Master Gracey

Master Gracey is the unseen deceased owner of the Haunted Mansion

History

Master Gracey's original incarnation was in the form of a tombstone located in the Haunted Mansion's family plot which read "Master Gracey, laid to rest. No mourning please at his request, farewell". The tombstone served as a tribute to imagineer Yale Gracey who created the majority of the Haunted Mansion's special effects and illusions. The intention of the title "Master" was meant to say that the deceased character died at an age to young to be referred to as "Mister" rather than implying the character was the Master of the house. In 1983, Master Gracey's namesake Yale Gracey was murdered along with his wife and as a tribute, the cast-members of the Haunted Mansion placed a red rose on the Master Gracey's tombstone every morning. This special attention from cast-members lead guests to further believe that Master Gracey's character was intended to be the mansion's owner. This belief was further popularized by the cast-member created Ghost Gallery biography series where he was reimagined as being the late-master of the Haunted Mansion which in the story was referred to as Gracey Manor. Due to this, Master Gracey has been semi-officially been recognized by Disney as the owner of the Haunted Mansion with the Dorian Grey inspired portrait in the foyer being regarded as having been his form. The official name of the Magic Kingdom's Haunted Mansion is Gracey Manor and Master Gracey's tombstone was given his own separate plot.

Appearances

Despite being one of the most important characters in the Haunted Mansion's mythos, Master Gravey is never (meta)physically seen in the attraction itself. In the mansion's family plot, Master Gracey's tombstone can be seen with a red rose placed atop it every morning be cast-members, in the Magic Kingdom's mansion he is even given his own separate plot. In Disney World's foyer, Master Gracey's portrait is hung over the fireplace where it slowly ages and decomposes until it is nothing more than a skeleton with glowing green eyes wearing tattered clothes. In Disneyland's mansion, Gracey's portrait is found in the portrait corridor where is replaced the Ms. April December portrait.

Trivia

• Master Gracey and the Ghost Host are often incorrectly combined into one figure.
• Gracey's portrait is inspired by the literary figure Dorian Grey from the novel of the same name by Oscar Wilde.