The Ghosts of Motley Hall1976

Name: The Ghosts of Motley Hall
Genre: Ghosts & Haunting, Comedy Horror
Released: 1976-04-25
Rating: 6.8

“What they can do when no one can see them”

Created by Richard Carpenter

6.8

Crypt Score

Blended from 2 sources

IMDb 7.6TMDB 7.5

✍ Review

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Year

1976

Seasons

Network

ITV1

Status

Ended

Box Office

🏆 Nominated for 1 BAFTA Award1 nomination total

The premise

The Ghosts of Motley Hall is a British children's television series written by Richard Carpenter and produced and directed by Quentin Lawrence for Granada Television, and broadcast between 1976 and 1978 on ITV. Five ghosts occupy the titular Motley Hall. Each hails from a different era and all—with the exception of newly deceased Matt—are unable to leave the confines of the building.

Horror Vault's take

Five ghosts from wildly different periods of history share the crumbling grandeur of Motley Hall, unable to agree on much beyond their attachment to the old house. This beloved British children's series blends gentle supernatural comedy with genuine warmth, as each spirit brings their own era's quirks and prejudices to an unlikely afterlife household. Granada Television's long-running ITV production remains a fondly remembered gem of 1970s family viewing, offering spooks with a smile rather than a scare.

Episode Guide

🏆 Best Episode Overall

S2.E1 · The Christmas Spirit

8.0

· 3h 2m total· Apr 1976 → Jun 1976

☠
S1.E1 · The Last UproarPremiere
Apr 25, 1976 · 26 min · Dir: Quentin Lawrence
There has always been an Uproar at Motley Hall, until now. The last Uproar, Sir Humphrey, has died, leaving caretaker Mr Gudgin facing two schemers plotting to steal Motley Hall out from under him. It's up to the ghosts to figure out a way
☠
S1.E2 · Old Gory
May 2, 1976 · 26 min · Dir: Quentin Lawrence
Old Gory is a Motley Hall Ghost who appears faithfully every five years and can be seen by all, living and ghosts alike. Unfortunately this year, his scheduled appearance is likely to be seen by a ghost hunter and his very perceptive wife s
☠
S1.E3 · Box of Tricks
May 9, 1976 · 26 min · Dir: Quentin Lawrence
The ghosts discover television abd the trouble it can cause when two bumbling crooks use Motley Hall to store eight boxes of stolen wireless TVs. The crooks are thwarted, first by the residents and then by a policeman who is able to see cle
☠
S1.E4 · Bad Lord William and the British Banana Company
May 16, 1976 · 26 min · Dir: Quentin Lawrence
Mr Gudgin has sold Motley Hall to The British Banana Company, but their agent has accidentally released Bad Lord William, surely one of the worst of the Uproar Clan ghosts. It'll take Bodkin's sword skills and Matt's cunning to free Gudgin
☠
S1.E5 · Perfida Blackart Rides Again
May 23, 1976 · 26 min · Dir: Quentin Lawrence
It's just been discovered that Motley Hall is 400 years old, so to commemorate this, the ghosts decide to hold a Masque. But when Bodkin tries to write it, the pages of the history book that might finally identify the mysterious White Lady