The Ghost and Mr. Chicken (1966)

I think we can all remember Don Knotts as that guy who always made us laugh by getting the daylights scared out of him. All someone would have to do is sneak up behind him, tap him on the shoulder and say "boo!", and Knotts would go into his bug-eyed, hair-standing-on-end routine of a guy that acts like he'd just seen a ghost. Don made a living out of playing such a character as Barney Fife on "The Andy Griffith Show". An unlikely hero, Barney Fife was the kind of guy you would least expect to hold the job of a deputy sheriff. Even though Fife was yellow on the inside, he still somehow managed to come out on top at the end of each episode.

As Don Knotts ended his stint on the Griffith show after five years, he signed on with Universal Studios to go into the movie business. He'd take the cowardly, scaredy-cat persona with him, though. His first outing with Universal, "The Ghost and Mr. Chicken", showcased that same weakling quality that helped make Knotts a star.

Knotts plays Luther Heggs, a typesetter working in the basement of a small-town newspaper. Luther has dreams of becoming an ace newspaper reporter someday, but he can never seem to come across that big scoop that will get him out of his lowly position in the basement.

Then one day, the newspaper's editor/owner comes to Luther with what could be Luther's big break! To commemorate the twentieth anniversary of a horrendous murder/suicide, Luther is asked to spend the night in the deserted mansion where the horrific crime took place. The old house is said to be haunted by the ghost of a Mr. Simmons, who allegedly murdered his wife in a fit of jealous rage and then, in turn, leapt to his own death by jumping from the top floor of the mansion. Luther is to arrive at the house just before midnight and make note of any supernatural phenomena that he witnesses during his stay. After Luther sees what he thinks is the evil spirit of Mr. Simmons wreaking havoc about the dilapidated domicile, he returns to report his terrifying experience to his boss. Luther becomes an instant celebrity when his story of horror is published in the morning paper, and the old Simmons place becomes the hottest tourist attraction in town.

The movie is certainly a fine piece of family fare, with Knotts almost creating the Barney Fife character all over again in Luther Heggs. The initial seed of the story provides for the perfect vehicle for Knotts to perform his "Mr. Chicken" guise.

The film overall, though, seems to lack a strong enough, believable storyline. The plot almost seems to be a carbon copy straight from an episode of "Scooby Doo, Where are You?" Sure, it's fun to see Don Knotts acting as if he's about to jump out of his skin, but that's about the only main attraction in "The Ghost and Mr. Chicken". When the story concludes, and the real villain is revealed, you might find yourself scratching your head in puzzlement. There are a few holes left unfilled and loose threads left hanging when the mystery is solved, but because of the fine cast and production, the inconsistencies can be easily overlooked.

The best moments in the movie, of course, are during Luther Heggs's visits to the spooky Simmons mansion. There genuinely are some creepy moments during the haunted house scenes, highlighted by Vic Mizzy's musical score. Mizzy (who wrote "The Addams Family" theme) even provides the bone-chilling organ music emanating from the old pipe organ inside

Fmovies: 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.

I joke with my friends that "Citizen Kane" isn't the greatest film of all time, "The Ghost and Mr. Chicken" is. OK, maybe not THE greatest, but I loved it in 9th grade and I've loved it ever since (probably have seen it 10 times). As my observant godson noted, even the music is perfect for this kind of little movie. I think it's the best, by far, of Don Knotts' films. My favorite line is "And they used Bon Ami!" Out of curiosity, I've checked with a number of published guides to DVDs available for sales/rental and, to their credit, most of the authors of those books acknowledge that the film, however "minor," has humor and a good deal of charm, and that Knotts is at his best.

The Ghost and Mr. Chicken fmovies. This film showcases comedy from start to finish. Don Knotts stars and his outstanding performance in this film demonstrates a gift for comedy that very few actors have, and which is never seen in today's films. This movie is family-friendly, does not include offensive language of any kind, and holds the viewer's interest consistently. Many talented character actors appear in this film in supporting roles, including Dick York and Joan Staley. Ms. Staley shines as Knott's love interest, helping him to solve a mystery in a haunted house. Small town American characters give the viewer a look at America as it was in 1963. If you like movies about haunted houses, and you like comedy, this one is a "must see". This is the first movie by Don Knotts after he left The Andy Griffith Show, a sitcom staple of the early 1960's.

This was Don Knotts' first movie vehicle after he left "Andy Griffith". His character, Luther Heggs, is simply Barney Fife transplanted from Mayberry, North Carolina to Laurel, Kansas. The same gentle but slightly quirky small town residents and Heggs/Fife bumbling along and solving one of the town's mysteries. Knotts even wears the same salt and pepper suit with white fedora that he wore on "Andy Griffith".

This is still a fun movie to watch though. Knotts does his "nervous man" schtick all the way through. His stage-fright speech at the town picnic is great ("let me clarify this")and there are two recurring joke lines, "and they used Bon Ami!" and "atta boy, Luther" which keep being said and which will crack you up every time.

Don Knotts became a household name and Academy Award Winner for his creation of the blustery, cocky and nervous Deputy Sheriff Bernard P. Fife. In one episode in particular of The Andy Griffith Show, Knotts was in top form as Fife went into a haunted house. His nervous shaking and twitching in that episode almost surely led to this movie being made. Playing a type-setter at a local newspaper, he gets his chance to be a reporter when his editor elects him to spend a night in the local reputedly haunted murder house. Scared silly by what he sees there, he writes his article and becomes the local celebrity and a hero to the local ladies paranormal society in one of the movie's funniest running gags. The article, however, gets him into trouble as the house's owner sues for fraud and libel. The house, though, looks like every stereotype of what a haunted house is supposed to look like as it sticks out like a sore thumb in the otherwise prim and proper neighborhood. The back story of the murders is a bit contrived, as is it's "solution." The "hauntings" aren't very scary, but then this was meant to be a family picture. Killing the ghost story almost completely leaves me to suspect that the creators don't believe in ghosts, or didn't want to go out on a branch to suggest they do. Otherwise, this is a very good and enjoyable family picture and among one of my favorites.