Haunted Places in San Francisco: The Curran Theater
The Curran Theater was originally build in 1922 off Union Square. In November 1933, a young ruffian named Eddie decided to go on a little shopping spree, holding up different shops and cash registers around San Francisco, so he could get a lot of money to impress his new girlfriend.
Before a performance of Show Boat Eddie approached the Curran box office and pointed his gun through the bars of the window demanding money. On the other side was 25 year old Hewlett Tarr who was supporting himself and his single mother by working at the Curran. Some say Eddie pulled the trigger without a word, others said he was bumped by the person behind him in line, but Eddie said he didn’t mean to shoot Tarr but the gun caught on the bars of the window and just went off. Whatever happened, it sent a bullet straight into Hewlett’s heart. He stumbled down the stairs behind him and died just two weeks before he was supposed to get married.
Eddie Anderson received the death sentence, hanging at San Quentin, after only 7 hours of deliberation. The fastest on record in SF at the time.
Many say, Hewlett Tarr still “works” at the Curran. Audience members would report seeing him in the large mirror that once stood in the lobby next to the box office. Instead of seeing yourself as you walked by you’d see Tarr. Others say Hewlett Tar still roams the halls and corridors of the Curran, checking in with guests, saying hi to you as you walk by, because as we all know, the show goes on...
Come learn more about SF's dark past and see its most notorious haunted places with Christian Cagigal and the San Francisco Ghost Hunt Walking Tour! Click Here To Book Now!
Before a performance of Show Boat Eddie approached the Curran box office and pointed his gun through the bars of the window demanding money. On the other side was 25 year old Hewlett Tarr who was supporting himself and his single mother by working at the Curran. Some say Eddie pulled the trigger without a word, others said he was bumped by the person behind him in line, but Eddie said he didn’t mean to shoot Tarr but the gun caught on the bars of the window and just went off. Whatever happened, it sent a bullet straight into Hewlett’s heart. He stumbled down the stairs behind him and died just two weeks before he was supposed to get married.
Eddie Anderson received the death sentence, hanging at San Quentin, after only 7 hours of deliberation. The fastest on record in SF at the time.
Many say, Hewlett Tarr still “works” at the Curran. Audience members would report seeing him in the large mirror that once stood in the lobby next to the box office. Instead of seeing yourself as you walked by you’d see Tarr. Others say Hewlett Tar still roams the halls and corridors of the Curran, checking in with guests, saying hi to you as you walk by, because as we all know, the show goes on...
Come learn more about SF's dark past and see its most notorious haunted places with Christian Cagigal and the San Francisco Ghost Hunt Walking Tour! Click Here To Book Now!