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The Spooktacular New Adventures of Casper
The Spooktacular New Adventures of Casper.png
Genre Animated
Comedy
Horror
Slapstick
Developed by Sherri Stoner and Deanna Oliver
Directed by Alfred Gimeno (seasons 1–2)
Marija Miletic Dail (seasons 3–4)
Voices of Malachi Pearson
Kath Soucie
Dan Castellaneta
Joe Nipote
Joe Alaskey
Brad Garrett
Jess Harnell
Rob Paulsen
Miriam Flynn
Tress MacNeille
Frank Welker
Jim Cummings
Debi Derryberry
Sherry Lynn
April Winchell
Tim Curry
Composer(s) Michael Tavera
Thom Sharp
Bruce Babcock
Charles Fernandez
Harvey Cohen
Ron Grant
Country of origin United States
Original language(s) English
No. of seasons 4
No. of episodes 52
Production
Executive producer(s) Jeffrey A. Montgomery
Producer(s) Alfred Gimeno (seasons 1–2)
Marija Miletic Dail (seasons 3–4)
Editor(s) Paul D. Calder
Ken Solomon
Production company(s) AKOM (South Korea)
Amblin Television
The Harvey Entertainment Company
Universal Cartoon Studios
Jeffrey A. Montgomery Productions
Distributor MCA TV (North America)
HIT Entertainment (Worldwide, except US)
DreamWorks Classics (current holder)
Release
Original network Fox Kids
Original release February 24, 1996 (1996-02-24) – October 17, 1998 (1998-10-17)

The Spooktacular New Adventures of Casper is an animated TV show that aired from 1996 to 1998. It's a spin-off from the live-action Casper movie. That movie, in turn, was based on the classic Harvey Comics character, Casper the Friendly Ghost.

Making the Casper TV Show

After the Casper movie was finished, people thought about making a second live-action movie. A story idea was even written. However, the first movie didn't make as much money as expected. Also, the main actors, Christina Ricci and Bill Pullman, were busy with other projects. They wouldn't be free for over a year.

Because of this, the idea for a live-action sequel was dropped. Instead, the creators decided to make this cartoon series. It would continue the story of Casper and his friends.

The show was shown on Fox Kids TV from 1996 to 1998. There were 3 seasons in total. Fifty-two episodes were made. However, only the first 46 episodes aired on Fox Kids. The remaining episodes first appeared on the FOX Family Channel. Many people who worked on this show also worked on other popular cartoons. These included Tiny Toon Adventures, Animaniacs, and Pinky and the Brain.

This new Casper show was different from older versions. It was more like a sitcom, with lots of jokes and references to pop culture. It also often broke the "fourth wall." This means characters would sometimes talk directly to the audience. The show brought back old Casper characters. These included Casper's cousin Spooky and Spooky's "ghoulfriend" Pearl. Nightmare the Ghost Horse also appeared. New characters were added too, like Casper's very loud teacher, Ms. Banshee.

Meet the Characters

Casper

Casper McFadden is a friendly ghost who lives in Whipstaff Manor. He became a ghost after he got sick and died when he was twelve years old. Casper lives with his three mischievous uncles: Stretch, Stinkie, and Fatso.

Casper's afterlife isn't always easy. His uncles cause a lot of trouble. Casper really wants to make human friends, but his uncles often scare them away. The only humans who became his close friends were Kat and her dad, Dr. Harvey. Casper has been a ghost for over a hundred years.

Casper is very kind and likes to be friendly. Other ghosts think his behavior is strange. They believe ghosts should be scary and rude. Sometimes, other ghosts are even afraid of Casper's good manners! Casper sometimes uses this to his advantage. For example, he once helped his uncles stay on Earth. He told a ghost court that his uncles hadn't taught him how to be scary yet. This meant they still had "unfinished business." Malachi Pearson is the voice of Casper.

The Ghostly Trio

The Ghostly Trio are Casper's uncles. They absolutely love scaring humans. They call humans funny names like "fleshies" or "skinbags." The trio includes:

  • Stretch: He is the tallest and the leader. He can be very hot-headed.
  • Stinkie: He almost always smells bad and loves anything stinky. He uses his smell to annoy others.
  • Fatso: He is seen as the least smart of the brothers. He loves to eat almost anything.

These three ghosts are very chaotic. They can't resist scaring people or causing trouble. They often boss Casper around, calling him "Bulbhead" or "Short-sheet." Even though they seem mean, they sometimes show a caring side. For example, when Casper accidentally turned into a baby, they took care of him. They even started to like him, especially Stretch.

They also worried about Casper when they thought he would face a very evil spirit alone. Once, Casper got very angry at them for not controlling their tempers. He even planned to leave them. But the Trio convinced him to stay. They gave him compliments, saying he was "fun to knock around" and "easily insultable." They even admitted they liked him.

In the movie, they helped Dr. Harvey speak to his wife one last time. Joe Nipote voices Stretch, Joe Alaskey voices Stinkie, and Brad Garrett voiced Fatso in seasons 1-2. In seasons 3-4, Jess Harnell voiced Fatso.

Dr. Harvey

Dr. James Harvey is a ghost therapist. His daughter, Kat, calls him "Doc." In the movie, he became a ghost therapist to find his wife, Amelia, after she died. He thought she might be a ghost. But he learned she became an angel instead.

After that, he and Kat moved into Whipstaff Manor. He continued to work as a ghost therapist. He tried to help the Ghostly Trio stop causing trouble, but he wasn't very successful. Dr. Harvey is a kind and easy-going person. He loves Kat very much.

In the cartoon, Dr. Harvey is very focused on being a therapist. He often uses psychology terms when talking to everyone, even Kat. Casper and the Ghostly Trio just see this as one of his quirks. Dan Castellaneta voices Dr. Harvey in the show.

Kat Harvey

Kathleen "Kat" Harvey is Dr. Harvey's daughter. She is a typical teenager with a good sense of humor. She is about thirteen years old. Kat is a good friend to Casper.

Kat doesn't get along well with the Ghostly Trio. They often insult each other. Once, the Trio made fun of Kat for not having a job. Kat made a bet that she could get a job and a paycheck before them. They all ended up working at the same theater, which got partly destroyed. They called it a draw.

But sometimes, Kat and the Ghostly Trio work together. One time, they helped return a goldfish Kat won at a fair to its mother. Another time, Dr. Harvey and Casper became famous from a TV show. They started treating Kat and the Trio badly. So, Kat and the Trio worked together to remind Dr. Harvey what was truly important. Kath Soucie voices Kat in the show.

Spooky

Spooky is Casper's cousin. He loves to cause mischief. He looks up to the Ghostly Trio and sees them as heroes. Spooky doesn't really dislike Casper, but he hates that Casper isn't interested in scaring humans.

Spooky is always trying to scare Casper better than Casper can scare. But he usually fails. Deep down, Spooky might have a soft spot for his cousin. Spooky looks a lot like Casper. But he has a black nose and freckles. He also wears a brown "doiby" hat and speaks with a Brooklyn accent. Rob Paulsen voices Spooky.

Pearl

Pearl (or "Poil" as Spooky calls her) is Spooky's "ghoulfriend." She is often a bit absent-minded. Pearl usually doesn't notice what's happening around her and takes things very literally.

She loves Spooky and everything about him, even his freckles and black nose. Pearl is good friends with Casper. She doesn't care as much for the Ghostly Trio as Spooky does. Miriam Flynn voices Pearl.

Miss Banshee

Miss Maddie Banshee is the teacher at Casper, Spooky, and Poil's ghost school. Just like her name, Miss Banshee can yell and scream incredibly loud. Her screams can be heard for miles and even wake the dead!

Miss Banshee enjoys being a teacher. But she dreams of becoming a professional opera singer. All three of the Ghostly Trio have a crush on Miss Banshee. They are always trying to win her over. Miss Banshee is okay with the Trio, but she isn't usually impressed by their efforts. Tress MacNeille voices Miss Banshee.

Amber Whitmire and the Jennifers

Amber Whitmire and the Jennifers are Kat's classmates and rivals at Friendship Junior High School. Amber and the Jennifers are shown as rich, mean, and spoiled "queen bees."

  • Jennifer #1 has brown hair and wears glasses. She is Amber's closest friend.
  • Jennifer #2 has red hair.
  • Jennifer #3 has blonde hair and a snorting laugh. She is the least intelligent of the three.

Sherry Lynn voices Amber, and Debi Derryberry voices the Jennifers.

Kibosh

Kibosh is a powerful, evil, and feared King of Ghosts. He is a big, muscular green ghost with red eyes. He is Casper's main enemy and really dislikes the friendly little ghost. James Earl Jones voices Kibosh.

Episodes List

Season Episodes Originally aired
Season premiere Season finale
1 10 February 24, 1996 May 18, 1996
2 16 September 7, 1996 February 22, 1997
3 20 September 6, 1997 February 27, 1998
4 6 September 12, 1998 October 17, 1998

Season 1 (1996)

Episode No. Title(s) Original airdate
1 Spooking Bee
Fugedabouit
The Flew
February 24, 1996
2 Paws
The Alphabet Song
Is So Too
March 2, 1996
3 Legend of Duh Bigfoot
The Ghostly Day
Invasion of the UGFO's
March 9, 1996
4 Rocket Booster
A Really Scary Casper Moment
The Day of the Living Casper
March 16, 1996
5 Three Boos and a Babe
The Whipstaff Inmates
Elusive Exclusive
March 30, 1996
6 Paranormal Press
Another Spooky and Poil Moment
Deadstock
April 20, 1996
7 Poil Jammed
The Who That I Am
A Picture Says a Thousand Words
April 27, 1996
8 Spooks, Lies and Videotapes
Ghostfather
May 4, 1996
9 Rebel Without a Date
Don't Bank on It
May 11, 1996
10 Casper vs. the Ultimate Fan Boy
Field of Screams
May 18, 1996

Season 2 (1996–1997)

Episode No. Title(s) Original airdate
1 Grim and Bare It
Fatso of the Opera
September 7, 1996
2 Dead of the Class
A Spooky and Poil Moment
Y-Files
September 14, 1996
3 Losing Face
Galloping Ghost
September 21, 1996
4 Aunt Misbehavin'
Split Personalities
September 28, 1996
5 Something to Stink About
Pulp Friction
October 5, 1996
6 Ectospasms
Stink of the Road
Doc's Depression
October 12, 1996
7 Boo to the Future
All That Falderal
October 19, 1996
8 Spooky and Poil Meet the Monsters
You Know You're Alive When...
13 Ways to Scare a Fleshie
The Trick's a Treat
October 26, 1996
9 Frightening Storm
The Ghostly Trio
The Legend of Whitebeard
November 2, 1996
10 Three Ghosts and a Baby
I Wanna Be Rude
Leave It to Casper
November 9, 1996
11 Luck of the Spookish
Daycare Nightmare
November 16, 1996
12 Scream Card
You Know You're Alive When...
Lady Screams the Boos
November 23, 1996
13 A Christmas Peril
Ms. Banshee's Holiday Hits
Good Morning Dr. Harvey
Fright Before Christmas
December 21, 1996
14 A Midsummer's Night Scream
You Know You're Alive When...
Auntie Maimed
February 1, 1997
15 Gargoils
Ms. Banshee's Public Domain Hits
Boosom Buddies
February 15, 1997
16 What Goes Around
Scavenger Haunt
February 22, 1997

Season 3 (1997–1998)

Episode No. Title(s) Original airdate
1 Columboo
All About "C"
September 6, 1997
2 Hat Sick
Cancion de Olor
The Boo-Muda Triangle
September 13, 1997
3 Intensive Scare
F-A-T-S-O
Stench!
September 20, 1997
4 The Phantom of the Oprah
Stretch's Information Tidbit
The Crying Game
September 27, 1997
5 Free Goldie
I'd Pick Your Nose
Birthday Boos
October 4, 1997
6 Rats!
Stinkie Time Theater
Great Ghouly Governess
October 11, 1997
7 Aboove the Law
Ten Little Fatsos
Haunt-a-Thon
October 31, 1997
8 This Old Manor
Scareobicize
November 3, 1997
9 Gingersnap Out of It
Send a Good Stink Up Their Noses
Ghostly Locks and the Three Scares
November 10, 1997
10 Boopardy
Do You Like Me?
MacDeath!
November 17, 1997
11 The Scummies
Three-Ring Whipstaff
It's Best to Be the Most
November 27, 1997
12 The Son Also Rises
Stretching Is Good for You
Ghostfinger
December 12, 1997
13 Mom Always Likes Ghouls Best
Dare to Scare
Bury Maguire
December 19, 1997
14 Four Funerals and a Wedding
I Can Be Anything
Family Reunion
February 6, 1998
15 Horrid Copy
I'm Nothing Without My Hat
Caspeer Pressure
February 13, 1998
16 That Thing You Boo!
A Good Walk Poiled
February 13, 1998
17 Jasper
It's Great to Be a Ghost
The Boo-Bloods of Whipstaff
February 20, 1998
18 Ghost Jam
Do the Spooky
Dr. Harvey and Mr. Gruesome
February 20, 1998
19 Politically Co-Wrecked Casper
Three Little Letters
Pen and Tell Her
February 27, 1998
20 Jack and the Scream Stalk
Boo Bash a Bone Bag
Artistic? That's a Stretch!
February 27, 1998

Season 4 (1998)

Episode No. Title(s) Original airdate
1 Scaredy Boo, Where Have You Got To?
Casper's New Theme Song
The Daunting Game
September 12, 1998
2 At the BOO-vies
Sing Yourself Happy
Snowball's Chance
September 19, 1998
3 NYPD BOO
Three Cool Ghouls
Working Ghouls
September 26, 1998
4 Scream Test
Ms. Banshee's Kid Songs
The Doctor Is Out
October 3, 1998
5 Miami Nice
If You're Unhappy and You Know It
That Advice Stinks
October 10, 1998
6 BOO-kini Beach
Garlic Bread Man
October 17, 1998

Voice Actors

Additional Voices

Show Creators

  • Kelly Ward - Voice Director

Watching at Home

From 1996 to 1998, Universal Studios Home Video released episodes from the first three seasons on VHS tapes.

Later, in 2007 and 2008, Universal Studios Home Entertainment released two DVD collections. These were called The Spooktacular New Adventures of Casper, Volume 1 and The Spooktacular New Adventures of Casper, Volume 2. Volume 1 has the first 5 episodes of the show. Volume 2 has the next 5 episodes from season 1.

There are no current plans from Universal to release more DVDs of the show.

VHS Releases in the United States

Video Name (Volumes) Ep # Release Date Episodes Featured
Volume 1 6 September 17, 1996 (1996-09-17) Spooking Bee; Fugedabouit; The Flew; Paws; The Alphabet Song; Is So Too
Volume 2 6 September 17, 1996 (1996-09-17) Three Boos and a Babe; The Whipstaff Inmates; Elusive Exclusive; Poil Jammed; The Who That I Am; A Picture Says a Thousand Words
Volume 3 7 September 9, 1997 (1997-09-09) Spooky and Poil Meet the Monsters; You Know You're Alive When...; The Ghostly Trio; The Trick's a Treat; Dead of the Class; A Spooky and Poil Moment; Y-Files
Volume 4 7 September 9, 1997 (1997-09-09) A Christmas Peril; Ms. Banshee's Holiday Hits; Another Spooky and Poil Moment; Fright Before Christmas; Three Ghosts and a Baby; I Wanna Be Rude; Leave It to Casper
Volume 5 6 September 1, 1998 (1998-09-01) Free Goldie; I'd Pick Your Nose; Birthday Boos; Four Funerals and a Wedding; I Can Be Anything; Family Reunion
Volume 6 6 September 1, 1998 (1998-09-01) Rats!; Stinkie Time Theater; Great Ghouly Governess; Hat Sick; Cancion de Olor; The Boo-Muda Triangle

DVD Releases

DVD Name Ep # Release Date Additional Information
The Spooktacular New Adventures of Casper: Volume 1 5 September 18, 2007 (2007-09-18) This single-disc volume one set contains the first 5 episodes of the animated series.
The Spooktacular New Adventures of Casper: Volume 2 5 September 9, 2008 (2008-09-09) This single-disc volume two set contains the last 5 episodes of season 1.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: The Spooktacular New Adventures of Casper para niños

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