Claire Thompson
Bob Crane was a popular American radio broadcaster and actor. He began his career in radio broadcasting in 1950 and later moved to television, making guest appearances on shows such as 'The Dick Van Dyke Show' and 'The Twilight Zone'. He is best known for his role in the sitcom 'Hogan's Heroes', which became an overnight hit and earned him two Emmy nominations. Crane's career declined after 'Hogan's Heroes', and he resorted to performing in dinner theatres. In 1975, he returned to television with 'The Bob Crane Show', which was cancelled after a few weeks due to poor ratings. Crane also appeared in several films, including 'Superdad' and 'Gus'. Unfortunately, his personal life was marred by controversy, including a sex addiction and an unsolved murder that continues to haunt his loved ones. Now, did Bob Crane play in 'The Ghost and Mr. Chicken'? No, he did not. The 1966 film starred Don Knotts, who played Luther Heggs, a nervous newspaper typesetter who dreams of becoming a reporter.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name of the film | The Ghost and Mr. Chicken |
| Year of release | 1966 |
| Genre | Comedy, Family, Mystery, Horror |
| Star cast | Don Knotts, Joan Staley, Skip Homeier, Philip Ober, Hal Smith, Hope Summers |
| Plot | Luther Heggs, a nervous newspaper typesetter with big dreams of becoming a reporter, gets a chance to investigate a murder in an old abandoned mansion. |
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What You'll Learn
Don Knotts stars as Luther Heggs
Luther Heggs, in the old house in which he’s been persuaded to spend the 20th anniversary of a murder/suicide, terrifies himself. He goes through a series of comically frightening but harmless scares, until he hears knocking, then maniacal laughter, and then organ music. He exits the house terrified but not before seeing a pair of gardening shears sticking out of the bleeding portrait of Mrs. Simmons.
Knotts' character, Luther Hegg, is described as an extension of, or variation on, his character Barney Fife. Hegg is what Fife might have become if Andy wasn't there to calm him with a wink to the audience. The film is considered to be an excellent showcase of Knotts' social and physical awkwardness, with many scenes maximizing this aspect of his performance. The film is also considered to be an excellent showcase of the good-natured but slightly surreal humor that was so successfully nurtured on The Andy Griffith Show.
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The film is Knotts' first major film role
The Ghost and Mr. Chicken is a 1966 American comedy-horror mystery film starring Don Knotts as Luther Heggs, a nervous small-town newspaper typesetter with aspirations to become a reporter. The film is Don Knotts' first major film role, and it was a box office success, earning eight times its budget. It paved the way for a string of other Knotts-fronted comedy films for Universal over the next decade.
In the film, Luther Heggs is a typesetter for the Rachel Courier Express in the fictional community of Rachel, Kansas, who lives at the Natalie Miller boarding house. He learns from the newspaper's janitor, Mr. Kelsey, that the Simmons Mansion is rumoured to be haunted by the ghost of Mr. Simmons, who is thought to have murdered his wife and then taken his own life. Legend has it that the ghost of Mr. Simmons can still be heard playing the organ at midnight.
Knotts's character seizes the opportunity to write about the mansion, hoping to impress his love interest, Alma, and fulfil his dream of becoming a reporter. Despite his fears, he accepts the assignment to spend the night in the mansion on the 20th anniversary of the murder-suicide and report on his experience.
The film features a familiar cast, including alumni from the sitcom The Andy Griffith Show, which Knotts had recently left. Director Alan Rafkin and writers Jim Fritzell and Everett Greenbaum were all part of The Andy Griffith Show team. The film also includes cameo appearances by actors from the show, such as Hal Smith and Hope Summers.
The Ghost and Mr. Chicken was a significant step in Don Knotts's career, showcasing his talent as a leading movie comedian and setting a pattern for his future film roles as the lovable, bumbling character who ultimately succeeds in the end.
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The plot involves a haunted house
Bob Crane did not play in The Ghost and Mr. Chicken, a 1966 American comedy-horror film. The film stars Don Knotts as Luther Heggs, a newspaper typesetter who dreams of becoming a reporter.
Kelsey encourages Luther to write about the mansion, and the editor assigns him to spend the night there on the 20th anniversary of the murder-suicide. Despite his fears, Luther accepts the assignment as a chance to pursue his dream of becoming a reporter and to impress Alma, his love interest.
During his night in the mansion, Luther experiences eerie occurrences, which are later revealed to be caused by people trying to scare him, similar to the plot of an episode of The Andy Griffith Show. The film ends with the good guys triumphing over the house-haunting scoundrels, and Luther marrying Alma. Interestingly, the film hints that the mansion might be genuinely haunted as, during the wedding, the organ plays by itself, suggesting the presence of Mr. Simmons' ghost.
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The film is a box office success
Bob Crane did not star in The Ghost and Mr. Chicken, a 1966 comedy horror mystery film. Instead, the film stars Don Knotts as Luther Heggs, a typesetter and wannabe reporter who spends a night in a haunted house.
The film was a box office success, grossing $4 million in the first five months after its release, against a budget of $500,000. The success of the film paved the way for a string of other Don Knotts-fronted comedy films.
The Ghost and Mr. Chicken was Don Knotts' first starring film role, and he chose well. The film suited him perfectly, and he was surrounded by a cast of familiar and tried-and-true character players, including a few familiar faces from the Andy Griffith Show. Knotts' popularity prompted a multiple-movie deal with Universal, starting with this film and followed by The Reluctant Astronaut (1967), The Shakiest Gun in the West (1968), The Love God? (1969), and How to Frame a Figg (1971).
The film received mixed reviews from critics, with a score of 67% on Rotten Tomatoes, based on six critics, and an average score of 6.2 out of 10. However, it was well-received by audiences, with a rating of 7.2 on IMDb and positive reviews on Rotten Tomatoes. One IMDb reviewer called it "an excellent, wholesome horror/comedy", and another described it as "an all-time favorite comedy-scary movie you can watch with the whole family". The film has also been praised for its music, with one IMDb reviewer calling it "incredible" and another highlighting the "great creepy organ piece".
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The film is a Universal Studios production
Bob Crane did not play in the 1966 film "The Ghost and Mr. Chicken". The film is a Universal Studios production, starring Don Knotts as Luther Heggs, a nervous newspaper typesetter with aspirations of becoming a reporter. The film was Knotts' first major project after leaving "The Andy Griffith Show". It was a box office success, earning eight times its budget. The film's screenplay was written by two "Andy Griffith" writers, Jim Fritzell and Everett Greenbaum, and directed by Alan Rafkin, who also directed several episodes of "Andy Griffith". The film is a comedy-horror mystery, with a similar small-town setting to "The Andy Griffith Show". It is set in the fictional community of Rachel, Kansas, and follows Heggs as he investigates a haunted house.
"The Ghost and Mr. Chicken" was originally titled "Running Scared", but the title was changed when it was discovered that another film with the same title was in production. The new title is likely a humorous variation of the 1947 film "The Ghost and Mrs. Muir", which starred Rex Harrison and Gene Tierney. The film is also believed to be part of the "Andy Griffith Extended Universe", with several actors from the show making cameo appearances, including Hal Smith and Hope Summers.
The film was a significant success for Knotts, paving the way for a string of other comedy films for Universal Studios. It is considered a classic horror-comedy, with Knotts' character driving an Edsel Corsair, a commercial failure, to bolster the character's quirky reputation. The film also includes a running gag involving the Bon Ami cleaning product, with Knotts personally calling the company president to get permission to mention the product by name.
"The Ghost and Mr. Chicken" is a well-loved comedy-horror mystery that helped launch Don Knotts' successful career in film. With its engaging plot, talented cast, and clever writing, it remains a favourite among audiences.
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Frequently asked questions
Don Knotts stars as Luther Heggs in The Ghost and Mr. Chicken.
The film follows Luther Heggs, a nervous newspaper typesetter who dreams of becoming a reporter. He learns that an old mansion was the site of a supposed murder-suicide and decides to spend the night there to get his big scoop.
The film was released in 1966.
The film was directed by Alan Rafkin.
No, Bob Crane did not play in The Ghost and Mr. Chicken.
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