Haunted Pickfair, Part ll

In Part I, I share information about Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks Sr.’s illustrious silent film careers and the Beverly Hills mansion they made their own.

Pickford and Fairbanks

At the time Fairbanks and Pickford purchased this large estate located in San Ysidro Canyon in Beverly Hills, California they both knew that the 16-acre property had a reputation, people believed it was haunted.

They had heard the stories that a ghost resided in the home’s attic. Annoying banging sounds and disembodied footsteps were reported.

In 1920, they married and moved into the mansion that the press nicknamed “Pickfair.”

Pickfair in the 1920s

Twelve years later, in 1932, Fairbanks, stated the following during an interview.

“I don’t believe in ghosts. I don’t believe Pickfair is haunted, though Mary is sure of it; I’m sure there is some explanation if we could find it, of the sounds we hear there.”

Mary, unlike her husband, was firmly convinced that Pickfair was haunted. She often spoke to friends about the home’s ghost.

Besides loud noises, an apparition was also seen at Pickfair. In 1935, a columnist, Lee Frank interviewed Mary about the ghost.

Pickford mentioned she heard the attic ghost on three different occasions; in each encounter, it became louder.

“I am a sound sleeper, but I could not sleep under these noises which sounded like the tramping of heavy feet. I sat up in bed and addressed myself to the ghost.”

‘I wouldn’t treat you this way,’ I said; ‘It isn’t ladylike. I don’t expect you to treat me in this manner.“

Pickford then said, “The noises ceased.”

She made the point that she was not the only one who heard the noises. Douglas also heard them. She never herself saw the ghost but a staff member and a visiting friend did.

“One day our cook, a practical, unemotional Swedish woman, ran out of the kitchen in terror, brandishing a knife, she declared she was pursuing a strange, dark woman whom she had seen in the kitchen.”

Later a friend of hers, an author, who stayed at Pickfair, came downstairs with strange news.

She asked Mary, “Have you had your second floor changed?”

I told her yes, we had. She then explained,

I just saw a strange tall, dark woman in the hallway up there. She was looking at the alcove up there. Her eyes wandered about in a puzzled way as she looked from side to side, as if to say—something has changed here. At first, I thought she was Theresa, your maid; then I saw she was a stranger. I went to speak to her. She vanished.”

Pickford went on to muse that the ghost probably at one time had lived in the house. She stayed because she liked it or maybe because “Some great joy or sorrow had befallen her there.”

Years later, an elderly man approached Mary in New York City and asked her for the location of Pickfair, she told him, he then asked is that near the old Philips house—that place was haunted.

She replied, “It IS the old Phillips house.”

As mentioned in Part l here she and Douglas had bought the house from Lee A. Phillips.

One final note:

Pia Zodora

Pia Zodora, and her husband bought Pickfair in 1988. They promised to maintain the property but instead in 1990 they had it demolished. Originally, in response to the public outcries that this historical house should not have been torn down, Zodora stated it had termites, therefore, it was necessary.

She told a different story in 2012 when she appeared on, “Celebrity Ghost Stories.”

She states that there was a female ghost in the attic that she claimed had an affair with Douglas Fairbanks Sr. Both she and her children saw this ghost, dressed in 1920s attire. It would enter the children’s bedrooms at night and laugh while standing at the end of their beds, which frightened them.

One night as they all slept together in Zodora’s bedroom the ghost appeared once more. They all ran out of the home as the ghost followed them laughing.

She mentioned she brought in an exorcist to get rid of the ghost but it did not work. She then defended her and her husband’s decision by stating that they had no choice—tearing down the house was the only way to get rid of this entity.

The story she told on this show indicated the ghost had died in the home.

None of her claims about this ghost have been proven. Zodora quietly sold the estate in 2011, before her television appearance.

She probably did see a ghost, but from what is known, the ghost she encountered lived and died years before Pickford and Fairbanks owned the home.

A Child’s Recollection

Children sometimes have imaginary friends that turn out to be ghosts. Other posts that talk about this phenomenon are located here and here.

The following 1^st person account is unique because this little girl, Sandra knew her “friends” were ghosts.

When I was six years old my parents and I lived in an older house in southern California. My bedroom was in the home’s attic.

This room had other inhabitants besides me.

I remember three figures that would float about the room. They were children like myself but taller so I believed they were older than me.

I enjoyed their company, they visited me at night, but sometimes I refused to play with them wanting to sleep instead.

At first I felt they were just other children but it slowly dawned on me that they were ghosts. I think this occurred to me because their facial features were unclear—it was like they had veils over their heads.

I now know my belief that these night visitors were the spirits of children—was correct.

They liked to play in front of my mirror but I don’t remember ever seeing their reflections.

They also liked my rocking chair and we spent hours playing with my dolls and stuffed animals. I particularly liked it when we pretended to have tea parties.

One night as they awakened me, I became irritated because I just wanted to sleep. I told them to go away.

But their voices persisted. They urged me to get up. I remember one stated, “Get up, you must get up and look down the stairs.”

As I stumbled out of bed reluctantly the floor beneath my feet began to shake. I realized the whole house was shaking. It was an earthquake.

As I stood frozen in fear one spirit ordered, “Go to the doorway, you will be safe.”

I went to the doorframe, crouching down low.

When this shaking subsided they told me to lie on my belly and slide down the stairs. When I reached my parent’s bedroom we were able to escape the house unscathed.

Sandra * is grateful for these spirits presence when she was child. She feels they saved her from injury or even death.

*  Name has been changed at request of storyteller.

Lucille Ball’s Ghost

Lucille Ball started her acting career in the movies as a “glamour girl.” Films such as Ziegfeld Follies in 1946 showcased her beauty.

However, it was her role as Lucy Ricardo in the hit television series I Love Lucy that aired from 1951-56 that she created with her husband Desi Arnaz that highlighted her natural physical ability and genius for comedy. This show made her a huge star.

Episodes from all 3-television sitcoms that Lucille Ball starred in are still shown in syndication around the world--which is a tribute to her talent.

When Lucille Ball died during surgery, on April 26, 1989, at the age of 77, she was still living in her home located at 1000 North Roxbury Dive in Beverly Hills, California.

Lucille purchased this home when she was married to her first husband, Desi Arnaz.

What Lucille Ball house looked like.

Gary Morton, Lucille's second husband, sold the house several years after her death. The new owners had the house torn down. 

A friend of Lucille's drove past the property to see the home one last time. Walls were missing, and he could see Lucille's old bedroom. He then noticed a tall, slim redhead peering through the fence at the what was left.

She turned toward him, and he realized it was Lucy. She looked upset and confused. She then walked around the south corner of the house and disappeared.

Despite the fact, Lucille's home was destroyed there still have been reports of several strange happenings. It is felt Lucille Ball’s ghost haunts the new house that replaced hers.

Most of the activity occurs in the attic.

Lucille‘s ghost is said to be playful but seldom intrusive. It appears she hangs around because she loves her old neighborhood.

Her ghost is sometimes impulsive. One recent owner of the Roxbury home stated that her spirit spends a lot of time rearranging furniture and boxes that are stored in the attic.

She has never physically damaged anything but a variety of noises have been reported emulating from the attic. One witness claimed she heard the sounds of a party going on upstairs.

Another witness, a family member of the new owners stated she heard the I Love Lucy theme song playing softly in the attic--she listened to this song on more than one occasion.

Ball’s presence has always been accepted as being a natural part of the home. When it was suggested to the owner that an exorcism should be performed, he stated he could never do that to “Lucy.”

What new home looks like.

The home was put up for sale in 2010.

Lucille Ball’s ghost is also said to haunt the Hart building at Paramount Studios. This studio was once Desilu Studios-- where the I Love Lucy show was produced.

Night watchmen at this studio have reported seeing her spirit in this building’s upper floors. Her present is always surrounded by the scent of a flowery perfume.