While we’re still months away from Halloween, horror enthusiasts can dabble in a bit of spooky fun at the Icons of Darkness exhibit in Hollywood.
Located next to the TCL Chinese Theater on Hollywood Boulevard, Icons of Darkness boasts a massive, privately owned collection of screen-used props, costumes and promotional materials from sci-fi and horror movies.
But the opportunity to see these exclusive items up-close-and-personal is limited as the exhibition will move into a permanent home in Las Vegas next year.
“It’s a chance for people to come in and see horror, superhero, ‘Jurassic Park’ stuff and ‘Alien’ stuff and it’s all real stuff,” said Rich Correll, a child actor turned television and film director, who spent decades amassing about 2,000 movie props and costumes. “It’s real costumes, real props, real special effects heads. It’s all kinds of stuff built by the studios for these movies and now it’s ended up in this collection.”
Rich Correll, actor and director, poses with his Icons of Darkness, an exhibit of his collection of horror and sci-fi movie props in Hollywood, on Friday, May 12, 2023. (Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)
The exhibition Icons of Darkness, featuring original prop costumes and other memorabilia from horror and science fiction films, runs through the end of the year before it moves to Las Vegas to its permanent home, on Friday, May 12, 2023. (Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)
The exhibition Icons of Darkness, featuring original prop costumes and other memorabilia from horror and science fiction films, runs through the end of the year before it moves to Las Vegas to its permanent home, on Friday, May 12, 2023. (Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)
The exhibition Icons of Darkness, featuring original prop costumes and other memorabilia from horror and science fiction films, runs through the end of the year before it moves to Las Vegas to its permanent home, on Friday, May 12, 2023. (Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)
Rich Correll, actor and director, poses with his Icons of Darkness, an exhibit of his collection of horror and sci-fi movie props in Hollywood, on Friday, May 12, 2023. (Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)
Matthew Jackson and Kim Fouracre, tourists from England, wait to visit the exhibition Icons of Darkness, featuring original prop costumes and other memorabilia from horror and science fiction films, in Hollywood on Friday, May 12, 2023. (Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)
The exhibition Icons of Darkness, featuring original prop costumes and other memorabilia from horror and science fiction films, runs through the end of the year before it moves to Las Vegas to its permanent home, on Friday, May 12, 2023. (Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)
The exhibition Icons of Darkness, featuring original prop costumes and other memorabilia from horror and science fiction films, runs through the end of the year before it moves to Las Vegas to its permanent home, on Friday, May 12, 2023. (Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)
The exhibition Icons of Darkness, featuring original prop costumes and other memorabilia from horror and science fiction films, runs through the end of the year before it moves to Las Vegas to its permanent home, on Friday, May 12, 2023. (Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)
The exhibition Icons of Darkness, featuring original prop costumes and other memorabilia from horror and science fiction films, runs through the end of the year before it moves to Las Vegas to its permanent home, on Friday, May 12, 2023. (Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)
The exhibition Icons of Darkness, featuring original prop costumes and other memorabilia from horror and science fiction films, runs through the end of the year before it moves to Las Vegas to its permanent home, on Friday, May 12, 2023. (Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)
Rich Correll, actor and director, poses with his Icons of Darkness, an exhibit of his collection of horror and sci-fi movie props in Hollywood, on Friday, May 12, 2023. (Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)
The exhibition Icons of Darkness, featuring original prop costumes and other memorabilia from horror and science fiction films, runs through the end of the year before it moves to Las Vegas to its permanent home, on Friday, May 12, 2023. (Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)
The exhibition Icons of Darkness, featuring original prop costumes and other memorabilia from horror and science fiction films, runs through the end of the year before it moves to Las Vegas to its permanent home, on Friday, May 12, 2023. (Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)
Rich Correll, actor and director, poses with his Icons of Darkness, an exhibit of his collection of horror and sci-fi movie props in Hollywood, on Friday, May 12, 2023. (Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)
Rich Correll, actor and director, poses with his Icons of Darkness, an exhibit of his collection of horror and sci-fi movie props in Hollywood, on Friday, May 12, 2023. (Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)
Rich Correll, actor and director, poses with his Icons of Darkness, an exhibit of his collection of horror and sci-fi movie props in Hollywood, on Friday, May 12, 2023. (Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)
Rich Correll, actor and director, poses with his Icons of Darkness, an exhibit of his collection of horror and sci-fi movie props in Hollywood, on Friday, May 12, 2023. (Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)
The exhibition Icons of Darkness, featuring original prop costumes and other memorabilia from horror and science fiction films, runs through the end of the year before it moves to Las Vegas to its permanent home, on Friday, May 12, 2023. (Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)
Rich Correll, actor and director, poses with his Icons of Darkness, an exhibit of his collection of horror and sci-fi movie props in Hollywood, on Friday, May 12, 2023. (Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)
Rich Correll, actor and director, poses with his Icons of Darkness, an exhibit of his collection of horror and sci-fi movie props in Hollywood, on Friday, May 12, 2023. (Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)
Rich Correll, actor and director, poses with his Icons of Darkness, an exhibit of his collection of horror and sci-fi movie props in Hollywood, on Friday, May 12, 2023. (Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)
Rich Correll, actor and director, poses with his Icons of Darkness, an exhibit of his collection of horror and sci-fi movie props in Hollywood, on Friday, May 12, 2023. (Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)
Rich Correll, actor and director, poses with his Icons of Darkness, an exhibit of his collection of horror and sci-fi movie props in Hollywood, on Friday, May 12, 2023. (Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)
The exhibition Icons of Darkness, featuring original prop costumes and other memorabilia from horror and science fiction films, runs through the end of the year before it moves to Las Vegas to its permanent home, on Friday, May 12, 2023. (Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)
Rich Correll, actor and director, poses with his Icons of Darkness, an exhibit of his collection of horror and sci-fi movie props in Hollywood, on Friday, May 12, 2023. (Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)
Rich Correll, actor and director, poses with his Icons of Darkness, an exhibit of his collection of horror and sci-fi movie props in Hollywood, on Friday, May 12, 2023. (Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)
The exhibition Icons of Darkness, featuring original prop costumes and other memorabilia from horror and science fiction films, runs through the end of the year before it moves to Las Vegas to its permanent home, on Friday, May 12, 2023. (Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)
Rich Correll, actor and director, poses with his Icons of Darkness, an exhibit of his collection of horror and sci-fi movie props in Hollywood, on Friday, May 12, 2023. (Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)
Rich Correll, actor and director, poses with his Icons of Darkness, an exhibit of his collection of horror and sci-fi movie props in Hollywood, on Friday, May 12, 2023. (Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)
The exhibition Icons of Darkness, featuring original prop costumes and other memorabilia from horror and science fiction films, runs through the end of the year before it moves to Las Vegas to its permanent home, on Friday, May 12, 2023. (Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)
The exhibition Icons of Darkness, featuring original prop costumes and other memorabilia from horror and science fiction films, runs through the end of the year before it moves to Las Vegas to its permanent home, on Friday, May 12, 2023. (Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)
The exhibition Icons of Darkness, featuring original prop costumes and other memorabilia from horror and science fiction films, runs through the end of the year before it moves to Las Vegas to its permanent home, on Friday, May 12, 2023. (Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)
A Los Angeles native, Correll comes from a family of entertainers. His father is the late Charles Correll, who starred on the “Amos ‘n’ Andy” radio show. His brother, Charles Correll Jr., worked as a cinematographer and directed episodes of several TV shows including “Without a Trace,” “Melrose Place” and “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation.” Correll himself has gone on to direct TV shows like “That’s So Raven,” “Yes, Dear,” “Fuller House” and he’s the co-creator of the teen sitcom “Hannah Montana,” which starred Miley Cyrus.
Correll got his start in Hollywood as a child actor on the sitcom “Leave It to Beaver,” starring as Richard Rickover, a friend of the series star, Jerry Mathers.
It was his time on this wholesome family show that led to his fascination with horror and sci-fi and the beginning of his impressive collection.
“Jerry Mathers, who played Beaver and I were basically the same age, and we liked all the same stuff and we loved horror movies and we were at Universal were they were making all the horror movies,” Correll recalled of filming the show in the early ’60s.
The pair would often check out the makeup labs at the studio and see the prosthetic heads and other props from Universal’s iconic monster flicks. Since the studio would often just throw old props away, the boys would also check the trash for any discarded treasures.
That’s where Correll found a mask from he 1953 film “Abbott and Costello Meet Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.” That moment kicked off his lifelong obsession with collecting movie props. He said his collection is now valued at about $22 million and he still has that Mr. Hyde mask, though it’s not currently on display in the Hollywood space.
“It’s under glass now since it’s so old,” he said.
Back in 2021, Correll used about 200 of his beloved items to launch the Icons of Darkness exhibit in Hollywood. The current 6,500-square-foot space housing his ever-growing collection will remain open through the end of the year, but he plans to relocate to a much larger, 16,000-square-foot building in Las Vegas to display more of his props and costumes in 2024.
“We’re going to take the whole collection out,” he said. “What we’re heading for is a science fiction fantasy and horror hall of fame, like the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.”
The exhibition certainly includes Hall of Fame-worthy nods to horror films with the original costumes of iconic characters like Freddy Krueger, Jason Voorhees, Pinhead and Chucky all on display. He also has an original Pennywise costume worn by actor Bill Skarsgård in the 2017 version of “It,” as well as a straightjacket and muzzle once donned by actor Anthony Hopkins as his award-winning Hannibal Lecter character in 1991’s “Silence of the Lambs.”
Fans of sci-fi and horror films will want to check out the original alien suit from the 1979 Ridley Scott movie “Alien.”
“That thing is unbelievably cool,” Correll said of the iconic outfit. “It’s been restored; it’s in mint condition.”
Several of the original dinosaurs from “Jurassic Park” are on display, too, including 600-pound hydraulic heads and the first velociraptor built for the film. Those that are into superhero movies will also get to see various suits from the Batman films worn by actors Michael Keaton, Christian Bale, George Clooney and Val Kilmer.
“This is the stuff they saw in movies, so a lot of these things are movie stars, but they’re objects,” he said.
Though there’s been a stark increase in horror-related conventions, markets and other official scary-themed gatherings in Southern California, there’s been a bit of a springtime lull in all of that activity. Monsterpalooza hits the Pasadena Convention Center on June 2-4 and will focus on monsters, makeup and special effects and Midsummer Scream returns to the Long Beach Convention Center on July 28-30 with walk-through haunts, a horror film fest, celebrity guests, panel discussions and more.
While the diehard fans wait for those annual events to hit and the official haunting season to begin, they can get their fix and walk through and admire decades of horror within this exhibit.
“All of this stuff makes people happy to see all of these things being preserved and it’s really important for the history of Hollywood,” Correll added.
Icons of Darkness
When: 11 a.m.-8:30 p.m. Mondays–Thursdays and Sundays; 11 a.m.-9:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays.
Where: 6801 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles.
Tickets: $15-$25 per person at iconsofdarkness.com.