Resurrection Mary's Greatest Hits

Resurrection Mary, the legendary ghost of the Chicago area, has been a topic of fascination for decades. She is said to haunt the roads near the Resurrection Cemetery, appearing to hitchhikers and drivers, and then disappearing without a trace. While her origins and existence are a subject of debate, her story has captivated the attention of many, including filmmakers and television producers. In this article, we will explore the best times that Resurrection Mary has been featured on TV, from documentaries to fictionalized portrayals, and delve into what makes her such a compelling figure in popular culture. So sit back and get ready to be spooked as we take a journey through the various on-screen depictions of one of America's most famous ghosts. If you're unfamiliar with the story, here's a link to our detailed article about her. In the meantime, let's check out her best TV and movie appearances.



1. CBS 2 News - 1988

This is a classic Chicago Halloween local news piece. It talks with the man who really popularized Resurrection Mary in the public consciousness (and was the originator of modern Dark Tourism), Richard Crowe, who was a historian, lecturer, and paranormal researcher that was widely regarded as an authority on Chicago's supernatural history.

Crowe began researching Resurrection Mary in the 1970s and spent years investigating the legend. He interviewed dozens of witnesses who claimed to have encountered the ghost and visited the Resurrection Cemetery numerous times (often with his bus tour that was a pregenitor of our Original Chicago Hauntings Ghost Bus Tour!)

They also talk to Chicagoland ghost hunting legend, Dale Kaczmarek, who is a paranormal investigator, author, and founder of the Ghost Research Society, based in Oak Lawn, Illinois. He has been investigating paranormal activity for over four decades and has conducted hundreds of investigations into haunted locations in the Chicago area and beyond.

Kaczmarek is considered one of the pioneers of modern ghost hunting and is also a popular lecturer and speaker on the topic of paranormal investigation. One of Kaczmarek's most famous investigations was into the Resurrection Mary legend. In the 1970s, he conducted a seance at Resurrection Cemetery in an attempt to communicate with the ghostly apparition of a young woman in a white dress that was said to haunt the area. While the seance did not yield any definitive results, it helped to popularize the Resurrection Mary legend and drew attention to Kaczmarek's work as a paranormal investigator.

2. Arthur C. Clarke's World of Strange Powers 1985

In 1985, the Resurrection Mary legend was featured on an episode of "Arthur C. Clarke's World of Strange Powers," a British television series that explored paranormal phenomena and unexplained mysteries.

The Resurrection Mary segment of the show included interviews with witnesses who claimed to have encountered the ghost, as well as with researchers who had studied the legend. The program also featured footage of Resurrection Cemetery and other locations associated with the legend.



Arthur C. Clarke, the show's host and a renowned science fiction writer, was skeptical of the Resurrection Mary legend and questioned the validity of the reported sightings and encounters with the ghost. However, he acknowledged that the legend had captured the imagination of many people and had become an enduring part of Chicago's folklore.

3. Unsolved Mysteries 1990

Resurrection Mary has been featured on the popular television series Unsolved Mysteries  several times over the years. The show, which aired from 1987 to 2010, focused on unexplained mysteries, unsolved crimes, and paranormal phenomena.



In one episode, which aired in 1991, Unsolved Mysterie s explored the Resurrection Mary legend and included interviews with Jerry Palus who famously claimed to have encountered the ghost. The program also featured reenactments of reported sightings and interviews with paranormal researchers who had studied the legend.

The "Unsolved Mysteries" segment on Resurrection Mary helped to bring the legend to a wider audience and sparked renewed interest in the ghost story. The program was known for its dramatic reenactments and detailed investigations, and its coverage of Resurrection Mary remains one of the most comprehensive examinations of the legend to date. Overall, the Resurrection Mary segment on Unsolved Mysteries  is considered a classic example of the show's ability to bring attention to little-known mysteries and has played a significant role in popularizing the Resurrection Mary legend.

4. The Hauntings of Chicago 2007

The Hauntings of Chicago  is a documentary-style television program that explores the Resurrection Mary legend and other famous ghost stories in the Chicago area. The show originally aired in 2007 on WYCC, a public television station in Chicago.



The program features interviews with paranormal researchers like our Chicago founder Ursula Bielski, historians, and witnesses who claim to have encountered Resurrection Mary. It also includes reenactments of some of the reported sightings and encounters with the ghost, as well as footage of the Resurrection Cemetery and other locations associated with the legend.

In addition to the Resurrection Mary segment, the show also explores other famous ghost stories in the Chicago area, such as the haunted Congress Plaza Hotel and the Ghosts of Bachelor's Grove Cemetery.

The program was produced and directed by Thomas L. Delaney and was co-created and co-written by our very own Ursula Bielski. It has since been broadcast on other public television stations around the United States and has gained a reputation as a definitive documentary on the Resurrection Mary legend and other Chicago-area hauntings

5. Resurrection Mary (2007)

The film was released in 2005 and was directed by Sean Michael Beyer. It is a low-budget horror movie that tells the story of a group of friends who encounter the ghost of Resurrection Mary while on a road trip. The friends are driving through the Chicago area when they pick up a hitchhiker who turns out to be the ghost of Resurrection Mary. As they continue their journey, they are plagued by a series of supernatural occurrences and must confront the ghost in order to survive.



While the movie is loosely based on the Resurrection Mary legend, it does take some creative liberties with the story. For example, in the movie, Resurrection Mary is portrayed as a malevolent spirit who seeks revenge on those who wronged her in life. This differs from the traditional legend, which portrays Resurrection Mary as a sad and lost soul who is searching for her long-lost love.

Despite its low budget and mixed reviews, Resurrection Mary  has developed a small cult following among horror fans. Some viewers appreciate the film's attempts to adapt the Resurrection Mary legend for the big screen, while others criticize the movie for its lack of scares and overall quality. It's cool that they had the "Jump To Conclusions" guy from  Office Space  and obviously Sally Kirkland is an Oscar nominee so that's a nice get for the movie.

6. Resurrection Mary (2006)

Another low-budget horror production that attempts to tackle the Resurrection Mary legend is a 2005 film from Michael Lansu. The film starts strong with a good opening sequence, which features an atmospheric shot of the Resurrection Cemetery. It's got Martin Sheen's brother Joe Estevez in a major role and he's not just a day player to keep the costs down. It also gets points for going local, they film at The Great Escape in Chicago (a great haunted location to have dinner at before one of our tours (especially for corporate events!)) and then also they flim at Chet's Melody Lounge across from Resurrection Cemetery and where many of the experiencers have run in after her ghost "disappeared" as they were driving her home. You can click on the image above to watch the whole movie on YouTube!

We hope we whet your appetite a little bit for the legend of Resurrection Mary, but there's much more to Archer Avenue than just the cemetery and Chet's Melody Lounge. If you would like to check out the ghost stories in person, then you can join us in our for our 4-hour Resurrection Mary/Archer Avenue triangle adventure !

Dive deeper into the mysterious world of hauntings with our curated collection of paranormal investigations and ghostly encounters. Read more stories like this in “Ghosts of Lincoln Park: A Chicago Hauntings Companion” by Ursula Bielski, a book of downtown Chicago ghost stories written by our own American Ghost Walks team. Click here for more.

Dive deeper into the mysterious world of hauntings with our curated collection of paranormal investigations and ghostly encounters. Read more stories like this in “The Original Chicago Hauntings Companion” by Ursula Bielski, a book of Chicago ghost stories written by our own American Ghost Walks team. Click here for more.

Are you fascinated by the supernatural and craving more spine-tingling tales? Whether you're a skeptic seeking evidence or a believer looking for your next supernatural fix; "American Ghost Books" offers everything from historical haunted locations to firsthand accounts of paranormal experiences. Each book has been carefully selected to provide authentic, well-researched stories that will keep you turning pages well into the night. Don't let your curiosity about the supernatural remain unsatisfied – explore our collection and find your next ghostly adventure today! 

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