Rentaghost

Mr M · Post by **Mr M** » Thu Dec 09, 2004 11:10 am

Proberly one of the worst program ever on Childrens TV!!!!

Total crap!!

BigGazza · Post by **BigGazza** » Wed Jun 21, 2006 12:57 am

You philistine !!! I loved it......!!! Let me see....Timothy Claypole, Mr and Mrs Meeker, the panto horse, and Miss Popov ! Who else.....?

pandammonium · Post by **pandammonium** » Wed Jun 21, 2006 9:03 pm

I did as well.

There was also Hazel the Witch. Funny how it's only when you're older you realise she's called that because of the plant witch hazel

Bluebottle · Post by **Bluebottle** » Mon Jun 26, 2006 6:08 pm

At your party be a smartie and hire... Rentaghost!
We've got freaks, and fools, and spooks and ghouls... at Rentaghost!
See the Phantom of the Opera sing a haunting melody
Remeber what you see is not a mystery, but... Rentaghost!
Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!

greatoldtv · Post by **greatoldtv** » Thu Dec 13, 2007 10:38 am

If Mr. M is referring to the later episodes then he is correct in my opinion, however if he is referring to the first four series, when Fred Mumford and Mr., Davenport were still in it then he is very wrong.
The comic writing of Bob Block outstrips the writing of most adult comedy now, never mind children?s TV. Edward Brayshaw as Meeker was superb as the long suffering landlord and agent, and the scenes with Mumford at home with his parents who don?t realize he is dead is a joy to watch.
Some gags were corny but the delivery and acting made then work,

example?. Clay pole is having a mischievous spell and is turning things into vegetables, Mumford is on the phone to Davenport, suddenly davenports phone turns into a salami and Fred Mumfords a banana, Fred, unaware of the banana at this point complains he can suddenly smell garlic, camp Mr. Davenport states he is ?suasaging? Mr. Mumford (with the innuendo that implies) then Freds grumpy father walks by and sees the Banana Fred is talking into
His dad, familiar with Freds weird ?going?s on? says with exasperation ?don?t tell me Fred, you were walking by and the banana started ringing? ?No? says Fred, with a sickly grin, ?peeling?

Having a number of episodes of Bob blocks previous show, ?Pardon My Genie? I notice that quite a few of the gags are re used in the early Rentaghost?s, but a audiences were very much divided back then and the ITV viewers of ?genie? were really quite likely not to have watched the BBC?s rentaghost and vice versa.

Thankfully I also have virtually every episode of these first four series of rentaghost, and as I understand it due to money wrangling and insurmountable rights issues the first series on DVD is the lot, no more will be released.
The recent sad death of Anthony Jackson, who played Fred has only added to the complicated family / money related feuds surrounding who is entitled to the royalties.
The fact that ALL FIVE of the male lead roles, and ?Mrs Mumford? (Betty Alberge) are dead now, four of them way before there time too, has made the series very tricky for royalty rights, some default benefactors cant even be traced as I understand.
Ann Emery (Mrs Meeker, real life sister of Dick Emery) is the only surviving member of the original main cast.

Bluebottle · Post by **Bluebottle** » Thu Dec 13, 2007 7:36 pm

Welcome to the asylum Greatoldtv

I didn't know so many of the original cast had died - very sad news. It would be great if the various benefactors could resolve their differences, and allow the remaining episodes to appear on DVD. Alas, I fear this may never happen