Ghost Dad (1990)

Elliot Hopper is a widower with three children, he is currently working on a deal. It seems like his wife illness was very costly and this deal could put them out of the red. However he ... See full summary »

Director:

Sidney Poitier

Writers:

Brent Maddock (story), S.S. Wilson (story),

Stars:

Bill Cosby, Kimberly Russell, Denise Nicholas

3 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Bill Cosby	...	Elliot Hopper
Kimberly Russell	...	Diane Hopper
Denise Nicholas	...	Joan
Ian Bannen	...	Sir Edith Moser
Christine Ebersole	...	Carol
Barry Corbin	...	Mr. Emery Collins
Salim Grant	...	Danny Hopper
Brooke Fontaine	...	Amanda Hopper
Dakin Matthews	...	Mr. Seymour
Dana Ashbrook	...	Tony Ricker
Omar Gooding	...	Stuart
Raynor Scheine	...	Curtis Burch, the Cabbie
Arnold Stang	...	Mr. Cohen, elderly patient
Brian Stokes Mitchell	...	Teacher (as Brian Mitchell)
Lisa Mene Nemacheck	...	Jonelle

Storyline

Elliot Hopper is a widower with three children, he is currently working on a deal. It seems like his wife illness was very costly and this deal could put them out of the red. However he gets into a cab that is driven by a maniac, and Elliot crashes and the next thing he knows he is floating around and finds himself in the lab of a scientist who studies paranormal. Elliot asks the scientist to send him back so that he could finish the deal and make sure that his children are taken cared of.

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Plot Keywords:

widower | african american | father son relationship | father daughter relationship | ghost | 

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Taglines:

Ahh... the joys of transparenthood.

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Genres:

Comedy | Family | Fantasy

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

29 June 1990 (USA)

Also Known As:

Duch taty

Filming Locations:

Boise, Idaho, USA

Box Office

Gross:

$24,707,633 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

SAH Productions, Universal Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

83 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Steve Martin was originally set to star as Elliot Hopper with John Badham directing.

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Goofs

Position of Elliot's daughters hair, when they first see Elliot as a ghost.

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Quotes

Diane Hopper: [pops TV dinner in microwave] All I get is grease around here. I clean up. I do the laundry
Amanda Hopper: I take out the garbage
Diane Hopper: I cook the meals and what do I get for it? Nothing but complaints.
Elliot Hopper: [yells] I don't complain about your cooking!
Diane Hopper: Yes you do. All the time. Loud and clear. What about... what about Wednesday, huh? What about... what about last Friday? What about last Saturday night, huh? Close! "Oh, Diane, how can you screw up Spaghetti-Os?"

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Connections

Referenced in The Rotten Tomatoes Show: The A-Team/The Karate Kid/Winter's Bone (2010)

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Soundtracks

"Miss You Much"
Written by Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis
Performed by Janet Jackson
Courtesy of A&M Records

User Reviews

Searching for VCR tape of movie at good will store

First, if you want to compare this movie to everything else, it is an original. It is a remake of nothing. Second if you expect social commentary because of the collaboration of Sidney Poitier and Bill Cosby you will be disappointed. My only statement on that is that frequently you find more truth in comedy than you do in drama. Third if you are one of these people that categorize themselves as either a critic or a critic in the making you should not even watch it at all.

I rented the video tape years ago and loved the movie. It is the kind of humor that was popular in the 1950s and 1060s and has fallen out of fashion. I have saw the tail end of it several times on the Movieplex channel. I wish they would repeat it like all of the other movies they show so I could catch the whole thing on a second or third viewing. I have looked for the VCR tape in vain at the local good-will store. I guess I am going to have to settle for buying it on DVD. I much prefer VCR tapes since when they end it goes back to what ever TV channel it is on. I compare it with Matilda which I do have on VCR tape. If you watched Matilda and liked it then you will like Ghost Dad. I especially liked the end where somebody pretending to be Satan tells the cab driver where to go. It is a fitting climax for the movie. It is a warm, enjoyable movie I like to watch when I am in a blue mood It gives me the opportunity to forget my troubles for a while and watch. something heart warming. The effects of viewing it lasts several days.