Ghost Hunters Season 9, Episode 26: Phantoms of the Opera

1

Hollywood Horror Stories

Hooray for Hollywood? Actually, this time Hollywood is cheering for TAPS as they come in to solve some age-old mysteries in famed haunted locations. The season 9 opener starts at The Sowden House. This is the site of the Black Dalia murder. They meet Steve Hodell, whose surgeon father was the original suspect in the vicious attack. This is L.A.'s most infamous murder, where Elizabeth Short was surgically cut in half, and both halves were carefully posed on the side of the road. George believes his father murdered 9 other women in the basement. His sister, Rita, saw apparitions in the basement. Rita's experiences include seeing shadows in the night, hearing voices and other strange sounds- including chains being dragged. Everyone wants to know who these spirits are and what they want. An intensely personal request, which is what TAPS does best. Big news!! Michelle Tate, runner up from Ghost Hunters academy, is now joining the team. Everyone is excited to see her, and Jason reminds her that professionalism is key, and she needs to remember that not every noise is paranormal. During the investigation, K.J. and Britt monitor the cameras and notice a figure walking halfway across the room and then returning to the bathroom that was likely the murder scene. What is that?? It looks like half a human being, and Elizabeth Short was cut in half! Jason believes that whether the ghost haunting the house is the spirit of George Hodell or one of his victims, they would be more apt to reach out to Michelle. So she's alone in the bathroom, and hears footsteps and pacing. In the basement, K.J. and Britt mix the shadow detector and the laser grid technologies. They see odd movements and hear strange noises. Later, Michelle and Adam hear a woman's voice in the hallway. Analysis revealed that the footsteps Michelle heard in the bathroom were from someone outside, and the figure that Britt and K.J. saw turned out to be a crew member. Bummer! That would have been awesome evidence! However, the team managed to catch a recording of a child's voice saying "It's George and Charles", and another voice saying "Did you even know my name?" Rita feels validated about her feelings about her childhood home. TAPS help another client! Next: Madame Tussauds' Wax Museum. With the famous wax figures come frightening stories! What a freaky place to investigate! The client, John, says employees hear music after hours and the presence of someone with them. Employees claim Bette Davis' eyes move, and see figures (not even wax ones), and a sign turns on and off. Victor Killian, an actor, was beaten to death nearby. Is his ghost haunting the museum? Or are the wax figures just freaking people out? Britt and K.J. pick up crazy EMF readings, while Jason and Steve hear humming on the second floor. Wait a minute, Steve realizes it could be a backdraft in the elevator. Tango and Adam hear strange sounds, but when they investigate some mysterious shadow movements they realize blinking lights are the culprit- not ghosts! Debunked! Evidence analysis showed strange noises the team recorded, and convincing video of a figure crossing the Bette Davis Room. Jason tells John, the client, that this looks to be paranormal. But there's no way to confirm whether or not it is Victor Killian.

45 min

2

Ghost mission

Josh Gates of Destination Truth joins TAPS as they investigate the centuries old Mission of San Jaun Capistrano.

45 min

3

Prescription for fear

Renovations at Peoria Asylum in Bartonville, Illinois, are slowed down by strange occurrences, which are investigated by the team.

45 min

4

Permanent residents

An investigation into the 1890 House in Cortland, N.Y., delves into the background of the mansion's original owner, businessman Chester F. Wickwire, and his ancestors.

45 min

5

All Ghosts On Deck

Kentucky sure has its share of ghosts! Tonight TAPS returns to the Bluegrass State to investigate The Belle of Louisville, the oldest operating steamboat in America. The beautiful and colorful exterior of this vessel isn't enough to cover up the ship's history of rumors, mystery and murder! Captain Winters, the longtime head of the steamboat, was not a nice guy. Apparently he sent one of his mates, Floyd, to the paddle wheel and then turned it on, killing Floyd! Winters later died on the ship of a heart attack. Mark Doty, the current captain, is skeptical of paranormal claims. But his crew has seen more than their share of activity. Shadow figures, moving blue lights, voices, whispering, doors swinging and even a face-to-face encounter with the ghost of Captain Winters! The crew is freaked out by the increasing intensity of the experiences, and suspect that the activity has moved to the neighboring lifesaving station as well. Captain Doty would like TAPS to put his night watchmen at ease. During the investigation, Britt and Michelle conclude that high EMF levels may be serving as a conduit for the spirits moving between the two ships. Jason and Steve chase footsteps from the boiler room to the ballroom to the gangway, but can't find the source. A mysterious swinging door catches Tango and Michelle's attention, but it turns out the wind is the culprit. Jason and Steve continue to chase Floyd on the neighboring ship, but determine that the high EMF levels on that ship could be causing the crew to misguidedly perceive paranormal activity. On the main deck, Britt and Adam see a large black shadow just where the ship crew claims to see figures, and they can't debunk it. Britt and Adam experience shuffling footsteps and flashing lights in the life saving station and continue to hear unusual noises. In the captain's quarters, they have shocking conversation with Captain Winters. Michelle and Britt then have a conversation with Floyd in the lifesaving station using a REM-pod. While a lot of claims were debunked in this investigation, during the analysis the team discovers recording of voices that weren't detected. Great investigating once again!

45 min

6

Ghosts From Hale

The TAPS team travels to CT to investigate the Nathan Hale homestead.

45 min

7

Scream Park

The team investigate paranormal activity being reported by the new owner of an amusement park in Sylvan Beach, N.Y

45 min

8

The Ghost Hasn't Left the Building

The team travel to Louisiana to investigate the Shreveport Municipal Auditorium, a National Historic Landmark where famous singers like Elvis Presley and Johnny Cash got their start.

45 min

9

Ghost Friends Forever

The TAPS team travels to Little Rock, AR to investigate a bungalow and the neighboring residence in which strange happenings are affecting the Jones family. What will the TAPS team find there? Will they be able to ease the fears of the Jones family?

45 min

10

Vintage Spirits

Reports of paranormal activity at the Belvoir Winery in Liberty, Mo.

45 min

11

Hoover Damned

Nevada's Boulder City Hospital is investigated.

45 min

12

Something In The Water

The Elms Hotel and Spa in Excelsior Springs, Mo., is investigated by the team.

45 min

13

Undying Love

TAPS travels to Monticello, Ark. to investigate a mansion with a dark history.

45 min

14

The Coroner's Case

TAPS checks out a building where employees and the owner are experiencing terrifying paranormal activity.

45 min

15

Shock Island

TAPS investigates the Pennsylvania Asylum and Testing Lab.

45 min

16

Hyde and Seek

TAPS investigates the infamous Hyde Hall in Cooperstown, N.Y.

45 min

17

Orphans of Gettysburg

TAPS travels to Gettysburg for the first time to look into strange phenomena that connect Civil War orphans with the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg.

45 min

18

Phantom Fleet

The team investigates three former service vessels at the Buffalo Naval and Military Park.

45 min

19

Don't Forget About Us

Old homes harbor secrets. The TAPS team is about to discover this amidst an oddly-shaped house with secret passages.

45 min

20

Family Plot

The team looks into a phenomena connected to a gruesome event known as the Ceely Rose murders in Lucas, Ohio.

45 min

21

Dead Presidents

The team travels to King George, Va. to investigate Belle Grove Plantation, which has ties to two U.S. presidents; in Winchester, Va., the team investigates historic Jordan Springs.

45 min

22

Nine Men's Misery

The team heads to Cumberland Library & Monastery in Cumberland, R.I. to check out the graves of monks and nine murdered colonists who have never been allowed to rest in peace.

45 min

23

An Officer and an Apparition

The TAPS team celebrate their 10th anniversary when they travel to the Old City Hall in Brunswick, Ga., to investigate claims that a person who died during a 19th-century shooting is haunting the premises today.

45 min

24

A Textbook Case

The TAPS team explore an abandoned school in Barnegat, N.J., looking into reports that the apparition of a beloved teacher who died in 1965 is luring children inside the building. Later, they arrive in Clay County, Fla., on a mission to discover if an old courthouse and jail is haunted by the ghosts of inmates and a murdered sheriff.

45 min

25

The 200th Episode: Grant is Back

TAPS return to the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum in Weston, West Virginia, for their 200th episode, which finds the team reunited with Grant, Dustin and Joe. Efforts are made to reach former patients who suffered tragic lives in the hospital.

45 min

26

Phantoms of the Opera

In the Season 9 finale, the TAPS team celebrate Halloween as they investigate reports of paranormal activity at the Cincinnati Music Hall in Ohio.

45 min