Ghost Guide to Los Angeles' Most Haunted Places

Yes, it's true that The Magic Castle has been the most famous magicians-only nightclub since 1962, but what you might not know is that the castle is also rumored to be haunted. Some say the ghost of Houdini himself wanders the halls of the castle, critiquing sloppy magicians from beyond the Earthly veil.

If you see anything in the mirror next time you stay at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, don’t be scared- it’s only Marilyn Monroe! In life, she often stayed here in a luxurious poolside suite. We can’t blame her for sticking around, though: after a stay at this opulent hotel, you won't want to leave, either!

There are quite a few ghosts that are said to haunt the Chinese Theatre, one of the world's most famous theaters, but the most famous spectral resident is actor Victor Kilian, who has been scaring away burglars, mysteriously appearing and disappearing, and allegedly screaming at guests since his death in 1979.

Chateau Marmont is one of the grandest hotels in LA and one of the most popular Sunset Boulevard icons... it's also super haunted. It's no stranger to celebrity deaths, as it was the site of John Belushi's death in 1982, and in 2004, it was where photographer Helmut Newton died after crashing his car when leaving the hotel.

Even though the Chateau is known for its strict secrecy, staff and guests have let slip rumors of strange paranormal goings-on, including the ghost of Belushi himself. Windows open and close, furniture moves by itself, and guests have even reported experiences with a female ghost who jumps into bed with you.

Originally home to mobsters and gangsters alike, The Comedy Store was a salacious and dangerous hangout until the late 50s. Rumored to be haunted by many of the hitmen who spent their days in the building, The Comedy Store is one of the city's most haunted locations, with many stories of unexplainable sights and sounds. It's said that the basement levels were once home to an illegal abortion clinic, and people claim to have seen apparitions of nurses in white scrubs disappearing into thin air.

There are plenty of "Dead Man's Curves" across the country, but this one on Sunset Boulevard is the original. The most famous crash to happen at Dead Man's Curve involved Mel Blanc (the voice of Bugs Bunny), who nearly broke every bone in his body. Though he didn't die from his injuries, it hasn't stopped many from seeing him standing at the curve in the road, as if warning drivers to slow down.

Hollywood legend Orson Welles appreciated- well, appreciates- a good meal, finished off with a drink and a cigar, so it’s fitting that he haunts his former location of his favorite restaurant, now Sweet Lady Jane. He’s been seen sitting at his favorite table, and sometimes you can smell the scent of his brandy and cigars.

The Hollywood Forever Cemetery has had a long, rocky, and interesting history. The Hollywood Memorial Park Cemetery was created in 1899 in a prime location on Santa Monica Boulveard (right next to Paramount studios), and in 1939 it was purchased by Jules Roth, who was more concerned with using the cemetery's profits to fund his lavish lifestyle than to keep the cemetery in decent condition. As a result, many of the graves were damaged and vandalized, and even the crematory was literally falling down while bodies were being cremated. Roth died in 1997, and new owners purchased the cemetery, which was on the verge of bankruptcy anyways. It was refurbished, had kiosks with info on those interred there put in, and renamed "Hollywood Forever".

Celebs like Rudolph Valentino, Mickey Rooney, Douglas Fairbanks, Johnny and Dee Dee Ramone, Cecil DeMille, Bugsy Siegel, George Harrison, Jayne Mansfield, and Mel Blanc are buried here, and the cemetery is home to Cinespia, the world's most interesting outdoor movie-going experience.

Pretty much anyone who has ever worked at Pico House has had paranormal experiences that range anywhere from footsteps to unexplainable shadows. The hotel, which opened its doors in 1870, has become one of the most notoriously haunted buildings in the city, thanks to its countless tales from beyond the grave. One of the most famous ghosts is Mexican governor Don Pio Pico, who helped to built the hotel. Some of the other ghosts reportedly hanging around Pico House are from the many Chinese men massacred in the area in 1871.

The Cecil Hotel is one of LA’s most famous hotels, thanks in part to its dark history. Home to murderers, maniacs, and ghosts, some say the Cecil is anything but your average hotel: they say that it’s cursed. In recent years the hotel has become a hot spot for paranormal enthusiasts (both Ghost Hunters and Ghost Adventures have featured the building on their shows, and it inspired "American Horror Story: Hotel") who believe the building is haunted by the spirits of the countless people who have met their end here. If you’re thinking about spending the night you might want to bring some holy water, and hope that you make it through the night.

The infamous Elizabeth Short, aka the Black Dahlia, had her very last drink at the Biltmore bar on the fateful night in 1947, before she was brutally murdered. Later the next morning, her dismembered body would be found, hacked in two, in a vacant lot near Leimert park.

The ghost of the Black Dahlia has been witnessed by staff, who refuse to visit the first floor, where she allegedly spends her time. She has also been spotted many times in the mezzanine, dressed all in black, and when a staff member calls out to her, she turns and disappears into a wall.

Rumored to be the home of at least two separate ghosts, the Pantages Theatre is home to "The Singer", a ghost who, legend has, it died in the lobby in 1932. The other spirit said to haunt the theater is the ghost of Howard Hughes, who was the official owner of the Pantages in 1949. Over the years, the second floor has been reported by employees to be a paranormal hotspot, where the apparition of both spirits appear.

On Halloween in 1936, Harry Houdini's wife held a seance on the Knickerbocker Hotel's roof. It was the 10th anniversary of her husband;s death and 300 guests were invited to help form the outer circle. The entire ritual was witnessed by scientists, occult specialists, reporters, and magicians. Unfortunately Houdini's ghost experienced some stage fright that night, but that hasn't stopped guests from experiencing some strange goings-on.

Many people have spotted shadows that move around the basement, passing through doors that mysteriously open on their own. Many attribute the strange phenomenon to the ghost of a woman who committed suicide by jumping off the roof.

Most everyone is familiar with the Manson murders which happened on August 9, 1969 on 10050 Cielo Drive. The house that stands today has been rebuilt over the original building, where a pregnant Sharon Tate and several others where brutally murdered the by Manson family members, fueled by drugs and the ideas of crazed cult leader Charles Manson.

Previous owners admit that while living in the house, they experienced countless paranormal experiences, including apparitions of the deceased. Famous parapsychologist Barry Taff visited the home and reported that he had discovered a massive geomagnetic disturbance, which may be the cause of the excessive paranormal activity at the house. To date, it's considered one of the most haunted buildings in the world.