The most enduring is that Hearst caught his mistress, Marion Davies, kissing Charlie Chaplin and shot at him, accidentally hitting and killing Ince. The lot changed hands several times after his death, with each owner bringing a new and distinct era. Cecil B. De Mille, Howard Hughes, David O. Selznick, Desi Arnaz and Lucille Ball all made significant contributions to film and television history on this lot. Gone With the Wind, King Kong, Citizen Kane, E.T. and television's The Untouchables, Lassie, Hogan's Heroes and Batman are just a few of the classics that were shot here. Rumors about hauntings have persisted for years.
Employees report ghostly security guards patrolling the lot at night.
Others recount seeing the ghost of a man climb the stairs in the main administration building to the executive screening room, originally Ince's private projection room, on the second floor. And guards on the third floor have been frightened by the apparition of a woman from time to time. She disappears quickly, leaving a cold spot or chilling wind in her wake. Remodeling can be extremely irritating or upsetting to a spirit. Just prior to some major reconstruction in 1988, Ince's ghost began to reveal his displeasure.