Hold That Ghost (1941)

Director:

Arthur Lubin

Writers:

Robert Lees (screenplay) &
Frederic I. Rinaldo (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

8 August 1941 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Horror | Mystery

Tagline:

9 ALL-TIME SONG HITS (re-release print ad - all caps)

Plot:

Two bumbling service station attendants are left as the sole beneficiaries in a gangster's will. Their...

Plot Keywords:

Haunted House | Gangster | Waiter | Old Dark House | Moose Head

Cast

  (Complete credited cast)

Bud Abbott	...	Chuck Murray
Lou Costello	...	Ferdinand Jones
Richard Carlson	...	Doctor Jackson
Joan Davis	...	Camille Brewster
Mischa Auer	...	Gregory
Evelyn Ankers	...	Norma Lind
Marc Lawrence	...	Charlie Smith
Shemp Howard	...	Soda Jerk
Russell Hicks	...	Bannister
William B. Davidson	...	Moose Matson (as William Davidson)
Ted Lewis and His Orchestra	...	Themselves
The Andrews Sisters	...	Themselves
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Spencer Charters	...	Storekeeper (scenes deleted)
Ted Lewis	...	Himself - Leader of His Orchestra

Also Known As:

Oh, Charlie

Runtime:

86 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)

Certification:

Australia:G | Finland:S | USA:Approved (PCA #7215) | Sweden:15

Company:

Universal Pictures

Trivia:

The Andrews Sisters were brought in after filming wrapped and the final nightclub footage was edited in after the film's completion.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: Near the end when Costello is sitting at the desk and the left candle is sliding across the table, and the right candle is moving up and down, the strings used are clearly visible.

Quotes:

Camille: You boys ready to leave?
Ferdie: I was ready to leave when he put the key in the front door to come in!

Movie Connections:

Spoofed in Tiny Toon Adventures: Night Ghoulery (1995) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Aurora

Riotous farce, one of the duo's best

This combination of haunted house scares and A&C slapstick works terrifically, for several reasons--the supporting cast is first-rate, and Joan Davis proved to be the best comic foil Costello ever had, their scenes together sparkle and their chemistry is undeniable; the boys' timing, always a marvel, has seldom been better; and, as in their best film, "A&C Meet Frankenstein," the spooky elements are played exactly that way, and not for laughs, and it works as well as it did in that film. Also, it doesn't have the cheaper, rushed look that many of their later ones had, and director Arthur Lubin--responsible for some of the team's best pictures--keeps things running very smoothly. The boys showcase some of their classic routines, Joan Davis is a joy to watch, the Andrews Sisters' songs don't slow things down ("Aurora" is actually a bright, catchy little number); all combine to make this one of the best Abbott & Costello films. Don't miss it.