History Main / HauntedHouseHistorian

* ''[[Literature/{{Goosebumps}} The Headless Ghost]]'', the MandatoryTwistEnding reveals that the old tour guide was a ghost all along or something).

* In the ''Liteture/{{Goosebumps}}'' book ''The Headless Ghost'', the local haunted location Hill House is staffed by the kindly Otto and Edna. [[spoiler:Who turn out to be ghosts in the TwistEnding, although not malevolent ones.]]

* Watson Pritchet in ''Film/HouseOnHauntedHill1959'' and [[Film/HouseOnHauntedHill1999 its remake]].

* An old folk in ''Film/TheWorldsEnd'' provides {{Infodump}}s that help to unravel the [[TownWithADarkSecret town's dark secret]].

* Justified in ''Film/FourteenOhEight'', where the hotel manager proves knowledgeable about the troubled past of his room 1408.

* There's a RecurringCharacter parodying this in ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark'' (specifically, an {{Expy}} of the guy in ''Film/PetSematary''). [[http://southpark.wikia.com/wiki/Old_Farmer He turns up now and again]] to warn people away from the Spooky Location ''du jour''.

* ''Film/Dagon'' has [[TheAlcoholic drunken old Eziquiel]] who tells the protagonist what happened to [[TownWithADarkSecret Imboca]]. It does no good, and [[spoiler:Eziquiel gets brutally killed for his pains]].

The Haunted House Historian is a character who knows the BackStory of a HauntedHouse, IndianBurialGround, EldritchLocation, AbandonedHospital, and other evil location. Right around the time the fresh meat-- err, "Main Cast" come in or near the evil location and start getting picked off one by one, the Haunted House Historian will intervene. He or she may [[MrExposition exposit]] on the history of the haunted house, or try (emphasis on '''try''') to take matters into their own hands to save lives or keep the house's secret.

[[folder: Western Animation ]]

* There's a RecurringCharacter parodying this in ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark'' (specifically, an {{Expy}} of the guy in ''Film/PetSematary''). [[http://southpark.wikia.com/wiki/Old_Farmer He turns up now and again]] to warn people away from the Spooky Location ''du jour''.
* Mr. Burns serves this purpose in TheSimpsons Treehouse of Horror V:
-->'''Mr. Burns:''' This house has quite a long and colorful history. It was built on an ancient Indian burial ground, and was the setting of Satanic rituals, witch-burnings, and five John Denver Christmas specials.
-->'''Homer:''' (Shudders) Ugh, John Denver!
* One of these will appear early on in most episodes of ''Franchise/ScoobyDoo''. Quite often they're the ones behind the ScoobyDooHoax, but sometimes they genuinely believe in the MonsterOfTheWeek.

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* In ''WorldOfWarcraft,'' [[TheStoryteller Lorewalker Cho]] fills this role in Mogu'shan Vaults. [[AdventureArchaeologist Brann Bronzebeard]] does an equivalent job in various Titan ruins, though Brann is less about previous knowledge and more about shockingly accurate intuitive leaps.

* Dr. Montague plays this role in Shirley Jackson's ''Literature/TheHaunting''. He discusses the trope by commenting on how difficult it is to get accurate information on a haunted house.

* In ''[[LuigisMansion Luigi's Mansion]],'' [[PunnyName Professor E. Gadd]] was introduced as an old man who knew a lot about the mansion...

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* Mr. Harris in the 2010 ''Film/DontBeAfraidOfTheDark''.
* Watson Pritchet in ''Film/HouseOnHauntedHill1959'' and [[Film/HouseOnHauntedHill1999 its remake]].
* In ''Film/TheHaunting1963'', Mrs. Dudley actively plays this to scare the people staying in the mansion into being careful. Nell parodies the creepy speech she'd heard earlier back at her when she repeats it to Theo.
-->'''Mrs. Dudley:''' I set dinner on the dining room sideboard at six. Breakfast is ready at nine. I don't stay after dinner. Not after it begins to get dark. We live in town, nine miles, so there won't be anyone around if you need help...
-->'''Nell:''' We couldn't even hear you.
-->'''Mrs. Dudley:''' No one could. No one lives any nearer than town...
-->'''Nell:''' No one will come any nearer than that.
-->'''Mrs. Dudley:''' In the night...
-->'''Nell:''' In the dark.
* Ben Fischer (Roddy [=McDowell=]) in ''Film/TheLegendOfHellHouse'', as sole survivor of a previous investigative team, provides the backstory of the Belasco House, called the "Mount Everest of haunted houses." He relates the evil debauchery that started it all, as well as the dire fates of his colleagues on the earlier mission. Fischer advised the others on the team to do nothing to provoke the forces in the house and wait for the week to pass so they can live and collect their fees. As the casualties mount, Fischer is persuaded/forced by circumstances to take action.

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[[AC:Music]]
* In the ''Music/DreamTheater'' concept album Metropolis Part 2: Scenes from a Memory. It comes from the song "Fatal Tragedy," where the protagonist Nicholas visits the house he sees in his dream. He meets an "older man," who tells him about the murder of a young woman in the house years before.

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[[AC:VideoGames]]

[[AC:Visual Novels]]

* ''Film/Ghostbusters2016'' has Patty Tolan share gruesome stories about several of the places the team investigates.

* Kumasawa, the senior maid in ''VisualNovel/UminekoNoNakuKoroNi'', knows the history and legends of the island dating back before it was called Rokkenjima. Because she's a known prankster and likes to embellish stories for extra creepiness, no one takes her warnings seriously.

* In the creator/StephenKing mini-series ''Series/RoseRed'', Joyce Reardon is the researcher type of historian for the eponymous haunted house with assistance from Steve Rimbauer, a descendent of some of the haunting parties. Joyce is not particularly concerned about the safety of the group.

* The Jusenkyo Guide in ''RanmaOneHalf'' always attempts to warn travelers not to fall into the Jusenkyo springs, but his warnings are often ignored until after someone has been cursed.

* ''[[{{Goosebumps}} The Headless Ghost]]'', the MandatoryTwistEnding reveals that the old tour guide was a ghost all along or something).

* In ''[[LuigisMansion Luigi's Mansion]],'' [[PunnyName Professor E. Gadd]] was introduced as an old man who knew a lot about the mansion...

The HauntedHouseHistorian is a character who knows the BackStory of a HauntedHouse, IndianBurialGround, EldritchLocation, AbandonedHospital, and other evil location. Right around the time the fresh meat-- err, "Main Cast" come in or near the evil location and start getting picked off one by one, the Haunted House Historian will intervene. He or she may [[MrExposition exposit]] on the history of the haunted house, or try (emphasis on '''try''') to take matters into their own hands to save lives or keep the house's secret.

As the most knowledgeable on the threat the historian is likely to be TheWorldsExpertOnGettingKilled. However, while the HauntedHouseHistorian does have an element of MrExposition, they may only know a bit more than the characters and leave the characters to do their own research into the exact nature of the threat. They also usually form relationships with the new arrivals, and can be ''very'' active in the plot. This is exposition plus plot structure and character development.

->'''Crazy Ralph:''' [Holds up a severed eyeball] I have ''warned'' thee... I... have warned ''thee.''
-->-- ''WebVideo/TheCinemaSnob'' on '''Film/FridayThe13thPartIII, 3D'''

->'''CinemaSnob:''' Since they killed off [[FanNickname Crazy Ralph]] in the last film, they need some other drunken wacko to warn them away. Sure if this guy talked to them without being a lunatic that might help. But since the fucking meat-wagon didn't give them the hint to stay away, I don't think anything this guy does would'a helped.

-->-- ''The CinemaSnob'' on '''Film/FridayThe13thPartIII, 3D'''

* ''Literature/PetSematary'' has the fatherly neighbor in this role, who runs squarely into the "kickstart the newbie's curiosity" problem when he tells him about the Indian burial ground. He is profoundly conflicted about whether to tell the main character anything at all, and it is implied that the spirit that haunts the ground may be influencing or manipulating him. Falls into WhatTheHellHero territory when it's revealed that, while he initially presents it as spooky but ultimately harmless, he actually knows ''exactly'' how bad things can get when folks go messing around there.

-->'''Jack''': I'll take this one, Burling.