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 The Pasadena Playhouse Posted by:  Bugmeister
N 34° 08.704 W 118° 08.220
11S E 395176 N 3778824
The Pasadena Playhouse, named the official theater of California in 1937, is haunted by its founder Gilmore Brown.
Waymark Code: WM3AMT
Location: California, United States
Date Posted: 03/05/2008
Views: 47
Born in North Dakota in 1886, Gilmore had a diverse career in acting and theater company management, touring throughout the country and Canada before settling his troupe, “The Gilmore Brown Players,” in Pasadena in 1916. His newly dubbed Community Players performed in several facilities there, including the Savoy, a renovated burlesque house. Finally in 1924, the cornerstone was laid on a new theater, the Pasadena Community Playhouse, and the company moved in the following year.
During the Golden Years from 1925 to 1937, the Playhouse produced more than 500 new plays, including 23 American and 277 world premieres. Being close to Hollywood, the Pasadena Playhouse often drew film stars to its casts. Over the years, many of today’s stars – such as Dustin Hoffman, Gene Hackman, Rue McClanahan, Jamie Farr, and Sally Struthers – received some of their early training at the Playhouse’s theater school. Following Gilmore’s death in 1960, the Playhouse fell into decline, finally closing its doors in 1969. Restoration of the theater began in 1979, and in 1986 the Pasadena Playhouse once again started a full subscription season of plays and musicals.
There have been reports for decades of Gilmore Brown’s ghost playing pranks throughout the theater. Although his apparition has never been seen, a presence thought to be Gilmore’s is often felt. Most often, he performs harmless practical jokes. The Activity is so frequent that, these days, almost anything unusual that occurs at the Playhouse is blamed on Gilmore.
One of the house managers, Betty Jean Morris, has kept a journal of some of the more recent ghost activity at the Playhouse:
· Some personal objects, such as Morris’ own binoculars, have disappeared from the otherwise empty theater.
· Staff members have reported leaving some small item (such as a file or documents) in one location, only to find it only minutes later in another part of the theater.
· One time, the front door could not be unlocked; later, the same lock unlocked on its own.
· During the Sunday matinees of one particular production, and at exactly the same time each week for a month, the house lights in the theater would come up on the their own. The electrician could find no natural cause or explanation.
· For a time, the controls and earphones in the overhead booth would be rearranged when the sound and light crew left for their break during intermissions, even though the booth was locked. They finally posted an usher as a guard during intermissions. No one entered the booth, yet the controls still somehow were reset.
· The elevator frequently stops at the third floor, even if it’s not the passenger’s destination. For many years, Gilmore Brown kept his office on the third floor.
Public access?:
The front court yard is accessible but the interior requires special permission...or a ticket.
Visting hours:
Check your local paper for showtimes
Website about the location and/or story: [Web Link]
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