Dark House

Hadley and Alyssa dive into the life and gruesome death of Elizabeth Short—better known as the Black Dahlia—whose unsolved murder spurred Hollywood’s most persistent ghost story. Working to uncover whether or not the iconic Millennium Biltmore Hotel in downtown Los Angeles was the last place she was seen alive, the hosts retrace Elizabeth's final steps through her unmailed letters, stories from people who knew her, and eye-witness testimony. Having tracked her movements up to the evening of January 9, 1947, when she was seen leaving the lobby of the Biltmore, Alyssa and Hadley review all the possible sightings that may prove Elizabeth was seen elsewhere in Los Angeles the following week. They also sift through the many chilling stories of paranormal activity reported by Biltmore guests in recent years, which have many people convinced that Elizabeth’s spirit remains at the hotel. Later, the hosts learn about several top suspects in the case, including one who stands out among the rest. 

CREDITS

Alyssa Fiorentino - Co-host & Producer

Hadley Mendelsohn - Co-host & Producer

Jessy Caron - Producer & Audio Editor

Jacob Stone - Sound Editor & Mixer

To advertise on the show: https://www.advertisecast.com/DarkHouse or email us at [email protected]. 

RELATED LINKS

Ghost Captured in the Biltmore Hotel by Ginny Myers Sain (PHOTO): bit.ly/45UCN85

‘Childhood Shadows’ by Mary Pacios: https://amzn.to/4532RwC 

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Alyssa—a longtime “Swiftie”—leads us in a deep dive into the history of Holiday House, Taylor Swift’s oceanfront mansion in Watch Hill, Rhode Island. The co-hosts turn their attention to “the last great american dynasty,” a track off of Swift’s 2020 album Folklore, from which we learned that, just like us, she too enjoys digging into the history of her own home and learning about the people who lived there before her. In the song, Swift sings about the fascinating life of Rebekah Harkness—an American socialite who purchased Holiday House in 1948 with her second husband, Standard Oil heir William Harkness. Following her husband’s death, Harkness spent much of his fortune hosting lavish parties, buying her own ballet company, and pissing off her neighbors in the small resort community of Watch Hill along the way. After scouring through old newspapers and reading ‘Blue Blood,’ the out-of-print biography on Rebekah’s life, Alyssa breaks down the song line by line, revealing which of the wild anecdotes mentioned in the song are true (did Rebekah really dye her neighbor’s dog key lime green??), which aren’t, and what’s missing. She also shares her own theory about the lyrics, and why she thinks they may suggest that Holiday House is haunted by Rebekah’s ghost. Later, the co-hosts discuss Swift’s own struggles since buying the home in 2013, including her many (horrifying) encounters with stalkers trying to gain access to the property. 

CREDITS

Alyssa Fiorentino - Co-host & Producer

Hadley Mendelsohn - Co-host & Producer

Jessy Caron - Producer & Audio Editor

Jacob Stone - Sound Editor & Mixer

To advertise on the show: https://www.advertisecast.com/DarkHouse or email us at [email protected]. 

RELATED LINKS

Holiday House old postcard (PHOTO): bit.ly/3qG8dzS

‘Blue Blood’ by Craig Unger: https://amzn.to/3sjhuy9 

‘Watch Hill Through Time’ by Chaplin Bradford Barnes: https://amzn.to/45Bbb7B 

“Taylor Swift: A former resident of your house would like to meet you” The Day (ARTICLE): bit.ly/44sIhpm 

Watch Hill Historic District Nomination Form (PDF): bit.ly/3OKhWx4

Rebekah Harkness or Jane Lynch? (PHOTO): bit.ly/3KQigt5

Daimoku - Nam myoho renge kyo - 15 minutes (VIDEO): bit.ly/3OHG6bi

‘Blue Blood’ recap series by @JessiSwiftTok (TIKTOK): bit.ly/44iUsVt

‘Blue Blood’ analysis by @Kristina Parro (TIKTOK): bit.ly/3qLttnG

Westerly RI including Taylor Swift's house...Ocean House Watch Hill DJI Phantom 4 Drone view in 4K (VIDEO): bit.ly/3OJjo2B

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Kicking off season 3, Hadley takes us to the Winchester Mystery House (aka Llanada Villa)—a sprawling San Jose mansion built by The Winchester Repeating Arms Company heiress Sarah Winchester in the late 1800s. The hosts dig into the many legends surrounding the property and investigate rumors that the home’s creepy and bizarre architectural features were an attempt to keep out unwelcome spirits. Along the way, they uncover the true story of Sarah Winchester’s life, from her reclusive lifestyle to her love of interior design, to find out what really motivated the never-ending construction of her rambling mansion, and why it was deemed valueless after her death. To learn more about the Spiritualist movement that swept the nation during Sarah’s heyday, the hosts chat with Lisa Morton, the author of ‘Calling the Spirits: A History of Seances,’ about the history of mediumship, seances, ouija boards and more. 

CREDITS

Alyssa Fiorentino - Host & Producer

Hadley Mendelsohn - Host & Producer

Jessy Caron - Producer & Audio Editor

Jacob Stone - Sound Editor & Mixer

To advertise on the show: https://www.advertisecast.com/DarkHouse or email us at [email protected]. 

RELATED LINKS

‘Captive of the Labyrinth’ by Mary Jo Ignoffo: https://amzn.to/3PgyLzZ 

1963 KPIX Documentary: Mrs. Winchester's House (VIDEO): bit.ly/3refp6n 

“Return of the ‘66” (VIDEO): bit.ly/466hSyB

Hargis Ranch in 1876 (PHOTO): bit.ly/3sUeNDq 

The Winchester House (1985) by Trish Newfarmer (VIDEO): bit.ly/3sTT3Yi 

‘The Gun That Built an American Dynasty’ by Laura Trevelyan: https://amzn.to/45LIx4a 

‘Calling the Spirits: A History of Seances’ by Lisa Morton: https://amzn.to/465g09h

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Actor and horror buff David Dastmalchian joins hosts Hadley and Alyssa for a special Dark House minisode to talk about his new movie, The Boogeyman (also starring Sophie Thatcher and Chris Messina), hitting theaters June 2, 2023. David dishes on how the film adaptation differs from the original short story by Stephen King, and why King himself pushed for a theatrical release over straight-to-streaming. Plus, the actor opens up about what draws him to the horror genre, tells some scary stories about growing up in a haunted house in Kansas, and more. Later, Hadley and Alyssa share an exclusive update on Dark House season 3. 

CREDITS

Alyssa Fiorentino - Co-host & Producer

Hadley Mendelsohn - Co-host & Producer

Jessy Caron - Producer & Audio Editor

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In the final episode of Season 2, Hadley and Alyssa pass the mic to Dark House listeners who tell their own ghost stories. First up, Lisa takes us to her haunted childhood home in York, England. Then, Jed recalls a chilling encounter with an overprotective spirit inside an antique shop in Philadelphia. Next, Meagan shares a spectral encounter outside her family home in upstate New York. And finally, Brittany reveals the eerie baby cam evidence that’s led her to believe the former owners of her Florida home are watching over her family today. Following these personal stories, the co-hosts share their thoughts on Netflix’s ‘The Watcher’ series and get into the holiday spirit with a few Christmas-y folktales from around the world.

Have a personal experience with paranormal activity you’d like to share? Reach out to Alyssa and Hadley on the Dark House Instagram account, @darkhousepodcast, or their personal accounts, @alyssafiorentino and @hadleymendelsohn. Be sure to follow all three accounts to stay up to date on all things Dark House!

RELATED LINKS

“The terrors of growing up in a haunted house” by Lisa Byrne (ARTICLE): bit.ly/3W1scn8 

Sleep Meditation For Women Podcast: https://linktr.ee/womensmeditationnetwork

CREDITS

Alyssa Fiorentino - Co-host & Producer

Hadley Mendelsohn - Co-host & Producer

Jessy Caron - Producer

Jacob Stone - Sound Editor & Mixer

Ian Munsell - Assistant Audio Engineer

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Alyssa and Hadley unravel the complicated past of 1677 Round Top Road in Burrillville, Rhode Island, the colonial farmhouse that inspired the 2013 horror film The Conjuring. After learning that a majority of the film’s plot was fictionalized, the co-hosts dig into the real story of what happened to the Perron family, who experienced non-stop paranormal activity from the day they moved into the house in January 1971. They also discuss the family’s relationship with paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren, the strange things cast and crew say happened while filming The Conjuring, why homeowners at the time were upset with the film, and what happened when the Perron family returned to the farmhouse last Halloween. 

Turn your food waste into dirt with the press of a button with Lomi. Use the code DARKHOUSE22 to save $50 at lomi.com/DARKHOUSE22

RELATED LINKS

1677 Round Top Road Zillow 3D Tour: https://bit.ly/3zKQGb4 

‘House of Darkness, House of Light’ by Andrea Perron: https://amzn.to/3W3JOhz

Andrea Perron’s interview with the Paranormal Road Trippers (VIDEO): https://bit.ly/3FIVtNW 

The Conjuring Houses Owner, Norma Sutcliffe, Disproves Movie and Andrea Perron's Story (VIDEO): https://bit.ly/3zFJpcs 

“Correcting the Conjuring House History” by Kenny Biddle (ARTICLE): https://bit.ly/3zJ3MWq 

“Replacing Bathsheba Sherman's Headstone” GoFundMe page: https://bit.ly/3t0mN2G 

“Homeowner disputes history of 'Conjuring' house” NBC 10 News WJAR (ARTICLE): https://bit.ly/3DYFLgs 

“A Daycare At The Conjuring House?” TikTok by Madison Heinzen (VIDEO): https://bit.ly/3zKStgi 

“Rhode Island’s ‘Conjuring’ house sold, with one stipulation: No one can live there year-round” The Boston Globe (ARTICLE): https://bit.ly/3sWE64L 

“'Death is not the end': Member of 'The Conjuring' family returns to Burrillville house” The Providence Journal (ARTICLE): https://bit.ly/3U5BIob 

CREDITS

Alyssa Fiorentino - Co-host & Producer

Hadley Mendelsohn - Co-host & Producer

Jessy Caron - Producer

Jacob Stone - Sound Editor & Mixer

Ian Munsell - Assistant Audio Engineer

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Hadley and Alyssa unearth the haunting past of St. Louis's infamous and foreboding Lemp Mansion, the former home of wealthy beer tycoon William J. Lemp Sr. and his family. The co-hosts trace the property’s history through its many stages: a Gilded Age family estate atop an elaborate underground cave system, bustling brewery offices, a tourist attraction, a boarding house, and finally, a restaurant and inn. The co-hosts uncover a pattern of tragic and untimely Lemp family deaths that took place along the way, and they also review the paranormal encounters that visitors to the mansion have reported in recent years.

Turn your food waste into dirt with the press of a button with Lomi. Use the code DARKHOUSE22 to save $50 at lomi.com/DARKHOUSE22

Read ‘The History and Haunting Lemp Mansion’ by Rebecca F. Pittman: https://amzn.to/3Y7xqPB

Crisis Support Warm Lines:

https://www.crisisconnections.org/wa-warm-line/

https://www.contactthecrisisline.org/

https://nycwell.cityofnewyork.us/en/

CREDITS

Alyssa Fiorentino - Co-host & Producer

Hadley Mendelsohn - Co-host & Producer

Jessy Caron - Producer

Jacob Stone - Sound Editor & Mixer

Ian Munsell - Assistant Audio Engineer

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nothing is as terrifying as the sounds we hear in the dark. The slow creak of a door opening late at night... or a whisper in a room when you thought you were alone... or a distant scream in the wind. One noise at the wrong time or place can scare us for days.

Each episode of I HEAR FEAR plunges the listener into a tale inspired by real events, from a deadly dance party to a cursed film set. Join host and two-time Oscar nominee Carey Mulligan for six immersive stories designed to jangle your nerves and haunt your dreams.

Listen – if you dare. Only on Amazon Music.

Listen to I Hear Fear: www.amazon.com/IHF_us_pfd_AA_110122 

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Alyssa and Hadley explore the peculiar story of 328-330 Chase Street—a duplex in West Pittston, Pennsylvania—which became the subject of media frenzy in 1986 when owners Jack and Janet Smurl told a local newspaper that a demonic presence had been terrorizing their home for years. The co-hosts review the many strange occurrences that members of the Smurl family experienced in the home, what famed paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren found hiding in Jack and Janet’s bedroom closet, the chaotic aftermath of sharing their family’s story with the public, and what happened that finally caused the Smurls to move out of their home in 1987. 

Turn your food waste into dirt with the press of a button with Lomi. Use the code DARKHOUSE22 to save $50 at lomi.com/DARKHOUSE22 

RELATED LINKS

‘The Haunted’ by Robert Curran: https://amzn.to/3uB5cPx

Carin Smurl’s interview with Spaced Out Radio (VIDEO): https://bit.ly/3zJgtjZ 

Lorraine Warren interviews Jack and Janet Smurl (VIDEO): https://bit.ly/3NHD4mM  

CREDITS

Alyssa Fiorentino - Co-host & Producer

Hadley Mendelsohn - Co-host & Producer

Jessy Caron - Producer

Jacob Stone - Sound Editor & Mixer

Ian Munsell - Assistant Audio Engineer

James Scully - Pre-production Advisor

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

For more than three and a half decades, the disappearance of 12-year-old Jonelle Matthews was a mystery – a riddle neither authorities nor her family members could solve. The residents of her cloistered Colorado hometown had scoured every inch of prairie. Jonelle’s face had been on milk cartons nationwide. Even the President of the United States had appealed to the public for help. Still, every lead had fizzled. Every person of interest had turned out to be a dead end.

Then, in 2019, Jonelle’s remains were unearthed near the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. With the discovery came a troubling new question: Had the truth been hiding in plain sight the entire time? Was the man who couldn’t stop obsessing over Jonelle’s disappearance also the person who took her? From Campside Media and Wondery comes season two of SUSPECT. Former CNN reporter Ashley Fantz and executive producers Matthew Shaer and Eric Benson (Suspect, Over My Dead Body) dig into one of the most mind-bending cold cases in modern history, in an attempt to separate fact and fiction, compulsion from guilt, and true-crime fandom from a motive for murder.

Hey Prime Members, listen to the Amazon Music exclusive podcast, SUSPECT: Vanished in the Snow, in the Amazon Music App. Download the app today. http://www.amazon.com/SUS_us_pfd_AA_110122. 

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