Haunted Lives: True Ghost Stories
Haunted Lives: True Ghost Stories was an American paranormal anthology television miniseries that originally broadcast from to, on CBS and UPN. This short-lived program comprised three primetime specials that featured re-enactments of ghost stories told by real people who experienced alleged paranormal activity. The docudrama series used actors and special effects, and then introduced the witnesses who reported such phenomena.
The series was developed for television by Bruce Nash and Allan Zullo, authors of the popular book series, Haunted Kids: True Ghost Stories.
Format
Each segment follows reenactments of events with the characters narrating. At the end of each re-creation, the real witnesses involved appear and give their account of the events, including more recent activity. These portions were usually filmed at or near the location in question. In the Episode 2 story "Terror For Rent", the actual witnesses appeared in silhouette to conceal their true identities.The first two specials were called Haunted Lives, and the third and final special was renamed to Real Ghosts.
The opening narration is slightly altered for the final episode:
The specials have been narrated by Leonard Nimoy and Stacy Keach.
Episode Breakdown
Episode 1 (a.k.a. ''Real Ghosts II'')
Original air date: Wednesday, May 15, 1991, CBSEpisode 1 consists of three segments, all directed by Tobe Hooper, known for Poltergeist and The Texas Chain Saw Massacre: and edited by Jonathan Moser who also created the special effects in the show.
;1. "Ghosts R Us"
A female stockperson in Toys R Us in Sunnyvale, California is frightened from her job in the storeroom. Her supervisor doesn't know what to make of it until her other employees tell their stories. Two of the employees discover the ghost could be Yonny Yonson, a working immigrant who died when the property was still the Old Murphy Ranch. Yonny was in love with the daughter of his boss, but she rejected him. He died in an accident with an axe while chopping wood. Unsure what to do, the Toys R Us employees call in renowned psychic Sylvia Browne, who tries to send Yonny's spirit to the light, but it's quite obvious he won't leave.
;2. "The Legend of Kate Morgan"
Attorney Alan May investigates the ghost of Kate Morgan at Hotel del Coronado in San Diego, California. When he discovers he has the wrong room because the rooms were renumbered in the past, he tracks down Kate's real room and encounters her spirit and lives through a place memory of her murder. Through research, he discovers Kate's real name was Lottie Bernard and her son might have been his own ancestor.
;3. "School Spirit"
In Austin, Texas, men tearing down an old school are scared by voices and images of young ghost as well as experience equipment problems. The foreman is losing time and money so he gets a psychic to deal with the problem and things seem to get better. One of the workmen starts getting a feeling that the ghosts are back but is ordered back to work. When a wall falls the wrong way, he gets killed. The foreman vows to destroy the school, but they never completely go away. When he reburies a tree from the Metz Elementary site in his daughter's yard, his son-in-law reports hearing the sounds of happy children coming from it.
; Cast & Crew
Narrator: Leonard Nimoy
Writer: David Braff, Al Katz, Gilbert Adler, Peter M. Lenkov
Director: Tobe Hooper
Editor: Jonathan Moser
Show Stars: Leonard Nimoy,
Guest Stars: Kent Burden, Sarah Carson, Hector Elias, John Hammil, Shawn Kristy, Eileen Jo Bowman, Eli Guralnick, Juan Garcia, Del Zamora, Robert Jacobs, Van Williams, Alvin Silver
Notes:
The Toys R Us ghost was also featured on the TV series That's Incredible and Ripley's Believe it or Not!. Each show featured photos of the ghost from the 1978 seance.
Hotel del Coronado featured in this episode has also been featured in the Haunted Hotels series on Travel Channel as well as the special, Ghosts: Caught On Tape.
Quotes:
Trivia:
Renowned psychic Sylvia Browne portrays herself in one of the recreations. She has often appeared on The Montel Williams Show.
Allusions:
Joe Torres: "What do you want me to do? Call Ghostbusters?!"
Joe says this to his sons who work for him. He is referring to the 1984 movie which starred Dan Aykroyd, Bill Murray and Sigourney Weaver.
Margie: "I can see him. He looks like Casper."
Margie says this while Sylvia is trying to get the ghost of Yonni Yonson to appear. This is an allusion to the popular cartoon series Casper the Ghost, which later became a motion picture.
Episode 2 (a.k.a. ''Real Ghosts III'')
Original air date: Wednesday, September 23, 1992, CBSEpisode 2 consists of three segments:
;1. "Unfinished Business"
In Double Oak, Texas, domineering Bob Clanton rules his family with an iron fist. He harshly critiques his sons and constantly tests their patience. Bob dies in a motorcycle accident; as Bob is being buried, his family notices his corpse suddenly open its eyes. Soon, Bob's ghost is back to haunt the family, but a psychic explains he is just seeking forgiveness.
;2. "Terror For Rent"
In Van Nuys, California, a young couple buys the house of their dreams. Soon, the couple devolves into arguments that nearly turn violent, but the husband drags his wife out of the house upon seeing a ghost. Actual video footage from the real location shows purported poltergeist activity.
;3. "Motel Hell"
Doretta Johnson buys a former hotel near Madison, Indiana to convert into a family business. After moving in, birds fly into the house and are later found dead. The ghost of a little girl is seen in the bathtub where she was killed, and a childlike voice echoes through the place at night. When the hauntings become threatening, the family wants to leave, but they can't afford it.
; Cast & Crew
Narrator: Stacy Keach
Writer: Lee Goldberg, William Rabkin, Morgan Gendel
Director: Charles Braverman
Show Stars: Stacy Keach,
Guest Stars: Eileen Jo Bowman, Eli Guralnick, Peter DeLuise, Jeri Gaile, Steven Barr, Marianne Muellerleile, Joe Colligan, Carl Ciarfalio, Bart Braverman, Jared Rushton, J. P. Bumstead, Doren Fein, David Kaufman, Kyle Buckley, Laura Waterbury
Episode 3 (a.k.a. ''Real Ghosts'')
Original air date: Tuesday, November 28, 1995, UPNEpisode 3 consists of two stories and a new "Ghost Watch" segment:
;1. "The Brotherhood"
A college freshman at Kansas State University in Manhattan, Kansas is protected by the ghost of a prior fraternity member killed in a hazing incident at Phi Beta Delta Fraternity. Among his future brothers, Josh Pickering also meets the ghost of Duncan who protects all new pledges and terrorizes the fraternity's brothers. Josh discovers the story about Duncan after an old alumni member named Wally Marshall who had covered up the truth of Duncan's death dies in the fraternity house. After Duncan warns Josh and the fraternity of a fire, Josh decides to lay Duncan's spirit to rest by making him a part of the fraternity.
;2. "Ghost Watch"
This new segment rapidly features three mini-stories, told by the people who witnessed them. In Somers, Connecticut, the McCauley family are terrorized by a malevolent spirit that focuses its demonic attention on the children. In North Arlington, New Jersey, the Yuelling family is terrorized by their murdered daughter and her killer. In Atwater, California, The Castle Air Museum displays a ghost B-29 bomber, piloted by a friendly ghost named Arthur.
;3. "The Headless Ghost"
The story of the hauntings at Bobby Mackey's Music World in Wilder, Kentucky.
His pregnant wife is constantly spooked and is nearly attacked even as employee Carl warns Bobby the place is not right. A psychic detects a well under the foundation and a patron is attacked by a presence in the toilet. Bobby still isn't sure what to make of the haunting, but he loves the publicity they bring to the place.
; Cast & Crew
Narrator: Stacy Keach
Writer: Erik Nelson
Director: Michael Levine
Show Stars: Stacy Keach, Guest stars: Christopher Daniel Barnes, Michael Bowen, Charlene Tilton, Johnathan Chapin, James Walch, Khrystyne Haje, John Hillard, Seth Green, Brian McGrail, Ron Carlson, Elaine Orth, Allen Cutler, F. William Parker, Sheena Easton, Rugg Williams, Linda Cook, Edward Winter
Notes:
Bobby Mackey's Music World has also been explored by the TV series Encounters, Sightings, Unsolved Mysteries, A Haunting, Is It Real? and Ghost Adventures.
Run on the UPN in November 1995, the series was now called Real Ghosts. The opening narration was slightly altered, a middle story was dropped and the series started using more recognizable actors, but it was not picked up as a regular series.
Edward Winter, who plays Carl Lawson in the "Headless Ghost" storyline, was actually credited as Ed Winter. Winter is best known for playing Colonel Flagg in the TV series M*A*S*H.
Quotes:
Trivia:
Manhattan, Kansas, the location of the haunted Phi Beta Delta fraternity at Kansas State University, is also the hometown of Cassandra Peterson, a.k.a. Elvira, Mistress of the Dark.
Allusions:
Josh's opening narration: "Ever since I saw the movie Animal House, I thought it would be a blast to live in a fraternity."
Josh is alluding to the 1975 movie Animal House.
Mike and Josh hear noises in the library when they stay the night.
Mike: "Phasers on stun."
Josh: "Aye, captain."
Their sayings are oriented to the classic Star Trek series.
Broadcast history
- CBS originally aired the first two primetime specials in 1991 and 1992.
- UPN concurrently aired the final special in 1995.
- UPN's later airings included all three specials, now permanently renamed to Real Ghosts in 1996. Real Ghosts II premiered January 23, 1996 and Real Ghosts III premiered February 13, 1996.
- Syfy aired the specials in syndication until the early 2000s.
- Syfy later aired another paranormal special in the 2003, California's Most Haunted which recycled some Haunted Lives visuals for its opening sequence.
- Hulu made the series available for online streaming in October 2012, known by the rebroadcast name Real Ghosts.
- International markets also aired an alternate version of Episode 1. The international version contained extended scenes, alternate music and a longer running time. This version was also released on the international home video market and remains the only episode available on home video, via Region 2 import.