Jim Keithly at the Haunted Mansion
By SARA DONNELLY | June 21, 2006
MONSTER MAN: Anchorman Jim Keithley worked at the Mansion the summer of '79. |
Jim Keithley, WMTW Channel 8’s weekend anchor, worked at the Haunted Mansion during the summer of 1979.
It was my first job ever, I was like 15. I was only there like half a season. It was too much work for me — six-hour shifts, I was exhausted all the time. I was the mummy. I would be the first live monster inside; they had a stand-up coffin with an open back that I would be sitting behind and they had a little peephole. My grandmother used to give me those peanut butter crackers, you know, the orange ones. So I’d sit there looking through the peephole eating the crackers and waiting for people to come. An hour felt like five hours because you’re in the dark and it’s the summer. I think it was the first week and I was so exhausted — because you’re in the dark — and I remember laying down behind the casket and I fell asleep for like four hours and I woke up and it was almost time for the shift to be over. I said, “Oh my God. Thank God the owner didn’t come by because there would be no mummy!” That was kind of funny.
