LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Back in the 1920s, Louisville’s 4th Street was called Theater Square. In the heyday of movies and cinemas, it was the place to be on evenings and weekends. As that era faded, many of the theaters did too. However, the Louisville Palace Theater withstood the test of time.
Perhaps some of its original crew members and patrons have, too.
“I think when you have such emotion, such passion, driven crew workers…it’s just natural for them to want to continue here after they have passed,” said Mallory Kramer, Marketing Manager for the Louisville Palace.
The Lousiville Palace opened in 1928 and is one of only two “movie houses” to have survived the urban renewal of downtown Louisville. Millions of visitors have enjoyed films, shows, and productions in the theater over the years.
However, the Louisville Palace has also become known for a series of haunted happenings.
Kramer said on one particular night, a production manager was visited by a pair of mischievous children. He was alerted by the sounds of running footsteps but, after a search of the building, he found he was alone. As he went to lock up for the night, his “visitors” had one more trick up their sleeve.
“He turns to go back downstairs, and he gets shoved,” Kramer said. “He hears two little children laughing and running away.”
Ghostly children aren’t a common occurrence at the theater. However, there are a couple of visitors who make their presence known more often.
Crew members have named one of these visitors “Bernie”. They said Bernie is a crew worker of the past who resides in the projection room. He likes to keep a close eye on the modern-day crew members at the Palace. Sometimes, he gets a little too close.
“He’s a bit of a trickster…and he can be a flirt as well,” she said.
Female workers have felt taps on their shoulders or someone playing with their hair when they go into the projection room. And when he’s not flirting with the ladies, he’s messing with the men.
“He likes to slam the doors on them. He kind of likes to shove them.” Despite his “hands-on” approach, Kramer said Bernie’s tricks are “all in good fun.”
Kramer’s personal experience with the Palace’s ghosts was a sighting of the “Grey Lady”. Nearly all the staff and most of the facilities team has had an experience with the mysterious spirit. Kramer spotted her one day as she was walking into the theater.
“I just see something out of the corner of my eye,” she said. “I walk over…and there’s just a woman walking four or five paces. She’s transparent – you can see through her – but she’s clear as day, just standing there. And then…she just disappears.”
You would think that these ghostly sightings would have the crew at the Louisville Palace a little spooked, but they haven’t. In fact, Kramer said they’re more concerned with the Palace’s living patrons.
“We more afraid of negative spirits or somebody not being happy with their experience…We want them to have the best experience possible.”
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