The Spirits of the Bagdad Theater

Posted: 05.19.2025 | Updated: 05.19.2025

A historic theater that has long been a part of Portland’s Hawthorne District is home to many dark entities who frighten audience members and terrify the staff. 

The Bagdad Theater, one of the oldest movie theaters in Oregon that is still entertaining locals today, once hosted major Hollywood premieres. Now it is home to several spirits who could make even the most spine-tingling thrillers seem obsolete.

If you love tales of horror, you will have a frighteningly good time taking a ghost tour with us here at Portland Ghosts. We share the dark secrets of some of Portland’s most haunted locations as we journey through town, making stops at top sites where ghostly activity has been reported. Schedule your next ghost tour with us today and prepare for the experience of a lifetime!

Who Haunts Bagdad Theater?

There are several spirits who linger in the aisles of the historic Bagdad Theater. While many of them are friendly, some have been known to leave the audience members and staff with an overall feeling of unease and discomfort. From the stagehand who wanted to perform to the children racing up and down the aisles, you are sure to bump into a ghost or two while taking in a show at the Bagdad.

The History of the Bagdad Theater

The Bagdad Theater, located on Southeast 37th Avenue in the Hawthorne District of Portland, was designed by local architect Lee Arden Thomas. He incorporated a unique Middle Eastern theme into the theater’s design, which remains today with its stucco exterior and terra cotta walls and its haunting past.

The Haunting of Portland’s Bagdad Theater

Depending on who you ask around town, you may find out that the Bagdad Theater has long been associated with ghostly encounters. There are several entities that linger inside the theater, and most people who work there or are frequent visitors seem to know who the ghosts are, based on the urban legends they’ve heard. 

Most people who have encountered ghosts at the theater believe the spirits belong to those who died at the location. There have been several deaths at the Bagdad Theater, including suicides, murders, and freak accidents. 

As most people who have an interest in haunted locations already know, tragic deaths can cause a spirit to linger in the place where they met their fate. It is believed that some of these spirits have an emotional attachment to the theater. 

Maybe they gave a grand performance there, or enjoyed taking in a live show or movie with their family. Other ghosts may have been former employees who want to continue carrying out their daily activities even in the afterlife.

Moviegoers and employees of the theater have mentioned hearing strange noises, seeing apparitions of ghosts, and experiencing unexplained cold spots while walking through the building. It’s been said that there is one spirit in particular who is very mischievous. 

They will tamper with the equipment inside the theater, causing live shows to be disrupted. Another ghost has been known to peacefully watch over the staff, making sure things run smoothly.

Death of a Stagehand

There is one legend of a young man who worked at the theater as a stagehand. He longed to be a performer, working on the stage instead of behind the scenes. Unfortunately, he never got his chance. 

He took his own life in the backstage area of the theater. Now, the ghost of the stagehand can often be seen walking in front of the movie screen. He has also been heard whispering behind it. Perhaps in the afterlife, he got to live out his dreams of performing on stage after all.

The Supervising Spirit

Another entity that interacts with the living is a spirit that seems very concerned with how the staff members do their jobs. Paperwork will be shifted on desks, and cleaning supplies will be moved to different locations. 

Many workers have even heard footsteps following behind them at night as they are cleaning up. Their presence is also felt in the pub kitchen, as the swinging doors open and close on their own, as if someone is leaning against them on the other side.

Ghostly Encounters at the Theater

“It just feels like mom or grandma making sure I am doing it the right way,” says one young woman who works at the theater. While some may feel uneasy sharing space with the theater spirits, other people don’t seem to mind them being there. 

Some staff have mentioned smelling the scent of men’s cheap cologne and having a feeling they were being watched. While they didn’t claim to feel threatened, they mentioned it was a very strange and unusual feeling.

Additional ghostly encounters have taken place inside the Bagdad Theater. Some have claimed to have seen a young woman sitting in the audience, exchanging seats every few minutes while watching a movie. 

They say she never makes a sound and will quickly fade from sight if you take a second look. There have also been reports of small children running up and down the aisles. When they are told to stop, they come to a halt and then disappear out of sight.

Haunted Portland

The spirits of the Bagdad Theater will liven up the old historic theater any time they make their presence known. But this gem of an entertainment hub is not the only place in Portland that is home to dark entities. 

Popular locations such as the Pittock Mansion, where the former residents, Henry and Georgiana Pittock, have been seen walking hand-in-hand in the garden. And there’s also the White Eagle Saloon, one of Portland’s oldest pubs, where employees have reported seeing ghostly apparitions at the bar.

If you would like to learn more about the darker side of Portland’s past or find out about the most haunted places in the area, be sure to check out our blog for local legends, stories, and updates. And if you want to get a closer look at these and other great haunted sites, you should book a ghost tour with us here at Portland Ghosts for a scary good time.

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Sources:

• https://www.mcmenamins.com/bagdad-theater-pub
• https://www.oregonencyclopedia.org/articles/bagdad_theater/
• https://oregontheaterproject.uoregon.edu/theaters/bagdad-theater
• https://wejunket.com/junkets/Portland/Portland_Ghosts/Bagdad_Theater/
• http://americashauntedroadtrip.com/tag/bagdad-theater/
• https://www.eyesonbroadway.com/from-broadway-to-you/2024/10/15/spirits-in-the-mist-portlands-most-haunted-locations