Phyllis Diller Fills Up A Disney Haunted House With Laughs

As reported back here and here in Tulgey Wood, The Mouse Factory was a zany, fast-paced, sort-of Laugh In-like syndicated series. This iconoclastic Disney TV program, created/directed/produced by Disney's resident iconoclast Ward Kimball, this half-hour show ran for two (actually one and a half) seasons, from 1972 to 1973. Phyllis Diller was "Mickey's Friend" on the fourth episode, "Spooks and Magic," which ran the week of February 16, 1972. The popular comedienne is perfectly cast as a wacky witch celebrating Halloween in various ways, finally offering an apple to trick-or-treater Snow White. As this publicity still shows, this episode featured Lonesome Ghosts (1937) and Trick or Treat (1952), as well as the Wizard's Duel from The Sword in the Stone (1963). Clearly this is a Halloween show, as opposed to a show centering on more generic spookiness, so why this episode was telecast in February and not October is a mystery. Perhaps the series was actually indented to premiere at the beginning of the 1971-1972 season and ended up being delayed until mid-season. At any rate, this silly yet spooky installment is just the thing for the Countdown to Halloween here at Tulgey Wood.