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THE GHOST AND MR. CHICKEN Autographs

THE GHOST AND MR. CHICKEN is my favorite Don Knotts movie and one of my all-time favorites. There is something about horror and comedy that mix well together. When Don Knotts left TAGS, he had a movie contract with Universal Studios. Of the movies, he made THE GHOST AND MR. CHICKEN had a very Mayberry feel to it. There is little wonder since some 20 TAGS alums were in the movie. The movie has become a Halloween classic. It is a good, clean comedy that can be enjoyed by young and old.

When Don Knotts received the script, he knew there was a problem and called his old friend Andy Griffith. Andy read the script and agreed it needed rewriting even though it had been penned by TAGS writers James Fritzell and Everett Greenbaum. With the improvements made by Griffith, they were able to begin the film. Griffith did not take any writing credit and was helping his friend.  One of his suggestions was to have the "Attaboy Luther" become a catchphrase used more than once. The director was Alan Rafkin, who had directed over 25 TAGS episodes.

The main credited cast is given below, along with others.  I have not included every non-speaking extra IMDB says was in the movie. The uncredited ones I list below had a notable part in the film or a speaking role.  At the end are "extras" who also appeared on The Andy Griffith Show. There are 20 people in the credits of the movie. Of those, eight also appeared on TAGS. The first ten listed appear in both the opening and closing credits.  

In the comments below, you will find exemplars of every credited performer in the movie, with the exception of Jim Begg. Ones from Worthpoint are not mine and are cropped. Those are being shown for educational purposes. They are, for the most part, from the John Verzi collection.  

 When a ** appears after the name, that means an exemplar is requested.   

[CREDITED CAST]

Don Knotts  ...Luther Heggs
Joan Staley  ...Alma Parker
Liam Redmond  ...Kelsey
Dick Sargent  ...George Beckett
Skip Homeier  ...Ollie Weaver
Reta Shaw  ...Mrs. Halycon Maxwell
Lurene Tuttle  ... Mrs. Natalie Miller
Phil Ober  ... Nicholas Simmons
Harry Hickox... Police Chief Art Fuller
Charles Lane ...  Plaintiff's Attorney Whitlow
Jesslyn Fax ...  Mrs. Hutchinson
Nydia Westman ... Mrs. Cobb
George Chandler  ... Judge Harley Nast
Robert Cornthwaite ... Defense Attorney Springer
James Begg ... Police Officer Herkie  **
Sandra Gould ... Loretta Pine
James Millhollin  ... Mr. Milo Maxwell
Cliff Norton ... Charlie the Bailiff
Ellen Corby Miss Neva Tremaine
Jim Boles ... Billy Ray Fox

[UNCREDITED ROLES]

Hope Summers ... Susanna Blush
Hal Smith ... Calver Weems
J. Edward McKinley ... Mayor Preston
Burt Mustin ... Mr. Deligondo
Al Checco ... Gaylord Patie witness for the defense
Lee Krieger ... Lester the process server
Teddy Quinn ... Boy getting Luther's autograph
Eddie Quillan ... Elevator operator
Bern Hoffman ... Big man friend of Billy Ray Fox
Adair Jameson ... Eileen secretary to Mr. Maxwell.
Dick Wilson ... Band leader at picnic
Harry Hines ... Bum at the picnic "I'm Rotary."
Jimmie Horan ... Observer on the street
Herbie Faye ... Man sitting at Alma's table in Cafe
Lillian Field ... Edna June Weems **
Everett Greenbaum ... Voice yelling "Attaboy Luther"  **
Joan Granville ... Waitress  **
Ella Edwards [Ella Raino] ... Cafe Cashier  **
Ruth Thom ... Psychic Occult Society Member **
Maxine Semon ... Psychic Occult Society Member **
Dorothy Keller ... Psychic Occult Society Member **
Florence Lake ... Psychic Occult Society Member **
Margaret Wheeler ... Psychic Occult Society Member **
Dorothy Love ... Psychic Occult Society Member **
Ceil Cabot ... Psychic Occult Society Member   **
Phil Arnold ... Jury Foreman **
Michael Jeffers ... Spectator at trial

Tags: Burt, Don, Joan, Knotts, Mustin, Ober, Phil, Staley

Views: 1039

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Scott Paul on May 22, 2024 at 8:39am

JESSLYN FAX (1893-1975) from Worthpoint a John Verzi card.

Permalink Reply by CJCollector on November 12, 2022 at 5:22pm

This is a great thread, Scott.  Brings back fond memories of early television.

Permalink Reply by Scott Paul on November 12, 2022 at 5:34pm

Thank you Christopher I appreciate that.  Yes, most of these were those wonderful old character actors that are the backbone of any good series.  

Permalink Reply by CJCollector on November 12, 2022 at 5:40pm

You're welcome, Scott.  A big favorite of mine is Charles Lane.  He had that face and that voice.  He was in everything.  I loved that Twilight Zone episode "Mr. Bevis."

Permalink Reply by Scott Paul on November 13, 2022 at 4:34am

NYDIA WESTMAN (1902-1970) she began her film career in the 1930s in movies like LITTLE WOMEN, KING OF THE JUNGLE with Buster Crabbe, THE INVISIBLE RAY, THREE LIVE GHOSTS, THE CAT AND THE CANARY and many others.  It is her television roles she is probably best known for.  She appeared in episodes of The Munsters, The Addams Family, Bewitched, My Favorite Martian, Perry Mason, and co-starred in the Gene Kelly series Going My Way.  In THE GHOST AND MR. CHICKEN she plays Mrs. Cobb delivering some of the funniest dialog including "And they used Bon Ami."   She later played the aunt in the Don Knotts movie THE RELUCTANT ASTRONAUT.  She kept working up until her death at 68.   Her autograph is scarce.  This is a 1944 album page signed while doing the Broadway play "Life With Father."  Bought from Dr. Gary Brucato's site.

Permalink Reply by Scott Paul on November 21, 2022 at 6:08am

NYDIA WESTMAN "And they used Bon Ami"  that catchphrase was one of the funniest from the movie.   Don Knotts mentioned it in his autobiography he said they had trouble getting permission from the Bom Ami cleanser company.  Finally, Knotts called the head of the company and explained how they wanted to use the line.  The CEO laughed and told him to go ahead and use it over the phone.   Nydia Westman says the line twice in the movie this is a shot from the second scene where she uses it.   Jesslyn Fax is on the left, and Nydia is on the right.

Permalink Reply by Scott Paul on November 13, 2022 at 12:49pm

GEORGE CHANDLER (1898-1985) a veteran character actor who began in silent movies and appeared in scores of movies over the years.  He had mostly minor or bit parts.  Television gave him bigger roles in climaxing in the role of the beloved "Uncle Petrie" in Lassie.  He appeared in episodes of The Twilight Zone, The Lone Ranger, Rawhide, Bonanza, Here's Lucy, The Waltons, and two episodes of Batman.  In THE GHOST AND MR. CHICKEN he plays Judge Harley Nast.   Chandler is an uncommon autograph.

Permalink Reply by CJCollector on November 13, 2022 at 2:11pm

Scott, I was watching a movie on TCM recently, and I can't remember the name of the movie, but it starred Edward G. Robinson, Richard Conte, etc., and I believe George Chandler played a bar owner that Richard Conte would frequent.  I have to admit, I remember more so from his characters in the Superman series.

Most people don't remember Richard Conte was the first choice to play "The Godfather."

Permalink Reply by Scott Paul on November 13, 2022 at 3:01pm

I forgot about Chandler being in The Adventures of Superman.  He was in so many movies and television shows it is amazing really.  You are probably right about the Edward G. Robinson and Richard Conte movie.  I am sure I saw it since I never miss "Noir Alley" on TCM. Chandler often played bit parts like a bartender.  He was also in a couple Charlie Chan movies that I love.  Richard Conte would have been good as Godfather, but instead ended up as Barzini.    

Permalink Reply by CJCollector on November 13, 2022 at 3:48pm

Yep.

Richard Conte was great!!!  One of the movies I have stored on my DVR is "13 Rue Madeline" with James Cagney.

Permalink Reply by Scott Paul on November 18, 2022 at 5:33am

ROBERT CORNTHWAITE (1917-2006) horror fans will recognize him as the scientist in THE THING FROM ANOTHER WORLD.   Other Sci-Fi and horror-related movies were THE WAR OF THE WORLDS, REPTILICUS, THE DEVIL'S DAUGHTER, FUTUREWORLD, and Dr. Selby in WHATEVER HAPPENED TO BABY JANE. His television appearances included two episodes of Twilight Zone, The Rifleman, Kolchak: The Night Stalker, The Munsters, The Andy Griffith Show, and Mayberry R. F. D., among many others. He plays Don Knotts' attorney, Mr. Springer, in THE GHOST AND MR. CHICKEN.   His autograph, while not rare, is not commonly seen.

Permalink Reply by CJCollector on November 18, 2022 at 2:37pm

Scott, a lot of people were never aware that the great James Arness was "The Thing."

The movie "The Thing From Another World" is another movie I keep on my DVR.  The majority of the movies on my DVR are Sci-Fi movies from the 1950's.

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