The Haunted Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel
No other LA hotel embodies Old Hollywood glam with the history to back it up than the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel. If you worked in the film industry and you wanted to be seen, this is where you would hang out. Even in death, some celebrities can’t get enough of the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel. It has the distinction of being Hollywood's most haunted hotel.
photo by Bohao Zhao / CC 3.0
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Early Roosevelt Hotel History
The Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel opened its doors on May 15, 1927, at the beginning of the Golden Age of Hollywood, and was named for President Teddy Roosevelt. Mary Pickford, Douglas Fairbanks, Louis B. Mayer, and Sid Grauman collaborated to build the Spanish Revival-style hotel to meet the growing demand for luxury accommodations as the film industry’s population grew. The prime Hollywood Boulevard location across from Grauman's Chinese Theatre made the hotel a natural host for the first Academy Awards in 1929 in the Blossom Ballroom.
A-listers such as Charlie Chaplin, Marilyn Monroe, Greta Bargo, Clark Gable, and Carole Lombard lived long-term at the hotel so it’s no wonder there are famous ghosts that refuse to leave this beautiful place.
The Famous Cinegrill Theater
The Cinegrill opened in 1936 offering guests a variety of shows, including cabaret shows and musical acts. To access the theater you had to enter the library bar and pass through a secret bookcase entrance. The stage is decked out in red velvet curtains and gold fringe. The inviting booth seating is upholstered with sumptuous navy blue velvet. You will feel like you have been transported back to the Golden Age of Hollywood.
Notables such as F. Scott Fitzgerald, Ernest Hemingway, and Humphrey Bogart perched on stools here drinking. Although the theater closed in the early 2000s, it was reopened in 2022 with much success. Classic Cinema Nights featuring Psycho and Rebel Without a Cause are offered every week as well as other events like cabaret-style shows.
The Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel offers iconic Old Hollywood vibes and atmosphere to all who enter its door even to this day. Some visitors may be surprised by the number of resident ghosts who call the hotel home.
Marilyn Monroe's Ghost
Marilyn Monroe spent two years at the beginning of her acting career in a poolside cabana room at the Roosevelt. Some of her happiest times in Hollywood were spent here, so it’s only natural she would return after her death to relive those happy times.
A full-length mirror owned by Marilyn is located on a landing between the first and second floors. This mirror was originally located in her suite and was removed after her death. People say they have seen her reflection in the mirror!
The Haunting Music of Montgomery Clift
Ninth-floor guests have complained about hearing bugle music coming from room 928. These odd incidents are attributed to Montgomery Clift who had a role as an Army bugler in From Here to Eternity in 1953. He was known to practice the bugle for 3 months in preparation for his role in the movie. Guests have seen him in the hotel room and reported that he likes to turn the thermostat up and switch on the radio regularly.
Carole Lombard and Clark Gable's Penthouse
Clark Gable and Carole Lombard's iconic love story could be the plot of a romantic comedy until it turned tragic. The two became reacquainted in 1936 at a party, but Gable was still married to Maria “Ria” Langham. It was an open secret in Hollywood circles that Clark and Carole kept a 3200-square-foot penthouse suite on the 12th floor of the Roosevelt Hotel so they could be together without prying eyes. The suite has three levels and a rooftop patio with 360-degree views of Hollywood. The couple rented the suite for $5 per night.
Once Grable was earning enough, he had divorce papers served to Ria. Eventually, she signed the divorce papers, and Clark Gable and Ria Langham were divorced on March 9, 1939. That same month on March 29th Carole and Clark were married in a quiet ceremony in Kingman, Arizona. In just three short years, Carole would die in a plane crash in Nevada.
Clark and Carole spent some of their happiest times together at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel so it's natural that they would return there in death. They also snuck away to the haunted Georgian Hotel in Santa Monica to avoid the press. When Clark Gable passed away on November 16, 1960, his widow Kay honored his wishes and had him interred next to Carole Lombard in Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, California. I am sure once they were reunited in death, they agreed that the Roosevelt was the best place to stay.
Several guests have reported seeing the two on separate occasions. Hotel staff spend as little time as possible in the suite because they are well aware of the ghosts. Would you stay the night in a luxury penthouse suite if you knew it was haunted?
Other Haunted Hotspots in the Hotel
On numerous occasions there have been reports of a man in a tuxedo in the Blossom Ballroom and another man in a white suit playing the piano, but when someone walks into the ballroom the piano immediately goes silent. Is the ghost shy or just trying to scare the living?
Security guards have captured camera footage of rogue after-hours guests swimming in the iconic Tropicana Pool, but when they go down to the pool area in person no one was there. After they radioed back to the main security room and found that no one was there, their coworker stated the figure was standing right next to them!
Guests also reported hearing loud voices and footsteps in the hallways, but when they opened their door to look the hall was empty. The front desk receives phone calls from unoccupied rooms and when someone investigates, the room is empty and the phone is off the receiver. A member of housekeeping claimed she was pushed into a utility closet by unseen hands. It seems the spirits are pranksters and not truly malicious.
Staying at the Haunted Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel
If you want to rub elbows with celebrities alive or dead consider booking a stay at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel and request one of the most haunted rooms. Spend a weekend with Marilyn's ghost in the Marilyn Monroe Suite. Or play a duet with Montgomery Clift in room 928.
The hotel is featured on many ghost and Hollywood tours as it’s in the heart of Hollywood. If the Roosevelt’s ghosts aren’t enough for you, across Hollywood Boulevard is Grauman’s Chinese Theater (now known as TCL Chinese Theater), which is also haunted by several spirits. The historic Hollywood landmark is famous for its handprints and footprints of movie stars embedded in the forecourt.
You can search for your favorite stars along the Hollywood Walk of Fame in front of the hotel and the surrounding streets. During Oscar and Grammy season, the hotel is bustling with people and the room rates are much higher. But you could run into your favorite celebrity crush then! It's a tradition for famous attendees to grab drinks at Roosevelt's bar across the street before each Oscar ceremony at the Dolby Theatre.
Have you visited the Roosevelt Hotel or encountered any celebrity ghosts? I would love to hear your story. Drop me a message! Don't forget to subscribe to the Spooky Traveling newsletter to stay up to date on the latest dark adventure. And always stay weird, Spooky friend!
Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel
7000 Hollywood Blvd Los Angeles, California 90028
323-856-1970
