The Paramount Arts Center was originally known as The Paramount Theatre and dates back to 1931. Opening Day for the theater was Saturday, September 5th 1931. It is believed to be haunted by a ghost who locals call “Paramount Joe.” Stories say that when the theater was being built, four workers were in the auditorium, three went to lunch, and when they came back, they found the fourth workmen dead, hanging from the curtain rigging. He is said to linger in the theater to this day. strange things have been reported to happen such as strange noises, problems with the lights, and missing items. As well as Joe himself occupying an empty seat. If he is acknowledged he will kindly disappear.
While at The Paramount filming his Archy Breaky Heart Music Video. Billy Ray Cyrus. Is said to have talked to Joe. Before he left the theater Billy Ray signed a poster to Paramount Joe. Over the years as the wall in the box office was getting full. Joe’s autographed poster was removed.
The Next day workers found all of the posters that were on the wall on the floor. Many of them in broken frames. All that is except for Billy Ray’s poster autographed to Paramount Joe!
The Paramount Theater of Ashland Kentucky was one of the first theaters built to play “The Talkies” talking motion pictures produced exclusively by Paramount. Because of the Great Depression, plans for the theater were almost scrapped all together. But in the end; Contruction continued; the resulting theater however is 1/3rd the size called for by the original plans . Today a glance to the side of the stage will show the original organ grills that were installed during the silient film era. But they were never used. Ironically the first movie played here was entitled “Silent.”
In 2004, then marketing director Tyson Compton; was giving a tour to some high school students. As he was relating the Paramount Joe story, he realized that he was always talking about Joe, and not to him. So as he spoke to the students, he stopped and called out, “Joe, are you here? Is it okay that I tell your story?” While he swears that he then heard a seat squeak, that is not the most chilling part of this story. Compton relates how he received a call the next day from a psychic who lived in the area. She asked him if someone in his family or a close friend had recently died because she had gotten a message from “the other side.” She said, “I’m supposed to tell you that Joe said he is here.
