For the first time ever, Travel Channel is exclusively reopening the case files of America’s first ghost hunter, Hans Holzer, revealing the original recordings and documents from the paranormal pioneer’s renowned studies. In “The Holzer Files,” premiering Thursday, October 3 at 10 p.m. ET/PT, a dedicated paranormal team – led by investigator Dave Schrader, psychic medium Cindy Kaza and equipment technician Shane Pittman – revisits 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.
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 of the series’ 10 hour-long episodes, the team will cull 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.
“The discovery of these case files is huge,” said Matthew Butler, general manager, Travel Channel. “We are excited to share Hans’ original findings with our viewers. His groundbreaking studies inspired generations and continue to influence pop culture to this day. With our stellar team on the ground to pursue further answers and carry the torch forward, this is history in the making.”
In the series premiere, the team heads to historic Rye, New York, where over the span of 20 years, Hans Holzer made three visits to investigate the rampant paranormal activity at the Peck House. Residents have witnessed objects moving on their own, water manifesting on the ceiling without cause and the spirit of a young girl who tragically died in the home. Now, for the first time since Holzer’s last visit in 1985, paranormal investigator Dave Schrader, psychic medium Cindy Kaza and equipment technician Shane Pittman – armed with insight from researcher Gabe Roth and Alexandra Holzer – revisit the case, interviewing locals, historians and frightened witnesses in an attempt to capture evidence and find out if the restless spirits haunting the Peck House have actually moved on.
Upcoming episodes:
“The Morris-Jumel Mansion” – Premieres Thursday, October 10 at 10 p.m. ET/PT
Perched atop one of Manhattan’s highest points, the Morris-Jumel Mansion is the oldest home in New York City and served as a headquarters for George Washington during the Revolutionary War. When Hans Holzer investigated it in 1964, terrified employees encountered apparitions of the home’s past occupants roaming the property and heard whispering in the empty halls. Though Holzer and psychic medium Ethel Meyers were able to communicate with Stephen Jumel and help his restless spirit move on, Jumel’s wife, Eliza, refused to leave and has remained a haunting presence in the home to this day. In recent years, a darker entity has emerged that has concerned employees reaching out for help. The team has reopened Holzer’s files for the first time since his visit over 50 years ago and will investigate the property to determine if this dark presence is indeed Eliza Jumel, or if something more menacing now resides in the historic home.
“The Whaley House” – Premieres Thursday, October 17 at 10 p.m. ET/PT
After Hans Holzer was called in to investigate claims of paranormal activity at a historic San Diego home in 1961, it gained widespread notoriety as the most haunted house in America. Visitors to the Whaley House began reporting frightening encounters with the site’s past occupants – ghostly apparitions walking the halls, disembodied voices and a dark presence lurking in the home. Holzer investigated these assertions with psychic medium Sybil Leek, recording contact with both the Whaley family and a 19th century thief reportedly hanged on the site of the home before it was built. Yet Holzer always felt there was more to reveal – a darker, more powerful entity. Now, the team will conduct an all-new investigation in an attempt to capture more undeniable evidence of Holzer’s original findings. They soon find a dark presence may be dangerously influencing the living and trying to fulfill a centuries-old vendetta.
Additional locations and cases featured this season include the USS Constellation (Baltimore), the Barnstable House (Cape Cod, Massachusetts) the Lambert Castle (Paterson, New Jersey), Ocean Born Mary (New Hampshire/Rhode Island), the Howard-Dickinson House (Henderson, Texas) and more.
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.
“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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