This blog is pretty much about Baby Boomer stuff, so I wasn't sure about posting this item that I got at a garage sale about 15 years ago. However, the subject matter falls directly into the Baby Boomer era, so I figured "why not?" By the way, that's pretty much my moto in life, and sometimes life will really explain "why not." That, however, is a blog for another day.
The item we have today was made in 1995, but the cartoon that inspired it came out in 1945, and really hit it big in the 1960s. It is....Casper the Friendly Ghost! You see, in 1995 the movie Casper came out and Trendmasters released merch to go with it...because that's just what one does. One of the items was this...
This is Casper's Whipstaff Manor Playset! Prepare for huge picture dump beginning in 5...4...3...2...1...
Side view!
The back of the home....Watch your step around the headstones!
The other side of the house...
Oh look, the front door just opened...by itself... Let's check out the inside!
But, let me warn you to keep a sharp eye out for tricks. This house is full of them!
Before we poke around in the rooms, let's look at their stuff, shall we? As far as I can tell, the only piece that I'm missing is one of the Gostly Trio, "Stinky." Everything else seems to be there. Let's look closer at a couple of things...
The TV only has three channels. Here, we have the Western Channel...
Followed by the Rock and Roll Channel (MTV maybe?)
And this is either the Channel 6 news, or a wedding singer, or...something...
You change channels by turning the antenna.
And here we have a delightful feast laid out on a table!
Oops! Not fast enough! The Ghostly Trio just helped themselves to everything. What slobs!
Fans of a certain Disney attraction might find the organ a bit familiar... Not exact, but close!
And here we have the interior of the home. I'm sure it has wall to wall creeps and hot and cold running chills. Sorry, I couldn't help myself...
In the playroom, the toys move by turning a gear on the outside of the house.
Ah, another familiar gag!
How embarrassing!
"I think I'll just stand on this balcony over the stairs..."
"Oops! My back! Call my lawyer!"
"At least I can just walk down these stairs..."
"Except for that whole 'secret passage' thing..."
Three totally normal towers...
BOO!!! I scared you, didn't I?
...and a secret passage behind the toy shelf!
Actually, the passage goes from behind the toy shelf, down to behind the clock, and...
...out the double side doors!
The pulled out pieces of trim on the back of the house open up the floors.
The same with the wardrobe and the fridge!
The kichen cabinets open too.
Here we have the rotating bookshelf that leads outside...
And I literally discovered this one as I was writing this post. I had no idea that there was another passage out!
Oh, and that fourth tower that didn't have a ghost in it? It does this... Creepy moon with bats, anyone?
Here it is just sitting there...
So, now that we've had a tour, I can tell you a little more about how I came to have it. You see, sometimes when you see something, even if you don't really collect it, it still just seems cool. That was the case here. I saw it. I liked it. I bought it.
As it turns out, the five bucks or so I spent paid off. Here's what I just found on eBay...
And those are "sold" prices. The one's with a line through them accepted an offer. There weren't many examples but 125.00 seems about right.
So, the moral is: Buy what you like. Even if it isn't worth a lot, you still enjoy it. But, you might get lucky and actually find treasure!
Until next time keep searching for...well...you know.
So much great stuff in this post, but I can't get over the three-channel TV set. That's a detail that they easily could have skipped, but they put in that extra bit of work for our enjoyment.
ReplyDeleteI remember making a TV for my dolls out of a little cardboard box. It had two "channels," but the effect was achieved much more simply by drawing different pictures on the front and back, and having the unused side up against the wall.
I love the idea of your tv! I can remember making a haunted house for my Kooky Spooky finger puppet ghosts (Hasbro, 1968. If you see one BUY IT!) but I was never that creative. Heck, I never even put in a secret passage. Maybe that's why I appreciate this one so much!
DeleteI never saw this Casper the Friendly Ghost 'mansion.' It sure is filled with everything you can imagine. My favorite features are the zebra rug and that REALLY COOL "creepy moon with bats" light.
ReplyDeleteI remember the name "Kooky Spooky finger puppet ghosts," but I don't recall ever seeing them. I just looked them up on eBay. Boy, they sure do fetch a lot, don't they!?!
Thanks, Stu.
It really reminds me of Peewee's Playhouse more than a haunted house, lol! Still, lots of fun!
DeleteYeah, I think they only made Kooky Spookys for a couple of years. Now people go nuts for them!
As far as you know, do you have all of the little accessories? Those are the things that so often get lost, and a complete setup is always more valuable. I'm curious how your wife feels about you bringing home stuff like this! Does she smile and realize that she's married to a big kid? :-) I hope she gets a kick out if it, even if it's not quite as much as you.
ReplyDeleteThis kind of toy reminds of of those plastic Star Wars toys that open up, with multiple levels, hidden rooms, and little treasures. Very cool that you got it for so cheap!
I think the only thing I'm missing is "Stinky" ftom the Ghostly Trio. Everything else seems to be there!
DeleteMy wife gave up on me long long ago. She puts up with my "interests" as best any wife could, I guess. Yes, she points out my "kidness" fairly often, lol! I just tell her that growing up just means you're getting old. She doesn't buy it...but I'm right!
For some reason I can't comment as me, but that previous comment is from Major Pepperidge!
ReplyDeleteMajor, my blog is haunted. Even I have to manually type in my handle on comments. I have no clue why... Sigh...
Delete