The Ghost and Mr. Chicken

After attaining stardom playing Barney Fife on TV, comedy actor Don Knotts made the jump to feature film vehicles with movies such as this one. He plays Luther Heggs, a typesetter for his small town newspaper. What he really wants to be, naturally, is a reporter, and gets his big chance for a scoop when his bosses suggest that he spend the night in a supposedly haunted house.

However, the unaware should know that he actually doesn't spend much of the movie in the house. The balance of the story has him trying to defend himself when the owner of the place, Nicholas Simmons (Philip Ober), sues him for libel. So he is obliged to prove that the supernatural phenomena that he saw in the house were not merely the product of his overworked imagination.

Knotts is priceless in this harmless bit of goofy entertainment. It has a pleasant feel of small town Americana as well as an amusingly decorated Old Dark House. (Whoever was in charge of the cobweb machine clearly went nuts.) The material runs a little hot and cold, though. Whenever Knotts is called upon to do his thing, things get very funny. Whether he's over reacting to the slightest thing, or performing his version of "karate", or awkwardly wooing the lovely young Alma (appealing Joan Staley), he's a riot. All of that jittery energy that was his trademark is in full force. The action is further enhanced by an entertainingly silly music score by Vic Mizzy.

Knotts is supported by an incredible array of top notch character players, most of whom play the straight man - or straight woman - to his antics. It's particularly delightful to see Charles Lane and Robert Cornthwaite as opposing attorneys. The only elements that got annoying quickly to this viewer were the kooky Psychic Occult Society ladies and that "attaboy" heckler (voiced by co-writer Everett Greenbaum).

"The Ghost and Mr. Chicken" is not always terribly funny, but it's certainly got a great charm about it.

Seven out of 10.

This was Don Knotts first film after leaving the Andy Griffith show. Here he is Luther Heggs, mild mannered typesetter for a small town newspaper. 20 years before, an unsolved murder occurred, and the editor of the newspaper decides to do a follow-up article on it. Guess who they get to do it. He spends the night in the house where the murder took place. After a wild night in the house, he is a hero. Then he gets sued by the owner of the house. I'll tell no more, except that if you have not seen this film, you should. It is a good example of 1960's comedy that stars many TV stars of the period. It's a real winner!

The first film Don Knotts made after leaving Mayberry to sign a multi-film contract with Universal, I first saw "The Ghost and Mr. Chicken" as a tiny tot when it played in support of "Munsters, Go Home" at the drive-in, and it was so funny I forgot all about the severe sunburn I had acquired at the beach earlier in the day. And now, 37 years later, it's still hilarious. An adult, especially a college graduate who majored in English, isn't supposed to admit that "The Ghost and Mr. Chicken" is one of his favorite films, at least not without embarrassment at his lack of "sophistication," but I admit it with pride. Knotts may not have had a film career on a par with Laurel and Hardy, but he's their equal in my book and this is his best film. It even manages to be genuinely spooky at times (that organ music-yikes!). This is a comedy classic, and a family film in the best sense of the word.

The movie trailers refer to Don Knotts' character, Luther Heggs, as the bravest coward and I think that is an accurate description. Although scared to death, Luther agrees to spend the night in the old Simmons house and stands up to the surly nephew Nicholas Simmons. As usual Don Knotts is hilarious. Several times it looks as if his eyes are going to pop out of their sockets. There is an excellent supporting cast with many very recognizable character actors, among them Dick Sargent (Miles Beckett, Luther's Editor), Reta Shaw (Mrs. Maxwell), Lurene Tuttle (Mrs. Miller), Charles Lane (Mr. Witlow, Nick Simmons' attorney), and of course Ellen Corby (Miss Tremaine). Although they were not credited for their roles there were Hope Summer and Hal Smith, two of Don Knotts' "Andy Griffith Show" co-stars made guest appearances. I saw this film in the when it came out in 1966. I suppose, like me, it's a little dated, but still worth watching. I have it on VHS and watch it when I need a good chuckle. More video rental places should keep classics like this on their shelves.

As the spunky, witty typesetter of the local newspaper who is sometimes afraid of his own shadow, Don Knotts goes up against the local legendary haunted house, a garden-shears-carrying nemesis, and a real true to life bad guy in this funny, quirky, endearing mystery from Universal's 1966 archives.

"Everything I ever needed to know about life, I learned from the Ghost and Mr. Chicken." the Fiend :.

This is an excellent, wholesome horror/comedy featuring many of your favorite members of the "Mayberry" bunch. It's delightful entertainment for the whole family, and one of Knotts's best performances as the underdog with the stout heart and quaky knees.

And best of all, the ending is a bit of a surprise.

This was my favorite movie as a child, and it rates a 9/10 from...

the Fiend :.