Casper's Halloween Special

Lore & Background

On Halloween night, Hairy Scary the Ghost, Winifred the Witch, and Screech the Ghost plot mean-spirited spookings. Casper refuses to join them and decides to go trick-or-treating dressed as a real boy, but neighborhood kids see through his disguise and run away in fear. Casper is heartbroken until he meets a special group of orphans who accept him for who he is, a ghost. Their fun is soon spoiled as Hairy Scarey and his ghostly crew interfere. It is up to Casper and his new friends to stop their ghastly games and save Halloween before it is too late.

Reader's Guide

Casper's Halloween Special is significant as a late-1970s television special from Hanna-Barbera, a studio known for producing many animated holiday programs. It features the voice cast from the series Casper and the Angels, including Julie McWhirter as Casper and John Stephenson as Hairy Scary. The special includes a laugh track, typical of Hanna-Barbera productions from that era. Its home media releases include a VHS in 1995 and a DVD in 2013 via Warner Archive Collection, paired with another Hanna-Barbera special, The Thanksgiving That Almost Wasn't. The special remains a niche entry in Casper's television history, notable for its alternative titles and its focus on Halloween themes.

Did You Know?

• The special is also known as Casper Saves Halloween and Casper the Friendly Ghost: He Ain't Scary, He's Our Brother.
• It premiered on NBC on October 30, 1979.
• The special includes a laugh track created by Hanna-Barbera.
• The DVD release includes the 1972 special The Thanksgiving That Almost Wasn't.