Sunday, June 7, 2009

The Spirit of Julian Haunt



On October 31, 1808 Julian Haunt was borned in the area that would later become the town called Gainesville, Texas. When he was 14 years old he killed his family and was sent to live his life at Cooke County Hospital for the Insane. On October 3, 1832 Julian started a killing spree at the hospital for two days. He killed over 70 people on that two day period. On October 31, 1832 Julian faced a jury that found him guilty of the killings and sentenced him to death. He was killed on October 31, 1832 by hanging at the age of 24. The newspapers across the country had called him "Doctor Haunt". Dallas Fort Worth's Scariest Haunted House is Dr. Haunt's Chamber of Fear

The spirit of Doctor Haunt has been felt in Gainesville since his death. A number of strange and unusual deaths have occured on October 31 in Gainesville for the past 170 years.

The Haunted House, Dr. Haunt's Chamber of Fear opened in 2003 and each of the actors that have portrayed the infamous doctor have done so for only one season. After portraying the legend "Dr. Haunt" on October 31 the actors have felt a curse and have quit working at the haunted house completely. No actor has ever been Dr. Haunt on October 31 and returned to work the following year. During the first season we had two main Dr. Haunt's in 2003. Neither actor has ever returned to that role. In 2004, a female took on his namesake and was one of the best Dr. Haunt's but on October 31 prior to the end of the night she had a nervous break-down and was hospitalized for two weeks. Then in 2005 we had two guys playing doctor haunt and both moved away after their expereince. One joined the military while the other left town. In 2006 a local played the Doctor and no cast or crew ever saw or heard from him again. The actor did not even attend the end of the year party in November to accept his awards for his role as Dr. Haunt. In 2007, it was once again a female that portrayed Dr. Haunt. She left college shortly after that and moved to West Texas.

Then there is the Dr. Haunt from last season, 2008. This actor played Dr. Haunt and says he will come back in 2009. Although this actor has not re-entered the Chamber since October 31. Some of the cast wonder if the curse has been broken while others wonder if a new legend is beginning. Since on October 31, 2008 the three females went missing from the haunted house. The character that played Dr. Haunt as well as one other actor was brought in for questioning in regards to the three females disappearnces.

Any way you look at it and if you ask any Gainesville local, they will tell you that Dr. Julian Haunt's presence and spirit is felt around this community.

Texas and Oklahoma's Scariest Haunted House Dr. Haunt's Chamber of Fear

Saturday, June 6, 2009

Fear & Scares


Fear a four letter word that can mean anything. So knowing that an amazing haunted house has to have fear and knowing that fear can be anything and is different to each person, how can I go about creating an environment that allows for Fear after Fear????

Dr. Haunt's Chamber of Fear Highest Fear Rating in all Dallas Fort Worth for Haunted Houses

So the first thing I do is think about the Fears that people have. I like to focus on our adult population and although a crazy spouse or mortage payment could give some people a real life scream - we try to avoid that. Fear of creatures, the dark, tight spaces, being trapped, crawling, unknowns touching you... these are all the things that makes An Award Winning Haunted House in Texas and Oklahoma

Then after you have a list of fears thenj you begin putting them in an order which makes sense and usually you build them up. Nothing is worse then a haunted house that climaxs in scene one. The customers want to be built up for a scare just like a great movie but don't get me wrong - we'll get you early too!

The scares are the fun part for the actor. You have an amazing design to work with and then you add your personality into the scenario. So in a dark room do you get beakens of light - through your voice, portray many voices, or just produce sounds. In a tight hallway do you allow a little water to drip - although we know this torture to be inhumane - no governments are after us and the UN has not caught on!

Texas & Oklahoma's Scariest Haunted House

Monday, June 1, 2009

Afraid of My Own Haunted House


It's a bit ironic that most people know me as the Scream Queen, that carzy women that owns a haunted house and although everywhere else I like my alone time... I am afraid to be alone in the haunted house I have created. Dr. Haunt's Chamber of Fears is a Horrifying Texas Haunted House

For the last seven years I have spent over 5,000 hours of man-hours inside Dr. Haunt's Chamber of Fears - building walls, designing scenes, creating costumes, adding in the mood lighting and yet all of this I do but I just can not do it alone. The sounds that are not sounds that I have invented echo through the walls and off the ceiling. The thought of the previous ghost sightings inside this very building. Or is it when the homeless man broke in and made his home here that I wonder is he back? Sometimes I see the mouse or skunk that is to blame for the sound. Sometimes I assume it is the wind or the trees outside but I find my happy place (my IPOD so loud that is drowns out all other sounds). Of course this does nothing for my safety or aletrness as I have been working alone in the building only to find one of my crew to walk up and touch me. Yes, that will be the day... you will read in the Gainesville Daily Register - Haunt Owner Killed by Actor. Then from the heading you read in the story the actor only approach the haunt owner who was caught off guard, pee on themself, and then died of a heart attack!

Of well, I guess it is great for business that the Queen of Horror is afraid even in her own domain. So I guess it is easy to see why we emergency exit 25% of our customers. Texas and Oklahoma's Scariest Haunted House is Dr. Haunt's Chamber of Fear

The great part is it is not just me who is scared in this truly haunted place. About 30% of our actors do not want to be in a scene alone as well as when we play games like tag or hide and seek we always must play in teams as nobody is brave enough to high in the haunted house when it is pitch black.

Oklahoma and Texas #1 Rated Haunted House Dr. Haunt's Chamber of Fear