History & local legend
Hart Chapel Theatre on Clarion’s university campus is said to be haunted by an actor called William. One version of the campus legend describes him as an Ohio performer whose one-man show failed so badly that he took his own life in the chapel. Another version centers on a sweetheart who wanted him to give up acting.
The inconsistent biography became part of the haunting itself: William supposedly objects when someone tells his story incorrectly. History professor Todd Pfannestiel said he deliberately tried that during an investigation and felt an unseen shove.
Pfannestiel also investigated recorded sounds in the building. In a 2012 interview, a reporter listened to one recording and heard what she interpreted as “Right behind you” after an investigator asked where the speaker was.