Hold That Ghost
Encyclopedia
Hold That Ghost is a 1941 comedy horror
film starring the comedy team of Abbott and Costello
and featuring Joan Davis
, Evelyn Ankers
, and Shemp Howard.
On August 1, 1941, Abbott and Costello performed a live version of the film for radio audiences on Louella Parsons
' Hollywood Premiere.
) and Ferdie Jones (Lou Costello
) work at a gas station, but long to move up to waiting tables at Chez Glamour, a high-class nightclub.
Opportunity comes their way and they find themselves working there. But on their very first night, they cause a disturbance and are fired, only to wind up working again at the gas station, when a gangster named "Moose" Matson (William Davidson) brings in his car for servicing. Chuck and Ferdie happen to be inside the vehicle when the gangster speeds off to escape police, who are searching for him. During the chase, the gangster is killed by gunfire, and through a strange clause in his will, Chuck and Ferdie inherit his tavern, Forrester's Club.
The lawyer in charge of the will arranges a private bus (actually just a large car) to take them to the rural tavern, where they arrive during a heavy thunderstorm, but the driver abandons them and the other passengers there and takes off with everyone's luggage, a scheme that is known as the "wildcat bus racket". Unbeknownst to everyone, one of the passengers, Charlie Smith (Marc Lawrence
) is a member of Moose's gang, and wants to search the tavern for a hidden money stash. (Moose did give one rather cryptic clue as to the money's location, by stating that he always kept his money "in his head").
As the night progresses, strange things begin to happen, while Charlie is looking for the money in the basement, he disappears. While upstairs, everyone is curious where Charlie went. Chuck, Ferdie, and Doc look for Charlie. While the men look for Charlie the two girls are frightened by a pair of glowing eyes.
When everyone goes to bed, Ferdie finds a hidden door, when he closes it, Charlie's corpse falls to the floor. Everyone begins to panic and two detectives show up. They go back to Charlie's corpse, it is gone. The detectives began to investigate and vanish.
Chuck and Ferdie find a hidden bedroom. When Ferdie puts his pants on a hanger, the room turns into a gambling room. When Chuck comes to see the room and it turns back to the bedroom and Chuck doesn't believe Ferdie and they switch rooms. Once again the bedroom turns into a gambling room and when Ferbie shows Chuck it turns back to a bedroom.
One of the girls goes downstairs for some warm milk. And gets scared from a ghost. The ghost runs to Ferdie's room and hides in the bed. Ferdie runs to the staircase and tells everyone that the ghost is in his room. When everyone gets to Ferbie's room and the ghost disappears, leaving only a sheet. Chuck and Doc decide to go search for the detectives and get out of the tavern. Chuck tells Ferdie to look at a map and find the quickest route back to town. In this especially funny scene, Ferdie stammers and shakes as he nervously describes to his disbelieving friends how a lit candle moves back and forth by itself on a table. Ferdie eventually finds Moose's treasure hidden inside a stuffed moose head.
When everyone counts the money, members of Moose's gang come and demand the money. Everyone denies and the gangsters attack everyone. Ferbdie takes the money and gets chased by a few gangsters. When Ferdie gets back downstairs, he tosses the bag to Chuck and Ferdie runs out back. Then everyone hears sirens and the gang flees. Chuck runs to the door, revealing that Ferdie made siren noises to frighten the gangsters.
While Chuck and Ferdie split the money evenly, Doc tells the boys that the water hey drank last night and can make the ill feel better. Ferdie and Chuck use the money to transform the tavern into a health resort. They hire Ted Lewis
and His Orchestra, along with The Andrews Sisters
, to headline. Ferdie tries to take some of the money, but is caught by Chuck when he counts the money they made from the opening night.
Although the film was made prior to In the Navy
, its release was delayed so that Universal
could release another Abbott and Costello
service-themed film to follow Buck Privates
.
It was the idea of screenwriters Bob Lees and Fred Rinaldo to spoof two popular film genres of the era (the Haunted House movie and Gangster melodrama) simultaneously.
considered the film "immensely funny", but criticized it's musical numbers and length. The Motion Picture Herald
gave the film a very favorable review. Motion Picture Daily felt that it was Abbott and Costello's "corniest" and "best" comedy yet. The use of slapstick
was praised by the New York Morning Telegraph, yet the publication thought "it should have been better Abbott and Costello."
The film still receives mainy favorable reviews. Ted Okuda
called the film "one of the team's best." Jim Mulholland
has descirbed it as the "team's best film next to Buck Privates" In addition, Rotten Tomatoes
reported that 100% of critics gave the film positive write-ups based on five reviews. Allmovie contributer, Hal Erickson, gave the film three out of a possible five stars and stated that the "moving candle" scene might be "Costello's funniest-ever screen scene." Film critic, Leonard Maltin
, gave the film three out of four stars and noted it as "Prime A&C."
Comedy horror
Comedy horror, also known as horror comedy, is a literary and film genre, combining elements of comedy and horror fiction. The comedy horror genre almost always inevitably crosses over with the black comedy genre; and in some respects could be considered a subset of it.The short story "The Legend...
film starring the comedy team of Abbott and Costello
Abbott and Costello
William "Bud" Abbott and Lou Costello performed together as Abbott and Costello, an American comedy duo whose work on stage, radio, film and television made them the most popular comedy team during the 1940s and 1950s...
and featuring Joan Davis
Joan Davis
Joan Davis was an American comedic actress whose career spanned vaudeville, film, radio and television. Remembered best for the 1950s television comedy, I Married Joan, Davis had a successful earlier career as a B-movie actress and a leading star of 1940s radio comedy.Born as Madonna Josephine...
, Evelyn Ankers
Evelyn Ankers
Evelyn Ankers was a British actress born in Chile. She often played variations on the role of the cultured young leading lady in many American horror films during the 1940s, most notably The Wolf Man at age 23 opposite Lon Chaney, Jr., a frequent screen partner...
, and Shemp Howard.
On August 1, 1941, Abbott and Costello performed a live version of the film for radio audiences on Louella Parsons
Louella Parsons
Louella Parsons was the first American news-writer movie columnist in the United States. She was a gossip columnist who, for many years, was an influential arbiter of Hollywood mores, often feared and hated by the individuals, mostly actors, whose careers she could negatively impact via her...
' Hollywood Premiere.
Plot
Chuck Murray (Bud AbbottBud Abbott
William Alexander "Bud" Abbott was an American actor, producer and comedian. He is best remembered as the straight man of the comedy team of Abbott and Costello, with Lou Costello.-Early life:...
) and Ferdie Jones (Lou Costello
Lou Costello
Louis Francis "Lou" Costello was an American actor and comedian best known as half of the comedy team of Abbott and Costello, with Bud Abbott...
) work at a gas station, but long to move up to waiting tables at Chez Glamour, a high-class nightclub.
Opportunity comes their way and they find themselves working there. But on their very first night, they cause a disturbance and are fired, only to wind up working again at the gas station, when a gangster named "Moose" Matson (William Davidson) brings in his car for servicing. Chuck and Ferdie happen to be inside the vehicle when the gangster speeds off to escape police, who are searching for him. During the chase, the gangster is killed by gunfire, and through a strange clause in his will, Chuck and Ferdie inherit his tavern, Forrester's Club.
The lawyer in charge of the will arranges a private bus (actually just a large car) to take them to the rural tavern, where they arrive during a heavy thunderstorm, but the driver abandons them and the other passengers there and takes off with everyone's luggage, a scheme that is known as the "wildcat bus racket". Unbeknownst to everyone, one of the passengers, Charlie Smith (Marc Lawrence
Marc Lawrence
Marc Lawrence was an American character actor who specialized in underworld types. He has also been credited as F. A. Foss, Marc Laurence and Marc C...
) is a member of Moose's gang, and wants to search the tavern for a hidden money stash. (Moose did give one rather cryptic clue as to the money's location, by stating that he always kept his money "in his head").
As the night progresses, strange things begin to happen, while Charlie is looking for the money in the basement, he disappears. While upstairs, everyone is curious where Charlie went. Chuck, Ferdie, and Doc look for Charlie. While the men look for Charlie the two girls are frightened by a pair of glowing eyes.
When everyone goes to bed, Ferdie finds a hidden door, when he closes it, Charlie's corpse falls to the floor. Everyone begins to panic and two detectives show up. They go back to Charlie's corpse, it is gone. The detectives began to investigate and vanish.
Chuck and Ferdie find a hidden bedroom. When Ferdie puts his pants on a hanger, the room turns into a gambling room. When Chuck comes to see the room and it turns back to the bedroom and Chuck doesn't believe Ferdie and they switch rooms. Once again the bedroom turns into a gambling room and when Ferbie shows Chuck it turns back to a bedroom.
One of the girls goes downstairs for some warm milk. And gets scared from a ghost. The ghost runs to Ferdie's room and hides in the bed. Ferdie runs to the staircase and tells everyone that the ghost is in his room. When everyone gets to Ferbie's room and the ghost disappears, leaving only a sheet. Chuck and Doc decide to go search for the detectives and get out of the tavern. Chuck tells Ferdie to look at a map and find the quickest route back to town. In this especially funny scene, Ferdie stammers and shakes as he nervously describes to his disbelieving friends how a lit candle moves back and forth by itself on a table. Ferdie eventually finds Moose's treasure hidden inside a stuffed moose head.
When everyone counts the money, members of Moose's gang come and demand the money. Everyone denies and the gangsters attack everyone. Ferbdie takes the money and gets chased by a few gangsters. When Ferdie gets back downstairs, he tosses the bag to Chuck and Ferdie runs out back. Then everyone hears sirens and the gang flees. Chuck runs to the door, revealing that Ferdie made siren noises to frighten the gangsters.
While Chuck and Ferdie split the money evenly, Doc tells the boys that the water hey drank last night and can make the ill feel better. Ferdie and Chuck use the money to transform the tavern into a health resort. They hire Ted Lewis
Ted Lewis (musician)
Theodore Leopold Friedman, better known as Ted Lewis , was an American entertainer, bandleader, singer, and musician. He led a band presenting a combination of jazz, hokey comedy, and schmaltzy sentimentality that was a hit with the American public. He was known by the moniker "Mr...
and His Orchestra, along with The Andrews Sisters
The Andrews Sisters
The Andrews Sisters were a highly successful close harmony singing group of the swing and boogie-woogie eras. The group consisted of three sisters: contralto LaVerne Sophia Andrews , soprano Maxene Angelyn Andrews , and mezzo-soprano Patricia Marie "Patty" Andrews...
, to headline. Ferdie tries to take some of the money, but is caught by Chuck when he counts the money they made from the opening night.
Production
Hold that Ghost was filmed from January 21 through February 24, 1941 under the working title Oh Charlie. Additional filming occurred on May 13, to append the nightclub scenes with Ted Lewis and The Andrews Sisters.Although the film was made prior to In the Navy
In The Navy (film)
-Plot:Popular crooner Russ Raymond abandons his career at its peak and joins the Navy using an alias, Tommy Halstead. However, Dorothy Roberts , a reporter, discovers his identity and follows him in the hopes of photographing him and revealing his identity to the world.Aboard the battleship...
, its release was delayed so that Universal
Universal Studios
Universal Pictures , a subsidiary of NBCUniversal, is one of the six major movie studios....
could release another Abbott and Costello
Abbott and Costello
William "Bud" Abbott and Lou Costello performed together as Abbott and Costello, an American comedy duo whose work on stage, radio, film and television made them the most popular comedy team during the 1940s and 1950s...
service-themed film to follow Buck Privates
Buck Privates
Buck Privates is the 1941 comedy/World War II film that turned Bud Abbott and Lou Costello into bonafide movie stars. It was the first service comedy based on the peacetime draft of 1940. The comedy team made two more service comedies before the United States entered the war...
.
It was the idea of screenwriters Bob Lees and Fred Rinaldo to spoof two popular film genres of the era (the Haunted House movie and Gangster melodrama) simultaneously.
Cast
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| Bud Abbott Bud Abbott William Alexander "Bud" Abbott was an American actor, producer and comedian. He is best remembered as the straight man of the comedy team of Abbott and Costello, with Lou Costello.-Early life:... |
Chuck Murray |
| Lou Costello Lou Costello Louis Francis "Lou" Costello was an American actor and comedian best known as half of the comedy team of Abbott and Costello, with Bud Abbott... |
Ferdinand Jones |
| Richard Carlson Richard Carlson Richard Carlson was an American actor, television and film director, and screenwriter.-Career:Born in Albert Lea, Minnesota, Carlson graduated from the University of Minnesota with an M.A. degree, Summa Cum Laude, Phi Beta Kappa. He later appeared on the Broadway stage in the 1930s after studying... |
Doctor Jackson |
| Joan Davis Joan Davis Joan Davis was an American comedic actress whose career spanned vaudeville, film, radio and television. Remembered best for the 1950s television comedy, I Married Joan, Davis had a successful earlier career as a B-movie actress and a leading star of 1940s radio comedy.Born as Madonna Josephine... |
Camille Brewster |
| Evelyn Ankers Evelyn Ankers Evelyn Ankers was a British actress born in Chile. She often played variations on the role of the cultured young leading lady in many American horror films during the 1940s, most notably The Wolf Man at age 23 opposite Lon Chaney, Jr., a frequent screen partner... |
Norma Lind |
| Marc Lawrence Marc Lawrence Marc Lawrence was an American character actor who specialized in underworld types. He has also been credited as F. A. Foss, Marc Laurence and Marc C... |
Charlie Smith |
| Mischa Auer Mischa Auer Mischa Auer was a Russian-born American actor.-Early life:Auer was born Mikhail Semyonovich Unskovsky in St. Petersburg, Russia... |
Gregory |
| Shemp Howard | Soda Jerk Soda jerk A soda jerk was a person — typically a youth — who operated the soda fountain in a drugstore, often for the purpose of preparing and serving ice cream soda. This was made by putting flavored syrup into a specially designed tall glass, adding carbonated water and, finally, one or two scoops of ice... |
| Russell Hicks | Bannister |
| William Davidson William Davidson William Morse "Bill" Davidson, J. D. was an American businessman who was President, Chairman and CEO of Guardian Industries, one of the world's largest manufacturers of architectural and automotive glass... |
Moose Matson |
| Ted Lewis and his Orchestra Ted Lewis (musician) Theodore Leopold Friedman, better known as Ted Lewis , was an American entertainer, bandleader, singer, and musician. He led a band presenting a combination of jazz, hokey comedy, and schmaltzy sentimentality that was a hit with the American public. He was known by the moniker "Mr... |
Themselves |
| The Andrews Sisters The Andrews Sisters The Andrews Sisters were a highly successful close harmony singing group of the swing and boogie-woogie eras. The group consisted of three sisters: contralto LaVerne Sophia Andrews , soprano Maxene Angelyn Andrews , and mezzo-soprano Patricia Marie "Patty" Andrews... |
Themselves |
| Harry Hayden | Jenkins |
Reception
Upon the film's release it received mostly positive reviews. The New York TimesThe New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
considered the film "immensely funny", but criticized it's musical numbers and length. The Motion Picture Herald
Motion Picture Herald
The Motion Picture Herald was an American film industry trade paper published from 1931 to December 1972. It was replaced by the QP Herald, which only lasted until May 1973.In 1915, Martin Quigley founded the Exhibitors Herald...
gave the film a very favorable review. Motion Picture Daily felt that it was Abbott and Costello's "corniest" and "best" comedy yet. The use of slapstick
Slapstick
Slapstick is a type of comedy involving exaggerated violence and activities which may exceed the boundaries of common sense.- Origins :The phrase comes from the batacchio or bataccio — called the 'slap stick' in English — a club-like object composed of two wooden slats used in Commedia dell'arte...
was praised by the New York Morning Telegraph, yet the publication thought "it should have been better Abbott and Costello."
The film still receives mainy favorable reviews. Ted Okuda
Ted Okuda
Ted Okuda is an American non-fiction author and film historian. He has many books and magazine features to his credit, under his own name and in collaboration with others.-Career:...
called the film "one of the team's best." Jim Mulholland
Jim Mulholland
Jim Mulholland is an American television writer and film screenwriter. At nineteen, he was the youngest writer ever on Johnny Carson's Tonight Show. He has since won a Writers Guild Award and has received twenty Emmy nominations in the late-night comedy category...
has descirbed it as the "team's best film next to Buck Privates" In addition, Rotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information, and news of films—widely known as a film review aggregator. Its name derives from the cliché of audiences throwing tomatoes and other vegetables at a poor stage performance...
reported that 100% of critics gave the film positive write-ups based on five reviews. Allmovie contributer, Hal Erickson, gave the film three out of a possible five stars and stated that the "moving candle" scene might be "Costello's funniest-ever screen scene." Film critic, Leonard Maltin
Leonard Maltin
Leonard Maltin is an American film and animated film critic and historian, author of several mainstream books on cinema, focusing on nostalgic, celebratory narratives.-Personal life:...
, gave the film three out of four stars and noted it as "Prime A&C."
Rerelease
- Hold that Ghost was re-released in theaters twice, in 1948 and 1949, along with Hit the IceHit the Ice (film)Hit the Ice is a 1943 film starring the comedy team of Abbott and Costello and directed by Charles Lamont, who took over after the original director, Erle C. Kenton, was fired.-Plot:...
.