Ghost Shows were scary magic shows performed in early movie theaters

What is it about?

Ghost Shows were magic shows that were performed on the stages of vaudeville houses as they were transforming into movie theaters during the early twentieth century. Touring magicians would do a short creepy-themed magic show that lasted about 20 to 40 minutes and then show a horror film. The earliest ghost shows were often seance themed. Later ghost shows (influenced by Universal Monster films) used more horrific illusions and were often set in a mad doctors' lab. The common element was that the ghost show contained a blackout sequence wherein all of the lights in the theater would go dark and luminous figures would "fly" throughout the theater. The blackout sequence also contained other creepy effects.

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Why is it important?

Many people have never heard of this form of popular entertainment, but they were ubiquitous throughout the mid-twentieth century in movie houses. Ghost shows often broke attendance records and offered touring magicians a way to continue performing as the number of traditional theatrical venues dwindled. These shows borrowed "ballyhoo" marketing techniques from the sideshows, tent shows and carnivals, techniques that are still in use in film promotion today. Some also consider these entertainments to be forerunners of the midnight movies, since they were often performed in the movie theaters at midnight.