After a groundbreaking freshman run, “The Holzer Files” returns with all-new investigations into Hans Holzer’s paranormal mysteries, launching with a special Halloween week premiere on Thursday, October 29 at 11 p.m. ET/PT. A dedicated paranormal team – led by paranormal investigator Dave Schrader, psychic medium Cindy Kaza and equipment technician Shane Pittman – revisits Hans Holzer’s most captivating cases. With the help of Holzer’s daughter, Alexandra Holzer, and researcher Gabe Roth, the team picks up where Holzer left off to re-examine the terrifying hauntings that he dedicated his life to researching.
“The Holzer Files” is a cryptic mystery, bound by threads of truth, the voices of the past and the exploration of modern paranormal pioneers. Viewers will experience a chilling chase, fueled by Holzer’s rediscovered archival files and haunting cinematography. The second season, comprised of 13 brand new one-hour episodes, follows the team on the haunted trail of legendary cases – from an elegant mansion in New York City, home to one of the world’s most infamous hauntings to the historic Maryland tavern that hid John Wilkes Booth after he shot Abraham Lincoln.
Recognized as the “father of the paranormal,” Hans Holzer’s legendary four-decade exploration into disturbing hauntings like the Amityville Horror house, helped spawn legions of supernatural enthusiasts, more than 120 books and even inspired Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis to write “Ghostbusters.” In each episode, the team culls through thousands of Holzer’s recently discovered documents, letters, photographs and chilling audio and visual recordings dating back to the 1950s. Using his findings, team members track down recent developments from each haunting and head back to the location to reinvestigate with a fresh perspective, harnessing their own research, skills and expertise.
“We knew when we greenlit ‘The Holzer Files,’ we had something special on our hands, but we didn’t realize just how much of a paranormal pandora’s box we’d opened until we started filming,” said Matthew Butler, general manager, Travel Channel. “Hans was a prolific chronicler of hundreds of ghost hunts, preserving everything from photographs, case notes, letters, film footage and chilling audio recordings from his interview subjects and trance mediums. Most of this material has never been seen before and we’re just getting started.”
The premiere episode, “Phantom Hand,” takes viewers back to 1963, when the Todd family of Cleveland encountered a ghastly hand reaching toward them from the basement door in their Mason Court apartment. Despite nailing the door shut, the appendage pushed through and terrified the family for weeks before they finally fled with their young son. Though the Todd family moved out, more people in the Kingsbury Run area of Cleveland continued to contact Dr. Holzer about similar disturbing activity, finally prompting him to bring his trusted psychic medium, Ethel Meyers, to conduct an outdoor reading of the entire area. Her findings were vivid and terrifying, but nothing matched up with the city’s known history, so the many paranormal cases of Kingsbury Run were never closed.
Now, Hans Holzer’s hidden case file is finally reopened, and new patterns emerge as the team delves into the original letters and finds that the hauntings may point to a new central crossroads for the spirits. However, as they unearth the area’s haunting past, they soon discover that they are likely dealing with restless souls that may have all died at the hands of the same infamous killer.
Check out “The Holzer Files” on TravelChannel.com for exclusive content, including special show extras, behind-the-scenes photos, exclusive videos and more. Follow @TravelChannel and #HolzerFiles on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram for additional content and updates.
Some of the upcoming episodes this season include:
“Tell Me No Lies” – Premieres Thursday, November 5 at 10 p.m. ET/PT
Hans Holzer believed a sensational tale of heartache and murder hid the real story behind one of his most famous cases. The team heads to New York City’s Old Merchant’s House to uncover the terrifying truth of this Victorian-age haunting.
“Death to Tyrants” – Premieres Thursday, November 12 at 10 p.m. ET/PT
Dave Schrader, Cindy Kaza and Shane Pittman reopen legendary ghost hunter Hans Holzer’s terrifying case of the Surratt Tavern in Clinton, Maryland, the infamous first stop of John Wilkes Booth after assassinating Abraham Lincoln in 1865.
“Final Word” – Premieres Thursday, November 19 at 10 p.m. ET/PT
Hans Holzer visited Ohio’s Franklin Castle many times, each time experiencing terrible technical difficulties, and never able to pinpoint the exact cause of the uncanny happenings plaguing the owners of the house for years. Now, Dave Schrader, Cindy Kaza and Shane Pittman return, witnessing the troubled spirit manifest before their eyes. But their biggest discovery is something Holzer himself missed. They restore his jumbled audio recording to find a hidden voice, and the key to the castle’s haunting.
“Edge of the Veil” – Premieres Thursday, November 26 at 10 p.m. ET/PT
Hans Holzer had a lifelong obsession with Rockland County, New York, the site of his first case. Half a century later, the team attempts to decode the region’s rampant paranormal activity. Does it stem from a revolutionary past or something far more sinister?
“Blood in the Water” – Premieres Thursday, December 3 at 10 p.m. ET/PT
Hans Holzer heard stories of paranormal activity taking place on Staten Island’s historic Conference House, a site famous for peace, but with a dark and bloody past. After generations of people reporting noises, murmurs, moans, and pleas, Hans conducted two investigations. Though his mediums, Ethel and Sybil, sensed the murder of a young woman on the staircase by an imposing man from the American Revolution. Holzer felt there was more to the case. When Dave Schrader, Cindy Kaza and Shane Pittman return, the spirits guide them to the water’s edge where a terrible truth awaits.
“Devil in the Rock” – Premieres Thursday, December 10 at 10 p.m. ET/PT
The team ventures to the Massachusetts coast to follow up on Hans Holzer’s 1964 investigation of the Bates Ship Chandlery. As they delve deep into the property’s past, they uncover a chilling undercurrent of darkness anchored in the rocky shores.
“The Holzer Files” is produced by Painless Entertainment for Travel Channel. For Painless, the executive producers are Jim Casey, Ross Kaiman and Rob Saffi. For Travel Channel, the executive producer is Christine Shuler, Julie Meisner Eagle is vice president of production and development, Matthew Butler is general manager and Henry Schleiff is group president of Investigation Discovery, Travel Channel, American Heroes Channel and Destination America.
ABOUT THE TEAM
Dave Schrader is an experienced paranormal investigator and radio host. He became fascinated with the unexplained at an early age, reading books by parapsychology pioneers like Hans Holzer. He has traveled the world in search of the truth behind some of the most terrifying claims of the supernatural. Dedicated listeners from across the globe have been tuning into Schrader nightly via his popular radio programs like “Darkness Radio” and “Midnight in the Desert,” where he deep dives into the strange, fringe and bizarre realms of the paranormal. He is also the co-author of the book “The Other Side” and has been featured on several hit paranormal television series including “Ghost Adventures,” “Paranormal Challenge” and “Paranormal State.” Schrader prides himself on being one of the last people to interview Hans Holzer before his death and is determined to honor Holzer’s legendary legacy.
Cindy Kaza is a psychic medium who had her first memorable encounter with a spirit when she was just 10 years old. She dismissed this chilling experience as just a dream until her early 20s, when she realized she was continually having psychically spiritual experiences. Since this “awakening,” Kaza has been searching for the truth about her gifts and testing the limits of her multi-faceted abilities, including “automatic writing,” in which she allows the dead to communicate directly through her via free-form writing. Kaza has trained at England’s renowned Arthur Findlay School of Intuitive Sciences and now travels across America providing people startling evidence and messages from the dead.
Shane Pittman is an equipment technician who has had profound unexplained paranormal experiences since childhood. Pittman became determined to learn as much as he could by researching every possible technological method, in the hopes of finding the truth about his otherworldly encounters. Pittman strives to use his passion for modern technology to advance the field of paranormal study, attempting to scientifically validate paranormal experiences using the latest techniques available. Pittman is also the lead investigator for the Fusion Paranormal team and was host of “The Fusion Project” podcast.
Alexandra Holzer is the daughter of legendary parapsychologist Dr. Hans Holzer and has continued his research into the unknown. She is a published author and paranormal investigator and, along with her husband, founded the New York-based global investigation organization, Hunt with Holzer.
Gabe Roth is an experienced researcher, storyteller and producer with a background in journalism, captivated by the freaky facts and fascinating fictions associated with the paranormal. He has produced several paranormal television series, including “My Haunted House” and “Evil Things.”
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