The Ghost and Mr. Chicken

Released May 1, 1966

1h 30m

Comedy

List

67%

Tomatometer

6 Reviews

75%

Popcornmeter

5,000+ Ratings

Looking to score a break as a newspaper reporter and impress beautiful Alma Parker (Joan Staley), milquetoast typesetter Luther Heggs (Don Knotts) pitches a story about his small town's haunted house. When his editor (Dick Sargent) insists Luther spend a night alone in the spooky mansion, where a grisly murder-suicide had taken place decades earlier, the timid reporter learns that the house contains a supernatural resident who doesn't like visitors.

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Steve Crum

Video-Reviewmaster.com

Prime Don Knotts with Barney Fife patented laughs.

Rated: 3/5

Jun 25, 2005

Full Review

Philip Martin

Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

Rated: 2/5

Jan 7, 2005

Full Review

Ken Hanke

Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)

Unusually good Knotts vehicle with atmosphere and a great creepy organ piece.

Rated: 4/5

Mar 29, 2004

Full Review

Carol Cling

Las Vegas Review-Journal

Rated: 2/5

Feb 27, 2004

Full Review

John Beifuss

Commercial Appeal (Memphis, TN)

For youngsters who hadn't experienced anything stronger than the attack of the ping-pong balls on 'Captain Kangaroo,' 'Mr. Chicken' -- with its spooky organ music, blood-dripping portrait and haunted 'murder house' -- was deliciously traumatic...

Sep 15, 2003

Full Review

Matt Bailey

Not Coming to a Theater Near You

The Ghost and Mr. Chicken is, overall, a very sweet-natured comedy. It's just the thing to watch when you are sick of foul-mouthed puppets [and] flatulent grade-schoolers...

Apr 3, 2003

Full Review

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Tim O

Still love the organ loft music. Scared the hell out of me and kept me up at night when I was 9 or 10.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

12/18/23

Full Review

craig p

Don Knots was perfect for this movie.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

11/02/23

Full Review

Tyler K

Great classic Don Knotts movie! Fun for the whole family

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

10/30/23

Full Review

Nick S

One of my favorite movies— all thanks to my mother culturing me as a 90s kid. Ghost and Mr Chicken would terrify me as a kid, but now I look back and laugh at all the memorable lines/characters. There's not a dull scene in its entirety. "Are you afraid of haunted houses?" - They're just mortar, stone, and wood

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

10/30/23

Full Review

S R

Another lost flixster rating. Arguably Knotts' best movie. Saw again on TCM.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

09/04/23

Full Review

Stephen C

Don Knotts will be missed, LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/21/23

Full Review

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Alan Rafkin

Director

Don Knotts

Luther Heggs

Joan Staley

Alma Parker

Liam Redmond

Kelsey

Dick Sargent

George Beckett

Skip Homeier

Ollie Weaver

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Synopsis

Looking to score a break as a newspaper reporter and impress beautiful Alma Parker (Joan Staley), milquetoast typesetter Luther Heggs (Don Knotts) pitches a story about his small town's haunted house. When his editor (Dick Sargent) insists Luther spend a night alone in the spooky mansion, where a grisly murder-suicide had taken place decades earlier, the timid reporter learns that the house contains a supernatural resident who doesn't like visitors.

Director: Alan Rafkin
Producer: Edward Montagne
Screenwriter: James Fritzell, Everett Greenbaum
Distributor: Universal Pictures
Production Co: Universal Pictures
Genre: Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): May 1, 1966, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 10, 2016
Runtime: 1h 30m
Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)

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