WGN TV and Marcus Leshock features Spirits on Sproat on morning news

Every October, WGN TV (Channel 9 Chicago) reporter Marcus Leshock visits only 4 to 5 Chicagoland home haunts exceptionally decorated for Halloween. To officially kick off his 2026 season of visits, he picked Spirits on Sproat in Oak Lawn! In the early morning hours of Friday, Oct. 2, Marcus toured our haunt over several segments featured during the morning news and interviewed us live on the air.

Here's an article published today by Marcus that includes a few of those clips. We will be sharing video clips of his entire visit hopefully within just a few days.

It was such a thrill being chosen by Marcus and his team. Thanks to him and his crew for coming out and spotlighting Spirits on Sproat today. Happy Halloween season, everyone!

Meet Mostly Ghostly

You don't stand a ghost of a chance against this netherworld figure, who's known for a lot more than saying "Boo!" Let's learn more about Mr. Mostly Ghostly, shall we?

• Secret to his clean, white appearance: Chews on Tide Pods
• Dirty laundry detail: Stumbles home 3 sheets to the wind every payday
• Favorite song: Spirits in the Material World
• Arch enemies: Clothespins, laundromats, Salvation Army donation bins

Meet The Joker

The Dark Knight can't seem to shake this guy, who's always quick with a killer joke or an explosive prank. He was played to perfection by the late Heath Ledger back in the 2008 film, and he's now a permanent fixture in our yard. Essential facts about The Joker include:

• Better known as: The Clown Prince of Crime, Batman’s enemy, Greaspaint Gil
• Went to prison for: Pilfering Prince’s purple coat from Paisley Park 
• Enjoys: Robbing banks, playing with live grenades, laughing during funerals
• Voted in high school: Class clown, of course

Meet Vlad the impaled butler

We normally serve vampires by relinquishing our precious corpuscles and succumbing to their ravenous thirst for blood. But this sharp-toothed denizen of the undead lives to serve others--from here to Transylvania. Let's take a closer look at Vlad's finer details:

• Favorite haunts: Your great grampa’s crypt, the Overlook Hotel, Mar-a-Lago
• Weapons of choice: Semi-automatic candelabras, rusty skeleton keys, his killer Brooks Brothers tux
• Little known fact: Once chauffeured Dracula’s hearse in Transylvania’s tickertape parade

Meet the Babadook

You don't want a bedtime story from this spook, trust us. He's the titular character from the 2014 film you probably never watched but need to immediately. Here's a breakdown on what he's all about:

• Loves: Pop-up books, earthworms, goth girls
• Nicknames: B-Duke, briquet boy, the ghoul of grief
• Secret shame: He sold the film rights to his book for only $300
• Pet peeves: It’s hard to find a good brand of black lipstick

Meet the Wrathful Wraith

The Ringwraiths that chased Frodo are his cousins, and the Dementors that haunted Harry Potter are in his chess club. Say hello to the freakiest floating fiend who ever visited Spirits on Sproat, the Wrathful Wraith. Bet you didn't know these facts about ol' WW:

• Known for: Floating above our lawn, tugging on his chain, scaring away the mailman
• Favorite songs: Unchained Melody, Float On, Spirit in the Sky
• Desperately needs: A makeover from the Queer Eye crew
• Personal heroes: Stephen Miller, Pete Hegseth

Meet the xenomorph

He's got acid for blood, a snapping inner jaw that can bite off your face, and a head that no hat can possibly fit. He's the extraterrestrial from the Alien films, and here's what you need to know about him:

• Also known as: The monster from the Alien franchise, the eyeless creep
• Sick of: Jokes about what his head is shaped like
• Dirty little secret: He couldn’t burst out of his host’s chest so he took a smelly shortcut south
• Famous for: Disfiguring his wife when he nicked himself shaving

Meet Blackheart Bruce

He's practically the prime reason parents tell their kids not to talk to or take candy from strangers. Here's what we know about Blackheart Bruce:

• Arrested for: Flashing at the mausoleum, impersonating the Grim Reaper, selling fake Rolex watches in dark alleys 
• Embarrassing fact: His girlfriend is very clingy
• Known for: Keeping his secrets close to his chest
• What motivates him: His therapist told him to open up more

Check out these other Halloween displays across Chicagoland

 

WGN has posted its annual list of Halloween home haunts throughout Chicagoland. Click here to read it.

Your favorite Halloween house returns tonight

Spirits on Sproat, Chicagoland's favorite Halloween house, reopens for its 22nd season tonight, September 25, from 7-11 p.m. We'll be open those same hours on Saturday, and from 7-10 p.m. Sunday.  C'mon out and see what we've dug up for 2026!

For our full schedule and more details, click here.

Spirits on Sproat rises from the grave September 25

Like the Frankenstein monster resurrected by a mad scientist, your favorite Halloween house comes back from the dead in 2 weeks, reopening for its 22nd season of scares on Friday, September 25. Make plans to visit Spirits on Sproat in Oak Lawn this autumn, when we'll enjoy a record 25 eerie evenings of operation and unveil several highly anticipated new frightful figures. 

For dates, times, and directions, click here.

Sending out an SOS 2025 video

Christmas is over, but missing Halloween more? Here's our (belated) 2025 Spirits on Sproat video!

The bell tolls for Spirits on Sproat

 Alas, we've reached the finish line in our Halloween season marathon. But Spirits on Sproat still has one more night to thrill you. Visit our home haunt one last time tonight before the coffin lid closes again for another year. We'll open an hour early this evening, at 6 pm. 

Thanks to everyone who came out this year and helped make for a frightfully fun season of screams. Happy Halloween!

Meet Dingbert

The school bell reminds you it's time to start class. The dinner bell chimes that suppertime is nigh. And the church bell rings out on Sundays. But when you hear Dingbert's bell, you'd better run. Be foolish enough to stick around and you'll find out why. Among the fascinating facets of this frightful figure: 

• Famous for: Ringing a tiny bell that indicates your time is up 

• Favorite book: For Whom the Bell Tolls 

• Known as: The only ghost who needs a concierge desk 

• Dirty little secret: Tried to start a séance, but it just sounded like a cat toy

• Moonlights as: The night watchman for Ring home security headquarters

Meet Tiffany, the Bride of Chucky

Good things come in small packages, it's been said. But bad girls come in ultra-petite sizes sometimes, as is the case with the Bride of Chucky, who looks like she could fit into a diaper as easily as she could a sexy halter top. Here's what we know about her:

• Also known as: Tiffany, dollface, devil in a toddler’s dress

• Dirty little secret: She married Chucky for his money and plans to strangle him as soon as she lands a morning TV talk show deal

• Pet peeve: When Chucky forgets to put the potty chair seat down

• Favorite book: “Little Women”

Meet Michael Myers

What would our scary season be without the man who put the "howl" in Halloween? While he bears a striking resemblance to an albino-ized William Shatner (look it up, you doubters), his cold, expressionless face sends chills up the spines of teenage babysitters everywhere. He's not an easy creep to interview, but after some interrogation, here's what we've learned about Michael Myers:

• Most famous movie role: The voice of “Shrek”
• Weapon of choice: The Ginsu Cleave-O-Matic
• Who’s on his hit list: Hollywood hacks who attempt lame remakes of classic films

Meet Jake the Drake

Don't try stealing any gold from this fire-breather: He's bound to adopt a scorched earth policy on your posterior. Here's the lowdown on Jake the Drake: 

• Archenemy: Kendrick Lamar 

• Also known as: Dragon breath, Fireball, Maleficent’s alter ego

• Why they love him in Texas: Turns every meal into a barbecue

• Favorite TV shows: Hoarders, Golden Girls

• Secret shame: Allergic to knights