| Hold That Ghost | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Credits | |
| Title: | Hold That Ghost |
| Genres: | Comedy |
| Directed by: | Arthur Lubin |
| Written by: | Robert Lees; Frederic I. Rinaldo; John Grant |
| Produced by: | Burt Kelly; Glenn Tryon; Alex Gottlieb |
| Music by: | Hans J. Salter |
| Cinematography: | Elwood Bredell |
| Edited by: | Philip Cahn |
| Production | |
| Distributed by: | Universal Pictures |
| Released: | August 8th, 1941 |
| Rating: | Unrated |
| Running time: | 86 min. |
| Country: | USA |
| Language: | English |
| Budget: | $190,000 |
| Navigation | |
| Previous: | — |
| Next: | — |
Hold That Ghost is am American feature film of the screwball comedy and horror genres. It directed by Arthur Lubin with a screenplay written by Robert Lees, Fred Rinaldo and John Grant. It is the first film featuring the classic comedy team of Bud Abbott and Lou Costello that contains a supernatural theme. The movie was produced by Universal Pictures and released theatrically on August 8th, 1941. It was re-released theatrically in 1948 and again in 1949.
Plot[]
Cast[]
Credited cast[]
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| Bud Abbott | Chuck Murray |
| Lou Costello | Ferdinand "Freddy" Jones |
| Richard Carlson | Doctor Jackson |
| Joan Davis | Camille Brewster |
| Mischa Auer | Gregory |
| Evelyn Ankers | Norma Lind |
| Marc Lawrence | Charlie Smith |
| Shemp Howard | Soda jerk |
| Russell Hicks | Bannister |
| William B. Davidson | Moose Matson |
| Ted Lewis | Ted Lewis |
| Laverne Andrews | Laverne Andrews |
| Maxene Andrews | Maxene Andrews |
| Patty Andrews | Patty Andrews |
Uncredited cast[]
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| Bobby Barber | Waiter |
| Jeanne Blanche | Pretty girl |
| Ralph Brooks | Nightclub patron |
| Spencer Charters | Storekeeper |
| Madge Crane | Mrs. Giltedge |
| Edgar Dearing | Iron Dome |
| Paul Fix | Lefty |
| Thurston Hall | Alderman Birch |
| Chuck Hamilton | Police car driver |
| Harry Hayden | Jenkins |
| Hans Herbert | Mobster |
| Howard C. Hickman | Judge |
| Joseph La Cava | Little Fink |
| Paul Newlan | Big Fink |
| Nestor Paiva | Glum |
| Milton Parsons | Harry Hoskins |
| Edward Pawley | High collar |
| Frank Penny | Snake Eyes |
| Frank Richards | Gunman |
| Ronald R. Rondell | Head waiter |
| William Ruhl | Gas station customer |
| Jeffrey Sayre | Chorus boy |
| Janet Shaw | Alderman's girl |
| Amzie Strickland | Nightclub patron |
| Don Terry | Strangler |
| Harry Wilson | Harry |
Notes[]
- The alternate title for this film is Oh, Charlie.
- Principal shooting for Hold That Ghost began on January 21st, 1941 and concluded on February 26th.
- Screenplay writer Frederic I. Rinaldo is credited as Fred Rinaldo in this film.
- Actor William B. Davidson is credited as William Davidson in this film.
- Producer Alex Gottlieb is uncredited for his participation in this film.
- Composer Hans J. Salter is uncredited for his participation in this film. A large volume of the music featured in Universal Pictures films of this era is stock audio samples composed by Salter that can be found in numerous films.
Fun Facts[]
- The tagline to this film is, "Those slap-happy screamsters go a'haunting!"
- The extinguishing candle gag used in this film is later revisited in Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein.
- Following Hold That Ghost, Bud Abbott and Lou Costello team-up for five more horror-related ventures beginning with 1948's Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein and continuing with Abbott and Costello Meet the Killer Boris Karloff, Abbott and Costello Meet the Invisible Man, Abbott and Costello Meet Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and concludes with Abbott and Costello Meet the Mummy.
- On August 1st, 1941, Abbott and Costello performed a live version of the film for radio audiences on Louella Parsons' Hollywood Premiere.
- Evelyn Ankers, who plays Norma Lind in this film is more famously known for playing the role of Gwen Conliffe in Universal's The Wolf Man, released the same year as Hold That Ghost.
- In comedic circles, Shemp Howard is commonly known as the "fifth stooge" of The Three Stooges, replacing Curly Howard and then later Joe. Film director Sam Raimi pays homage to Shemp Howard by referring to his zombie characters as "shemps" in the Evil Dead franchise.
Recommendations[]
Abbott & Costello films
External Links[]
References[]