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"Here comes the bride... As long as we both shall live... For better or for... worse, (chuckle) I do. I did, In sickness and in... wealth, You may now kiss the bride, We'll live happily ever... after, Till death... do us part..."
―Constance Hatchaway

Constance Hatchaway, also known as The Black Widow Bride, is one of the ghostly characters within The Haunted Mansion, which appears in Disneyland in California, and in Walt Disney World in Florida. She is arguably the most villainous and/or most dangerous presence on the ride, being the ghost of a bride with a murderous past life.

She is a revamped version of the original Bride character that was introduced in 2006. Also in 2006, the Attic area she can be found in was also redesigned to reflect the new character interpretation and darker tone.

Her performance model is Julia Lee, and she is voiced by Kat Cressida.

Attraction History[]

Attic Bride[]

The original attic area featured black lights and blast up ghosts that would occasionally spring out to scare visitors. The Bride would be swaying in the corner with a beating red heart seen within her.

In May 2006, the show scene was redesigned to include new effects and introduce a darker storyline. This included scattered and stacked wedding gifts along with portraits of the redesigned Bride and her husbands. However, in each portrait, the husband's head would disappear and the Bride's voice would admit to beheading them. The Doom Buggies would then head for the window, where the Bride would be standing, reciting her wedding vows while a hatchet materialized and vanished in her hands. The Doom Buggy then goes out the window to the Graveyard, implying escaping from the ghost.

Stretching Room[]

Part of Constance's character originates from the Marc Davis designed Stretching Room portrait of the old woman on her late-husband's tombstone. In a deleted 1968 script by X. Atencio the portrait is referred to as being "Widow Abigail Patecleaver" but this history was discarded.

Character[]

Appearance[]

In the photos found in the Attic, Constance (in life), was a beautiful woman with pale skin and blonde hair. In her later years, as seen in her Stretching room portrait, her hair became grey and her stature shrunk.

As a ghost, Constance can be seen in her wedding dress holding a hatchet. Her entire body and clothing is blue and opaque, and she has a permanent evil grin on her face.

In Muppets Haunted Mansion, she is an African American bride with a wedding dress but at times she wears a black cloaked dress and unlike the attraction, she has a beating heart just like The Beating-Heart Bride in the original attraction. Her body is also not blue and opaque like the other ghosts.

In Haunted Mansion (2023 film), she is a Latin American bride with a more deceased appearance and a Spanish wedding dress with a decorative Marigolds to resemble a bouquet. She is also blue and opaque like the other ghosts.

Character Biography[]

While her full backstory purposefully remains a mystery, many details are revealed in the Attic scene.

Constance Hatchaway was a beautiful woman who sought to obtain wealth and luxury. She accomplished this by marrying several rich men, including bankers, businessmen, farmers, and barons. However, each was murdered after the wedding by the deadly bride, decapitated with a hatchet so that she could claim their inheritance. Despite her crimes, she was never punished (likely due to lack of evidence), though the public did dub her "The Black Widow Bride".

Her husbands were:

It was her final husband who was one of the many owners of the titular mansion. After murdering Hightower, Constance decided that she was satisfied with the wealth she had accumulated and settled down in her newly inherited mansion. She died later of unknown causes, though most speculate that it was old age.

After her death, Constance's spirit became enveloped by her sadistic, homicidal side. She became a permanent resident of the mansion's attic, standing among her hordes of past wedding gifts and admitting to her crimes.

Personality[]

While her personality in life is never fully revealed, it can be assumed that she was greedy and cold towards her victims. It is unknown if she felt any remorse, but due to her repeated murders, it is highly unlikely. Somewhere down the line, she began to enjoy the killings and became a sadist, openly loving killing her husbands.

After death, her ghost was completely consumed by her murderous side, as she gleefully admits to her murders and threatens to kill the visitors.

Appearances[]

The Haunted Mansion[]

At the Liberty Square Mansion Constance is first alluded to in the newer interactive queue, a realistic looking engagement ring is embedded into the ground. This was put into the new queue as previously there had been a cut off stanchion that resembled a diamond ring in the cement outside the Mansion, and fans speculated that it belonged to the original Attic Bride. Some stories say that she threw the ring to the ground in some kind of fit of rage.

Constance then appears as a portrait in the Stretching Room. In this portrait she is shown as an old woman sitting down while holding a red rose, as the room stretches it is revealed that she is sitting atop the tombstone of her late husband George whose bust she had plunged a hatchet into. This portrait is associated with Constance due to it's similarities to the picture she took with George in 1877 as in both images; there is a husband referred to as George, both husbands share the same moustache, in both images the Heiress (Constance) is holding a red rose, and both husbands were implied to have been murdered with a hatchet by their bride.

Constance's only spectral appearance in the attraction is in the Attic sequence. Guests see it littered with wedding gifts and other expensive items Constance amassed over the years. In the background a somber, minor key version of the wedding march can be heard being played on a piano (with or without the Attic Pianist, depending on which park one is visiting) along with the faint noise of a beating human heart. Alongside the mementos are five wedding portraits each one of Constance and a different husband whose head disappears and reappears. Finally, guests see the ghost of Constance standing beside a portrait of her and George along with an old wedding cake, and the Bride brandishes her hatchet from thin air while making darkly humorous remarks at her past life of crime.

Haunted Mansion Holiday[]

In this annual overlay, Constance is removed from the attic and replaced by the Giant Snake. In 2019, Constance's likeness appeared as a topper for the attraction's gingerbread house.

Disney Story Beyond[]

During the Disney Story Beyond event at Tokyo Disneyland in 2023, the previously unidentified Attic Bride was made into a silent version of Constance, surrounded by portraits of her husbands and wearing her collection of pearls from each one. Her page from the Ghost Registry, partially burnt, also accompanies her, with the website's password locked section suggesting she stole her page to destroy the incriminating evidence of her mortal misdeeds chronicled on it.

Other Appearances[]

Ghost Gallery[]

In the unofficial Ghost Gallery Storyline (which was created before the merging of the Attic Bride and the Black Widow Portrait) the woman in the stretching room portrait was said to have been the Ghost Host/Master Gracey's mother, Mary Gilbert Gracey and that she murdered her husband after learning he had an affair.

Meanwhile the identity of the Bride character was referred to as Emily Cavenaugh, the 16 year old second bride of Master Gracey who was murdered Gracey's former lover Madame Leota who locked Emily in the chest she was hiding in during a game of hide-and-seek, resulting in Emily suffocating to death.

Ghost Post[]

Though Constance never makes a direct appearance in the Ghost Post interactive game, her presence is felt in the greater story. A wedding invitation (for her marriage to the the Marquis de Doome) was among the first set of artifacts sent to players, which when chilled transformed into invitation to the diplomat's funeral. She is mentioned in a conversation heard between the Hitchhiking Ghosts over the Phantom Radio (with Gus wildly swinging around a hatchet as they do). It is also very heavily implied that Constance is behind the "Aunt Agony" advice section of the Grim Gazette, since the author makes frequent allusions to having had multiple husbands who died under unusual circumstances.

Muppets Haunted Mansion[]

Muppets Haunted Mansion Stills 09

An African-American version of Constance, played by Taraji P. Henson, serves as the main antagonist of the special. Shortly after the "Life Hereafter" musical number in the Ballroom, she lures Pepe the King Prawn away to the Attic, manipulating him through appeals to his ego and a hypnotic gaze indicated by her eyes glowing red when emphasizing certain words. Seeing Pepe as a prime candidate for Husband Number Six and a good gumbo meal, the two share a duet in "Tie the Knot Tango" (while her past husbands offer unheeded warnings to Pepe) and she fattens up the crustacean on sour spider-infested grapes before calling on Uncle Deadly to perform the wedding services shortly before sunrise. After having faced his fear in Room 999 and being allowed to leave, Gonzo is told by the Ghost Host that Pepe is likely to end up trapped in the Mansion, sending a floating candelabra to guide Gonzo to the Attic where the two are able to jump out the window and make a fast escape from the Mansion's grounds. As the two leave the Mansion in a hearse with the Hitchhiking Ghosts, she is seen calling out "Hurry back".

Constance's murders of her past husbands are more varied then simple beheadings, with George (played by Beauregard) remarking that it was typically saved for when she dumped the bodies in the river. Ambrose (played by Walter) remarks that she snapped his neck tenderly, Frank (played by Johnny Fiama) was buried alive and his sidekick Sal Manilla was presumably killed to get rid of a witness, and the Marquis, played by a squawking penguin, was killed in a fashion too gruesome to be described on a family Halloween special.

Haunted Mansion (2023 film)[]

Haunted Mansion Character Posters 03

Constance poster for the 2023 movie

Constance, played by Lindsay Lamb, appears in the film as one of the Mansion's more aggressive ghosts. One of 66 souls to have died in Gracey Manor after the Hatbox Ghost took over, Constance has a much more ghoulish appearance in death and serves as an obstacle in the mortals attempts to solve the mystery of the Mansion. When Ben Matthias goes up into the Attic to find Madame Leota's crystal ball locked in a trunk, she chases him through the room before he's able to escape back down the stairs. Later in the film's climax, she leads a group of ghosts in chasing Father Kent through the house until he is able to convince them to join forces and help defeat the Hatbox Ghost. She later joins the rests of the ghosts in celebration after Crump is defeated and is also seen with them when the mortals reunite on Halloween to celebrate with them.

The stretching room painting depicting an elderly Constance also appears in the film, though is treated as a separate helpful character that assists Ben and Travis in finding a way out of the Stretching Room when they become trapped there.

Printed Media[]

Haunted Mansion (Slave Labor Graphics)[]

Because Constance was introduced to the attraction midway through the series's run, only the retconned stretch portrait appears in the series, in the story "Room for a Thousand". As a result of the comic's cancellation, she would be the only Stretching Portrait character to not receive their own backstory comic. A possible reference to Constance does exist in the crowd shot ending page of Doom of the Diva, as the bride dancing with William Gracey is standing next to a skull with an ax embedded in it.

Disney Kingdoms[]

Constance appears as a supporting antagonist in the miniseries, a looming threat avoided by the other ghosts and the main antagonist, a materialistic bloodthirsty Captain. She makes her first appearance after Danny Crowe leaves with the Phantom Five for the ballroom, when she decapitates the horseback rider, who along with the portrait ghouls, terrorized Danny upon his arrival.

Danny later enters the attic under the pressure from the Captain, who believes the area to hold more treasures but refuses to explore out of fear of Constance. As Danny checks a chest to find no treasure, Constance looms over him and attempts to attack wherein Danny assures her that he will find someone for her to marry. Constance however, dismisses this, claiming she committed her past crimes simply because she loved weddings. Ultimately, it is Constance who is able to defeat the Captain, cutting off his head.

As revealed in a flashback, Constance was prepared to marry a sixth husband after George in 1879, despite rumors of what really happened to her previous five. Constance's mother - who bears a striking resemblance to the woman in the "Abigale Patecleaver" stretching portrait - was on hand for the preparations, and seems to believe Constance is innocent, if unfortunate. The Captain believes Constance died at the hands of that sixth husband, but is unsure if this is actually true.

This incarnation is depicted as having the beating heart of the original bride despite being identified as the black widow, thus being a mashup. Although the character is a supporting antagonist, she plays an indirect role in rescuing Danny and the other resident ghosts through the decapitation of the horseback rider and the Captain. It is also revealed that because she was one of the few spirits to actually die on the property, she has a certain authority and power on the grounds; most notably, the ability to permanently destroy other ghosts by decapitating them with her spectral hatchet.

The Haunted Mansion: Frights of Fancy []

Constance appears in the IDW graphic novel, playing the role of the main antagonist, though more in the capacity of a domineering "queen bee" figure then the homicidal maniac seen in other versions.

Games[]

The Haunted Mansion: The Black Widow Bride[]

Constance reappears as the main antagonist of the online game based off the ride. Here, the player must guide the 998 other ghosts, including Constance's former husbands, to safety from her.

Epic Mickey[]

In the 2010 video-game Epic Mickey, you play as Mickey Mouse exploring a realm called the Wasteland which is inhabited by forgotten and discarded Disney characters. One mission in the game has you investigating the absent Constance Hatchaway, who is identified as having been the former mistress of the game's Haunted Mansion of Lonesome Manor in Bog Easy. To complete this mission, Mickey must travel to the manor and find her hatchet to return to detective Horace Horsecollar.

A portrait in Lonesome Manor's Stretching Room shows an elderly Constance sitting atop the tombs of the Singing Busts, possibly implying that they were her husbands in the Wasteland. It is also worth noting that her attic had been transformed into the laboratory of the evil Mad Doctor.

Kinect Disneyland Adventures[]

Constance appears as the final boss in the Haunted Mansion minigame. Her appearance is based on the original Beating Heart Bride and recites the same lines she speaks in the ride. This incarnation is also voiced by Kat Cressida.

Disney Crossy Road[]

Constance was one of the rarer unlockable characters in a brief weekend challenge.

Disney Emoji Blitz[]

The Bride is an unlockable emoji character in the mobile game, whose power up feature is to eliminate a horizontal row of emojis from the game board with a sweep of her axe.

Disney Magic Kingdoms[]

Constance is an unlockable character as part of the Haunted Mansion collection in Disney Magic Kingdoms. She is referred to as "The Bride" in this mobile game.

Live appearances[]

Constance Meet and Greet

Constance as a Meet n Greet character in Disneyland

Constance is a rare character who will make appearances at special events pertaining to the Haunted Mansion. One of these was the premiere of the 2023 Haunted Mansion movie.

Haunted Mansion 40th Anniversary[]

Constance appears in a short stage show at Disneyland that was held as a hard ticket event for the Haunted Mansion's 40th anniversary. The show was about her demise and shed some light upon the subject, but was gleefully inconsistent with the Stretching Portrait, since it featured her dying pretty young. It is generally considered non-canonical due to this.

Bride Identification[]

Beating Heart Bride[]

Due to unofficial stories such as the Ghost Gallery and the SLG Comics, there has been some dispute regarding whether Constance and the original "Beating Heart Bride" are the same character or in fact two separate ones. The Arguments typically being for each respective side of the argument:

-One Bride Theory[]

  • The original Beating Heart version of the scene and the Tokyo Version of the scene both show the Bride having the decapitated heads of grooms stored in hatboxes around the attic who would pop out and say, "I Do". In the Modern Disney World version of the scene there are five Hatboxes piled up across from Constance nearby a coatrack holding the hats associated with each of Constance's husbands implying that the hatboxes contain their decapitated heads similarly to the original scene.
  • When the Hatbox Ghost originally appeared in the attraction he was implied to have been decapitated by the Bride and to have been associated with her in life, most likely as a suitor. In the modern Disneyland scene, the Hatbox Ghost once again appears in the attic only this time alongside the Black Widow model who is famously known for having decapitated at least five different men (all of whom were her suitors) and was implied to have stored them in hatboxes which appears to have been the exact nature of the Hatbox Ghost's death.
  • The Modern iteration of the Hatbox Ghost is shown alongside five hatboxes which appear to be nearly identical to those found in the Liberty Square Mansion which were implied to contain the decapitated heads of Constance's husbands, showing that the Hatbox Ghost was most likely associated with Constance in life similarly to how he was associated with the Beating Heart Bride.
  • From a story standpoint it would make little-to-no sense how the attic would be filled with the belongings and spirit of a completely different woman in the year 2006 while in Mansion canon Constance would have taken up residence in the attic in 1877 and as shown in her portrait would have died roughly around 1910-1930 as an old woman.
  • Concept art of Constance depicted her with a beating red heart in her chest.
  • Imagineers always intended for the Beating Heart Bride to be interpreted as a villainous figure, but they always left her past ambiguous enough it could be taken otherwise, Constance could have been an intentional choice by imagineers to cement the Bride's past as being villainous.
  • Official Merchandise almost always depicts Constance with a beating red heart in her chest.
  • The Beating Heart Bride was never given an official name or definitive backstory.
  • In the last surviving Beating Heart version of the attic scene in Tokyo, the Bride is heavily alluded to have been evil shown in part be her expression.
  • Both Bride figures are portrayed as women who murdered their husbands by decapitation and hid their heads in hatboxes.
  • In the attic sequence, the Beating Heart noise is still heard in the background.

-Multiple Brides Theory[]

  • The Beating Heart version of the Bride was never given a definitive backstory or official name, all that is known is that she had several husbands who died, a suitor who was decapitated and had his head stored in a hatbox, and that she herself eventually died.
  • Although the Beating Heart Bride was intended by imagineers to be a villainous figure, they left her past ambiguous enough that she could be interpreted as a tragic figure and as such, different than the villainous Constance.
  • In a miniature model layout of the attic, the April-December portrait can be seen in the background possibly implying the two women were intended to be the same. However, the portrait was never put in the actual attic scene.
  • Constance's lack of a heart could be seen as a distinction between the two women implying that Constance could never love but Emily could.
  • Phantom Manor's bride Melanie Ravenswood is canonically a tragic character and serves as the counterpart to the Bride from a time before the Black Widow model was implemented in any park, possibly hinting that the role of the bride is intended to be one of tragedy to counter the Ghost Host's role as a villain and Madame Leota's role as a neutral figure.

Trivia[]

  • In a deleted 1968 X. Atencio script, Constance's stretching portrait was referred to as "Widow Abigail Patecleaver who was preceded by her husband".
  • According to Jason Surrell's book "The Haunted Mansion, Imagineering a Disney Classic" the Bride's silhouette can be seen in the upper right window of the Liberty Square Mansion, watching guests from behind the curtains. However, the legitimacy of the effect is somewhat disputed with it being possible that the effect doesn't truly exist, doesn't work well enough to notice, or used to exist but was shut down. This effect is reminiscent of a similar effect in Disneyland used for the Evil Queen in Snow White's Scary Adventures which was recycled for the exit of Phantom Manor with the Phantom.
  • It has been suggested that Abigail Patecleaver was an alias chosen by Constance to marry one (or several) of her husbands to avoid him/them finding out that she'd already been married before. However, this theory does not make sense if you consider that Constance is mentioned by name on the frame of the Marquis' wedding portrait, George's wedding portrait, Reginald's wedding portrait, and a banner dated 1872 which reads "Love Forever Frank and Constance".
  • As well as the changing wedding portraits, the attic is filled with smaller, subtler nods to Constance's crimes such as the topper of the groom on the cake is missing a head and one shelf holds porcelain figurines of a bride and groom where the groom has fallen over and had his head broken off.
  • When deciphered, her name means "Constantly Hatching Away", hatching referring to the use of Constance's hatchet.
  • Considering Constance's approximate age in the photographs taken from 1869-1877 and her elderly age in her Stretching Room Portrait, it can be assumed that Constance would have died around 1910-1930.
    • According to an appearance at a 2017 DVC event at Walt Disney World, Constance married Ambrose when she was 18, meaning she was born in 1851. In this event, she stated that she passed away in 1927, at age 76. The canonicity of this is unclear due to it being a live event.
  • In the Attic, there are several framed wedding certificates stating the names, and original homes of the husbands, these being Ambrose Harper of Secret County, California, Frank Banks of Bulfor's Isle, California, The Marquis de Doome of Peking, China, and George Hightower of Newport Beach, California; Constance is said to have come from Money County, California.
  • In the 2003 film's continuity, the parents of Master Gracey were said to have been named Abigail and George Gracey, referencing the couple. However, sadly in this version Abigail never "axed off" her husband.
  • It is very possible that Constance was loosely based on real life American murderess Lizzie Borden, who was proved to have murdered her father and stepmother with a hatchet but was never punished for her crimes as the jury couldn't believe that a beautiful, upper-class woman was capable of violent murder.
  • Constance's year of death being 1927 might be in reference to the 1927 film London After Midnight, which was an influence behind the Haunted Mansion.[1]

Gallery[]


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