The Story and Song from the Haunted Mansion (1969)

In 1969, this Disneyland Records Storyteller album was released to commemorate the opening of Haunted Mansion. Intended as a simple promotional album, this recording has become a cherished childhood memory for many a Disneyland guest. "The Story and Song from The Haunted Mansion" includes original scenes and effects that never made it into the final attraction as it follows the story of two teenagers (voiced by Robie Lester and a young Ron Howard) who take refuge inside the eerie mansion during a rainstorm. (Synopsis from DisneyStore.com) The picture above shows Ron Howard in the Happy Days episode "Haunted", made about 5 years after the album.

Disneyland Haunted Mansion 8mm Souvenir Film (c. 1974)

Edited from souvenir films that were sold at Disneyland and Walt Disney World in the 1970s.

Circuit City Midnight Madness commercial (1986)

Disneyland Showtime (1970)

Here is an excerpt from a program called "Disneyland Showtime" that aired on The Wonderful World of Disney on March 22, 1970. It features a behind-the-scenes look at the newly-opened Haunted Mansion attraction at Disneyland, and the segment is narrated by Kurt Russell.

Joe Piscopo's Halloween Party (1987)

I didn't watch this when it aired (I was watching The Search for Houdini that night), but I saw this on YouTube and thought it was amusing. The finale of the show features Joe playing drums to a Bach organ fugue. Pretty scary! I have not watched this whole video, so young viewers should be cautioned that it may contain adult content.

The Ghost and Mr. Chicken (1966)

This movie was shown on TV a couple of times that I remember during the late 1980s near Halloween. The part I looked forward to was the scene where Luther Heggs, played by Don Knotts, spends the night inside the mysterious Simmons mansion and gets spooked by the sight of the old pipe organ playing itself. No one was better than Don Knotts at playing nervous, excitable characters.

Here's a trailer for the movie:

I remember making a "haunted house" in my bedroom after seeing this movie. Inspired by the painting that hung in the Simmons house, I made a watercolor portrait of a woman. Luther Heggs had reported seeing the portrait with a knife stuck in the woman's throat and blood flowing from the puncture. I simulated this effect for my haunted house by hanging my picture on my bookcase and sticking a steak knife through it.