The Ghost and Mr. Chicken - Pure Comedy Gold

The Ghost and Mr. Chicken (1966) is pure comedy gold. The humor is this film will have you rolling in the aisles with laughter. I've laughed so hard myself from watching this film that tears rolled down my eyes. Actor Don Knotts has the most animated face in the history of entertainment. His facial gestures alone will have you laughing throughout the entire film. This film is a series of five films that Knotts starred in from 1966 to 1971 for Universal Studios. He also appears in The Reluctant Astronaut (1967), The Shakiest Gun in the West, (1968), The Love God (1969), and How to Frame a Figg (1971). The Ghost and Mr. Chicken is Knotts' first major project after leaving The Andy Griffith Show on television. All five films are sold as a Blu-Ray set from Shout Factory. The films can be purchased separately also.  

Knotts plays Luther Heggs, a typesetter for the local newspaper, The Rachel Courier Express, in Rachel, Kansas. The citizens of Rachel have avoided a run-down mansion in the town owned by the Simmons family. The Simmons mansion bears a striking resemblance to the Munsters Mansion at 1313 Mockingbird Lane. Twenty years earlier, Simmons murdered his wife and then committed suicide in the mansion. The town is approaching the twenty-year anniversary of the murder-suicide. Rumors in the town suggest that the mansion is haunted.

Heggs happens to notice a local man named Calver Weems being hit on the head with a board in front of the Simmons mansion and runs to tell his boss (Dick Sargent) at the newspaper that the man was murdered. His colleagues at the newspaper and the town citizens laugh at Heggs when it turns out that the man was not murdered but is alive and well. Heggs gets a reputation for having an overactive imagination.

As the twenty-year anniversary of the Simmons murder-suicide approaches, Heggs writes a small filler article about the Simmons story. The article gets lots of attention from the local citizens. To follow up on the popular story, Heggs' boss challenges him to stay a night in the mansion. Being the awkward dunce that Heggs is known for, no one has any confidence that he will stay in the mansion for one night.

Heggs decides to stay overnight in the murder mansion to prove he is not a coward and encounters a number of ghostly apparitions. He sees a portrait of Mrs. Simmons on the wall with garden shears stuck in her neck and blood flowing from the painting. In the organ loft of the mansion, a dusty old organ with blood stained keys plays all by itself. Heggs throws a book at a bookcase, and a secret passage opens behind the bookcase.

Heggs manages to make it an entire night in the mansion and later writes an article about his experiences. Nicholaus Simmons, a surviving family member, sues Heggs for writing the article and demands that he retract his story. Before making a ruling on the case, the judge orders that the jurors and town citizens take a tour of the Simmons mansion with Heggs leading the tour. Heggs tries to get the events of his overnight stay at the mansion to unfold once again, but with no success. The entire town writes off his experiences as an overactive imagination.    

The funny moments in this film are too many to mention. Heggs backs into a tree in front of the Simmons mansion and thinks he is being attacked. He turns around and karate chops the tree, as if he is confronting a person. A similar scene occurs when Heggs encounters a mannequin in the mansion and once again thinks he is being attacked, so he karate chops the mannequin. The expressions on Heggs' face will have you laughing for days. 

During Heggs' picnic speech at the town's Chamber of Commerce meeting, Heggs stands in front of a podium to give a speech about his experiences. His hands are shaking so much from nervousness that he eventually lets the wind blow his speech papers out of his hands. The microphone malfunctions during the mayor's speech at the meeting and he says to the town citizens: "The electrician must be a Democrat!" Heggs makes the same comment when the microphone malfunctions during his speech.

During his speech in front of the Chamber of Commerce, Heggs also tells the crowd: "I have been called brave. What is brave? Let me clarify this." This scene is particularly funny because Heggs shakes with nervousness as a person in the crowd yells out "Attaboy, Luther!"  Heggs sits at a table with a beautiful brunette he has a crush on named Alma (Joan Staley). After mentioning to Alma that they both have a love of food in common, He tells Alma "I just love good food. My mother loved good food. She used to say I'd rather have good food than bad food any day of the week." Many of his comments to Alma in the film appear to be very awkward, but this helps to express Heggs' shy and awkward personality.

For absolute Halloween fun and scares - don't miss The Ghost and Mr. Chicken this Halloween season. Happy viewing.

-- Steve D. Stones

The Andy Griffith Show Christmas episode

Perhaps the best Christmas episode ever from a TV show was The Christmas episode of The Andy Griffith Show, aired in December 1960, with character actor Will Wright as the mean Mayberry merchant Ben Weaver. Wright (here is his imdb page) was made to be Ben Weaver, the lean, old, cranky businessman with the secret heart of gold. Wright played Weaver thrice in memorable episodes before his death in 1962. The character of Ben Weaver was never as effective on TAGS, although other actors, including Tol Avery, played the role. Above is a scene from The Christmas episode on TAGS and below is a re-run of my review of this wonderful 24-minute or so show.
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The Andy Griffith Show, Season 1, Episode 11, "The Christmas Story." Starring Andy Griffith, Don Knotts Ron Howard, Frances Bavier and Elinor Donahue. Guest starring Sam Edwards, Margaret Kerry and Joy Ellison as Sam, Bess and Effie Muggins, Will Wright as Ben Weaver.

Review by Doug Gibson

Most successful TV situation comedies tend to have a Christmas episode and for some reason they are often produced in the first season: think "Mary Tyler Moore Show, "The Odd Couple" and "Happy Days." TAGS was no exception producing its Christmas-themed show in the 11th episode. It's a well-paced, funny, heartwarming tale that features Ben Weaver, Mayberry's most prominent merchant, a cranky, stooped-shouldered somewhat Dickensian figure with a well-hidden heart of gold tucked behind his gruff exterior.

The plot involves Weaver (Will Wright) dragging in moonshiner Sam Edwards to the courthouse on Christmas Eve and demanding that Edwards be locked up. A big Christmas party is being planned and Andy asks Ben if he'll let Edwards have a furlough through Christmas. True to form Weaver refuses. It looks like the Christmas Party is off, until Andy invites Edwards wife, Bess, (Kerry), and daughter, Effie, (Ellison), to stay in the jail with dad. In a funny scene, Andy overrides Ben's objections by cross-examining Sam's smiling kin, who admit they knew about the moonshining!

Other amusing parts are Andy teasing Barney for being called "Barney Parney Poo" by his sweetheart, Hilda May, in a card, and a skinny Barney, with a bad white beard, playing Santa Claus.
The funny plot seamlessly turns serious as a lonely Weaver, his Grinch-like plans foiled, tries to get himself arrested. Writer Frank Tarloff -- who penned 9 TAGS episodes -- deserves a tip of the hat for his funny, ironic script. Ben's plans to get busted are foiled when party-goers, including Ellie, either pay his fines or donate "stolen property" to him. Finally, in a scene that can bring tears, we see a lonely Ben Weaver, standing in an alley, peeking through the jail window bars, softly singing along with a Christmas Carol sung in the courthouse.

I won't give way the end for the very few who might still have missed the show, but it should be noted that perhaps the reason TAGS never again attempted a Christmas episode is that it could never have topped this. Wright as Ben Weaver is simply magnificent. His page on IMDB.com says he looks as "if he was born old." The grizzled, stooped ex-Western actor actually died at the relatively young age of 68. He played Ben Weaver in three TAGS episodes, the last before his death of cancer. Several other actors played Weaver in later episodes, but only one, Tol Avery, captured even a smidgen of the cranky magic Wright gave the role.

He was, and remains, Mayberry merchant Ben Weaver to TAGS fans. In his three episodes, Weaver created a happy Christmas, saved a family from homelessness and gave a tired traveling merchant a job.
Notes: "Family members" Edwards, Kerry and Ellison were the same family Wright's Weaver threatened with eviction in another TAGS episodes. They were the Scobees. Knotts' Fife played Santa Claus, in full costume and "ho ho hos." Donahue's Walker sang "Away in the Manger." Season 1 was a little uneven, with the cast developing their roles. Knotts was still being too often used only for manic comic relief. Taylor's Andy was still the impetus for most humor. In the second season Sheriff Taylor would began to react to the humorous situations of others, and the show would move to its current classic status as a result.

It's Christmas time with The Andy Griffith Show and old Ben Weaver

Here's another recap/review of a great Andy Griffith Show episode. From Season 1, "The Christmas Story."

By Doug Gibson

The Andy Griffith Show, Season 1, Episode 11, "The Christmas Story." Starring AndyGriffith, Don Knotts Ron Howard, Frances Bavier and Elinor Donahue. Guest starring Sam Edwards, Margaret Kerry and Joy Ellison as Sam, Bess and Effie Muggins, Will Wright as Ben Weaver.

Most successful TV situation comedies tend to have a Christmas episode and for some reason they are often produced in the first season: think "Mary Tyler Moore Show, "The Odd Couple" and "Happy Days." TAGS was no exception producing its Christmas-themed show in the 11th episode. It's a well-paced, funny, heartwarming tale that features Ben Weaver, Mayberry's most prominent merchant, a crochety, stooped-shouldered somewhat Dickensian figure with a well-hidden heart of gold tucked behind his gruff exterior.

The plot involves Weaver (Will Wright) dragging in moonshiner Sam Edwards to the courthouse on Christmas Eve and demanding that Edwards be locked up. A big Christmas party is being planned and Andy asks Ben if he'll let Edwards have a furlough through Christmas. True to form Weaver refuses. It looks like the Christmas Party is off, until Andy invites Edwards wife, Bess, (Kerry), and daughter, Effie, (Ellison), to stay in the jail with dad. In a funny scene, Andy overrides Ben's objections by cross-examing Sam's smiling kin, who admit they knew about the moonshining!

The funny plot seamlessly turns serious as a lonely Weaver, his Grinch-like plans foiled, tries to get himself arrested. Writer Frank Tarloff -- who penned 9 TAGS episodes -- deserves a tip of the hat for his funny, ironic script. Ben's plans to get busted are foiled when party-goers, including Ellie, either pay his fines or donate "stolen property" to him. Finally, in a scene that can bring tears, we see a lonely Ben Weaver, standing in an alley, peeking through the jail window bars, softly singing along with a Christmas Carol sung in the courthouse.

I won't give way the end for the very few who might still have missed the show, but it should be noted that perhaps the reason TAGS never again attempted a Christmas episode is that it could never have topped this. Wright as Ben Weaver is simply magnificent. His page on IMDB.com says he looks as "if he was born old." The grizzled, stooped ex-Western actor actually died at the relatively young age of 68. He played Ben Weaver in three TAGS episodes, the last before his death of cancer. Several other actors played Weaver in later episodes, but only one, Tol Avery, captured even a smidgen of the cranky magic Wright gave the role. He was, and remains, Mayberry merchant Ben Weaver to TAGS fans. In his three episodes, Weaver created a happy Christmas, saved a family from homelessness and gave a tired traveling merchant a job.

Notes: "Family members" Edwards, Kerry and Ellison were the same family Wright's Weaver threatened with eviction in another TAGS episodes. They were the Scobees. Knotts' Fife played Santa Claus, in full costume and "ho ho hos." Donahue's Walker sang "Away in the Manger." Season 1 was a little uneven, with the cast developing their roles. Knotts was still being too often used only for manic comic relief. Taylor's Andy was still the impetus for most humor. In the second season Sheriff Taylor would began to react to the humorous situations of others, and the show would move to its current classic status as a result.

The Andy Griffith Show Christmas episode

Here's another recap/review of a great Andy Griffith Show episode. From Season 1, "The Christmas Story."
By Doug Gibson
The Andy Griffith Show, Season 1, Episode 11, "The Christmas Story." Starring Andy Griffith, Don Knotts Ron Howard, Frances Bavier and Elinor Donahue. Guest starring Sam Edwards, Margaret Kerry and Joy Ellison as Sam, Bess and Effie Muggins, Will Wright as Ben Weaver.Most successful TV situation comedies tend to have a Christmas episode and for some reason they are often produced in the first season: think "Mary Tyler Moore Show, "The Odd Couple" and "Happy Days." TAGS was no exception producing its Christmas-themed show in the 11th episode. It's a well-paced, funny, heartwarming tale that features Ben Weaver, Mayberry's most prominent merchant, a crochety, stooped-shouldered somewhat Dickensian figure with a well-hidden heart of gold tucked behind his gruff exterior.
The plot involves Weaver (Will Wright) dragging in moonshiner Sam Edwards to the courthouse on Christmas Eve and demanding that Edwards be locked up. A big Christmas party is being planned and Andy asks Ben if he'll let Edwards have a furlough through Christmas. True to form Weaver refuses. It looks like the Christmas Party is off, until Andy invites Edwards wife, Bess, (Kerry), and daughter, Effie, (Ellison), to stay in the jail with dad. In a funny scene, Andy overrides Ben's objections by cross-examining Sam's smiling kin, who admit they knew about the moonshining!
Other amusing parts are Andy teasing Barney for being called "Barney Parney Poo" by his sweetheart, Hilda May, in a card, and a skinny Barney, with a bad white beard, playing Santa Claus.
The funny plot seamlessly turns serious as a lonely Weaver, his Grinch-like plans foiled, tries to get himself arrested. Writer Frank Tarloff -- who penned 9 TAGS episodes -- deserves a tip of the hat for his funny, ironic script. Ben's plans to get busted are foiled when party-goers, including Ellie, either pay his fines or donate "stolen property" to him. Finally, in a scene that can bring tears, we see a lonely Ben Weaver, standing in an alley, peeking through the jail window bars, softly singing along with a Christmas Carol sung in the courthouse.
I won't give way the end for the very few who might still have missed the show, but it should be noted that perhaps the reason TAGS never again attempted a Christmas episode is that it could never have topped this. Wright as Ben Weaver is simply magnificent. His page on IMDB.com says he looks as "if he was born old." The grizzled, stooped ex-Western actor actually died at the relatively young age of 68. He played Ben Weaver in three TAGS episodes, the last before his death of cancer. Several other actors played Weaver in later episodes, but only one, Tol Avery, captured even a smidgen of the cranky magic Wright gave the role. He was, and remains, Mayberry merchant Ben Weaver to TAGS fans. In his three episodes, Weaver created a happy Christmas, saved a family from homelessness and gave a tired traveling merchant a job.
Notes: "Family members" Edwards, Kerry and Ellison were the same family Wright's Weaver threatened with eviction in another TAGS episodes. They were the Scobees. Knotts' Fife played Santa Claus, in full costume and "ho ho hos." Donahue's Walker sang "Away in the Manger." Season 1 was a little uneven, with the cast developing their roles. Knotts was still being too often used only for manic comic relief. Taylor's Andy was still the impetus for most humor. In the second season Sheriff Taylor would began to react to the humorous situations of others, and the show would move to its current classic status as a result.