The Haunted Byrd Theatre

Posted: 05.27.2025 | Updated: 08.13.2025

Any true Richmond citizen will know of the Byrd Theatre. Located on vibrant Cary Street, going to see a movie there is as time-honored a Richmond tradition as heading to Belle Isle or visiting Ashland Berry Farm. 

And it’s easy to see why! The place has been around for around a century. During that time, it has catered to casual movie fans and true cinephiles alike. However, beyond its history, the Byrd Theatre is rumored to have some secrets behind it; namely, the haunted kind. 

Yes, the Byrd is known to house some of Richmond’s most enduring ghosts. No one is quite sure of the number of ghosts said to haunt this haunted theatre, but one thing seems certain: they don’t seem to be going anywhere anytime soon. 

Keep reading on to learn just who these ghosts might be. After you’re done, we’re sure you’ll want to learn even more about haunted Virginia. The best way to do that is by booking an in-person ghost tour with us at Richmond Ghosts.

Who Haunts the Byrd Theatre? 

It’s a question that different Richmond locals will have different answers for. But whether you’re asking Richmond’s many advertising executives or its outdoorsy hikers, similar stories will start emerging from all of these groups.

Just a few manifestations of spirits include:

• Robert Coulter, former manager of the Byrd. He is hard to please but will occasionally give a floating ovation.
• The Laughing Girl. Believed to be a small child with positive memories linked to the Byrd.
• Obscured, sunken in faces of mysterious specters. All of whom appear on the balcony.

All of these manifestations only adds credence that there is definitely something to all of the ghost stories coming from the Byrd Theatre. 

History of the Byrd Theatre

Carytown is a bit of a local Richmond staple. From novelty soda shops to vintage record stores to art studios, it’s an eclectic collection of everything that makes Richmond weird and wonderful. So, it’s no wonder that the Byrd Theatre fits right into it. 

It originally opened in 1928 and was designed to serve as a luxurious venue to show films. This was a time when movies, or “talkies,” were just beginning to emerge as an art form. Nobody was quite sure what to make of them, but the Byrd was one of the few places that saw film’s potential as high art. 

The inspiration for its grandiose architecture came from the vaudeville tradition, but it was modernized for the movies. It ditched the horseshoe shape of vaudeville auditoriums and, instead, opened up the seating to accommodate an audience of 1500 people. 

Because it was still uncertain in the 1920s whether talking movies would take off, the Byrd was equipped with not just a speaker system but also a Mighty Wurlitzer organ (accompanied by a live organist) for silent films. 

Due to its vintage architecture, quirky atmosphere, and Byrd’s resilient commitment to cinema, it was eventually designated a Virginia Historic Landmark in 1977. And, ever since then, the place has remained mostly intact, even still hosting an occasional organ accompaniment to a film. 

But its music and decor aren’t the only things that are from a bygone era. Locals love the low ticket prices of the Byrd. As part of their commitment to showing movies as they used to be, the Byrd offers tickets for just $9, as of 2025.

Theatre Hauntings

When you step into the Byrd Theatre for the first time, you’ll be struck by how grandiose it looks. From the velvet curtains to the oil paintings of mythological heroes and demons to the massive chandelier with 500 lights and 5,000 crystals, the Byrd is a place where movies loom large and humans feel small. 

Perhaps, that is why so many people report creepy sensations of feeling watched. Especially when they stay at the Byrd late at night or catch a showing with nobody else around. Of course, if you work there long enough, you get used to the imposing architecture and the creaking noises. 

One of the people who worked at the Byrd the longest was Robert Coulter. He served as the manager of the Byrd from its founding year, 1928 up until 1971. He has long been rumored to still haunt the place. 

Unlike other ghosts, old Bob Coulter is a fairly benign presence. He mainly just keeps to himself…unless a movie happens to be playing. 

When that happens, if it’s dark enough and if someone has a keen enough eye, they’re likely to spot Coulter lurking up on the most inaccessible balcony seats, enjoying the film. He’s hard to impress, but if the film was to his liking, he’ll give it a standing ovation. Only to disappear moments later. 

He’s not the only ghost said to haunt the place, either. In 2012, a team of paranormal investigators, looking into the Byrd’s haunted reputation, deployed equipment in the bathroom and discovered the spirit of a girl playing around there. Who this girl is remains a mystery to this very day, but it certainly spooked the investigators when they found her! 

Who’s Up In The Balcony? 

This ghost is known as the Laughing Girl. Although not as commonly seen as Robert Coulter, she’s become a bit of a mainstay at the Byrd, too. 

Paranormal researcher Steve Dillis has suggested that the reason spirits like hers and Coulter linger around the Byrd is due to intense emotional resonance with the place. 

Obviously, Coulter’s emotional investment in the place is apparent, after all those years he spent working here. But what about the Laughing Girl? 

Perhaps she was a child whose only positive memories of her childhood were of being at the movies. Or, maybe she was just the daughter of an employee who had an idyllic childhood watching all the latest flicks? 

In any case, it doesn’t seem as though she’s alone in her passions…or alone in the afterlife either. You see, the balcony of the Byrd doesn’t just contain the ghost of Robert Coulter. In fact, he’s only one of many different ghostly faces seen up there when a movie is playing. 

However, he is the only one whose face and image are corporeal and identifiable. These other ghosts that sit up in the balcony are more obscured, with grey, sunken faces that defy identification. 

However, given how often they show up, it’s likely that they are fellow movie lovers, like Robert and the Laughing Girl. Even if you can’t spot these unknown balcony ghosts, they still make their presence known. Many Byrd moviegoers report feeling a strange sensation that they’re being watched when they sit down to enjoy a flick! 

Haunted Richmond

So, if you find yourself in Richmond, have a couple of bucks to spare, and want to see a show, be sure to head on down to the Byrd Theatre. It’s an illuminating experience that just can’t be replicated elsewhere. Just make sure to check the balconies for ghosts before you sit down and enjoy your popcorn, though! 

If you liked this story and want to learn similar tales, check out our Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. They spotlight other offbeat ghost stories all over the United States. Checking our blog is another good way to stay up-to-date with all the latest ghost stories and haunted spots in Virginia.

And if you want to explore haunted Richmond up close, a ghost tour with Richmond Ghosts is the best way to do that. Our guides are knowledgeable and enthusiastic and can provide even more information on the area. 

Sources:

• https://byrdtheatre.org/about/theatre-history/
• https://www.vpm.org/2021-09-30/paranormal-investigators-tell-the-tales-of-virginias-ghosts-werewolves-and-vampires
•  https://www.12onyourside.com/2019/09/16/richmonds-most-haunted-buildings/
• https://discoverrichmondtours.com/byrd-theatre-history/