Haunted Hollywood: Real Homes, Real Locations, Real Legends - Los Angeles

Haunted Hollywood: Real Homes, Real Locations, Real Legends

If you think Halloween belongs only to fog machines and studio backlots, think again. In Los Angeles, the most chilling stories are tethered to real addresses, where glamour and tragedy share walls, where the party never quite ends, and where the living still whisper about the dead. From an infamous Sunset Strip hotel to a suburban Simi Valley cul-de-sac, these haunted Hollywood homes and real locations anchor Tinseltown’s most enduring ghost lore.

Below, a guided journey through verifiable places with legendary reputations—ideal for curious locals, visiting cinephiles, and anyone crafting a haunted itinerary that balances history with hair-raising fun.

The Haunted Crown of Sunset: Chateau Marmont, West Hollywood

• Address: 8221 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA
• Why it’s famous: A-list exile and scandal sanctuary since the Golden Age
• Haunted highlights: Guests and staff have described windows unlocking on their own, furniture shifting, whispers when no one’s there, and the unnerving sensation of someone slipping into bed beside them. Hotspots include:
  • Room 64: Howard Hughes lore; balcony vantage over the pool.
  • Room 79: Often called the most haunted—moving furniture, knocks, even a reported floating head.
  • Bungalow 3: Where John Belushi died in 1982. A family once reported their toddler speaking to “the funny man,” later identifying Belushi from a photo.
• Read more: FrightFind – Chateau Marmont with corroboration in Curbed LA and Parade

Why it belongs on your Halloween short list: It’s the archetypal “if these walls could talk” property. The Chateau isn’t a prop—it’s an ongoing chapter of Hollywood’s living, and reportedly not-so-living, history. Note: The chateau is private to registered guests.

They’re Here… but the House Is Real: The Poltergeist Movie Home, Simi Valley

• Address: 4267 Roxbury Street, Simi Valley, CA
• What’s real vs. reel: The 1982 classic set the Freeling family’s suburban nightmare in this very real home, used for exteriors and select interiors (kitchen, living room, pool).
• Haunted status: The current owners have long maintained the property is blissfully poltergeist-free. For fans, it remains a pilgrimage spot and has reportedly been used as a short-term rental in recent years.
• Read more: FrightFind – The Real Poltergeist Movie House

Why it belongs on your list: Pop culture meets porch light. The house is a reminder that horror can bloom in broad daylight—and that movie magic often has a real street address.

Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel: Oscars Glamour, Ghostly Guests

• Opened: 1927
• Legends: Marilyn Monroe (mirrors and mezzanine sightings), Montgomery Clift (Room 928), Carole Lombard on upper floors, and tuxedoed apparitions in the Blossom Room (site of the first Academy Awards).
• Read more: LA Times – Haunted Hollywood landmarks, Curbed LA, Parade

Why it belongs: No other hotel so elegantly bridges Academy history with paranormal pedigree.

The Knickerbocker, Hollywood: Stardust and Sorrows

• Then-and-now: Once a celebrity-favored hotel, now senior apartments.
• Lore: Marilyn Monroe in the ladies’ room, Rudolph Valentino at the bar, and a tragic jumper whose spirit is said to linger. Houdini’s widow even held rooftop séances here—though Houdini never RSVP’d.
• Read more: Curbed LA

Why it belongs: For real Hollywood hauntings, it’s high on the leaderboard—one foot in fact, one in folklore.

Greystone Mansion and Gardens, Beverly Hills: A Gilded Crime Scene

• Claim to fame: The 1929 murder-suicide of oil heir Ned Doheny and his confidant Hugh Plunkett left an indelible mark. The grounds host public visits and film shoots; the lore of restless spirits persists.
• Read more: LA Times, MarPop

Why it belongs: It’s one of the few grand estates where true-crime and paranormal history still echo in accessible gardens and tours.

George Reeves House, Benedict Canyon: A Superman Mystery

• Event: Reeves died from a gunshot wound in 1959, officially ruled a suicide, forever debated by Hollywood historians.
• Reports: Strange sounds, disturbed rooms, and occasional apparitions have been recounted by residents and visitors.
• Read more: LA Times

Why it belongs: A tragically real story that continues to haunt the canyon—and the public imagination.

Pickfair (Then), Beverly Hills: When Royalty Haunted Royalty

• Once the most famous home in Hollywood—built by Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks—later demolished. The “woman in white” lore and later claims by Pia Zadora keep the legend alive.
• Read more: LA Times, The Hollywood Home

Why it belongs: Even after demolition, the story of Pickfair’s “woman in white” haunts the history books.

The Comedy Store, Sunset Strip: Ciro’s, Mobsters, and Midnight Whispers

• Backstory: Once Ciro’s nightclub, a mob-adjacent hotspot with sordid basement lore. Comedians and staff have reported cold spots, moving objects, and shadowy figures.
• Read more: LA Times, Parade, MarPop

Why it belongs: It’s where punchlines and poltergeists share the stage.

Pantages Theatre, Hollywood: The Howard Hughes Haunting

• Claim: A tall, thin specter—often linked to Howard Hughes—said to roam hallways in one of Hollywood’s crown-jewel theaters.
• Read more: Parade

Why it belongs: An architectural treasure with a phantom tycoon? Only in Hollywood.

Silent Movie Theatre / Brain Dead Studios, Fairfax

• Grimmer history: Founder John Hampton died following exposure to preservation chemicals; later owner Lawrence Austin was murdered in the lobby in 1997. Reports of eerie presences persist.
• Read more: LA Times

Why it belongs: Film history lingers here—sometimes uncomfortably close.

Griffith Park and the Hollywood Sign: Tragedy in the Hills

• Lore: The spirit of actress Peg Entwistle, who died in 1932 near the sign, is said to appear on the trails; Griffith Park hosts broader hauntings dating to old land disputes and accidents.
• Read more: Parade, Curbed LA map, MarPop

Why it belongs: The most iconic sign in the world carries a very human, very heartbreaking ghost story.

Planning Your Own Haunted Hollywood Route

• Bookable stays: Chateau Marmont (registered guests only), Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel.
• Public access: Greystone Mansion gardens and select tours; Pantages (for shows); Brain Dead Studios (cinema); Griffith Park trails (respect all closures and posted signs).
• Private homes: The Poltergeist house and residences like Reeves’ are private—no trespassing, no door-knocking, and absolutely no drone hovering. Be respectful neighbors, not gawkers.

Things you can search for to get more info and locations:

• “Haunted Hollywood real locations”
• “Chateau Marmont ghost stories”
• “Poltergeist movie house address”
• “Haunted hotels in Los Angeles”
• “Hollywood Roosevelt Marilyn Monroe ghost”
• “Greystone Mansion haunted history”
• “Most haunted places in LA”
• “Real haunted homes in Hollywood”

Responsible Visiting

Many of these addresses are private residences or businesses with paying guests. Always observe from public sidewalks, follow local laws, and respect residents and staff. Haunted or not, these are people’s homes and workplaces.