The Ghost Talks

Production Information
Title: The Ghost Talks
Studio: Columbia
Short Number: 113
Release Date: February 3, 1949
Running Time: 16:07

“Me? I’m Red.” “Oh … Red Skeleton!”
(Skeleton & Shemp)

Short Take

In The Ghost Talks, The Three Stooges are moving men assigned to move furniture out of the haunted Smorgasbord Castle. All goes well at first, outside of a few scares, until a clanking suit of armor inhabited by the ghost of Peeping Tom (voiced by Phil Arnold) scares the hapless Stooges until he convinces them that he is, in fact, a friendly spirit. After finally gaining their trust, Tom tells the trio the story of his watching Lady Godiva (Nancy Saunders), only to get a pie in the face. In turn, his ghost is cursed and trapped inside the suit of armor, having been trapped for a thousand years.

The Stooges, however, still have a job to do and tell Tom that they have to move everything in the castle, including him. He instructs the boys to leave him be, as “bad luck” will be upon them if they ever try to take him away. Shemp, Larry and Moe all take turns trying to move Tom, but a series of various shenanigans, such as a frog jumping down Shemp’s shirt and an owl entering a skull and assuming the role of a death’s head spirit, spooks the Stooges. As they run into another room to escape, Lady Godiva rides up on a horse and takes Tom away. The Stooges rush over to the window to watch them depart, only to be pelted with three successive pies amidst a cheering crowd.

Cast & Crew

The Ghost Talks Trivia

• The Ghost Talks was remade in 1956 as Creeps, using ample stock footage.
• Director Jules White voiced the skeleton identifying himself as Red Skeleton, a reference to comedian Red Skelton.
• The NBC chimes are heard when Moe hits Shemp three times on his head.
• The Ghost Talks includes what famous lady’s horse ride? (A: Lady Godiva’s).