Did you know the Tampa Theatre is haunted? I found this out recently when I was at Borders Books and considering that Halloween is Sunday, I have been thinking about ghost and stuff. In fact, it seems the Tampa Bay area is full of ghost.
According to Haunted Houses.com
"thedesign of this beautiful theater is described as being "an eclectic blend of Italian Renaissance, Greek Revival and "Florida Mediterranean styles." Gargoyles decorate the main lobby, which has a terrazzo floor. The interior is decorated by statues, terra-cottas, copper and brass jugs, detailed tapestries and banners, reproductions of paintings hang on the walls, dozens of gilt-edged mirrors highlight the decorations and atmosphere of the place. The large ceiling of the auditorium is a mass of blue sky and hundreds of twinkling stars. It originally had 10,000 light bulbs."
Foster Fink Finley is said to haunt the place. He was the long term organist that played from 1930-1965 when he died of a heart attack during a movie showing, in the projection booth! As with many ghost, it took years before strange manifestations began to occur.
People who have walked by the projection booth (which is very small) have heard knocking coming from inside. Now that would scare the shize out me. People inside the booth, when trying to leave, cannot get the door open. It is as if someone is pressing it closed. At night, people have felt someone tapping them on the shoulder. They turn around and nobody is there. I'm running man.
It is said that if you leave an object at a specific spot, in the morning it will have moved to another place. This was confirmed in 1984 during a controlled experiment. Someone may have been in on it.
Anyway, I was taking a man from California to the Tampa Theatre this morning to attend a wedding of of Robert and Yari (their names are on the marque) . They picked a beautiful palce for their nuptials. I hope they don't have an unexpected guest. Woo!
It is a good story.
Posted by: air jordan | Friday, 12 November 2010 at 01:07 AM
Wow but you sure do bring back memories to me! My son & I started going to The Tampa when he was probably 8 or 10 (he's 43 now), got season passes to all the movies, etc., back then! I was remembering growing up here in Birmingham (The Tampa Theater opened in 1926, The Alabama Theater opened in 1927), going to it when I was a kid in the 40s & on! The Alabama, like The Tampa, has been fully restored for several years now! I've never been to The Fox in Atlanta - it opened in 1929. What palaces those are! I'm so glad they are restored & being used again! As the old song goes, "Thanks for the memories!" Netagene
Posted by: Netagene | Saturday, 30 October 2010 at 06:32 PM