Ghost Catchers (1944) dir. Edward F. Cline, Universal Pictures
Abbot and Costello weren't the first comedians to have spooky encounters, but there is a reason why Abbot and Costello are better known than Olsen & Johnson.
Colonel Breckinridge Martshall (Walter Catlett) makes a rare venture from his southern plantation to the wilds of New York City. Why has he left the land of magnolia and mint julips?
Because his two daughters, Melinda (Gloria Jean) and Susanna (Martha O'Driscoll) are singers so naturally he'll have them sing in no less of a place than Carnegie Hall. They have to stay somewhere, of course, so the colonel buys the biggest mansion he can afford (which is quite a bit). There's one catch though, it's haunted.
Susanna is so freaked out she flees to the nightclub across the way, which is owned by Ole (Ole Olsen) and Chic (Chic Johnson). She doesn't know this at the moment, as she ends up in an electric chair! Which is just a prop for the boy's stage act. As Morton Downy, Sr. (himself) croons, she breaks down, and our boys are moved by her tears (and her father's money) to go investigate. Can they bust these ghosts?
Odd; most haunted house films even by this point either had it be scamming humans or a real ghost. Here they have both. Yes, the main ghosts are in fact goons (one of them played by Lon Chaney, Jr.) but there is a real spook floating around too.
Olsen and Johnson aren't horrible but with their comedy style, best described as 'Hellzapopin'', the plot is irrelevant.
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