Location Description and History

This famous movie location has hundreds of films to its credit. Built in 1939 for the film Arizona, its great facilities have attracted moviemakers from all over the world. Some well known films and episodes from TV shows include: Dirty Dingus McGee The Three Amigos Young Guns II Rio Lobo Death of a Gunfighter High Chaparral Bonanza Gunsmoke Little House on the Prairie Old Tucson recreates the 1860's with weathered adobe or frontier buildings, board sidewalks and dusty streets. There are

Old Tucson Studios is southern Arizona's premier outdoor entertainment venue with a full array of live shows, legendary gunfights, thrilling stunts, saloon musicals and stagecoach adventures, plus a variety of rides, food, shopping and fun for the whole family. From western movie heroes like John Wayne to current box-office stars such as Harrison Ford, many of Hollywood's legends have walked these rugged streets, the setting for hundreds of major motion pictures.

Paranormal phenomena has been reported in several areas of the studios by security guards. The first is the Grand palace saloon. Several ghosts, including one of a little girl, have been spotted throughout the building. The little girl is often spotted on the stairs leading to the second floor. Adjoining the saloon is Rosa's Cafe. The apparition of a young woman has been seen here and reports of unusual noises and moving objects are common place.

The most active location within the studios is the Arizona Theater, also called "The Story teller's. This is a small underground theater that many believe is haunted by a malevolent spirit.

Although there are a few exceptions, the ghost mainly makes it presence known to women. When women enter the theater alone and sit in the back row of the theater in the dark, they began to hear noises on the stage which resemble footsteps. The footsteps then "jump" down off the stage and move towards the women at the rear of the theater. Suddenly, the subtle light coming from the theater's exit lights are blocked as if someone is standing before them. This is following by either a tapping sound or heavy breathing. Usually the women turn on a flash light at this point, revealing that no one is there.

On occasion, the ghost makes its presence known to men. This has only happened to male security guards that the "ghost" doesn't like. They often end up quitting their jobs and the few that have not refuse to enter the theater alone.

The school house is another studio building that has unusual phenomena associated with it. Security guards hear the sound of children and the lights go on and off by themselves. The door also seems to unlock itself, much to the display of the security guards.

The hauntings are not limited to specific buildings however. The ghost of a cowboy has been seen and heard walking about the town's streets. Security guards have heard the sound of footsteps and spurs moving down the streets surrounding the saloon and town hall. One security guard actually saw the "cowboy" walk right past her and through the locked door of one of the studio's shops.

Another phenomena that occurs through the studios is called "Shadow man" by employees. Basically it appears like a dark human figure that seems to follow (or stalk) security guards and visitors.

Other unusual activities that occur are the random turning on of building lights around the studios.

This was the second time we were hosted by the 93.7 KRQ Ghost Patrol to Old Tucson Studios. The assembled team consisted of Cody Polston, Bob Carter, Lori Anderson, Frank Manis, Nathan and Tanya Brown, Letty Lynch Nadony, Marcie Mata, Katie Barron and Pasquale and Renee DiFabrizio. The major focus of this ghost hunt was the Grand Palace saloon although we did look over a few of the other known active locations within the studio grounds. On this night things were hopping. Lights were turned on in locked buildings and the music came on by itself in Rosa's cafe even though all the control panel switches were turned off. Later that evening a box fell from the second floor balcony down to land next to some of our guys inside the Palace. There was no one close enough to the box to have accidentally knocked it over and the staff is quite sure it was positioned so that it could not fall down.

Around midnight, the lights started turning on and off all around the studios. That's hard to explain, as several of the buildings were locked securely and the only people with keys were with us the whole time.

Photographs

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