Claire Thompson
The Ghost and Mr. Chicken is a 1966 comedy-mystery film starring Don Knotts as Luther Heggs, a reporter who spends a night in a haunted house. The film combines humour, spookiness, and a mystery to solve, making it entertaining for the whole family. While the film is not currently airing on TV, it is available to watch on Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, and TV Guide.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Genre | Comedy, Family, Mystery |
| Year | 1966 |
| IMDb Rating | 7.2 |
| Plot | Luther Heggs, a meek Kansas typesetter who wants to be a reporter, spends a night in a haunted house. |
| Streaming Platforms | Prime Video, Apple TV |
| Cast | Don Knotts, Liam Redmond, Dick Sargent, Reta Shaw, Nadia Westman, Jesslyn Fax |
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![The Ghost and Mr. Chicken [Blu-ray]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/91bTLBCQQxL._AC_UY218_.jpg)
What You'll Learn
Where to watch 'The Ghost and Mr Chicken'
The Ghost and Mr Chicken is a comedy-mystery film starring Don Knotts, released in 1966. It was Knotts' first film after leaving The Andy Griffith Show, and features a character with similarities to his Andy Griffith character, Barney Fife.
The film is available to watch on Amazon, where it can be rented or purchased. It is also available on Apple TV.
The Ghost and Mr Chicken is considered a cult classic, with many viewers enjoying repeated viewings. It blends comedy with mystery and horror, and is considered a family-friendly film.
The plot centres around Luther Heggs, a meek typesetter who wants to be a reporter. Heggs gets his big break when he is tasked with spending the night in a haunted house, the Simmons mansion, which was the site of a murder-suicide 20 years prior. The case arouses local interest as the family heir, Nick Simmons, plans to tear the mansion down. Heggs' account of his ghostly night in the house leads to a libel lawsuit, but he and his friend Kelsey are able to solve the 20-year-old mystery and identify the real killer.
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![Ghost & Mr Chicken [DVD] [1966] [Region 1] [US Import] [NTSC]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51+i2psx6CL._AC_UY218_.jpg)
![The Ghost and Mr. Chicken [Blu-ray] (Sous-titres français)](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/916k4QO+4KL._AC_UY218_.jpg)
Luther Heggs' character
Luther Heggs, played by Don Knotts, is the main character in the 1966 film The Ghost and Mr. Chicken. Heggs is a typesetter for the Rachel Courier Express in the fictional town of Rachel, Kansas. He lives at the Natalie Miller boarding house and dreams of becoming a reporter, but his peers do not take him seriously. Heggs gets his big break when the editor, George Beckett, asks him to spend a night in the Simmons Mansion, which was the site of a murder-suicide 20 years prior. Heggs is hesitant but eventually accepts, knowing this is his chance to become a reporter and impress Alma Parker, a young woman he has a crush on.
While staying at the mansion, Heggs discovers a hidden passage in the bookshelf leading to the organ loft. At midnight, he runs downstairs when the organ begins to play by itself and finds pruning shears stabbed in a portrait of Mrs. Simmons. His eerie story gains traction in the town and causes a delay in the agenda of Nicholas Simmons, the nephew of the deceased couple, who intends to demolish the mansion. However, Nicholas attempts to discredit Heggs by suing him and the Rachel Courier Express for libel. Heggs's credibility is questioned in court, and the town's residents believe he fabricated the story.
With the help of his friend Kelsey, a former gardener at the Simmons Mansion, Heggs works to uncover the truth behind the murder-suicide and clear his name. He also rescues Alma, who is being held captive by Nicholas, and the two eventually marry. At their wedding, the organ music segues to the spooky theme played in the Simmons mansion, and the organ keys are seen moving by themselves, suggesting the presence of a ghost.
Knotts' portrayal of Luther Heggs in The Ghost and Mr. Chicken is described as "his best performance as the underdog with the stout heart and quaky knees." His character is known for his "nervous man" schtick, and his stage-fright speech at the town picnic is particularly memorable. The film also includes running gags such as the use of the cleaning product name "Bon Ami" and the phrase "Atta boy, Luther!".
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Don Knotts' performance
Knotts' character is described as a "lovable, bumbling schlep" and a "nervous man", which was a character type he was known for playing. In fact, his famous proto-Barney Fife character that he created and played on The Steve Allen Show was known as "The Nervous Man". Off-screen, Knotts was also famously shy and soft-spoken. In The Ghost and Mr. Chicken, he does his "nervous man" schtick throughout, including a stage-fright speech at a town picnic.
Knotts' performance in the film is regarded as one of his best. The film is a comedy-mystery, and his character, Heggs, inadvertently solves the mystery surrounding the haunting of the mansion and uncovers the truth about the deaths, becoming a hero in the process. Knotts' performance is described as "wholesome", "funny", "quirky", and "endearing". The film is also noted to be genuinely spooky at times.
Knotts was nervous about the release of the film, as it was his first movie after departing from the Andy Griffith Show. He was worried about how the film would be received and whether it would be a success. However, the film ended up being a smash hit and performed well at the box office.
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The haunted house
The Ghost and Mr. Chicken is a comedy-mystery film released in 1966. It stars Don Knotts as Luther Heggs, a meek and nervous Kansas typesetter who aspires to be a reporter for his small-town newspaper, the Rachel Courier Express.
In the film, Heggs gets his big break when he is tasked with spending the night in the old Simmons mansion, a local landmark that is reputed to be haunted. Twenty years earlier, the mansion was the site of a famous murder-suicide involving the wife of the mansion's owner, Philip Ober. Despite initial opposition to his plan to demolish the mansion, Ober returns to town intending to tear it down. To uncover the truth behind the haunted house, Heggs must face his fears and encounter ghosts and a real-life villain.
The film is filled with quirky small-town residents, and Heggs bumbles his way through the mystery, eventually solving the 20-year-old murder. Knotts's performance as the underdog with a stout heart and shaky knees has been praised as hilarious and endearing. The Ghost and Mr. Chicken is a delightful and wholesome mix of horror and comedy, making it entertaining for the whole family.
The film has become a well-loved cult classic, with fans repeatedly watching it and even making it a Halloween tradition. While some viewers acknowledge that the film may seem dated or simple, it is still praised as funny, spooky, and heartwarming, with a surprising ending.
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The film's ending
The 1966 comedy horror film "The Ghost and Mr. Chicken" stars Don Knotts as Luther Heggs, a timid typesetter for the local newspaper in the fictional town of Rachel, Kansas. Heggs aspires to be a photojournalist and gets his big break when he agrees to spend the night in an allegedly haunted house, the site of an unsolved murder-suicide nearly 20 years prior.
After Luther claims that the house is indeed haunted, the nephew of the deceased aims to continue with his plan to demolish the house. It is later revealed that the nephew, Nicholas Simmons, is the real villain and is trying to cover up his murder of the Simmons couple, who were his aunt and uncle. Luther rescues Alma, who was held captive by Nicholas, by knocking him over, leading to his arrest.
Kelsey, who was initially accused of the murder, explains everything, and at the end of the film, Luther and Alma are married. During their wedding, the organ music segues to the theme played in the Simmons mansion, and the keys of the organ are seen moving by themselves, suggesting that there really is a ghost.
The film was Don Knotts' first after leaving "The Andy Griffith Show" and was directed by Alan Rafkin, with a screenplay by Jim Fritzell and Everett Greenbaum, who had also written for "The Andy Griffith Show". It was a box office success and received positive reviews from audiences, with many praising its comedy and spookiness.
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Frequently asked questions
The movie is about a meek Kansas typesetter, Luther Heggs, who wants to be a reporter and spends the night in a haunted house.
Don Knotts stars as Luther Heggs.
You can watch the movie on Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV.
The movie has a rating of 7.2 on IMDb.
