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Charles Dickens is a character affiliated with the Haunted Mansion.
Background[]
Charles Dickens (1812–1870) is a real-life 19th century English author and social-critic. In-terms of ghost stories he is well known for having written works such as: A Christmas Carol (1843) and The Haunted House (1859) which are well known for their place in the history of ghost-stories and ghost literature.
Haunted Mansion Connections[]
Development History[]
Proposed scripts by Ken Anderson would have featured ghosts such as Ebenezer Scrooge and Jacob Marley (both from A Christmas Carol) as, "Famous ghosts" within the attraction.[1] It is believed that the character of Jacob Marley might have been an influence in developing the hitchhiking ghost known as Gus, a ghost who is bound with a ball and chain. Another Marley-esque chained ghost was featured in the audio-book The Story and Song from the Haunted Mansion though was not explicitly featured in the final-attraction.
The Victorian ghost Pickwick found in the Great Hall also seems to take influence from the work of Dickens, namely the character of Samuel Pickwick from Dickens' novel The Pickwick Papers. His character Miss Haversham from Great Expectations (1860) was cited by Imagineers as an influence when creating Phantom Manor's bride, Mélanie Ravenswood.[2]
According to former show writer and producer Jason Surrell and Disney Imagineer Steve Davison, the original concepts for Haunted Mansion Holiday would have been based on A Christmas Carol as opposed to Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) as found in the final ride.
Legacy[]
The character of Goofy makes occasional appearances by the Haunted Mansion, dressed as his incarnation of Jacob Marley from the 1983 Disney animated adaptation of a Christmas Carol. Dickens' own bust appears in the ride as-well.
Costumes from The Muppet Christmas Carol were recycled for use in Muppets Haunted Mansion. Notably, Robin the Frog is dressed as Tiny Tim to play the role of the Birthday Ghost.
Appearances[]
Haunted Mansion[]
The bust exclusively appears in Walt Disney World's incarnation of the ride within the Exit Crypt. It was added in 2011 when the animatronics for the Hitchhiking Ghosts were being renovated and replaced while the once revolutionary reflection effect was being replaced with CGI models.
In the open case possessed by the ghost Phineas, the bust of Charles Dickens can be seen near a portrait of Cousin Maude from the Dread Family, some urns, and a candelabra. In addition to being an homage to Dickens' history with the attraction and ghost history, it may be inferred that the bust was taken from the mansion's library as one of its, "-Marble busts of the greatest ghost writers the literary world has ever known"(The Ghost Host).
The Haunted Mansion: Storm & Shade[]
The Dickens bust is spotted in an open suitcase when Audrey brings her friends to investigate the Mansion and winks back at them. The characters note how strange it is that the spirit of an English author has found its way to a New Orleans mansion.
Other Disney Park appearances[]
- Several books of Dickens' are on display in the Jungle Navigation Co. Ltd. Skipper Canteen of the Magic Kingdom.
Trivia[]
- It is unknown whether or not the bust is or was at some point possessed by Dickens' ghost. If it was truly taken from the library it is likely considering the Ghost Host's lines about the writers having retired to the mansion.
- Dickens is briefly mentioned in Tales from the Haunted Mansion Volume IV: Memento Mori as one of the ghost writers invited to Amicus Arcane's story contest.