The Real Life People Who Have Inspired American Horror Story
Over the past eleven years, American Horror Story has become a favorite amongst fans of horror and all things spooky. With each season providing a new story for our viewing pleasures, the source material pulls heavily on real life to inspire their characters and settings. Although far from all the real life figures the show has taken inspiration from, here are ten of the most infamous.
#1 - Delphine LaLaurie Coven
Not only is she one of the stars of the third season, Delphine LaLaurie was a woman who was even worse than how the show portrayed her. On April 10, 1834, a fire broke out at the LaLaurie Mansion in New Orleans, Louisiana. Through the smoke and the flames, eyewitness accounts describe slaves being chained up, and their bodies covered in scars. A mob proceeded to destroy the furnishings of the home in an outrage and LaLaurie eventually fled to France.
Pictured-The Real Delphine LaLaurie
#2 - Twisty the Clown Freakshow
Being season four’s resident killer clown, Twisty is based off of real life serial killer John Wayne Gacy. Before Gacy was arrested, he would host many get-togethers and dress up as Pogo the Clown to entertain his guests. By December, 1978, Gacy confessed to “maybe 30” murders. Gacy has become one of the most infamous serial killers in American history.
Photo: John Wayne Gacy Mugshots
#3 - James Patrick March - Hotel
Season five’s James Patrick March has no match on his real life counterpart, H. H. Holmes. Born Herman Webster Mudgett, Holmes constructed a three story building which he opened as a hotel in 1893 during the Columbian Exposition. Many who entered never returned, and his hotel was given the nickname of the “Murder Castle.” Holmes was hung two years after he was arrested for his crimes.
#4 - Tate Langdon Murder House
Arguably the most famous character to come out of the American Horror Story universe, the shooting which Tate Langdon perpetrated was based on the real life Columbine High School shooting. On April 20, 1999, Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris (pictured below) entered Columbine High School, killing twelve students and a teacher and wounding twenty more.
#5 - Dr. Arden Asylum
Typically regarded as the best season of American Horror Story, one of it’s main characters, Dr. Arden was based on real life monster Dr. Josef Mengele. Mengele was a doctor at Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp who did horrific experiments on his patients. He focused on trying to improve the German race and his main interest was twins. Most who came under his care would die due to this inhumane treatment.
#6 - Kai Anderson Cult
Although not exclusively based on one cult leader, Evan Peters performances this season blends the quirks of Charles Manson, Jim Jones, David Koresh, and Marshall Applewhite into one character. Charles Manson and Jim Jones may be two of the most infamous men in American history. Manson, having led his cult to the murder of Sharon Tate and six others, as well as murdering two people himself. Jim Jones (photographed) led his followers into a mass suicide where over 900 people died in Guyana.
#7 - The Countess Hotel
With another nod to the fifth season, Lady Gaga’s “The Countess” is based off of real life killer Elizabeth Báthory who many claim is the first female serial killer. She is claimed to have started killing daughters of lower gentry who came to her to learn etiquette. Rumors of her atrocities swirled through the Hungarian kingdoms. The number of her victims is claimed to be has high as 650 according to one of her servants who had access to her books and records.
#8 - The Black Dahlia Murder House
In one of the first scenes from the show, we begin to understand the home’s history. We see the Black Dahlia, whose real name is Elizabeth Short, come to the doctor who lives at the home for medical treatment. In real life, Short was a 22-year-old woman who was hoping to find success in Hollywood. On January 15, 1947, a woman walking with her child found Short sliced in half at the waist. Dubbed the Black Dahlia due to her rumored love of wearing black clothing and the movie Blue Dahlia which has just premiered, her case has never been solved.
#9 - Lana Winters Asylum
In a career defining role, Sarah Paulson plays Lana Winters, a journalist wanting to expose the horrors of a 1950s asylum. Real life journalist Nellie Bly pretended to show the symptoms of someone who would be housed in an asylum in 1886 and spent ten days in one in New York City. While there, she exposed the horrors of her treatment and those of others in the asylum with her. Bly would eventually become one of the most famous journalists in the nation.
#10 - President Eisenhower Double Feature: Death Valley
The latest season of AHS decided to take a spin on aliens, where former President Eisenhower signed a treaty with aliens to secure technology which would lead America into the next frontier. We see him creating Area 51, and dealing with the kidnappings of human beings by the extraterrestrials. The real President Eisenhower was the Supreme Allied Commander in Europe during the Second World War, and would be elected president in 1952 and serve two terms in office.
