Release Date:

September 23, 1939

Main Character(s):

Porky Pig

Summary:

Policeman Porky Pig investigates a haunted house that is inhabited by a prank-loving ghost.

That’s Not All, Folks:

While the ghost’s voice sounds like Pinto Colvig’s, it’s actually Mel Blanc doing an imitation of Colvig. This is confirmed by Keith Scott’s book, “Cartoon Voices of the Golden Age”.

The ending gag where Porky’s car backfires in the ghost’s face, making him appear in blackface as Rochester (from the Jack Benny Show) and saying, “My oh my! Tattletale gray!” is another gag that would not be acceptable today.

Porky’s car is “Car 6 and 7/8”, a number that was often used in other cartoons (the Walter Lantz studio in particular).

The ghost’s bathroom door is labeled “Bawth” as if it’s making fun of the British pronunciation of the word.

What I Like About This One:

The sign on the “Podunk City Jail”: “We Choose Your Cell- But You Can Pick Your Own Lock”.

When the guy calling Porky’s car warns him there may be ghosts at the haunted house, Porky asks “Did he say ‘ghosts’?”. His reply is “Yes, ghosts. You know, those white things that go ‘mwahahahahahahaha!’”

Porky starting to rev up the engine as if he’s going to speed up, but the car instead tiptoes.

The haunted house being called “Belli Acres”.

The weather vane getting electrified by a lightning bolt and turned into a roast chicken.

The strange noises in the haunted house are revealed to have come from the ghost listening to a spooky radio program! The ghost even comments, “Gosh, that was sure a scary story!”

The ghost using the smoke from a cigar as a ghostly donut to dip in his coffee.

The grandfather clock chiming to the tune of “Jeepers Creepers”.

The ghost’s rendition of “Jeepers Creepers”.

When Porky knocks at the door, the ghost slides down the staircase to open it, before coming all the way back up to tell the audience, “There’s somebody at the door!”

The ghost putting two frogs in a pair of shoes tied together (one in each shoe) to make it appear the shoes are moving by themselves.

The shoe’s laces getting caught on a hat and coat stand, pulling it along with the shoes. A curtain shade then gets caught on that making the whole thing look like a strange man in a black coat.

The ghost banging a dinner platter over Porky’s head along with the animation of Porky vibrating.

Porky completely freaking out when he sees the “walking” hat and coat stand.

Porky running up the stairs and ending up in the ghost’s arms, not realizing who he’s talking to. When he does, he runs down the stairs backwards (a gag reused from “The Case of the Stuttering Pig”) and out of the house before driving away.

Where Can I Watch It?

At archive.org!

Carrot Rating:

🥕🥕🥕🥕 ½