Rentaghost
After his death, Fred Mumford wants a second chance at achieving the success that eluded him in life. Coming back to Earth as a spirit, he recruits a Victorian gent and a medieval jester to set up 'Rentaghost', a supernatural service for wanted hauntings.
Seasons
1. New Recruits
Air Date: 1976-01-06
Fred Mumford returns to earth from the spirit world to open a business called 'Rentaghost' which offers ghosts and poltergeists on a daily or weekly rental basis. He is sometimes helped, but more often hindered, by Davenport, a fussy Victorian ghost, and Mr Timothy Claypole, a mischievous medieval poltergeist.
2. Airport
Air Date: 1976-01-13
Fred Mumford and his fellow ghosts set out to exercise a ghost which has been terrorising London's Heathrow Airport.
3. Hospital
Air Date: 1976-01-20
Mumford and his colleagues decide to tell their landlord, Mr. Meaker, that they are really ghosts. The shock of this lands Mr. Meaker in the local hospital where the Rentaghost team offer to provide a conjuring act for the centenary celebrations. As ghosts they find it easy to vanish - but Mumford has some difficulty becoming visible again.
4. Department Store
Air Date: 1976-01-27
The Rentaghost team are engaged by a security firm to patrol a large department store and stop shoplifting. Claypole goes through a mischevious phase when his poltergeist powers are at their strongest.
5. Stately Home
Air Date: 1976-02-03
Haunting a stately home proves to be something of a trial of strength for Mumford. His ghostly Uncle Arthur provides him with an assorted bunch of spooks to help the haunting, then calls them out on strike.
1. Private Detectives
Air Date: 1976-05-18
Rentaghost try their hand at being private detectives. Harold becomes a suspect.
2. Transport
Air Date: 1976-05-25
Public transport is the latest brainwave for Rentaghost, involving taxis, busses and a removal service. Unfortunately, when the Meakers talk about moving house, Mr Claypole takes things literally.
3. The Concert
Air Date: 1976-06-01
Rentaghost holds a concert that features Leonardo Da Vinci.
4. Storage
Air Date: 1976-06-08
The Rentaghost team try their hand at the storage business, meanwhile Harold and Mr Mumford get shrunk.
5. Gold
Air Date: 1976-06-15
Everything Harold touches turns to gold, not unlike a certain king. Back in the office a ghost efficiency expert, one Cedric J. Fosdyke, is put in charge and then sacks Fred Mumford.
6. News Agency
Air Date: 1976-06-22
Rentaghost starts a news agency and attempts to gain an interview with the elusive Dr Springveldt. Fred's mother is convinced that he should see a psychiatrist.
1. Episode 12
Air Date: 1977-02-22
The ghosts try their hand at controlling the weather and all fall in love with Catastrophe Kate, a wild west ghost.
2. Episode 13
Air Date: 1977-03-01
Mr. Claypole loses his memory when he is too mischievous. Mr Meaker is turned into a budgie.
3. Episode 14
Air Date: 1977-03-08
Harold and Ethel Meaker try to put on a theatre production.
4. Episode 15
Air Date: 1977-03-15
The Rentaghost office finds itself with squatters of the supernatural kind.
5. Episode 16
Air Date: 1977-03-22
Mr Meaker grows a 12ft beard whilst the Mumfords have to deal with a giant parsnip.
6. Episode 16
Air Date: 1977-03-29
The ghosts plan to send the Meakers on holiday after coming into money, but Harold and Ethel think that they are trying to get rid of them.
1. Episode 18
Air Date: 1978-09-14
Hazel the McWitch starts Rentapotion, which makes potions to order. Not all goes to plan though when Ethel's legs grow to be 12ft long and Harold behaves as if he is 10 years old.
2. Episode 19
Air Date: 1978-09-21
Harold Meaker opens a clothes shop and is turned into a tailors dummy by Mr Claypole. The ghosts give themselves a holiday.
3. Episode 20
Air Date: 1978-09-28
The ghosts try to stop the Meaker's arguing by using a love potion. Mr Davenport is made the Phantom of the Phone Booth.
4. Episode 21
Air Date: 1978-10-05
Hazel the McWitch creates meals that cook themselves in their new restaurant while the Meakers have to deal with an unexploded haggis.
5. Episode 22
Air Date: 1978-10-12
Mr Meaker gets involved in a boxing match with magic gloves and Mrs Mumford is given super-human strength. Mr Claypole offers Ethel endless cups of tea.
6. Episode 23
Air Date: 1978-10-19
The Rentaghost team hold a fete.
7. Rentasanta
Air Date: 1978-12-21
(Christmas Special) With the help of Adam Painting, the team try to stage a Pantomime. Mr Claypole brings a pantomime horse to life and so Dobbin is born
1. Rentananny
Air Date: 1980-03-07
The Meakers' latest money-making scheme comes to be in the form of Rentananny. Harold tries to use a copying spell to give Ethel driving lessons.
2. Episode 26
Air Date: 1980-03-11
At the Meakers, Harold is ill in bed and Ethel's singing voice can break glass (literally!). The Perkins hire a private detective to spy on their neighbours.
3. Episode 27
Air Date: 1980-03-14
Ethel's voice can now break wood. The ghosts try to protect Adam Paintings roller disco from being burgled.
4. Episode 28
Air Date: 1980-03-18
Rentaghost work in Mr Painting's beauty parlour. Ethel becomes an agony aunt and gives advice to her husband.
5. Episode 29
Air Date: 1980-03-25
Mr Claypole and Hazel the McWitch compete to create the best invention. Mr Meaker is transformed into a sunflower and Mr Painting is shrunk. The Perkins decide to move away from the Meakers.
1. Episode 30
Air Date: 1981-04-24
The Meakers move into Mr Painting's old house which just happens to be next door to their old neighbours, the Perkins.
2. Episode 31
Air Date: 1981-05-01
Mr Meaker becomes an ice skating champion while Claypole and McWitch contract a psychic illness. Meanwhile, Mr Perkins' moustache turns into a sausage.
3. Episode 32
Air Date: 1981-05-08
Mr Claypole gives the Perkins a magic talisman that grants wishes, which results in a geranium growing on Mrs Perkins' head.
4. Episode 33
Air Date: 1981-05-15
The Meakers and ghosts discover what it's like to be toys.
5. Episode 34
Air Date: 1981-05-22
Queen Matilda, a ghost from when Mr Claypole was alive, decides to hold court at Rentaghost.
6. Episode 35
Air Date: 1981-05-29
The Meakers celebrate their wedding anniversary and Harold opens a gardening store at the Rentaghost office.
1. Episode 36
Air Date: 1982-10-05
The Meakers are trying to go on holiday, but Queen Matilda visits and demands that they entertain her.
2. Episode 37
Air Date: 1982-10-12
Earl Perivale hires Rentaghost to rid him of a spirit haunting his manor house.
3. Episode 38
Air Date: 1982-10-19
The Meakers and the ghosts go on a seaside holiday, but hadn't reckoned with a ghost pirate who wants to turn Ethel into a mermaid.
4. Episode 39
Air Date: 1982-10-26
Harold's attempts to organize a surprise birthday party for Ethel are complicated by a copying spell and Dobbin's dance lessons.
5. Episode 40
Air Date: 1982-11-02
In his latest mischievous phase, Mr Claypole takes his pranks so far that the Meakers fire him. Heartbroken, Nadia is determined that his replacement doesn't work out.
6. Crash on Delivery
Air Date: 1982-11-09
Adam Painting's van drivers are on strike and he is a fortnight behind with deliveries. There's only one thing to do: hire Rentaghost as an alternative.
7. Episode 42
Air Date: 1982-11-16
Mr Meaker is concerned about Mr Claypole's growing stupidity, and so gets McWitch to create an intelligence potion. Mr Claypole turns into a genius – but, after drinking the remainder, so does Dobbin.
8. Episode 43
Air Date: 1982-11-23
Whatsisname Smith comes to Earth in the astral lift. Having experienced a lifetime of mediocrity, he wants to join Rentaghost to finally prove that he has what it takes to be a success.
9. Episode 44
Air Date: 1982-11-30
Mr Claypole creates a special camera that can capture entire movies on a single photograph. Unfortunately, newly-formed rival 'Rentamovie' uses intimidation tactics to try to get their hands on the priceless invention.
10. Episode 45
Air Date: 1982-12-07
Mr Meaker is having problems with his chickens, a situation not helped by Nadia polluting the water supply with potions. When one of the chickens lays a giant egg as a result, there's only one solution: Mr Claypole must hatch it.
11. Episode 46
Air Date: 1982-12-14
Adam Painting hires Rentaghost to run his new fashion line for spirits, but they aren't happy with the 4p-an-hour pay.
12. It's Pantomime Time
Air Date: 1982-12-21
Ethel has had insomnia for three nights straight, worrying about her upcoming amateur pantomime. There seems only one cure: McWitch's dream potion, which gives her a dream of everyone in a musical pantomime.
13. Episode 48
Air Date: 1982-12-29
Ethel gets a ceramic garden pixie from an auction, but when Rose wishes it were alive, the magic talisman makes this happen.
1. Episode 49
Air Date: 1983-10-18
Mr Meaker decides to take Ethel camping, but things go awry when he asks the ghosts to help set up the campsite.
2. Episode 50
Air Date: 1983-10-25
Adam Painting is having problems with his new restaurant: staff walkouts and exorbitant heating bills. He decides that the ideal people to resolve his issues are the spooks at Rentaghost.
3. Episode 51
Air Date: 1983-11-01
Queen Matilda returns with the desire to experience life as a commoner, and a job vacancy as a cleaner for the Perkinses seems too good an opportunity to miss.
4. Episode 52
Air Date: 1983-11-08
Mr Claypole celebrates his 860th birthday with fun and games; unfortunately, for the Perkinses next door, their nervous Aunt Mabel is coming to visit.
5. Episode 53
Air Date: 1983-11-15
Adam Painting wants the ghosts to help out in his department store, but things are complicated by McWitch's dream potion, and the return of Whatsiname Smith.
1. Episode 54
Air Date: 1984-10-09
Harold is away but has forgotten to light the central heating boiler, leaving Ethel cold in the house; Mr Claypole tries to help bring a pantomime dragon to life and also hires Susie Starlight as the Perkins' cleaner.
2. Episode 55
Air Date: 1984-10-16
Whatisname Smith returns, looking to redeem himself by taking on a position of authority. However, when he's put in charge of Rentaghost, the power goes to his head and he becomes a tyrant.
3. Episode 56
Air Date: 1984-10-23
Villainous McSprite McDonald McDougle, who knew McWitch in life, attempts to join the team, but when they reject him, he vows revenge.
4. Episode 57
Air Date: 1984-10-30
With the Meakers' car stuck in the Perkins' kitchen, it's up to Mr Claypole to distract the neighbours by posing as a sanitary inspector while the rest of the ghosts remove the car.
5. Episode 58
Air Date: 1984-11-06
The ghosts try to come up with new money-making inventions, but McWitch's hair-grow potion and Mr Claypole's 'self-propelled bed' don't quite work.
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Rating
6.8/10
Release Date
1976-01-06
Episodes
58 (9 seasons)
Status
Ended
Cast
Videos
Production Companies
BBC