Former Haunts: Joe E. Brown Theatre in Bowling Green, Ohio

 

Joe E. Brown Theatre in Bowling Green - Photo from Haunted Toledo on Facebook

Born in 1891 in Holgate, Joe E. Brown was just one of several actors who came out of Ohio. When he was just ten, he joined the Vaudeville circuit and toured the country, leaving the Buckeye State behind. Brown also appeared in some movies and on Broadway. In the 1950s, the came back to Ohio and took the stage in Harvey, making an impression on everyone who saw him and led to Bowling Green State University naming its theater in his honor.

When BGSU replaced the old Gate Theatre where he performed in 1959, the school named it the Joe E. Brown Theatre. Also on the campus was the Eva Marie Saint Theatre, named after another Hollywood legend. The university used her theater for shows that would draw a crowd and used his theater to showcase smaller plays. The Joe E. Brown Theatre delighted students and locals for 60 years before closing down for good.

According to the university, the building just needed too much work. The HVAC system was so old that it no longer regulated the temperature inside. Actors, students, workers, and even guests were almost always too hot or too cold. Finding a parking spot was hard and impossible for some drivers as it lacked handicap spots. When the university found serious foundation damage, the end was near. Joe E. Brown Theatre closed in 2011, which makes me wonder what happened to its restless spirits.

This ghost goes by the nickname Alice. Alice was a student at Bowling Green State University and quite academic. She headed into town one day to get her hair done before a big banquet where she would receive a major award. The trip took longer than she planned, causing her to speed on her way back to campus. Alice didn't see the other car until it was too late. After her death in a fiery car crash, she returned to the theater where she planned to pick up her award...or so one story says.

Another story claims Alice was an actress who loved being on stage. So caught up in her scene while performing Othello that she paid no mind to what happened around her. The poor woman didn't even hear the stage light come loose until into her, causing her death on the spot.

During its heyday, every stage manager made a point to formally invite her to the next show. Legend said she would act out if she didn't feel included. Once they finished the dress rehearsal before a show, the current manager would walk on stage and extend her invitation. Actors also knew to always leave a light on inside the theater for Alice.

Alice seems to get a kick out of seeing others perform Othello. A BGSU student in the 1980s saw a woman watching from behind the curtain. Though she wore the same type of costume as all of the other actors, the man noticed hers seemed a little older. Thinking she was an understudy, he approached to ask her a question and saw her disappear.

Others reported similar encounters with Alice. While she usually wears an older costume, she also appears in a long white or pale blue dress. Witnesses also claim she had long hair and seemed a little down. Many actors who worked in the theater wonder if Alice is still there or if she finally moved on.

Alice wasn't the theater's only ghost though. The area called the Hat Room was haunted by an unknown ghost. He had a vaguely threatening presence. Though no one ever saw him, they felt so uncomfortable they just wanted to leave. Some students even ran from the room after one encounter with him.

I couldn't find proof of whether or not the Joe E. Brown Theatre still exists. If you live nearby, please let me know! It was at the Bowling Green State University campus, which is at 1001 E. Wooster Street in Bowling Green, Ohio.