The Ghost Busters was a live-action children's television series that ran from 1975 to 1976, about a team of bumbling detectives who would investigate ghostly occurrences. It was not related to the similarly titled 1984 movie (Columbia Pictures did, however, pay Filmation for a license to use the name). Only 15 episodes were created. This series starred Forrest Tucker as Jake Kong (his first name is never actually given in this series), Larry Storch as zoot suit-wearing Eddie Spenser, and Bob Burns as Tracy the Gorilla (Burns was credited as Tracy's "trainer").
Ghost Busters logo
Plot[]
Each episode would always begin with Spenser and Tracy stopping at a convenience store to pick up the tape recording that explained their mission for the episode, in a parody of Mission: Impossible. It would be hidden inside a common object such as a bicycle, typewriter or painting. The message would always end by saying, "This message will self destruct in five seconds." It would then explode in Tracy's face for comic effect. Their investigation would take them to the same "old castle" on the outskirts of the city, and after a series of chases and pratfalls the Ghost Busters would corner the ghost (and his/her "sidekick"), which they would dispatch back to the afterlife with their Ghost Dematerializer.
The primary humor of the series was physical and slapstick, with scenes built around the characters' bumbling. The series also made references to classic cinema, despite the unlikelihood that the primary audience would recognize them. For example, the names "Spenser" and "Tracy" were taken from the famous actor Spencer Tracy. Guest stars included Ted Knight, Jim Backus, and Billy Barty.
External Link[]
- Filmation Ghostbusters Wiki A new wiki that now is the place for Filmation Ghostbusters information.
Spenser, Kong and Tracy