Rentaghost (TV Series 1976–1984) ⭐ 6.9 | Comedy, Family, Fantasy (original) (raw)
After his death, Fred Mumford wants a second chance at achieving the success that eluded him in life. Coming back to Earth as a spirit, he recruits a Victorian gent and a medieval jester to ... Read allAfter his death, Fred Mumford wants a second chance at achieving the success that eluded him in life. Coming back to Earth as a spirit, he recruits a Victorian gent and a medieval jester to set up "Rentaghost".After his death, Fred Mumford wants a second chance at achieving the success that eluded him in life. Coming back to Earth as a spirit, he recruits a Victorian gent and a medieval jester to set up "Rentaghost".
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At 33 years of age I remember the early series as well as the later, and the opening bars of that bloody programme filled me with dread as my best friend always had to rush in from playing outdoors to see the damn thing with me in toe. Not the most fun 30 minutes of my young life waiting to get back outside. Now - Ulysses, that was something much better. "Flying through all the galaxies..."
The only kids' programme to make me giggle, so I am amazed that there are only 10 reviews. The antics didnt seem silly to me, even when I was 15 years old.
If your mansion house needs haunting....
"Ooooh Arthur! What are those lunatics The Meekers up to now?"
Aaahhh, *the* tv show of my childhood. Frequently pantomimonic, the antics of Claypole and the cast of (flippin') spooks amused me for a sizeable chunk of my childhood. The early episodes had actual plot and purpose with the profitless Rentaghost business, the later ones were low on quantity with the Spooks living with the Meekers. Christmas cracker joke scripts, a pantomime horse, Christopher Biggins acting more camp than a weekend at Butlins and an unhealthy dose of bluescreen effects with every episode leading to an all-cast chase around the Meekers' living room table as the theme tune played every week.
Harmless fun for the children of the 70s in the days before childrens television had to be educational and lost any creativity it ever had. Gone are the days of sit-coms for kids, but the spirit (ahem) is kept alive in "Rentaghost's" occasional repeats tucked away in the armpit of satellite television.
A classic. No question. Well, you must excuse me, the astral lift is waiting to whisk me away!
"Come away from the window, Rose....."
It makes me laugh out loud to this day!
Despite being too young to know the original run of Rentaghost, I'd still class it as one of the funniest shows of my youth. I'm afraid I have to disagree with some of the reviews here, and say I thought the series got better and better as it went on, it got barmier and barmier, the plots became insanely silly, but insanely funny. Such a shame only the first series was made commercially available, as it's a show I'm sure today's youngsters would love it.
Everything a kid could possibly want, the zany Meakers, the mischievous Mr Claypole, the clumsy Dobbin, and the poor Perkins.
Legendary writer Lynda la Plante appeared in one series, as Tamara Novek, she was ok, but the replacement of Nadia Popov played by Coronation Street legend Sue Nicholls was a joy to watch.
Such an amazingly talented set of performers, Stainforth got to show off his roller dancing talents, and the magical Ann Emery got to sing her heart out.
A much loved show, which proved it was great to grow up in the Seventies and early eighties.
Series Nine was hilarious, Suzi Starlight, Bernie St John and the cellar, magical!
10/10
"Hear The Phantom Of The Opera Sing A Haunting Melody"
'Rentaghost' was a children's comedy series by Bob Block, who also wrote the equally bizarre 'Pardon My Genie' and 'Robert's Robots'. It concerned an employment agency, run and staffed by three ghosts - trendy Fred Mumford, Victorian Hubert Davenport and jester Timothy Claypole. All used to 'teleport' by pinching their noses! Their landlord, and frequent victim, was Mr.Meaker. Each week, the Rentaghost gang would try their hand at something new - a taxi service, furniture removals, or entertaining hospital patients - usually with disastrous results. Mr.Claypole was always misinterpreting instructions - once, when asked to help Fred's parents move house - he did exactly that. Another story had Mr.Meaker turn into a budgie, and in yet another, his wife became a cocker spaniel. Whenever the doorbell rang, she barked! Fred's parents didn't know their son was dead - he was killed whilst working abroad - hence on home visits, he had to throw Mother's dinners away ( ghosts don't eat ). All very silly, but done with great panache. And it had one of the greatest theme tunes ever!
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By what name was Rentaghost (1976) officially released in Canada in English?