The Ghost and Mr. Chicken(1966)

1h 30m

Release Date: Jan 20, 1966

A timid typesetter hasn't a ghost of a chance of becoming a reporter - until he decides to solve a murder mystery and ends up spending a fright-filled night in a haunted house.

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Note: TV Movie

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Director & Top Cast

Alan Rafkin
Director

Charles Lane
Lawyer Whitlow

Technical Specifications

Aspect Ratio: 2.35 : 1

Other Details

Country of Origin: United States

Language: English

Summaries

Storyline

Luther Heggs aspires to be a reporter for his small town newspaper, the Rachel Courier Express. He gets his big break when the editor asks him to spend the night at the Simmons mansion that 20 years before was the site of a now famous murder-suicide. The case has aroused local interest not only because of the anniversary but because the family heir, Nick Simmons, has returned to Rachel planning to tear the mansion down. Luther's account of his wild, ghost-ridden night in the house leads Simmons to sue for libel, but with the aid of his friend Kelsey, they determine what exactly happened that night long ago and the identity of the real killer. — garykmcd Don Knotts stars as a timid typesetter who hasn't a ghost of a chance of becoming a reporter - until he decides to solve a murder mystery and ends up spending a fright-filled night in a haunted house. Figuring the answers to the mystery lie in the old Simmons mansion, Luther Heggs (Knotts) visits the estate at the witching hour of midnight. Certain he's seen a ghost, Luther writes a story which makes front page news - and brings on a libel suit from the mansion's owner. When the trial judge orders an investigation - and no apparition appears - Luther is branded a fraud. That is, until he and his devoted girlfriend team up to uncover the mystery of the hauntings - and the true murderer - in this timeless comedy classic. A typesetter (Don Knotts) for a small town newspaper persues his dream of becoming a big-time reporter by spending a night in an alleged haunted house. — Anonymous Luther Heggs is a jerky, quirky typesetter for the town paper who aspires to move up from his basement office to be a full-fledged reporter. He also pines for town babe Alma, who's already seeing the newspaper's main writer, Ollie. The film is centered around the Old Simmons House, which is known as a "murder house" around town due to the murder/suicide of Mr. and Mrs. Simmons 20 years earlier. Rumor has it that you can hear the ghost of Mr. Simmons playing the organ at midnight. To boost newspaper sales, Luther is assigned to spend the night in the house on the night of the 20th anniversary of the murders. All is well until midnight, when Luther sees the old organ begin to play by itself (the film's title tune is used in this and other scenes). His story makes him the town hero until Nicholas Simmons, nephew of the deceased couple, sues Luther for libel. In the courtroom, Luther is made to look the fool, but the judge orders the courtroom to the Simmons House at midnight to allow Luther to prove his story. Nothing happens, of course, but after everyone except Luther leaves, the old organ begins to play and he finds Mr. Kelsey, the newspaper's janitor, tickling the keys... — Malcolm Riviera <malco@interpath.com>