5 Actual Residences Used in Horror Movies, TV Shows

From the hotel that inspired "The Shining" to the "American Horror Story" house.

ByABC News
July 11, 2014, 10:28 AM

— -- intro:Some of the most iconic hotels and houses in horror movie and television history are actually places that people lived in.

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While the only thing scary about these residences is the movies in which they were seen, many of the locations remain popular destinations for tourists and fans.

Click through to check out some of the iconic buildings that were featured in horror films and television shows.

quicklist:1title:Freeling Family Home - "Poltergeist"text:When the Freeling family moves to their new home built atop an old grave yard in the 1982 film, "Poltergeist," a malevolent spirit begins shaking things up around the house and eventually abducts 5-year-old Carol Anne.

From its “cutting-edge” special effects to its memorable characters, Poltergeist is a horror classic.

The Freeling home can still be visited today, tucked away at 4267 Roxbury St. in Simi Valley, California, according to Simi Valley City’s Filming Office. media:24510445

quicklist:2title: Overlook Hotel - "The Shining"text:If the last house didn’t teach you not to build anything on top of an ancient Indian burial ground, "The Shining" certainly will.

This 1980 Stanley Kubrick masterpiece about a family secluded all winter working as caretakers to the Overlook Hotel takes a turn for the worse when Jack Torrance, played by Jack Nicholson, decides to kill his family to appease ghosts.

The Overlook was inspired by the Stanley Hotel in Colorado, which has TV channel 42 dedicated to playing the director’s cut version of “The Shining” on repeat. media:24510376

quicklist:3title:Hill House - "The Haunting"text:The 1963 psychological horror classic, "The Haunting," begins as a small group of people decide to spend the night at Hill House to investigate paranormal occurrences; but the labyrinthine halls and mysterious noises of the house begin to tax the visitors physically and mentally.

The luxurious, neo-Gothic Ettington Park Hotel, in Stratford-Upon-Avon, Warwickshire, offered its magnificent façade to create the macabre Hill House, according to the hotel’s website. media:24510490

quicklist:4title:Murder House - "American Horror Story"text:This Los Angeles house that traps the souls of anyone killed within its walls is the real antagonist of the first season of the hit anthology-style TV show, "American Horror Story," now preparing for its fourth season.

“Murder House” boasts a healthy collection of victims including a mad doctor, a famous actress, some serial killers, a quarreling gay couple, and a whole lot more, but the actual house, called the Rosenheim Mansion in Los Angeles, only boasts a proud collection of film and television credits, and a $5M price tag.

The current owner told ABC News’ “20/20” that the house is visited by a large amount of tourists each day. media:24510719

quicklist:5title:112 Ocean Ave - "The Amityville Horror"text:The allegedly true story of a family tormented by paranormal events after moving into a house that only 13 months before had seen six murders and a suicide has been retold time and time again, most notably in the 1977 novel, "The Amityville Horror," and the 1979 film of the same name.

The home used for external shots was dressed up for filming, according to New York Post.

The filmmakers erected a superstructure to make it look identical to the house of the real Amityville tragedy at 112 Ocean Avenue, in Amityville, New York, which can still be visited today.media:24510581