The KiMo Theatre in Albuquerque, New Mexico, is an extraordinary Pueblo Deco theater built in 1927. The building is a fusion of Art Deco styling with Pueblo and Navajo design elements, making it architecturally unique in the United States. The theater's ghost is Bobby Darnall, a six-year-old boy who was killed when a hot water heater exploded in the lobby on August 2, 1951. Bobby's spirit is said to haunt the theater, manifesting primarily as a mischievous, playful presence.
Performers have reported props going missing, lights flickering during shows, and stage equipment malfunctioning in ways that seem deliberate rather than random. A small shrine has been created for Bobby in the theater, and performers leave doughnuts and other treats as offerings before shows — tradition holds that productions that honor Bobby run smoothly, while those that fail to pay tribute experience technical problems. Staff members have reported hearing a child's laughter in the empty theater and seeing a small boy running through the corridors. Some have described toys left at Bobby's shrine being found in different locations the next morning.
The KiMo Theatre is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and Bobby's story has become an integral part of Albuquerque's cultural identity.