these celebrity ghost stories true, or are these just Hollywood fantasies of fans desperate for a final performance? Some are intriguing. A handful are hard to deny. Many are hard to trace. Some kind of seem like ghoulish tourist traps, and a few seem to have been created on the internet. But that doesn’t mean that there isn’t truth behind them.
Let’s take a tour of some famous places where some famous people supposedly stayed behind.
Hollywood’s Most Famous Celebrity Ghosts
The Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel may be the biggest celebrity ghost hangout in town. Marilyn Monroe is said to appear in a full-length mirror that once stood in her cabana suite. Montgomery Clift, who stayed at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel while filming From Here to Eternity, is said to haunt Room 928. In that room, you can hear him practicing his bugle or pacing around as he rehearses his lines.
But this hotel is not the only place where you can find Marilyn Monroe. Her ghost appears in many places, actually: at the home where she used to live, near her grave at Westwood Memorial Park, and at places all around Hollywood. The more beloved the star, the more places that seem to claim a piece of her.
James Dean’s ghost is another one that’s been spotted around. Some local stories say that Dean or his Porsche have been seen near the highway where he died. And there are some other tragic stories out there that lead people to believe that his Porsche was cursed, as it went on to kill again.
John Wayne is said to haunt several places, always dressed up as a cowboy, of course. You can see his ghost at the Alamo, where he reportedly talks to fallen soldiers. And when he’s not at the Alamo, John Wayne’s ghost seems to be haunting his old yacht, the Wild Goose, again dressed as a cowboy. Some have seen him at the historic El Rancho Hotel along Route 66, where classic Westerns were filmed. Guests and staff at El Rancho have reportedly seen full-bodied apparitions of John Wayne dressed as a cowboy. Of course, they’ve felt cold spots, and the sound of a horse can be heard when there was, like, no horse anywhere to be found. And John Wayne would ride horses.
Walt Disney and the Ghosts Haunting Disneyland
Walt Disney is said to ride a ghost train around Disneyland. In fact, Walt has been seen throughout Disneyland, walking around the park. There have been some reports of Walt-shaped shadow figures that leave behind a tobacco smell because he liked tobacco. His ghost is said to have whispered, “I’m still here,” letting everyone know that even death is not going to stop the boss from keeping an eye on his creation.
Walt Disney is also said to be haunting his former apartment above the Main Street fire station, and the lamp in the apartment window apparently turns on by itself. So, the Disney staff has just left it on as a tribute to Walt Disney.
Haunted Hollywood Studios and the Spirits of Classic Movie Stars
The celebrity ghost stories continue at the studios. Lon Chaney, the silent film star remembered as the original Phantom of the Opera, was said to appear on Universal’s Stage 28, which is where the 1925 film was shot. Rudolph Valentino, the silent-era Latin lover, is linked to his former home, Falcon’s Lair, and to Paramount’s lot. Other legends place Judy Garland at Broadway’s Palace Theatre, where she is said to be heard humming some lovely tunes.
The spirit of Orson Welles can be encountered at a Los Angeles bakery. Some accounts add the scent of Welles’ favorite brandy and cigars popping up every now and then out of nowhere. Lucille Ball is said to linger at her former Beverly Hills home, where later owners reportedly heard voices and found objects moved around. Joan Crawford’s old home has its own stories of disturbances and exorcisms, too. And George Reeves, the actor who played Superman on television, is said to appear in his old home wearing the costume that made him famous.
Charlie Chaplin is said to return to Musso & Frank’s, where he supposedly favored a particular booth. Clark Gable and Carole Lombard are linked to the Oatman Hotel in Arizona, where the two famous star-crossed lovers reportedly spent their wedding night. Carole Lombard is also said to haunt her former home, and there’s been talk of her spirit at her plane crash site.
Silent film producer Thomas Ince, actress Thelma Todd, actor Clifton Webb, and comedian Redd Foxx have all been associated with hauntings. And even the ghost of Anna Nicole Smith is said to haunt the lobby of the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood, Florida, where she died.
John Belushi seems to still be partying at the Chateau Marmont. One account says a young child staying in his bungalow pointed to John Belushi’s photograph and called him the funny man—you know, the one he’d been seeing running through the hallways. The spirit of John Belushi seems to enjoy entertaining those with eyes innocent enough to see him. John Belushi’s ghost is still out there running through the hallways, which is even more bizarre when you think about how Belushi inspired Slimer in Ghostbusters.
Rock Stars Who Allegedly Haunt the Living
It seems like almost every dead rock star has a ghost story. Just assume that all of them do, but here are some worth mentioning. Amy Winehouse and all of the other members of the 27 Club seem to have returned to visit the living. Janis Joplin reportedly haunts the hotel room where she died. Staff and guests of the hotel have described closet doors opening and closing and lights flickering when her name is mentioned. The room has also become a shrine, with fans leaving artwork, notes, and bottles of Southern Comfort.
Courtney Love said she saw the ghost of Kurt Cobain shortly after she and their daughter moved into a Los Angeles home. Kurt appeared and said hi, then vanished. There are many reports of Jimi Hendrix’s ghost hanging out at Electric Lady Studios in New York City and at his former flat in London. Jim Morrison is said to linger at Sunset Sound Studios in Hollywood, where the Doors recorded many of their albums, and his surviving bandmates have described vivid dreams in which he appears.
Dan Aykroyd said that Mama Cass Elliot’s former home was haunted by her “lovely spirit,” describing jewelry being moved around, exercise machines turning on in the middle of the night, and the feeling that someone or something had climbed into bed with him on more than one occasion. Again, just like Ghostbusters.
Sid Vicious is said to linger at the crime scene where Nancy was killed. Allegedly, some say Buddy Holly, the Big Bopper, or Ritchie Valens—or all three—haunt the site of their plane crash, where people have reported phantom lights and mysterious music. And on February 3rd, the anniversary of the tragic plane crash, locals claim they can hear a small phantom plane flying around. As you might know, this was known as the day the music died.
Elvis Presley, John Lennon, and Michael Jackson: Ghosts of Music Legends
Of course, Elvis Presley is said to haunt Graceland, Las Vegas, and Nashville. Many staff members report lights flashing and, you know, Elvis-shaped shadows. There are rumors that some people hear a phantom piano playing. Even Mr. Wayne Newton has witnessed the ghost of Elvis. He saw him sitting there on a balcony during one of his performances. And many sightings seem to occur backstage at the Las Vegas Hilton.
The ghost of John Lennon is said to haunt the Dakota, where he was murdered. There are rumors that Yoko Ono reported seeing him in their living room, sitting at his white Imagine piano. Of course, another John Lennon ghost story comes from Paul McCartney. While the surviving Beatles were recording “Free as a Bird,” Paul recalled strange things happening and the group feeling John Lennon’s presence.
Liberace is said to haunt the Las Vegas restaurant he once owned, with reports of electrical glitches and objects moving. The ghost of Frank Sinatra is said to make appearances around his old stomping grounds. The same goes for the ghost of Hank Williams.
Then there’s Michael Jackson at Neverland, which we actually have footage of. In 2009, after Michael Jackson’s death, viewers thought they saw a figure cross a hallway during a CNN tour of the ranch. And that figure was kind of shaped like a Michael Jackson shadow, maybe. Is Michael Jackson’s spirit moonwalking through the halls of Neverland? You be the judge. And look at this amazing footage.
When Living Celebrities Encounter the Ghosts of Dead Stars
Some celebrity ghost stories aren’t tied to a single place. They follow a person into a dream or a film set or just a private encounter. What happens when dead celebrities start visiting living celebrities?
Kendrick Lamar has described dreaming that the spirit of Tupac appeared to him with a message to keep going and keep the music alive. La Kint has made a much more unusual claim that Tupac “took over her body.” Helena Bonham Carter said a psychic told her that Princess Margaret approved of her playing her in The Crown. Catherine LaNasa said that the ghost of her former husband, Dennis Hopper, visited her after his death, then returned in a dream to tell her he was no longer in pain.
While living on the former property of O.J.’s wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, Megan Mullally and her husband, Nick Offerman, described hearing strange sounds in the house and feeling the spirit of Nicole. Ana de Armas said that the spirit of Marilyn Monroe would visit the set of Blonde and would somehow connect with the cast. And Loni Anderson recalled feeling Jayne Mansfield’s presence while portraying her in a television movie.
All these accounts tell us about the people who report them just as much as they tell us about the famous dead. These ghostly encounters seem to come across more as affection for the dead celebrity or unfinished grief. They’re just sharing some, you know, afterlife admiration, some artistic respect. But whatever this is, these living celebrities think they have a strong connection to dead people who had the same occupation as them. And, yeah, some may be joking, and some may just be dreams or memories or imagination that take on a supernatural shape, but, like I said, there’s always some truth behind it.
Presidential Ghosts: Abraham Lincoln and the Haunted White House
Historical figures count as celebrities, right? Celebrity ghosts aren’t just limited to movie stars and musicians. Anywhere you go in Washington, D.C., or Savannah, Georgia, everyone’s like, “George Washington’s ghost is in there,” or “Abraham Lincoln’s ghost is seen over there.”
Abraham Lincoln is one of the most famous celebrity ghost legends. There are stories of him all over the place, but the best ones are of him in the White House, where there are many reports of Abraham Lincoln looking out windows or appearing to visitors. There are actually a lot of dead presidents in the White House who do not want to leave. Andrew Jackson is said to stomp around and swear. You’re not allowed to swear in the White House. There are other collections of ghost stories that feature the spirits of John Adams, Harry Truman, and Thomas Jefferson. The details vary, but the stories have all been repeated for generations.
I like these presidential ghost stories. They show that a historic figure can become part of a building’s identity, and these presidential ghost stories usually make White House tours a little more fun.
Betsy Ross is said to linger in her Philadelphia home. Benjamin Franklin has been linked to the library of the American Philosophical Society. And there are figures from British history popping up all over British places, such as Henry VIII, Sir Walter Raleigh, and Prince Edward V. In fact, I’m actually sure that every country in the world probably has a celebrity historical figure ghost story.
Infamous Ghosts: Bonnie and Clyde, Al Capone, and Other Outlaws
The world is big. There are a lot of ghosts out there, and a lot of them are famous, and a lot of them are infamous, like the outlaws and notorious figures who have their own haunted addresses. The bloody ghosts of Bonnie and Clyde are linked to the Louisiana site where they were killed. And Al Capone, he apparently is haunting Alcatraz. People claim to hear banjo music near his cell. Jesse James is said to haunt his family farm. Bugsy Siegel’s ghost is still doing gangster business at the Flamingo in Vegas and a Beverly Hills mansion. Aaron Burr haunts a New York restaurant in a building that was once his carriage house.
There are just so many out there. People have seen dead poet Dylan Thomas, magician and escape artist Harry Houdini, and writer and humorist Mark Twain, who also have their fair share of famous ghost stories throughout the years.
Why Celebrity Ghost Stories Continue to Fascinate Us
These celebrity ghost stories kind of give us a way to talk about death in a more, you know, comfortable, fun way. You’ve got Monroe in a mirror, Lennon at the studio, or Lincoln at the White House. These stories turn the afterlife into an image that we can picture and a place that we can visit.
When adding a leading man or a doomed starlet to your ghost story, people seem to listen up a little bit more. They want to believe a little bit more. And for some people, it’s kind of nice to have a celebrity accompanying the question, “What happens after we die?” Turning the biggest mystery ever into a spooky motion picture for our imaginations, featuring our favorite movie stars, with music by our favorite rock stars, written by our favorite dead poets.
Being a part of such a ghost story makes the witness feel as if they’re co-stars with a famed performer, like death is not going to stop them from sharing a scene. Maybe they keep coming back because we aren’t finished remembering them. We preserve their voices in recordings, their faces in photographs, and their performances in theaters and on streaming, and their names are forever echoed in the places where their stories are being told.
A celebrity ghost story is not exactly proof of an afterlife, but a celebrity ghost story is an example of the mark a person can leave on a culture, a building, or just someone who admired their work. The person may be gone, but the story stays. And sometimes that story becomes a ghost story. The energy lingers, and the legend lives on.
