Tampa Theatre Ghosts

Special thanks to Mike Burton for providing us with the following:

The Tampa Theatre Ghosts

Foster Finley

The Tamp Theater was opened in 1926 at 711 N. Franklin Street in the heart of downtown Tampa.
Foster Finley (nickname Fink) became the projectionist from 1930 until his death from a heart attack in 1965.
Although the theater did not open until 1300 hours daily, Foster would arrive by bus every day at 0800 hours, dressed in a suit and tie.
It is reported that Foster was a smoker and “a cigarette was a permanent feature of the corner of his mouth”.
He had a wife and family however seemed to dedicate him self to the theater.
After his death, both moviegoers and theater staff reported seeing an apparition float across the screen during films. Projectionist reported “pranks,” as if someone was holding the projection booth door open as they tried to close it. Some employees reported seeing doors within the theater open and close by themselves, with no one around.
A figure dressed in light colors has been seen setting in the theater when it has been closed and empty.
One worker reported being repeatedly tapped on the shoulder as he mopped the floor. The same worker reported repeatedly turning off a shower on the third floor, which again and again turns back on as he left from just turning it off.
There have been reports of manifestations and objects move from one place to another.
One projectionist carried a knife in his belt and it came up missing from where he laid it within the projection booth. After repeated searching, the knife could not be found. Another employee suggested he just ask “Fink” to return it and the projectionist did.
The knife was immediately found in the projection booth where everyone had looked prior.

The Lady in White or the Lady in Waiting
(Investigation conducted by SPIRIT of St)
(Petersburg in 2005)
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A lady ghost dressed in a long white dress has been seen at the second floor balcony and is believed to be waiting on her fiancé’. In 2005 a team of ghost hunters investigated the theater and a psychic communicated with her. It is believed that her name is Jezebel or Jesse and she was killed in the dirt street prior to the theater being built on the spot. Through psychic interview Jesse told the medium that she died while on her way to meet her fiancé after being run over by a horse and buggy. Prior investigation and sightings report the smell of perfume when Jesse is present.

Man in Uniform
Physic and paranormal investigators have reported the presence of a male figure dressed in and older style military uniform, possible civil war era.