Jake Harper
The 1966 comedy horror mystery film The Ghost and Mr. Chicken was filmed on the backlot of Universal Studios in Hollywood. The film stars Don Knotts as Luther Heggs, a typesetter who spends a night in a haunted house in the fictional town of Rachel, Kansas. The film was directed by Alan Rafkin, with a screenplay by Jim Fritzell and Everett Greenbaum, and was a box office success.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Year | 1966 |
| Genre | Comedy horror mystery |
| Filming location | Backlot of Universal Studios in Hollywood |
| Street name | Colonial Street |
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What You'll Learn
- The film was shot on the backlot of Universal Studios in Hollywood
- The haunted house is located in the fictitious community of Rachel, Kansas
- The Munster house and the Simmons Mansion are next door to each other on Colonial Street
- The film was directed by Alan Rafkin
- The film was Don Knotts' first major project after leaving The Andy Griffith Show
The film was shot on the backlot of Universal Studios in Hollywood
The 1966 comedy-horror-mystery film The Ghost and Mr. Chicken was filmed on the backlot of Universal Studios in Hollywood. The film was produced by Universal Studios, which has produced numerous classic horror films. The backlot and standing sets from various TV shows were redressed for the film, typical for a low-budget feature produced at Universal during that period. The film's star, Don Knotts, had a multiple-movie deal with Universal, which included The Ghost and Mr. Chicken, 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 was shot in just 17 days, with several locations that have appeared in many movies over the years. The story centres on Luther Heggs, a typesetter for the Rachel Courier Express in the town of Rachel, Kansas, who lives at the Natalie Miller boarding house and aspires to be a reporter. To win a reporting job, he must spend the night in a haunted house. The haunted house is located in the fictitious community of Rachel, Kansas, and the film makes use of several alumni from the sitcom The Andy Griffith Show, including director Alan Rafkin and writers Jim Fritzell and Everett Greenbaum.
The film received mixed reviews from critics, with a score of 67% on Rotten Tomatoes. However, it was a box office success, grossing $4 million in the first five months after its release on a $500,000 budget. The film was released on VHS in 1996 and later on DVD and Blu-ray. The memorable music score was composed by Vic Mizzy, who wrote the score in just four days.
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The haunted house is located in the fictitious community of Rachel, Kansas
The Ghost and Mr. Chicken is a 1966 American comedy-horror-mystery film starring Don Knotts as Luther Heggs, a typesetter who spends a night in a haunted house to win a reporting job. The haunted house is located in the fictitious community of Rachel, Kansas.
The film was shot on location at Universal Studios in Hollywood, California. The set was built on the backlot, and many of the supporting cast members drove in from nearby locations each morning. The "Simmons Mansion" in the film was located on the old Colonial Street, next to New York Street and Courthouse Square. The house had previously appeared in the 1950 film Harvey, in which it was known as the Dowd house.
The film was directed by Alan Rafkin, who had previously worked on The Andy Griffith Show, as did several other cast and crew members, including Don Knotts himself. Knotts' character, Luther Heggs, is a typesetter for the Rachel Courier Express in the town of Rachel, Kansas, who lives at the Natalie Miller boarding house. He aspires to be a reporter and spends a night in the haunted house to achieve this goal.
The haunted house is a key location in the film, as it is where Luther Heggs spends a fright-filled night and confronts the true villain of the story, Nicholas Simmons. The house is reputed to be haunted by the ghost of Ober's wife, who was murdered there 20 years earlier. Luther discovers that the organ in the house is being played by Mr. Kelsey, the newspaper's janitor, who is using a secret keyboard located under the pipes. This leads him to uncover the truth about the murder and clear his own name, as he was initially accused of the crime.
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The Munster house and the Simmons Mansion are next door to each other on Colonial Street
The Munster House and the Simmons Mansion are two distinct buildings, though they are often confused with each other. The two houses are located next door to each other on Colonial Street, with the Munster House on the right. The Munster House and the Simmons Mansion were originally located on the old Colonial Street, which was next to New York Street and Courthouse Square. The old Colonial Street is where the film The Ghost and Mr. Chicken was filmed. The Munster House and the Simmons Mansion were relocated to a new Colonial Street, where they remain next-door neighbours, but with the Munster House now on the right of the Simmons Mansion.
The Munster House, also known as the Dowd House, has appeared in several films and television shows. It was featured in the 1950 film Harvey and served as the home of Gabrielle Solis in the series Desperate Housewives, with alterations to its architecture. The house is often associated with the fictional Munster family, likely due to its resemblance to the home depicted in the 1960s sitcom The Munsters. This association has led to its popular name, the Munster House.
The Simmons Mansion, on the other hand, is a distinct house with its own unique history. It is not the same as the Munster House, despite their proximity and similar architectural styles. The Simmons Mansion gained prominence due to its role in the film The Ghost and Mr. Chicken, where it served as a key location for the story's supernatural and mysterious elements. The house's reputation as a haunted mansion in the film may have contributed to its association with the supernatural in popular culture.
Colonial Street, where both houses are located, is a well-known filming location. It has undergone changes over the years, with the original Colonial Street being replaced by a new one, resulting in the relocation of the Munster House and the Simmons Mansion. The street's unique architecture and proximity to other iconic filming locations, such as New York Street and Courthouse Square, have made it a popular choice for filmmakers and television producers.
The Munster House and the Simmons Mansion, while distinct in their own right, share a connection through their proximity on Colonial Street. Their appearances in films and television shows, particularly The Ghost and Mr. Chicken, have contributed to their popularity and cultural significance. Together, they stand as iconic examples of film and television locations, capturing the imaginations of audiences and enthusiasts alike.
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The film was directed by Alan Rafkin
The 1966 American comedy-horror-mystery film "The Ghost and Mr. Chicken" was directed by Alan Rafkin. Rafkin was a director and actor, known for his work on The Andy Griffith Show, a sitcom that also featured Don Knotts, the star of "The Ghost and Mr. Chicken".
Rafkin was chosen to direct the film by Knotts, who had worked with him on The Andy Griffith Show. Rafkin was not the only alum from the show to work on "The Ghost and Mr. Chicken"; writers Jim Fritzell and Everett Greenbaum also joined the project. The film was shot on location at Universal Studios in Hollywood, on the backlot and on standing sets from various TV shows.
The film was made on a low budget and had a tight filming schedule of just 17 days. Despite this, it was a box office success, grossing $4 million in the first five months after its release, on a budget of $500,000. The film also received positive reviews, with a Rotten Tomatoes score of 67%.
Rafkin's direction, along with the performances of the cast and the music by Vic Mizzy, contributed to the success of "The Ghost and Mr. Chicken". The film is considered a classic in the comedy-horror genre and has endured as a favourite among viewers, with many remembering it fondly from their childhood.
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The film was Don Knotts' first major project after leaving The Andy Griffith Show
The Ghost and Mr. Chicken was Don Knotts' first major project after leaving The Andy Griffith Show. Knotts was best known for his role in the sitcom as small-town deputy sheriff Barney Fife, for which he won five Primetime Emmy Awards. He left the show at the end of the 1964-1965 season to pursue a film career.
The Ghost and Mr. Chicken is a 1966 American comedy-horror-mystery film starring Don Knotts as Luther Heggs, a timid typesetter for the Rachel Courier Express in the fictional town of Rachel, Kansas. To win a reporting job, Heggs spends a night in a haunted house, where he aims to solve a murder mystery. The film was directed by Alan Rafkin, with a screenplay by Jim Fritzell and Everett Greenbaum, all of whom had been associated with the success of The Andy Griffith Show.
Knotts personally requested another veteran of the Griffith Show, director Alan Rafkin, to direct the film. Several other players from the show also appear in The Ghost and Mr. Chicken, including Lurene Tuttle, Burt Mustin, Reta Shaw, Hal Smith, and Hope Summers. The film also features many familiar faces from 1960s television, such as Charles Lane, Ellen Corby, Harry Hickox, and Robert Cornthwaite.
The Ghost and Mr. Chicken was a box office success, grossing $4 million in the first five months after its release on a $500,000 budget. Knotts' performance in the film led to a multiple-movie deal with Universal, including The Reluctant Astronaut (1967), The Shakiest Gun in the West (1968), The Love God? (1969), and How to Frame a Figg (1971).
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Frequently asked questions
The movie The Ghost and Mr. Chicken was filmed on the backlot of Universal Studios in Hollywood.
The exact address of the filming location is unknown, but it was filmed on a studio backlot.
Yes, the film was shot on standing sets from various TV shows, redressed for the occasion.
The movie was filmed on the old Colonial Street.
No, the film was shot on a studio backlot.
