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What's After the Movie?
Comedy horror film

Hold That Ghost (1941): Cast & Plot

Hold That Ghost (1941) movie poster

Hold That Ghost is a 1941 comedy horror film directed by Arthur Lubin, starring Bud Abbott as Chuck Murray, Lou Costello and Ted Lewis. It runs 1 hour 26 minutes.

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Hold That Ghost (1941) movie poster
Released
Runtime
1h 26m (86 min)
Director
Arthur Lubin
Genres
Horror , Comedy
Original language
English
After the credits
No No extra scene
The story

What Is Hold That Ghost About?

The premise of Hold That Ghost without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.

The all‑American comedy team returns as two hapless service‑station attendants discover they are the sole heirs in a gangster’s will. Eager to collect the fortune, their journey is derailed when they become trapped in a haunted house, forced to endure a night of spooky mishaps and slap‑stick antics alongside several other bewildered strangers.

Hold That Ghost Themes & Keywords

· 50 tags
  • screwball comedy
  • monster movie
  • universal monsters
  • spa
  • casino
  • gambling den
  • detective
  • hold up
  • madcap comedy
  • bus driver
  • flickering candle
  • car chase
+38 more
  • country inn
  • crooked lawyer
  • damsel in distress
  • song
  • fear
  • vindication
  • violence
  • orchestra leader
  • burlesque humor
  • desperation
  • despair
  • trepidation
  • hostage
  • spider web
  • mass confusion
  • foot stuck in a bucket
  • slapstick comedy
  • gas station attendant
  • inherit
  • fortune
  • haunted house
  • haunted mansion
  • wad of money
  • paper money
  • soup
  • orange juice
  • hidden money
  • bag of money
  • owl
  • animated title sequence
  • waiter
  • inheritance
  • strangulation
  • doctor
  • shootout
  • deception
  • old dark house
  • water
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Cast & crew

Hold That Ghost Cast & Characters

Bud Abbott leads the cast as Chuck Murray, with Lou Costello as Ferdinand Jones and Ted Lewis as Ted Lewis. Directed by Arthur Lubin; 48 actors are credited in all.

Also Starring in Hold That Ghost

· 44 more
Show all 48 cast members
From the director

More from Arthur Lubin

More films directed by Arthur Lubin: Hold On!, The Incredible Mr. Limpet, Escapade in Japan and The First Traveling Saleslady.

Full filmography
Plot

Hold That Ghost Plot Summary

What happens in Hold That Ghost from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 10 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 2-minute read.

Spoilers ahead

Chuck Murray [Bud Abbott] and Ferdie Jones [Lou Costello] dream of moving up from their gas-station jobs. They land a brief gig as waiters at Chez Glamour, a chic nightclub where Ted Lewis and the Andrews Sisters perform — [Patty Andrews], [Laverne Andrews], and Maxene Andrews — but a row at the bar gets them fired. Ferdie clings to a dream of owning his own nightclub someday, and the hope fuels their antics.

Full summary

The whole story of Hold That Ghost, scene by scene

Read the full summary
Videos

Hold That Ghost Videos

The featurette of Hold That Ghost.

Joe Dante on HOLD THAT GHOST
Quiz

How Well Do You Know Hold That Ghost?

10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.

Question 1 of 10

  1. Question 1: not answered
  2. Question 2: not answered
  3. Question 3: not answered
  4. Question 4: not answered
  5. Question 5: not answered
  6. Question 6: not answered
  7. Question 7: not answered
  8. Question 8: not answered
  9. Question 9: not answered
  10. Question 10: not answered

What are the names of the two main characters who work at a gas station?

Cars

Cars in Hold That Ghost

18 cars on screen, including the 1936 Buick Limited and the 1933 Cadillac.

All 18 cars
  • 1936 Buick Limited in Hold That Ghost 1936 Buick Limited Important role
  • 1933 Cadillac in Hold That Ghost 1933 Cadillac Important role
  • 1936 Ford V8 in Hold That Ghost 1936 Ford V8 Important role
  • 1940 Cadillac Series 62 Convertible in Hold That Ghost 1940 Cadillac Series 62 Convertible Minor role
Details

Hold That Ghost Also Known As

19 alternative titles, including “Ein verrücktes Nachtlokal” and “Das größte Rindvieh aller Zeiten”.

Also known as
  • Ein verrücktes Nachtlokal
  • Das größte Rindvieh aller Zeiten
  • Agárrame ese fantasma
  • Задержите это привидение
  • Abbott e Costello: Agarra-me Esse Fantasma
  • ¡Agárrame ese fantasma!
  • Vorsicht
  • Gespenster!
  • L'inafferrabile spettro
  • Fantômes en vadrouille
  • Абот и Костело срећу духове
  • Łap Ducha
+7 more
  • Segure o Fantasma
  • Abbott y Costello: Dos locos tras un fantasma
  • 两傻怪屋捉妖记
  • Затримайте цього привида
  • Abbot og Costello: Det undvigende spøgelse
  • Akta're för spöken
  • 兩傻怪屋捉妖記

Seen Hold That Ghost?

FAQ

Hold That Ghost FAQ: Cast, Runtime & Release Date

Runtime, release date, director, cast and post-credit scenes of Hold That Ghost, each answered in a sentence.

How long is Hold That Ghost?

Hold That Ghost runs 1 hour 26 minutes (86 minutes).

When was Hold That Ghost released?

Hold That Ghost was released on August 7, 1941.

Who directed Hold That Ghost?

Hold That Ghost was directed by Arthur Lubin.

More films by Arthur Lubin

Who is in the cast of Hold That Ghost?

Hold That Ghost stars Bud Abbott as Chuck Murray, Lou Costello as Ferdinand Jones and Ted Lewis as Ted Lewis, among 48 credited actors.

Does Hold That Ghost have a post-credit scene?

No. Hold That Ghost has no extra scene during or after the credits.

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