Ernest Scared Stupid (1991)

Director:

John R. Cherry III

Writers (WGA):

John R. Cherry III (story) &
Coke Sams (story) ...
(more)

Release Date:

11 October 1991 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Family | Fantasy | Horror

Plot:

After a misunderstanding, Ernest P. Worrell unleashes an evil troll on Halloween.

Plot Keywords:

Evil | Troll | Halloween | Danger | Night

Cast

Jim Varney	...	Ernest
Eartha Kitt	...	Old Lady Hackmore
Austin Nagler	...	Kenny
Shay Astar	...	Elizabeth
Jonas Moscartolo	...	Trantor
John Cadenhead	...	Tom Tulip
Bill Byrge	...	Bobby Tulip
Richard Woolf	...	Matt
Nick Victory	...	Mike
Alec Klapper	...	Joey
Steven Moriyon	...	Gregg
Daniel Butler	...	Cliff
Esther Huston	...	Amanda
Larry Black	...	Mayor Murdock
Denice Hicks	...	Elizabeth's Mother
Melanie Wheeler	...	Crying Woman
Jackie Welch	...	Teacher
Mark Delabarre	...	Jimmy
Mike Montgomery	...	Joey's Dad
Mary Jane Harvill	...	Mother
Lauren Frankenbach	...	Daughter
Roberta Madison	...	Parent
Barry Scott	...	Another Parent
Cathy Susan Pyles	...	Parent #1
Myke R. Mueller	...	Parent #2 (as Myke Mueller)
Jessa Fahey	...	Little Girl
Mike Hutchinson	...	Steve Swindell
Adora Dupree	...	Francis' Mother
Joey Anderson	...	Ernest's Teacher
Dennis Harrison Jr.	...	Child #1
Danielle Harrison	...	Child #2
Barkley	...	Rimshot
Ernie Fosselius	...	Trantor the Troll (voice) (as Ernst Fosselius)
Nellie Batson	...	Trolls
Angela Chao	...	Trolls
Renee Clary	...	Trolls
Deidre Clower	...	Trolls
Rhonda Clower	...	Trolls
Ann Dresen	...	Trolls
Misty Eaker	...	Trolls
Ralph Green Jr.	...	Trolls
Tammy Harrison	...	Trolls
Dana Kennedy	...	Trolls
Pamela Kippes	...	Trolls
Renee Leblanc	...	Trolls
Glenn Seer	...	Trolls
Tawanya Smith	...	Trolls
Todd Suttles	...	Trolls
Douglas Zagorski	...	Trolls
Judy Austin	...	Parents
Sabrina Birdine	...	Parents
Jodie Evans	...	Parents
Phyllis Fuller	...	Parents
Melissa Gerach	...	Parents
Reginald Glimps	...	Parents
Jeanette Green	...	Parents
Marc Gullen	...	Parents
Will Hammond	...	Parents
Vicki Jacobs	...	Parents
John Phillips	...	Parents
Daniel Sarenana	...	Parents
Gwendolyn Smith	...	Parents
Vanessa Smith	...	Parents
Bobby Storm	...	Parents
Ann Young	...	Parents
Daniel Higgs	...	Kids Army
Gregg Higgs	...	Kids Army
Karson Kanitz	...	Kids Army
Marin Miller	...	Kids Army
Luke Robert	...	Kids Army
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Badd Catt	...	Farmer (uncredited)

Directed by
John R. Cherry III		(as John Cherry)

Writing credits (WGA)
John R. Cherry III		(story) (as John Cherry) &
Coke Sams		(story)
Charles Gale		(screenplay) (as Charlie Gale) and
Coke Sams		(screenplay)

Produced by
Martin Erlichman	....	executive producer
Coke Sams	....	co-producer
Phil Walden	....	associate producer
Stacy Williams	....	producer

Original Music by
Bruce Arntson
Kirby Shelstad

Cinematography by
Hanania Baer

Film Editing by
Craig Bassett

Casting by
Ruth Lambert

Production Design by
Chris August

Art Direction by
Mark Ragland

Set Decoration by
Linda Vipond		(as Linda J. Vipond)

Costume Design by
Shawn Barry

Makeup Department
June Brickman	....	key makeup artist (as June Rudley Brickman)
Tamara Lee	....	assistant hair stylist
Tamara Lee	....	assistant makeup artist
Bart Mixon	....	special makeup effects artist: troll effects shop supervisor
Scott Oshita	....	special makeup effects artist
Candy L. Walken	....	key hair stylist (as Candy Walker)
Jim Eikner	....	special makeup effects artist (uncredited)

Production Management
Carol Sue Byron	....	unit production manager
C. Cory M. McCrum-Abdo	....	post-production supervisor
Daniel J. Heffner	....	executive in charge of production (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Patrice Leung	....	first assistant director
Douglas A. Raine	....	second assistant director

Art Department
J. Phillips Adams Jr.	....	greensman
Michael Craig Adams	....	second assistant props (as Michael Adams)
Chris F. Armstrong	....	welder (as Chris Armstrong)
Martha Berry	....	scenic painter
Fernando Campbell Boyd III	....	greensman
Alfred D. Brown	....	carpenter (as Al Brown)
Patrick J. Carroll III	....	carpenter
Mark Carroll	....	on-set carpenter
Thomas P. Carroll	....	carpenter
Niki Conolly	....	scenic painter
Lewis E. Fields	....	carpenter
Ed Fitzgerald	....	set dresser
Sherbe Green	....	construction coordinator
Michael S. Hagewood	....	carpenter
Melissa D. Haley	....	assistant set dresser (as Melissa Haley)
Todd Hatfield	....	on-set painter
Sally Hinkle	....	art department coordinator
Eddie Jones	....	carpenter
Russell Jones	....	on-set dresser (as Russell A. Jones)
Lillian Landeo	....	scenic painter
David Lipsey	....	assistant art director
Gilbert McFayden	....	scenic painter (as Gilbert 'Bret' McFayden)
John David Nixon	....	set dresser
Dianne Patrick	....	key scenic painter
Gina Rasberry	....	scenic painter
David Raymond	....	key greensman
Franklin Lester Reed Jr.	....	carpenter
Doug Russell	....	specialty props
Dwight E. Scott	....	set dresser (as Dwight Scott)
Linda Vipond	....	buyer (as Linda J. Vipond)
Richard Waldrop	....	assistant property master (as Richard 'Petey' Waldrop)
R.C. Weller	....	carpenter
Doug White	....	property master
Meg Winston	....	scenic painter
Rick Eugene Wyrick	....	assistant welder (as Rick E. Wyrick)
John Alvin	....	poster artist (uncredited)
Jerry Layton	....	set dresser (uncredited)
Karen Young	....	set dresser (uncredited)

Sound Department
Steve Bissinger	....	assistant sound effects editor
Jean Marie Carroll	....	second boom operator
David DeCoteau	....	sound effects editor (as Richard Chasen)
Teresa Eckton	....	dialogue editor
Dan Engstrom	....	assistant sound editor
Kristen Gerstner	....	assistant dialogue editor
Marjorie L. Hagar	....	re-sync editor (as Marjorie Hagar)
Peter F. Kurland	....	boom operator
Godfrey Marks	....	adr editor
Donny Miele	....	sound designer (as Donny Blank)
Douglas Murray	....	supervising sound designer (as Doug Murray)
Jennifer Myers	....	foley artist (as Jennifer Meyers)
Margie O'Malley	....	foley artist (as Markie O'Malley)
Jenny Oznowicz	....	first assistant dialogue editor
Martha Pike	....	dialogue editor
Joseph Jett Sally	....	assistant re-sync editor
Rich Schirmer	....	sound mixer (as Richard E. Schirmer)
Michael Semanick	....	sound re-recording mixer
Leslie Shatz	....	sound re-recording mixer
Jeffery Stephens	....	dialogue editor
Eric Thompson	....	foley recordist
Marian Wallace	....	sound re-recording mixer
Jeff Watts	....	adr supervisor
Mark Jan Wlodarkiewicz	....	apprentice sound editor
Mark Zimbicki	....	additional boom operator

Special Effects by
Brent Baker	....	mold maker: Chiodo Brothers Productions
Brian Burke	....	special effects crew
Charles Chiodo	....	creature effects designer
Edward Chiodo	....	creature effects designer
Stephen Chiodo	....	creature effects designer
Robert Corrigan	....	special effects crew
Guy Himber	....	creature shop mechanical supervisor: Chiodo Brothers Productions
James Kagel	....	sculptor: Chiodo Brothers Productions
Paul J. Lombardi	....	special effects supervisor
James McLoughlin	....	sculptor: Chiodo Brothers Productions
Hal Miles	....	animatronic technician: Chiodo Brothers Productions
Bart Mixon	....	shop supervisor: Chiodo Brothers Productions (as Bart J. Mixon)
Scott Oshita	....	mechanic: Chiodo Brothers Productions
Gregor Punchatz	....	set operations: Chiodo Brothers Productions (as Greg Punchatz)
Aaron Sims	....	painter: Chiodo Brothers Productions
Roland Tantin	....	special effects coordinator
Mike Weesner	....	special effects crew (as Michael Weesner)
Andy Clement	....	special makeup effects: Chiodo Brothers Productions (uncredited)
Steve Fink	....	special effects makeup: Chiodo Brothers Productions (uncredited)
Dan Frye	....	special effects crew: Chiodo Brothers Productions (uncredited)
Jarn Heil	....	special effects technician: Chiodo Brothers Productions (uncredited)
Jeff Himmel	....	special makeup effects: Chiodo Brothers Productions (uncredited)
Paul Salamoff	....	special effects makeup: Chiodo Brothers Productions (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
C. Marie Davis	....	visual effects editor
Eugene Eyerly	....	optical camera operator
Allen Gonzales	....	effects animator (as Alan Gonzales)
Dion Hatch	....	optical supervisor: CRC
Jay Mark Johnson	....	visual effects art director (as Jay Johnson)
Steve Mayer	....	optical camera operator
Ernest Miller	....	optical camera operator
Jim Mini	....	optical lineup
Steve Rundell	....	visual effects supervisor
Dan Valliere	....	optical color timer
Curt Winn	....	roto operator

Stunts
Chuck Waters	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Mitchell Amundsen	....	camera operator (as Gundar Amundsen)
Steve Anderson	....	rigger
Terry Arthur	....	key grip
Dene Berry	....	second assistant camera
Jeremy Briggs	....	first assistant camera
Fred Cooper	....	best boy grip
Armanda Costanza	....	first assistant camera: second unit
Michael Costanza	....	camera loader
Gary Deneault	....	gaffer (as Gary W. Deneault)
Howard Fox	....	key grip: second unit
Billy Hendricks	....	electrician
Robert Hill Jr.	....	grip
Michael C. Hutchinson	....	grip
Edward Kelly	....	electrician
Kyle T. MacDowell	....	electrician: second unit (as Kyle MacDowell)
Kyle T. MacDowell	....	grip: second unit (as Kyle MacDowell)
Stephen Perry	....	best boy electric
Thomas Pielemeier	....	key grip (as Thomas F. Pielemeier)
James Reed	....	rigger
Kenneth B. Ruys	....	rigger
Scott Thomas	....	still photographer
Theodore Thompson	....	electrician
James Tomaro	....	gaffer: second unit (as James R. Tomaro)
Mark Van Loon	....	director of photography: second unit
Tommy D. Walker	....	dolly grip (as Tommy 'Mooky' Walker)

Casting Department
Vicky Branton	....	location casting
Barbara Harris	....	voice casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Ruth Douglas	....	key costumer
Prudence Moriarty	....	key costumer
Toni Sehulster	....	costume constructor
Elizabeth Smathers	....	costume constructor

Editorial Department
Josh Cherry	....	apprentice editor (as Josh O. Cherry)
Rosmary Conte	....	first assistant editor
Christopher Ellis	....	additional editor (as Chris Ellis)
Dale E. Grahn	....	color timer (as Dale Grahn)
Kevin Greutert	....	apprentice editor
Vivian Hengsteler	....	negative cutter
Marjorie Kaye	....	post-production assistant
Jim Schulte	....	first assistant editor
James Stafford	....	second assistant editor (as James O. Stafford Jr.)
Joe Parisella	....	colorist (uncredited)

Music Department
Joanie Diener	....	music editor
Rich Schirmer	....	music recording engineer (as Richard E. Schirmer)

Transportation Department
Paul D. Davis	....	driver (as Paul Davis)
Kevin Holland	....	driver (as Kevin L. Holland)
Walter Lambeth	....	driver
Arthur H. Meyer	....	driver: honeywagon
Tom Rainey	....	driver
Lee Siler	....	transportation coordinator (as William Lee Siler)
Jesse Adam Smith	....	transportation captain
Martha Wessner	....	driver

Other crew
Jennifer Arthur	....	craft service assistant
Jo Barnett	....	production accountant
James C. Bunnell	....	stand-in
Shaw Burney	....	location manager
Carol Sue Byron	....	script supervisor: second unit
Elizabeth F. Carden	....	location production assistant
Emilie Cherry	....	craft service assistant
Erma Clement	....	production controller
Jan Corey	....	script supervisor
Pebble Daniel	....	assistant production coordinator
Jill A. Flood	....	location production assistant
Sharon Haley	....	assistant location manager
George Harvell	....	caterer: Tomkats
Kendall Kegley	....	key set production assistant
Barbara Laszewski	....	title designer: main titles
Grace Lauro	....	caterer: Tomkats
Matt Mather	....	location production assistant
Cassie McConnell	....	stand-in
Allison McVann	....	key set production assistant
Cristie Miele	....	dog trainer
Tom Miller	....	company physician (as Tom Miller M.D.)
Michael Mitchell	....	caterer: Tomkats
Mark Palmer	....	assistant: Mr. Varney
Rebecca Price	....	assistant: Ms. Williams
Victoria Racimo	....	acting coach
Roy Resha	....	medical coordinator
Doree Sitterly	....	dog trainer
Michael C. Smith	....	police coordinator (as Michael Smith)
Joan Thompson	....	studio teacher
Jamie Varney	....	assistant: Mr. Varney
Dustin Voigt	....	stand-in (as Dustin Voight)
Tim Williams	....	craft service: Tomkats
Karen Yokomizo	....	assistant production accountant
Karen Yokomizo	....	post-production accountant

Thanks
Loolee DeLeon	....	special thanks (as Loolee Deleon Honigman)
Myke R. Mueller	....	special thanks (as Myke Mueller)
Ed Stamm	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• Touchstone Pictures
• Touchwood Pacific Partners 1

Distributors

• Buena Vista Pictures (1991) (USA) (theatrical)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1994) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Touchstone Home Video (1997) (USA) (VHS)
• Buena Vista Home Entertainment (2002) (USA) (DVD)
• Mill Creek Entertainment (2011) (USA) (DVD) (Blu-ray)

Other Companies

• Saul Zaentz Film Center  sound re-recording
• Tomkats Catering  catering

Also Known As:

Runtime:

91 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Canada:G (Nova Scotia) (original rating) | Iceland:LH | USA:PG | Canada:PG (Nova Scotia) (re-rating) (1994) | Australia:PG | Netherlands:6

Filming Locations:

Tennessee, USA

Company:

Touchstone Pictures

Trivia:

The emblem on the side of the Briarville police car reads "Ignoramus Ad Infinitum".

Goofs:

Errors made by characters (possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers): When Kenny and his friends enter the store on the bikes, Jimmy the employee calls Kenny "Kenny Barton" even though he knows that his last name is "Binder" in the film.

Quotes:

Trantor the Troll:Bring me the head of Ernest P. Worrell!

Movie Connections:

Features The Hideous Sun Demon (1959)

Soundtrack:

Hallelujah Chorus

pure ernest

Okay, I'll be the first to admit that the Ernest films aren't exactly Oscar-caliber movies... okay, they aren't even good movies by most peoples standards. BUT, the Ernest P. Worrell movies sure are fun, something that you can just let go and laugh at.

Ernest Scared Stupid is my favorite of these movies. It may be just because I used to watch it all the time when I was like 12 years old, but either way, I still like it. Right from the credits you can tell it is going to be hilarious. The troll makeup and costumes are very well done for an Ernest movie, and it keeps you entertained all the way through. I'm 20 years old and I can still watch this one until the very end. The real question is, when is somebody going to get off of their ass and put the late, great Jim Varney's entire Ernest collection out on DVD?

We're waiting... I know I'm not alone here... right?