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In Ghostbuster of the Year, Charles Foster Hearse III, millionaire publisher of Spooks Illustrated, challenges the Ghostbusters to a friendly copetition to find out which of them deserves to be on the cover of the next issue as "Ghost Hunter of the Year."[2]

Cast[]

Egon Spengler

Peter Venkman

Ray Stantz

Winston Zeddemore

Bus Ghost

Director of New York Port Authority

Barbara Mentee

Charles Foster Hearse III

Charles Foster Hearse

Janine Melnitz

Equipment[]

Proton Pack

Particle Thrower

Trap

Ecto-1

Spooks Illustrated

Rasputin's Spiritual Exercises

Rottweiler on Olfactory Manifestations

Items[]

Rosebud

Locations[]

George Washington Bridge Bus Station

Slime Life Building

Hearse Castle

Firehouse

Plot[]

The Ghostbusters ran from a Bus Driver Ghost driving a May bus at the George Washington Bridge Bus Station. They dodged the bus and watched it fly off onto the surface street below. The ghost flew into the bus station. The guys followed the P.K.E. Meter and found the ghost gorging on sweets in the cafeteria. Winston opened fire but missed and the ghost flew off into a restroom then to Gate 13. Peter used his powers of deduction to pinpoint the ghost was hiding in another bus. Ray headed to the front, Egon watched the rear, Winston observed the emergency exit, and Peter boarded the bus. After Peter opened fire and reduced the bus to shambles, the ghost surrendered. Soon enough, the Ghostbusters emerged from the station with a full Ghost Trap. Reporters flocked to them and the Director of the New York Port Authority congratulated them.

The Director was upstaged by a woman named Barbara Mentee, Special Executive Assistant to Charles Foster Hearse III. Ray and Egon perked up to the name and recognized him as the man who publishes Spooks Illustrated, Boosweek, and Popular Phantasmics. Mentee revealed she was in charge of selecting the year's Ghost Hunter of the Year. The Ghostbusters went with Mentee in her limousine to the Slime Life Building. They met Charles Foster Hearse III in the building's penthouse. Together, Hearse and Mentee explained Charles Foster Hearse the First created a publishing empire based on his love of the supernatural. His ghost now haunted his mansion, Hearse Castle. They revealed whoever caught the ghost by sunrise would win the Ghost Hunter of the Year award. Winston reminded everyone they were a team but he was overruled.

Barbara Mentee dropped the Ghostbusters off at Hearse Castle, a rather stunning site. Part of the grounds is filled to the brim with artificial snow and a cathedral was brought over from a European trip. As the guys fawned, Mentee mentioned how Hearse liked snow. The guys entered the castle by the servant's entrance. Winston tried once more to get the others to reconsider taking on the challenge but they walked off to find the ghost. When Winston was all alone, the ghost manifested, said "Rosebud," and chased after him. Egon studied plants in a dome-like greenhouse but was grabbed by several vines. Hearse manifested and Egon opened fire. He missed and the dome was leveled. Ray perused books in the library but Hearse appeared. Ray opened fire, as well, but was buried in several dozen books then got a paper cut.

Peter looked at Hearse's animal trophies in the recreation room until Hearse appeared on the billiard table. Peter fired but Hearse formed and possessed a billiard construct. It chased after Peter but broke apart when it ran into a set of double doors. The lightning outside caused a temporary blackout and the three Ghostbusters fired blindly at each other. Peter and Egon were safe but not Ray. As they conferred in the basement, Peter wondered about Winston. Sure enough, they heard Winston in another room. They rushed off and saw him buried in junk. As they sifted through the pile, Winston walked up behind them and caught a red sled with "Rosebud" stenciled on it.

Hearse's ghost appeared once more but they fired on him again. Hearse retaliated by possessing a nearby Egyptian statue. The guys ran for the exit and Hearse pursued them. Now outside in the snow, Winston rode the sled and the others hopped on. Hearse formed a snowball and followed them. They eventually fell off the sled and Hearse landed on it. It turned out Hearse wanted to ride his sled one last time before he peacefully dispersed. Ms. Mentee arrived and asked who caught the ghost. Without any hesitation, the guys all pointed at each other in unison. Some time later, at the Firehouse, Winston dropped off the Ghost Hunter of the Year edition and admonished the others for pursuing the award. However, when Peter noticed they spelled Winston's name wrong, Winston took the issue and walked off.

Quotes[]

Charles Foster Hearse: Rosebud.
Peter: I came, I saw, I captured.

Trivia[]

  • The episode was recorded on September 17, 1986.[3]
  • Peter asks about the Mayor after the Bus Ghost is busted.[4]
  • According to the The Real Ghostbusters Complete Collection booklet, Barbara Mentee was voiced by Anne Curry.[5]
  • Boosweek is a play on Newsweek and Popular Phantasmics, on Popular Mechanics.
  • Winston mentions Peter's mother.[6]
  • Peter compares the hallways of the Slime Life Building to the Wizard of Oz.[7]
  • Peter mentions Huey Lewis, an American performing artist.[8]
  • Ray reveals he read Spooks Illustrated when he was a child.[9]
  • Peter jokes about the Swimsuit Issue, in reference to Sports Illustrated's annual issue.
  • Egon always wanted to be on the cover of a Spooks Illustrated issue.[10]
  • As the Ghostbusters and Mentee pass through the Hearse Castle gatehouse, Peter references King Kong.[11]
  • Hearse Castle and San Simoleon are a play on Hearst Castle in Sam Simoeon, California.
  • Rosebud is a reference to both the last words of the Newspaper Magnate Charles Foster Kane and the name of his Sleigh from the 1941 movie Citizen Kane by Orson Wells.
  • Ray learned about Hearse's collection of books on the supernatural after watching an episode of "Haunts of the Rich and Famous," a play on "Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous" television show.[12]
  • Hearse's red sled reminded Winston of one he had when he was a child.[13]
  • Slimer doesn't appear in this episode and Janine only makes a cameo at the end with no lines of dialog.
  • The final rank's title in Ghostbusters: The Video Game (Realistic Versions) Multiplayer Mode is called Ghostbuster of the Year.
  • Janine appears in the episode, but with no lines of dialog.

Animation Errors[]

  • When Peter says, "Of the swimsuit issue?!" He is using Ray's voice.

References[]

  1. Marsha Goodman (1986). Episode Call Sheet and SAG Report - "Ghostbuster of the Year" (1986).
  2. Eatock, James & Mangels, Andy (2008). The Real Ghostbusters Complete Collection booklet, p. 19. CPT Holdings, Inc.
  3. Marsha Goodman (1986). Episode Call Sheet and SAG Report - "Ghostbuster of the Year" (1986).
  4. Peter Venkman (2009).The Real Ghostbusters- "Ghostbuster of the Year" (1987) (DVD ts. 04:58-04:59). Time Life Entertainment. Peter says: "So, where's the Mayor?"
  5. Eatock, James & Mangels, Andy (2008). The Real Ghostbusters Complete Collection booklet, p. 19. CPT Holdings, Inc.
  6. Winston Zeddemore (2009).The Real Ghostbusters- "Ghostbuster of the Year" (1987) (DVD ts. 06:07-06:08). Time Life Entertainment. Winston says to Peter: "Why don't you call your mother?"
  7. Peter Venkman (2009).The Real Ghostbusters- "Ghostbuster of the Year" (1987) (DVD ts. 08:02-08:04). Time Life Entertainment.
  8. Peter Venkman (2009).The Real Ghostbusters- "Ghostbuster of the Year" (1987) (DVD ts. 04:58-04:59). Time Life Entertainment.
  9. Ray Stantz (2009). The Real Ghostbusters - "Ghostbuster of the Year" (1987) (DVD ts. 8:05-8:08). Time Life Entertainment. Ray says: "I used to read Spooks Illustrated when I was a kid."
  10. Egon Spengler (2009). The Real Ghostbusters - "Ghostbuster of the Year" (1987) (DVD ts. 8:11-8:14). Time Life Entertainment. Egon says: "I used to dream about being on the cover."
  11. Peter Venkman (2009).The Real Ghostbusters- "Ghostbuster of the Year" (1987) (DVD ts. 08:48-08:50). Time Life Entertainment.
  12. Ray Stantz (2009). The Real Ghostbusters - "Ghostbuster of the Year" (1987) (DVD ts. 10:16-10:20). Time Life Entertainment. Ray says: "I've wanted to look at this library ever since I saw it on "Haunts of the Rich & Famous"."
  13. Winston Zeddemore (2009). The Real Ghostbusters - "Ghostbuster of the Year" (1987) (DVD ts. 17:01-17:03). Time Life Entertainment. Winston says: "I used to have a sled like this when I was a kid."

Gallery[]

Episode Screen Caps[]

Collages and Edits[]

RGB DVD Boxset Features[]


 
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