Transformers 2 Films Scenes at Eastern State

We were thrilled to welcome the cast and crew of Transformers 2 to Eastern State Penitentiary!

The sequel to last summer's blockbuster recently filmed scenes in Eastern State's Cellblock 7 as well as outside in the Industrial Building Courtyard.  You can see in the top photo the massive helium-filled balloon light that was used to simulate moonlight.  The next photo shows the cast and crew on the set created at Eastern State.  The final photo shows the car cast as "Bumblebee" exiting Eastern State during filming.

While on site, Shia LaBeouf, Megan Fox and Michael Bay enjoyed a tour of Eastern State including some areas used during Terror Behind the Walls, including Cellblock 12, the home of Lock Down.

Terror Behind the Walls Make-Up Team Takes Top Prize at East Coast Haunters Convention

The East Coast Haunters convention was held May 2-4 at the Sheraton Great Valley Hotel in Frazer, PA.  The three-day event included haunted house tours, educational seminars, an industry tradeshow, make-up wars, a costume ball and even a ghost hunt.  The make-up team from Terror Behind the Walls, Ruby Muro, Shaggy (Aaron Hoffer Perkins), and Robin Allen, was awarded first prize in the make-up war competition.  Bridget Schroth, a member of the Terror Behind the Walls Line Staff, was the model.

For more information about the East Coast Haunters Convention, visit www.easternhauntersconvention.com.

ESP creates new Theatrical Director position for Terror Behind the Walls

Terror Behind the Walls veteran manager, Nathan Edmondson, will serve as the event’s first Theatrical Director. As part of the newly created position, Edmondson will be responsible for all aspects of the show’s theatrical elements, including training and coaching over 100 actors that staff the event’s five haunted attractions.

Nathan Edmondson joined Terror Behind the Walls in 2002 as the manager of the Medical Ward and has managed many of the event’s attractions over the years. In addition to scaring people, he has experience in the traditional theatre community in Philadelphia, performing with EgoPo Productions, Flashpoint Theatre Company, Once Upon a Nation (as Thomas Jefferson) and the Arden Theater. In the Comedy Improv world, he’s a member of the popular troupe, the Rare Bird Show, and an instructor for the Philadelphia Improv Theater.

Rachael Ray Show films at ESP

Remember when Rachael Ray made her “Yummy Mummy” with Emeril in the cell blocks of Eastern State Penitentiary? Well if you were the unfortunate ghoul who missed that show, be sure to watch her new talk show - Rachael Ray - on ABC (channel 6 in Philadelphia) at 10:00am on Wednesday, October 31st.

Rachael Ray Show correspondent, magician “Justin Kredible” spent the day at Eastern State Penitentiary with Terror Behind The Walls Technical Director Jason Ohlsen. Ohlsen took Justin Kredible and Rachael Ray cameras behind the scenes of Terror Behind The Walls for a special treat. Then Ohlsen reviled a few top-secret haunted house tricks.

Want to know how Terror Behind The Walls uses compressed air to frighten and spook? Curious about ghoulish make-up and goop? Watch Justin Kredible get air blasted in the haunted house then transformed with makeup by TBTW Costume and Makeup Director Kristin Phillips on the Rachael Ray Show, this Wednesday, October 31st at 10:00am on ABC.

Eastern State on Travel Channel's new show Mysterious Journeys

On October 26th at 9:00pm, the Travel Channel will air a new program called Mysterious Journeys. The new series will feature the "ghosts" of Eastern State Penitentiary just in time for Halloween!

This program will also feature some of Eastern's former inmates, guards, and staff members. The show will attempt to reenact events which actually took place within the prison walls.

For more information about this program as well as future dates and times the show will air, visit the Travel Channel Website.

Terror Behind the Walls Once Again Among Top Haunted Houses in America

HauntWorld Magazine has once again included Terror Behind the Walls on their list of “Top 13 Haunted Houses in America.” According to Editor-in-Chief of Hauntworld Magazine, Larry Kirchner, the “list highlights new standards of fear and fun at leading haunts. These attractions are being recognized for their attention to detail, high-quality special effects, and overall scare factor.”

Ranging from haunted hotels and prisons to spooky hayrides, the list represents the best haunted attractions the nation has to offer, as selected by the editors at Hauntworld Magazine. In an industry that has reached the multi-billion dollar mark, these haunts are leading the way in scream-inducing innovations.

“The haunts we’ve included are as expertly produced as any major motion picture today,” said Kirchner. “They have behind-the-scenes teams of master Hollywood special effects technicians, make-up artists, set designers, and trained actors. We’re an industry that exists to make people scream and laugh at the same time – and these haunts do just that, and more.”

Terror Behind the Walls has consistently been ranked among the top haunted houses in the United States by the Travel Channel, America Online, HauntWorld Magazine and other national publications.

Chapter on ESP in a new book

Just in time for Halloween, a new book by Susan Hutchison Tassin called Pennsylvania's Ghost Towns: Uncovering the Hidden Past profiles 46 locations that have been abandoned or left to ruin.  These cemeteries, abandoned buildings, and roads to nowhere are all that remain of several once-thriving towns in Pennsylvania.
 
Does Eastern State Penitentiary qualify as a ghost town? During its 142 years in operation, Eastern State housed over 80,000 men and women. Author Susan Hutchinson argues that it is possible a number of these souls remain even today.
 
Pennsylvania's Ghost Towns: Uncovering the Hidden Past is available for purchase on our online store.

Travel Channel’s America’s Scariest Halloween Attractions includes TBTW

Every autumn a frightening fever sweeps the nation from, its biggest cities to its smallest towns. It’s the annual opening of eerie exhibitions: Haunted houses, creepy mazes and frightening fairs. Abandoned prisons and decrepit cruise ships recreate scary scenes and tales of terror for chill seekers young and old to enjoy.

Each year there are new trends in the business of fear, including live performances by actors trained to terrify even the toughest customers. These attractions have morphed beyond the neighborhood haunted house and have become popular tourist destinations across the country. Eastern State Penitentiary’s Terror Behind the Walls will be one of only eight Halloween attractions featured on the program.

For the first time ever, the Travel Channel has picked America's most frightening haunts as portrayed in America’s Scariest Halloween Attractions — get ready for an edge-of-your-seat spooky ride!

Get Paid to Scare People in Prison!

Halloween isn't just one night at Eastern State Penitentiary. Our acclaimed event, Terror Behind the Walls presented by Lukoil, runs 26 nights from September 21 to November 3. Lot's of planning and training take place in September. Auditions and interviews are currently being held for actors, ticket handlers, line staff, box office/retail staff and storytellers. These jobs are demanding, and FUN. Many people return year after year to join our "Scream Team!" Pay starts at $8.00 per hour, more for management positions.

All staff MUST be over 18 and pass a background check. Eastern State Penitentiary is an equal opportunity employer.

For additional information, including audition dates and times, please visit our Terror Behind the Walls Hiring Page.

Terror Behind The Walls Introduces New Attraction For 2007

Construction is well under weigh for the 2007 season of Terror Behind the Walls, presented by Lukoil. The creative team is currently building out ambitious plans for a new attraction inside the historic Cellblock Twelve, a three-story wing added to the Eastern State Penitentiary in 1911. The Sci-Fi Channel’s program “Ghost Hunters” declared the cellblock haunted in 2005.

The new attraction will be the largest and most sophisticated design yet at Terror Behind the Walls. It will incorporate custom-built animatronic props, high tech lighting effects, digital sound and several special effects currently being designed for the space. The overall effect will create the illusion that walls of metal bars and cell doors are electrified. The name of the new attraction will be LOCK DOWN.

“The most important thing is to keep the character of the architecture,” said Jason Ohlsen, Technical Director for Terror Behind the Walls. “Whatever we add has to look like it’s been here for a hundred years, literally. And we always try to leave the building untouched, when possible. Nobody can create better set designs than the natural environments of Eastern State Penitentiary.”

British Ghost Hunters to Explore Eastern State Penitentiary On Live, Nationwide TV

Travel Channel Brings the UK’s Most Popular Paranormal Investigation Team to the US with Seven-Hour Live Broadcast from Eastern State Penitentiary.

(May, 2007) Eastern State Penitentiary, considered by many to be America’s most historic prison, will host an unprecedented seven hour live and interactive broadcast on the Travel Channel, Most Haunted Live USA on Friday, June 1st, 2007.

Most Haunted Live, is a spinoff of the popular paranormal investigation show Most Haunted which airs on the Travel Channel in the US and on LivingTV in the United Kingdom. The June 1 program is the first broadcast from the United States and is expected to generate a wide national audience. The Most Haunted panel of paranormal investigation experts--including presenter Yvette Fielding and spiritual medium David Wells--will be armed with night vision cameras, thermal-imaging devices and other paranormal investigation tools to detect supernatural findings from within the prison walls.

The Most Haunted Live USA experience will be extended to the web, with multiple webcams streaming live images from select areas within Eastern State Penitentiary. Viewers will be able to log onto www.travelchannel.com/mosthaunted to watch all of the action from the webcams, supplementing the live broadcast. Viewers can also participate in the broadcast by e-mailing the studio with paranormal sightings, sending well wishes for the team, offering suggestions on rooms to investigate, and premonitions.

For more information visit the Travel Channel Website.

E.S.P. Included in New Ghost Book About America’s Jails

Author Joan Upton Hall has put together a collection of spooky tales that will be thoroughly enjoyed by fans of the paranormal, especially by those readers with a particular interest in old jails and prisons.

Author Joan Upton has compiled ghost stories from 40 of America’s jails and prisons -- from an old Salem Witch Jail from the 1600's to a Charleston Civil War prison for pirates to Philadelphia’s own Eastern State Penitenitiary. These haunting stories written by a group of versatile authors from various backgrounds, appeal to the reader's imagination and capture the dark mood of these jails, bringing to life the misery and violence that once took place there. The fact that many of the jails and prisons are now restaurants, inns, offices, shops and museums is interesting.

The chapters are arranged in chronological order from the oldest to the newest haunting, and each story is accompanied by an author photo and bio. Some of the authors are host hunters, psychics, and correctional officers.

Ghostly Tales from America’s Jails is available in our online store.

New Ghost Book Features E.S.P.

In the new book, Haunted Pennsylvania, Mark Nesbitt and Patty A. Wilson reveal stories about some of the ghosts and other strange phenomena found throughout the Keystone State.

This collection of over three dozen frightening stories, includes the Civil War ghosts of Gettysburg, spirits at John Brown's tannery, the fiddling ghost of Potter County, hauntings at the Eastern State Penitentiary, the mysterious indelible handprint, and many more.

Haunted Pennsylvania is available in our online store.

Terror Behind the Walls Moves Up in National Rankings... Again!

: AOL City Guide "the nation's largest and the internet's most popular online entertainment guide" has ranked Terror Behind the Walls as one of the "Top 13 Haunted Houses Across America" for the second year in a row. Terror Behind the Walls was the only haunted attraction from Pennsylvania, New Jersey or Delaware to be included on the list.

The list includes twelve other "destination haunts," attractions that draw Halloween enthusiasts nationwide for their unique, one-of-a-kind environments, including Netherworld (#2), in Atlanta, GA, whose makeup and costuming are considered by many to be best in the industry and The Darkness (#6), in Saint Louis, MO, innovators of numerous ticketing, crowd management and production design breakthroughs.

In recent years, Terror Behind the Walls has consistently been ranked as one of the top haunted attractions in the nation. Previous recognitions include: "One of Bloody Mary's Favorite Haunted Houses" by The Tales of Bloody Mary (Issue #8, 2006); "6th Best Haunted House in the United States" by AOL City Guide, (2005); "Best Haunted Attraction" by The Scare Factor! (2005); "9th Best Haunted House in the United States" by HauntWorld Magazine (2004) and "Best Professional Haunted House" by Hauntfreaks.com (2003).

Terror Behind the Walls Announces Exclusive Contest for Myspace Friends

Is Terror Behind the Walls your friend yet? Add us as your friend on Myspace for exclusive discount offers. Plus, you'll also have a chance to win free V.I.P. tickets, cool Eastern State Penitentiary merchandise, and special invitations to private parties and behind the scenes tours!

Each week leading up to Halloween, beginning on August 15, we'll pick another winner. The grand prize is a private evening paranormal investigation for five people. To be eligible to win, simply add us as one of your "Top 8 Friends." See our blog at www.myspace.com/terrorbehindthewalls for complete details.

Terror Behind the Walls Named One of Bloody Mary's Favorite Haunted Houses

Terror Behind the Walls was named as one of “Bloody Mary's Favorite Haunted Houses” in Issue #8 of "The Tales of Bloody Mary" comic book. Terror behind the Walls was one of only thirteen attractions selected.

Bobbie Weiner, A.K.A. Bloody Mary, is one of the few elite makeup artists who specialize in special effects makeup. Her work has been featured in the Oscar Award winning film, “Titanic,” where she was the special effects make-up artist who transformed hundreds of actors into blue-lipped, icicle-covered corpses. She is a make-up consultant to 20th Century Fox, and supplied the makeup and Camouflage for “Behind Enemy Lines” starring Gene Hackman through her company, Bobbie Weiner Enterprises LLC.

Bobbie is the number #1 supplier of Camouflage Face Paint to the Department of Defense, Marines, Army Air Force, Special Troops and National Guard. In 1999, she developed a line of Halloween Special Effects Makeup that goes by the name of Bloody Mary that sells all over the world today. Bobbie's “The Tales of Bloody Mary” Comic book debuted in February 2005. It was an instant hit and is available nationwide all Hot Topic stores.

For more information about “The Tales of Bloody Mary” or Bloody Mary's makeup line visit www.DearBloodyMary.com.

Eastern State Penitentiary Introduces New Haunted Attraction for 2006

The massive Eastern State Penitentiary — a gothic, castle-like structure in Philadelphia's Fairmount neighborhood — is the home one of the nation's largest and most ambitious haunted attractions, Terror Behind the Walls. The event has been ranked the nation's 6th best haunted by America Online, and called "perfect for Halloween" by The New York Times. It is in its 16th year.

The penitentiary will add a brand new attraction for 2006: Night Watch. Visitors will explore Night Watch on their own, with flashlights in complete darkness, as their final experience in Terror Behind the Walls. Night Watch is one of five separate haunted houses within the 11-acre complex. The other attractions are Intake, Maximum Security, 13 Rooms, and The Experiment (in 3-D!). Designed to be high-startle and low-gore, Terror Behind the Walls includes Hollywood-quality special effects and lighting, digital sound, animatronic creatures, and custom props.

All five haunted attractions are included in the admission price. Groups of 20 or more can purchase tickets now by calling our group tour hotline at (215) 236-2986 or emailing BoxOffice@EasternState.org. Individual advanced ticket sales begin on September 13 at TicketMaster outlets, by phone at (215) 336-2000, or online at www.TicketMaster.com.

For additional information, including coupons, previews and a complete list of show dates, times and prices visit our Terror Behind the Walls website.

E.S.P. Staff Speak at National Haunted House Convention

Planning for Eastern State Penitentiary's critically acclaimed haunted attraction, Terror Behind the Walls, has become a year-round activity for the staff of the 176 year old Philadelphia landmark. Later this month, Eastern State staff members Brett Bertolino and Jason Ohlsen will travel to Denver, Colorado to speak at The National Haunted Attraction Tradeshow and Convention (HAuNTcon).

Hauntcon begins with a two-day tour of seven haunted attractions in Colorado and Utah, including the critically acclaimed Rocky Point Haunted House in Salt Lake City. Following the tour, conventioneers will attend a three-day tradeshow and conference with more than forty seminars, workshops and demonstrations. Hundreds of special effect and prop vendors will also be on hand during the conference. Bertolino and Ohlsen will lead a seminar focused on trends in ticketing. Eastern State's timed ticket reservation system has long been recognized as the model for ticketing at themepark-scale attractions.

Over the past 15 years, Eastern State's annual Halloween Fundraiser, Terror Behind the Walls, has grown to become one of the largest haunted attractions in the country. In 2005 it was named "6th Best Haunted House in the United States" by AOL Digital City. Terror Behind the Walls is the single largest source of revenue for Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site.

Terror Behind the Walls receives rave review from The Scare Factor

Terror Behind the Walls received the highest rating (9 screams out of 10) of any haunted house reviewed by The Scare Factor this year!

The Scare Factor, a haunted house review website, sends their “Scream Team” across the country to evaluate haunted attractions based on eight criteria: Cast, Make-up and Costuming, Customer Service, Atmosphere, Special Effects, Theme, Fright Effect and Value.

In the review, The Scare Factor Editor Tom Schaeffer commented “In what is arguably an atmosphere without peer, you will be scared, startled, and generally creeped-out by an incredible array of ghastly ghouls. Terror Behind The Walls: Halloween at Eastern State Penitentiary is a must-see for any ‘haunted house’ enthusiast.”

To read the entire review visit: www.TheScareFactor.com.

Wes Craven Visits Eastern State Penitentiary

Wes Craven, director of the “Scream” and “Nightmare on Elm Street” movies spent Sunday, August 28 in the cellblocks of Eastern State Penitentiary. The director (pictured here with Program Director Sean Kelley, Assistant Program Director Brett Bertolino, and Mr. Craven’s personal assistant) clearly loved the place. He risked missing his flight out of Philadelphia to keep exploring this massive ruin, laughing out loud as he came across more crumbling cellblocks and empty towers.

He finished the day with a trip the prison’s central guard tower. As his assistants grumbled that he really should hurry to make his flight, Mr. Craven shot dozens and dozens of photos down into the prison complex.

Mr. Craven was visiting Philadelphia to promote his new film “Red Eye.”

Terror Behind the Walls No Longer 9th Best Haunted House in United States

The Massive Haunted House Moves Up Into The 6th Position

AOL Digital City — the nation’s largest and the internet’s most popular online entertainment guide — has ranked Terror Behind the Walls the “6th Best Haunted House in the United States.” Last year, Eastern State Penitentiary’s massive haunted attraction was ranked as the “9th Best Haunted House in the United States” by HauntWorld Magazine.

Each year, AOL Digital City picks the “Top 13 Haunted Houses Across America.” In naming Terror Behind the Walls to the list, Editor Julia Clinger wrote:

“With no effort at all, Eastern State Penitentiary has been featured on Fox's 'Scariest Places on Earth' and used to terrorize contestants on MTV's 'Fear.' So just imagine how unsettling things can get when the prison actually tries to scare visitors. Exploiting the landmark's innate atmosphere of foreboding (and it's legacy of hauntings -- to which visitors and staff have attested), Terror Behind the Walls invites the intrepid to experience "11 acres of terror." TBTW is a supremely scary horror-fest . . . It doesn't get much scarier than this. Wear diapers.”

The list includes twelve other “destination haunts,” attractions that draw Halloween enthusiasts nationwide for their unique, one-of-a-kind environments, including Rocky Point(#1), in Denver Colorado, whose special effects and costuming are considered by many to be best in the industry and The Darkness(#3), in Saint Louis, MO, innovators of numerous ticketing, crowd management and production design breakthroughs.

Eastern State to Open New Haunted Attraction for Terror Behind the Walls 2005

Eastern State Penitentiary has added a menacing new arrival experience for visitors to Terror Behind the Walls 2005. Keeping in the tradition of the high quality haunted houses visitors have come to expect from Terror Behind the Walls, the new attraction, called Intake, will be a high-startle and low-gore haunted house with Hollywood-quality special effects, custom designed props and animatronics... and, of course, a few unexpected surprises.

Guests will enter Intake by boarding a prison bus. Upon arriving at the prison‘s Processing Center, guests will journey through the delousing chambers, finger printing and mugshot rooms, and, finally, will visit with the Warden himself. After surviving the Warden's interrogation, guests will be marched single-file into the prison yard where the “good” inmates will be separated from the “bad” inmates. Meanwhile, insane guards will be running above their heads on the catwalks of a massive 30 foot high guard tower struggle to maintain order. From there, the terrorizing journey continues...

TBTW Technical Director Jason Ohlsen and his crew of carpenters and stagehands have been working hard since April building this new 7,000 square foot indoor/outdoor attraction. They have also been updating the other four haunted houses, including the addition of a completely new ending for the popular Tunnel Escape. “We have learned that many of our visitors return year after year,” said Mr. Ohlsen. “It's our job to mix it up and to find new ways to shock and terrify. Our guests will not be disappointed.”

E.S.P. Staff Speak to Nation's Haunted House Owners

Planning for Eastern State Penitentiary's critically acclaimed haunted attraction, Terror Behind the Walls, has become a year-round activity for the staff of the 175 year old Philadelphia landmark. In April, Eastern State staff members Brett Bertolino and Jason Ohlsen traveled to Dallas, Texas to speak at The National Haunted Attraction Tradeshow and Convention (HAuNTcon).

Hauntcon began with a two-day bus tour of seven Texas haunted attractions, including Ripley's Haunted Adventure in San Antonio. Following the tour, conventioneers attended a three-day tradeshow and conference with more than forty seminars, workshops and demonstrations. Hundreds of special effect and prop vendors were also on hand during the conference. Bertolino and Ohlsen lead two seminars focused on the marketing and operations of themepark-scale attractions.

Over the past 14 years, Eastern State's annual Halloween Fundraiser, Terror Behind the Walls, has grown to become one of the largest haunted attractions in the country. In 2004 it was named Ninth Best Haunted House in the United States by HauntWorld Magazine. Terror Behind the Walls is the single largest source of revenue for Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site.

Martha Stewart Escapes from Prison

“She was just here,” say confused officials at Eastern State Penitentiary

Officials at Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site report that Martha Stewart was not in her prison cell as of Monday evening.  “She was just here,” said Sean Kelley, the penitentiary’s Program Director.    “I guess this looks pretty bad.”

“We were a little surprised that Ms Stewart was assigned to our prison in the first place,” Mr. Kelley commented Friday.  “After all, Eastern State has been abandoned for more than thirty years.  But her cookies have been a big hit.”

“We’re frankly a little concerned for Ms Stewart’s safety,” said Brett Bertolino, the historic site’s Assistant Program Director .  “She probably doesn’t realize that an army of undead prisoners – and their sadistic, degenerate guards—inhabit this property every October.  And that’s not ‘a good thing.’”

Ms Stewart broke out of “Tunnel Escape,” one of four separate haunted houses that comprise Terror Behind the Walls.   Officials report that Ms Stewart had received, upon request, numerous gardening tools and a melon baller.  She was last seen crocheting a scarf in her cell.  Officials had honored her repeated requests for additional yarn, totaling nearly 800 feet.

Officials continue to search the prison complex for Ms Stewart, finding the occasional chintz throw pillow to suggest that she remains on the property.  Visitors to Terror Behind the Walls are encouraged to help locate her during their visit.

Delaware actress Christine Waisanen will play the character of “Martha Stewart” during each evening’s performance.

HauntSearch Magazine Features Cover Story About Terror Behind the Walls

In the past few years, Terror Behind the Walls has gained a national reputation as one of the leading haunted attractions in the United States. There are many things that make Terror Behind the Walls stand out from other haunted attractions. TBTW is not only know for the size and quality of the attractions, but also for its unique location – an abandoned 11 acre penitentiary – and non-profit status – every penny raised is used to preserve the Penitentiary, which is a National Historic Landmark.

HauntSearch Magazine Editor Rick Witlow sat down with Eastern State Program Director Sean Kelley and Assistant Program Director Brett Bertolino to find out about the inner workings of one of the nation’s largest haunted houses. In his cover story Witlow gives readers an in-depth behind the scenes view of Terror Behind the Walls.

You can read the complete article on the HauntSearch Magazine website.

CBS Television’s “Cold Case” Films at Eastern State Penitentiary

  On August 22, CBS Television filmed an episode of its popular, prime-time drama “Cold Case” at the Eastern State Penitentiary.

The episode centered around the body of a fictitious prisoner escaped from Eastern State in the late 1960s.  In the episode, the body was found in a shallow grave not far from the prison’s walls.

The production filmed at the base Eastern’s massive East Perimeter, a 30-foot wall that establishes the eastern boundary of the penitentiary complex.  The production also filmed in the medieval gatehouse of the penitentiary’s imposing facade.  

“Although the storyline was fictional, the story itself was just the sort of complicated, strange series of events we see in the actual history of Eastern State,” said Assistant Program Director Brett Bertolino.  “The fact that it seems implausible, is just what makes it true to this building’s history.”

For more information visit the CBS website.

Nationally Recognized Haunted House Designer Joins TBTW Crew

Ed Gannon joined the Terror Behind the Walls creative team for a week of intensive planning during the week of June 21. Mr. Gannon is a nationally recognized haunted house designer and the owner of Something Wicked Productions. Gannon (pictured second from right) spent most of the week designing new scares and special effects with the TBTW team. The team finished the week with several days of hands-on work inside the All New 13 Rooms Haunted Attraction.

“This is a truly special building,” Gannon said upon his departure. “The challenge is to design something that lives up to the incredible, haunting environment of Eastern State Penitentiary itself.”

Terror Behind the Walls ranked 9th Best Haunted House in the United States

The Fall 2004 issue of HauntWorld Magazine (Issue #9) included Terror Behind the Walls on its list of the “Top 13 Haunts in the Country.”  Terror Behind the Walls was ranked as the Ninth Best Haunted Attraction in the United States by HauntWorld Editor in Chief Larry Kirchner. 

In his article “Top 13 Haunted Houses Revealed” Kirshner said:

“Probably the most unique location in the nation.  The site for this attraction is the old Eastern State Penn.  Production companies from television shows to movie productions have used the site.  There is something to be said for the existing atmosphere of an old prison where convicted murders have lived and died.  Many of us (haunted houses) create old prison themes, now you can actually see one in person.  Yes some other prisons have set up haunted houses, but only Terror Behind the Walls has invested the kind of time and money to transform the facility into a major attraction.”

Other nationally recognized haunted attractions on the list included Headless Horseman, Ulster Park, New York (#1); Rocky Point Haunted House, Salt Lake City, NY (#3); NeatherWorld Haunted House, Atlanta, GA (#6); Terror on the Fox, Green Bay, WI (#10) and The Darkness, St. Louis, MO (#13).

For complete information about Terror Behind the Walls visit our Halloween Website. 

Terror Behind the Walls voted Best Professional Haunted House by Hauntfreaks.com

For the past three years, Hauntfreaks.com has reviewed Haunted Attractions throughout Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware. Of all the haunted houses reviewed by Hauntfreaks.com, Terror Behind the Walls was voted the 2003 Best Pro Walk Through.

The HauntFreaks vowed to return to Eastern State for more Terror in the years to come. The review concluded by saying, "It was due to the close proximity that we originally planned to visit this attraction this year, and it is due to the quality we found there that we will return. With proceeds going to such a worthy cause (the preservation of an amazing piece of architectural history), it is a bonus that we just can’t resist."

For the entire review, please visit the HauntFreaks website.

Planning for Terror Behind the Walls 2004 kicks into high gear.

Preparations for Terror Behind the Walls 2004, Philadelphia’s premier haunted attraction, were kicked into high gear this March. Members of the TBTW Creative Team, including Brett Bertolino, Jennifer Bendik and Sean Kelly, traveled to Chicago during the second week of March for the 9th annual Transworld National Halloween Conference. During the week long conference, the TBTWs creative team joined other professional haunters and industry experts to share experiences, learn from each other and preview the latest in special effect products.

E.S.P. Member Proposes at Terror Behind the Walls

Steve Vernale and Sue Laiuppa fell in love with each other in August of 2002. Nearly two years later, in the Summer of 2004, the couple fell in love with Eastern State Penitentiary.

Their first visit to Eastern State was the annual Bastille Day Celebration. “We had an absolute blast during the block party and reenactment,” Steve says, “But when we took the tour during the day, we were both in awe with the beauty of the building. That night, Sue and I both loved ESP so much that we became members because we wanted to help keep this Historic Site around for a long time.” Although they left ESP, ESP did not leave them. “When we returned home that weekend, all we talked about was ESP and Philadelphia.”

Read more >>

Bam! Food Network Chef Emeril Lagasse Kicks Up Halloween at Eastern State.

Food Network Chef Emeril Lagasse chose Eastern State Penitentiary as the perfect setting for his Emeril Live Halloween Special. The episode was filmed entirely on location at the Penitentiary this past July.

Eastern State’s in-house Halloween technical crew, headed by Tech Director Bradley Helm, built every prop and set piece for the show.

Emeril and special guests Rachael Ray, Paula Deen and Mark Summers kick Halloween up knotches unknown to mankind as they create such Halloween specialties as the Spellbinder Cocktail, Vampire Chicken on a Stake with Blood Sauce, the Yummy Mummy and a Chocolate Candy Haunted House.

The episode airs on the Food Network on the following dates:

October 23, 2003 10:00 am
October 26, 2003 9:00 pm
October 26, 2003 1:00 am
October 31, 2003 8:00 pm
November 01, 2003 12:00 am
November 01, 2003 3:00 pm
November 02, 2003 4:00 pm

Let’s Kill Bob! Men’s Health Magazine writer endures four days of solitary confinement at Eastern State.

“More noises – scritch, scritch – my flesh crawled. Rats? Bats? I wanted out. I needed out. Now.”

In his new column, “Let’s Kill Bob!” Men’s Health writer Bob Drury personally explores the frontier of man’s physiological and psychological limits. His first assignment: endure four days of solitary confinement in one of Eastern State’s 8 x 12 foot cells.

Alone for four days in an abandoned prison, Bob was treated like a real inmate from the moment he arrived until the moment he left. “No watch. No smokes. No phone. No music. No exercise yard. No television. No booze. No drugs. No pen. No paper. No visitors.”

Bob did survive to write his first column, but it certainly wasn’t an experience he enjoyed.

“I thought I was some kind of tough guy. I thought I could handle being alone. Eastern State Penitentiary changed my mind. Literally.”

You can read the entire account of his stay in the October 2003 Issue of Men’s Health magazine.

ESP to be Featured on TLC’s America’s Ghost Hunters

On June 7, 2003 a team of professional paranormal investigators traveled from across the United States to conduct an investigation at Eastern State Penitentiary for the TLC (The Learning Channel) program America’s Ghost Hunters.

The professional investigation team featured: Troy Taylor (from Alton, Illinois), Tonya Hacker & Tammy Wilson (from Oklahoma), Seven Paranormal Research with Abe the dog (from North Carolina), A.G.H.O.S.T. (from Seattle) and Bob Glickman (from Philadelphia Association for Critical Thinking)

America’s Ghost Hunters will premiere on Thursday, October 30th, 2003 at 9:00 pm & Midnight on TLC.  (Check your local listings for the exact time since your cable or satellite system may delay the signal).

For more information about this episode, as well as a "Behind the Scenes" look at the TLC filming visit http://www.prairieghosts.com/eastern.html.

Eastern State to Open New Haunted Attraction in Abandoned Prison Print Shop

For Terror Behind the Walls 2003, event planners will unveil a new interactive haunted attraction in the penitentiary’s former Print Shop. These spectral spaces once housed choice work assignments for prisoners. According to Joe Corvi, an Eastern inmate from 1951 to 1954, “one of the most sought after assignments in our vocational program was a job in the print shop.”

But the Print Shop – like the entire penitentiary – was abandoned in 1971. “It is an incredibly eerie, haunting space,” said Eastern State Assistant Program Director Brett Bertolino. “It is as if time stopped in 1971. The walls are steel-lined, huge rusted metal printing presses.” The Print Shop has never before been open to the public.

Terror Behind the Walls’ latest attraction will be designed by a professional creative team, including nationally recognized haunted attraction consultant John Denley. Mr. Denley’s Boston-based firm, Boneyard Productions, consults on the design and construction of haunted attractions throughout the United States. Some of Mr. Denley’s recent projects include Universal Studios in Orlando, FL and Madison Scare Garden in New York, NY.

Eastern State Included in New Book About Ghosts

In the new book, Ghost Stories of Pennsylvania, Dan Asfar recounts over 20 of the Keystone State’s most intriguing ghost stories. The book includes nine pages of haunting history and tales of paranormal activity about Philadelphia’s own Eastern State Penitentiary.

Ghost Stories of Pennsylvania is available in our online store.

The Return of MTV

New York based MTV visited Eastern State Penitentiary on Wednesday, September 25. It was their second visit in two years. They were filming a segment for &lrquo;All Things Rock,” a video program that airs weekdays at midnight.

The Eastern State segment will air at midnight on Thursday October 3 (technically it's the morning of Friday the 4th.) The crew chose Eastern State because of its haunting, evocative environment. They filmed in Cell Block 12, the central guard tower, and in front of Al Capone's cell.

The show is hosted by Benji and Joel of the band “Good Charlotte.” The band's new album, Young and the Hopeless, was just released on Epic records. The band's website is www.goodcharlotte.com. They will play in Philadelphia on October 5.

New Book About Fear Features Chapter About Eastern State

Joe Kita, executive staff writer at Men's Health Magazine, methodically set out to confront his twelve biggest fears last year. One of his greatest fears: isolation.

Kita chose to experience isolation at Eastern State under the same conditions experienced by the Penitentiary’s earliest inmates, something that hadn’t been attempted in more than one hundred years. In his new book, Accidental Courage, Kita chronicles his is a journey. His web site says, "It is a tale that is as full of wisdom as of wit, as profound as it is, at times, pathetic. You will be fascinated, and at the same time, you will find inspiration, laughter, and courage."

If you have ever wanted to spend a night at Eastern State, after reading this book you may begin to have second thoughts. You’ll have to read the book to find out if Kita conquered his fear of isolation, but he does say at the end of his book, "I would do everything else again, except get locked in that prison."

For more information about Joe Kita and Accidental Courage, visit www.joekita.com.

Terror Behind the Walls Featured in Two National Magazines

The autumn 2002 edition of Happy Halloween magazine called Eastern State Penitentiary’s Terror Behind the Walls an "Ultimate Halloween Destination," saying "It’s an astounding, haunting, humbling piece of American History."

The October 2002 edition of arrive, a national magazine produced and distributed by Amtrak, included Eastern State Penitentiary on its list of Spooky Spots in the Northeast. Of the seven locations featured, Terror Behind the Walls was the only Pennsylvania attraction included. The magazine urged visitors to Philadelphia to spend time "behind bars" instead of in a bar (although there are some wonderful restaurants and bars in Fairmount). According to arrive, "Forget hayrides and haunted houses – this is true terror."

Eastern State to Appear on ABC Special

M. Night Shyamalan, writer/director of Signs, The Sixth Sense & Unbreakable) chose Philadelphia’s Eastern State Penitentiary to film the backdrop for his Signs of Fear special.

Signs of Fear explores the compelling phenomenon of fear by exploring our most spine-tingling scares. In each of the special's ten segments, real people describe a true frightening experience, exploring how that fright altered their behaviors and lives.

The filming required a crew of forty people and weeks of planning. It was completed during two long nights in early July, when the director and crew took over the Eastern State Penitentiary complex from dusk until dawn. Filming took place in the penitentiary’s guard lounge, Rotunda, Chaplain’s Office, Death Row, and Cell Blocks Six and Seven.

Signs of Fear will air nationally on the ABC network (WPVI 6ABC in the Philadelphia area) from 8:00 &#ndash; 9:00 pm on Monday, July 22.

Eastern State Program Director Appears on Today Show

Eastern State Penitentiary Program Director Sean Kelley joined two other nationally recognized Halloween professionals to speak with Katie Couric about the Impact of September 11th on the Halloween Industry. Halloween professionals found themselves questioning what was appropriate in 2001, in a business focused on scaring people. Terror Behind the Walls is a fund raiser for the non-profit Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site, and the revenue from Halloween funds most of the historic site activity. Kelley spoke about Eastern State’s high startle, low gore approach to haunted attractions.

Eastern State Penitentiary Featured on MTV’s Reality Show, FEAR

Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site was featured in March 2001, on MTV’s reality program, FEAR. The program challenges six people to spend thirty-six hours in an abandoned, possibly-haunted building. The group is subjected to a series of dares during their stay. Dozens of cameras hidden throughout the building allow the audience to watch the group’s efforts to overcome their fear. Those who finish the full thirty-six hours receive $3,000 in cash.

The Eastern State Penitentiary episode required a crew of forty people and weeks of planning. Cast members were given challenges including trips to Eastern State’s Death Row and Isolation Block. One cast member was directed to sleep in an abandoned cell for thirteen hours.

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