History Characters / Beetlejuice

* SpellMyNameWithAnS: In the movie, Beetlejuice's name is Betelgeuse, but in the show, a RunningGag is for other characters and him to differentiate between the two.

* DiesDifferentlyInAdaptation: Unlike their movie counterparts, they don't die in a car accident. Instead they get a particularly UndignifiedDeath of the final jump of their musical number causing them to crack through the weakened floorboards of their house and fatally fall into the basement.

!!!'''Played By:''' Robert Goulet (Maxie) and Maree Cheatham (Sarah)

* EmotionlessGirl: At least she tries to be; she actually feels things pretty intensely.

* FreeTheFrogs: Lydia gets a C in Biology because she refuses to dissect frogs. However, she clearly states that she did it because she thought it was gross, not for animal rights. She tries to get out of it by claiming that it's against her religion, but gets the C all the same.

* LaughablyEvil: Betelgeuse is a pervert, murderous hitman who takes pride in his work, and a con man who tries forcing Lydia into marrying him so he'll have permanent access to the mortal world... but he's so funny that people forget what a rotten person he is.

* ManipulativeBastard: Betelgeuse tries, at least but it is hampered by his impatience, tendency to act perverse, and inability to keep his mouth shut. These make it difficult to make him convincing unless the individual is desperate.

** When Lydia agrees to release him in exchange for saving the Maitlands from being exorcised by Otho, he lives up to the end of their deal and saves them. He then immediately subverts this when he attempts to banish the Maitlands; however, his chosen methods are much more temporary than exorcism, and he only does it because they're attempting to stop the wedding - and to be fair, Lydia ''did'' agree to marry him as the price for his aid. He also treats Lydia very affectionately throughout the whole wedding scene, although whether this is genuine or a continuation of his con artistry is up for debate. In any case, the Maitlands return and promptly turn the tables on him.

* PrecisionFStrike: After Betelgeuse kicks over the Maitlands model tree, he looks up at them and says "'''[[SarcasmMode Nice fuckin' model!]]'''"

* ScaledUp: Betelgeuse can turn into a giant snake with [[BeastWithAHumanFace an exaggerated version of his face]] complete [[HellishPupils with wide eyes with slit pupills]]
* ScarpiaUltimatum: Betelgeuse to Lydia, after she begs him PleaseIWillDoAnything so he'll save Adam and Barbara from being exorcised.

* BeleagueredBureaucrat: She has a lot of clients, and she's easily frustrated at having to deal with their demands.
* CoolOldLady: Juno is savvy and competent, and easily the most helpful person in the realm of the dead. Naturally, she has a huge waiting list.

* JerkassHasAPoint: She's not very helpful to the Maitlands, but she does point out that while the Deetzes are annoying, they're better than a lot of absolutely horrible people (like Italians) and that they should value their house and share it.
* {{Psychopomp}}: Serves as this in the Afterlife as the Maitlands' caseworker. As stated in the film, anyone whose death is attributed to Suicide becomes a "Civil Servant" in the Afterlife.
* SmokingIsCool: Juno, in a BlackComedy sort of way; when she smokes, she exhales through her SlashedThroat (evidently how she originally killed herself).

* HairReboot: When she takes a collect call from Beetlejuice, the Neitherworld phone exchange's "charge" is an ''electrical'' one that gives her a hairdo resembling [[WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons Marge Simpson's]]. She quickly returns it to normal with one brush.

* CrazyJealousGuy: He occasionally behaves like this about Lydia. The biggest example is in "The Prince of the Neitherworld," where he witnesses Prince Vince proposing marriage to her; Beetlejuice very nearly explodes, literally.

* {{Catchphrase}}: Frequently bellows "What in tarhooties" whenever he's annoyed by Beetlejuice's shenanigans.
* DreadfulMusician: Beetlejuice thinks so, anyway - he really hates the Monster's country-style music.
* EveryoneCallsHimBarkeep: He's only ever referred to as "The Monster Across the Street."

* IGaveMyWord: For all his faults, he always honors his deals even if he doesn't particularly care for his clients. In fact, one of his [[Berserk Button]]s is banishing him while he's in the middle of working, thereby breaking the contract made when summoning him.

* TooCleverByHalf: He understands enough of the supernatural to be able to make sense of the ''Guide for the Recently Deceased'', but he doesn't realize he's following the instructions to perform an exorcism until it's too late to stop it.

** It also seems to be impossible for him to say his own name aloud, or at least say it to others in order to let ''them'' say it. He can write out his name or play charades to get the point across, but he can't directly tell them verbally.

* BewareTheSillyOnes: He's a fast-talking weirdo who's antics and abilities make him come across as a LiveActionCartoon, but make no mistake that you wouldn't want him haunting your home. He's a DirtyOldMan whose first question when the Maitlands summon him is who they want him to ''kill'', he eats live bugs, he can reverse spells cast from the Handbook for the Recently Deceased on a whim, can banish ghosts to Saturn at the mercy of the Sandworms and a whole host of other horrifying things.

* DirtyOldMan: Okay, so Keaton wasn't old when he played him, but almost every perverted aspect of Betelgeuse's personality is based around this trope.

* ArsonMurderAndJaywalking: Betelgeuse does the following in his second summoning: maims if not outright kills Maxie Dean and his wife, sexually harasses Lydia, and... changes Otho's clothes into a ''leisure suit.''

* GoodIsNotNice: She tries to help the Maitlands, but she's sharp-tongued and easily agitated.

[[folder:Betelgeuse]]
!!Betelgeuse
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/beetlejuice.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:I'm the ghost with the most, babe!]]
!!!'''Played By:''' Creator/MichaelKeaton

The Ghost with the Most. A shady "bio-exorcist", a ghost that professionally scares the living out of other ghosts' haunts, who loves his work.

* AbnormalLimbRotationRange: Betelgeuse's head spins freely, apparently not within his complete control.[[note]] In the original script, Betelguese died by suicide via hanging. Given how ghosts either reflect or maintain attributes from their death, this may be from cracked or outright destroyed neck vertebrae. [[/note]]
* AffablyEvil[=/=]FauxAffablyEvil: Zig-zaggs between the two. On one hand, while he's hardly anybody's friend, Betelgeuse actually seems like a fun guy to be around (unless you're a woman). He offers to make Barbara and Adam an Italian dinner, attempts to do the task that they wanted him to do (albeit in a manner they didn't like) while being earnestly offended when they interfere and is genuinely confused about Lydia's choice to be dead at first when she brings it up to him, but still offers to help her out since she seemed insistent on it. Then he demonstrates that he's a crude, perverted murderer with no restraint or self-control, and it becomes clear that as fun as he seems, he is a dangerous man to be around for more than a few minutes, even if he does have genuinely quirky traits.
** On the other hand, Betelgeuse's fun side can actually be the enjoyment of a sadistic nature to torment and just about kill with his pranks. It has been shown that he's reckless if not willing to harm people, with DarkHumor continuing in the laughter and humorous effects afterward, with him nearly killing Lydia's father as a snake, killing Maxie Dean and his spouse, and using Lydia to permanently gain access to the living world.
* AndNowYouMustMarryMe: Betelgeuse's main goal is to marry Lydia, because marrying a living person will allow him to stay in the living world indefinitely.
* ArsonMurderAndJaywalking: Betelgeuse does the following in his second summoning: maims if not outright kills Maxie Dean and his wife, sexually harasses Lydia, and... changes Otho's clothes into a ''leisure suit.''
* BeastWithAHumanFace: Briefly turns into a serpentine version of himself while retaining his face but exaggerated to look demonic and serpentine.
* BerserkButton:
** He might not look it, but Betelgeuse takes great pride in his work as a bio-exorcist. When the Maitlands stop Betelgeuse from continuing to menace the Deetzes in his snake form, he gets pissed off at them for interrupting the work of a professional.
** Also calling his name to summon him only to reject his services, thus getting his hopes up and wasting his time. That's the first time you really see him upset.
* BewareTheSillyOnes: He's a fast-talking weirdo who's antics and abilities make him come across as a LiveActionCartoon, but make no mistake that you wouldn't want him haunting your home. He's a DirtyOldMan whose first question when the Maitlands summon him is who they want him to ''kill'', he eats live bugs, he can reverse spells cast from the Handbook for the Recently Deceased on a whim, can banish ghosts to Saturn at the mercy of the Sandworms and a whole host of other horrifying things.
* BigBad: There's a reason why he's (sort of) the source for the AntagonistTitle.
* BishonenLine: Betelgeuse shapeshifts into a variety of forms throughout the film and appears in the model repeatedly, but for the final confrontation he appears full-sized at last, now wearing the iconic black and white prison-stripe-style suit.
* DirtyOldMan: Okay, so Keaton wasn't old when he played him, but almost every perverted aspect of Betelgeuse's personality is based around this trope.
* EvenEvilHasStandards: When Lydia gives Betelgeuse the implication she wants to die by telling him "I want to get in," he responds with a confused "Why?", pointing out that no matter how bad things get, death is still worse. Then he tells her that if she lets him out, they can talk, and maybe he can help her if she helps him.
* EatenAlive: At the end of ''Beetlejuice'', he gets eaten by the [[spoiler:Sandworm used by Barbara]].
* ForcefulKiss: Immediately after introducing himself to Adam and Barbara, Betelgeuse grabs the latter and gives her this kind of kiss. As you can imagine, they're already regretting their decision to meet with him, especially since he acts like a pervert around her the rest of the time.
* IconicOutfit: Betelgeuse's black-and-white striped suit. Ironically, he's only wearing the outfit for about five minutes of screen time (during the climax), as he's typically in a long coat and ratty pajamas for most of the film like a ghastly Hugh Hefner. However, the look was so iconic and so heavily featured in the movie's advertising that it's basically the only thing he wears in the animated adaptation.
* LackOfEmpathy: One of Betelgeuse's traits that's hard to miss. He'd have a hard time giving a shit about ''anyone'' but himself; the closest we ever see him get to showing real empathy is when he talks to Lydia about her suicidal impulses.
* LargeHam: He's lecherous, shouts at random, has no sense of personal space, and cackles a lot.
* LaughablyEvil: Betelgeuse is a pervert, murderous hitman who takes pride in his work, and a con man who tries forcing Lydia into marrying him so he'll have permanent access to the mortal world... but he's so funny that people forget what a rotten person he is.
* LightIsNotGood: While usually dressed in dark attire, and mostly portrayed with dark elements, Betelgeuse is associated with a golden light that occasionally shows up, notably with a light illuminating when Juno talks about him. The second time is when he's summoned, and his final demise. It along with his serpentine form and guile to manipulate others into deals, subtly hint to his traits [[SatanicArchetype as the devil of the story]].
* ManipulativeBastard: Betelgeuse tries, at least but it is hampered by his impatience, tendency to act perverse, and inability to keep his mouth shut. These make it difficult to make him convincing unless the individual is desperate.
* MonsterClown: Betelgeuse invokes this a tiny bit.
* MotorMouth: Betelgeuse talks very quickly. It veers into TalkativeLoon when he changes the subject without pausing.
* MysteriousPast: Aside from the fact that he was once Juno's assistant, we really don't know anything about Betelgeuse. He makes all sorts of grand claims, but these are clearly BlatantLies.
* NewPowersAsThePlotDemands: Betelgeuse has all sorts of strange powers, from VoluntaryShapeshifting to making illusions to magically transporting people to depriving people of their speech to perfectly imitating someone's voice to immediately changing both his and other people's clothes to bringing Delia's sculptures to life to freeing the Maitlands from their exorcism and immediately restoring them to normal.
* NiceJobFixingItVillain: By sending [[spoiler:Adam to the model city and Barbara to the desert where the sandworm is]], Betelgeuse makes it that much easier for [[spoiler:the Maitlands to defeat him]].
* NightmareFace: Betelgeuse makes one to demonstrate his talents to the Maitlands. "Can I be scary? Well, whaddya think of this?" The audience can't see it, but [[TakeOurWordForIt the Maitlands certainly seem terrified]].
* NobleDemon: Despite being a disgusting con man and pervert, Betelgeuse does have some otherwise redeeming moments:
** When the Maitlands first enlist his services as a bio-exorcist, he goes right to work and actively tries to live up to his end of the bargain in getting rid of Otho and the Deetzes.
** When Lydia is contemplating suicide, he shows genuine concern for her.
** When Lydia agrees to release him in exchange for saving the Maitlands from being exorcised by Otho, he lives up to the end of their deal and saves them. He then immediately subverts this when he attempts to banish the Maitlands; however, his chosen methods are much more temporary than exorcism, and he only does it because they're attempting to stop the wedding - and to be fair, Lydia ''did'' agree to marry him as the price for his aid. He also treats Lydia very affectionately throughout the whole wedding scene, although whether this is genuine or a continuation of his con artistry is up for debate. In any case, the Maitlands return and promptly turn the tables on him.
* NonIndicativeName: If the lead character's name had been spelled the same as the title of the movie, it would have made sense. However, he has nothing to do with what he's actually named after: a star in the constellation Orion, notably home of the Elder Gods in the Cthulhu Mythos and the location of Hell in the poem "Betelgeuse, a Trip Through Hell."
* PetTheDog: When Lydia states "I want to get in" (i.e., [[DrivenToSuicide she wants to die]]), Betelgeuse shows genuine concern for her.
* PrecisionFStrike: After Betelgeuse kicks over the Maitlands model tree, he looks up at them and says "'''[[SarcasmMode Nice fuckin' model!]]'''"
* RealityWarper: Is capable of some pretty powerful haunting, like turning a staircase railing into his serpentine form until Barbara traps him. He can also teleport others to different locations, turn himself into a test-your-strength machine, change Lydia and Otho's clothes transform with a flick, create the illusions of a human-size beetle and a box of orange juice when doing charades with Lydia, cause alterations to the Maitlands' mouths, revert the Maitlands back to their previous condition after being subjected to the process of exorcism, make Delia's statues come to life and grow in size, and summon a priest from nowhere. His only limitation revolves around his name curse and Sandworms.
* Really700YearsOld: Actually 600, if his claims to have lived through the Black Death have any validity to them. [[BlatantLies Kind of a big if, though.]]
* RedFlagRecreationMaterial: Betelgeuse mentions that he's seen ''Film/TheExorcist'' a hundred and sixty-seven times "and it keeps getting funnier every single time I see it!" firmly establishing him as an extremely morbid character even ''before'' he starts launching ghostly attacks on the Maitlands.
* ResizedVocals: Having ended up stuck in the afterlife's waiting room following his defeat in the finale, Beetlejuice makes the mistake of stealing the number from a WitchDoctor, who immediately retaliates by shrinking his head to the size of a cue ball; as he does so, Beetlejuice's voice gets progressively higher until he's squeaking like a chipmunk.
* RuleOfThree: Saying his name three times both frees him and seals him.
* SatanicArchetype: He's the closest thing to a "Satan" that the film's afterlife seems to possess. It is indicated that he worked for the CelestialBureaucracy which manages the afterlife before he [[FallenAngel quit]] and went "freelance" as a "Bio-exorcist." He is invited to the house by the then-recently deceased Maitlands and [[DealWithTheDevil makes a deal with them to get rid of the Deetzes, and later makes a deal with Lydia to save the Maitlands from an exorcism.]] Much in the same way that Lydia's parents and their city friends are meant to represent the worst that modern humanity has to offer (shallow, apathetic, etc.), Betelgeuse represents this on the ghostly side, being a pervert, a con man, and a complete sociopath. Much like how {{Beelzebub}} is the "Lord of Flies", Betelgeuse both has "beetle" in his name (in pronunciation, at least) and seems to subsist on bugs. He also briefly [[ScaledUp takes on the form of a serpent with his face]] to scare the Deetzes. Even the fact of his name being a source of power for him (he can be summoned and banished by saying it three times and he cannot say it out loud himself) is a reference to some forms of demonology where it is believed that knowing a demon's true name can give you power over it.
* SawStarWars27Times: Betelgeuse has seen ''Film/TheExorcist'' "about a hundred and sixty-seven times" (and it keeps getting funnier every time he sees it).
* ScaledUp: Betelgeuse can turn into a giant snake with [[BeastWithAHumanFace an exaggerated version of his face]] complete [[HellishPupils with wide eyes with slit pupills]]
* ScarpiaUltimatum: Betelgeuse to Lydia, after she begs him PleaseIWillDoAnything so he'll save Adam and Barbara from being exorcised.
* TheScottishTrope:
** Saying his name while he's not currently freed is looked down upon by other ghosts, as it risks releasing him. Once released, he does his best to stop others from saying it again for fear of putting him back.
** It also seems to be impossible for him to say his own name aloud, or at least say it to others in order to let ''them'' say it. He can write out his name or play charades to get the point across, but he can't directly tell them verbally.
* SealedEvilInACan: The ghostly con artist is trapped in the afterlife. He can be temporarily brought back to the real world (and returned) by saying his name three times, but can only be truly free if he marries a human.
* ShrunkenHead: At the end, Betelgeuse runs into a hunter who has a shrunken head, then starts chatting with the Witch Doctor next to him, asking if that's his work, while he steals the witch doctor's line number. He gets his head shrunk himself in retaliation. He takes it pretty well, however, noting that "this could be a good look for me.
* VisualPun: When he sees the Maitlands rotting from their exorcism, he says they've had enough "exorcise" for the night, and does a golf swing a la Creator/JohnnyCarson as Adam and Barbara are restored to normal.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:The Maitlands]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/adam_maitland_from_beetlejuice.jpg]]

!! In general

* DarkIsNotEvil: Gloomy and goth, but a gentle soul.

[[folder:Otho]]
!!Otho
[[quoteright:250:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/mv5bnwrlmjezztqtodniny00mdg1lweyyjqtzjm3ymiwmwvlowmyxkeyxkfqcgdeqxvynjuxmjc1otm_v1_sx1777_cr001777999_al.jpg]]
!!!'''Played By:''' Creator/GlennShadix

Delia's friend. An interior designer and amateur occultist.

* AmbiguouslyGay: He's obsessed with fashion and interior design and overall behaves in a very effeminate manner. It helped that Shadix himself was gay, and that Otho makes a ''The Wizard of Oz'' reference.
* EveryoneHasStandards: Otho is portrayed as a pompous and hubristic thief at worst; he actually seems to be a pretty good friend to Delia and, to a lesser extent, Charles, and is always polite to Lydia. Even he's horrified at what his bumbling nearly does to the Maitlands.
* HiddenDepths: He does seem to have some genuine knowledge of the supernatural and the occult, which may account for why he was able to see the Maitlands partially the moment he arrived in the house, as well as sense Adam running past him when rushing to close the attic door.
* ImpossiblyTackyClothes: Betelgeuse inflicts Otho with this in the climax.
* IronicHell: While it's an extremely light example, what little punishment Otho gets is catered directly to his critical attitude toward fashion.
* KarmaHoudini: Otho seemingly gets off with nothing more than a torn suit and a bad replacement.
* KnowNothingKnowItAll: Otho claims to be schooled in chemistry (among other things) while sharing many of Delia's off-beat fashion and artistic interests; but according to Lydia, he can't even change a tire. Otho's lack of know-how comes back to bite him in the ass when he snags the ''Recently Deceased'' handbook and summons the Maitlands without realizing he's actually exorcising them; this leads to Betelgeuse humiliating him with a ShamefulStrip. He does get one thing right, though he doesn't know it: he jokes during his dinner with the Deetzes that people who commit suicide become civil servants in the afterlife.
* NakedFreakOut: He's not left naked or in his underwear, but Otho has this kind of reaction after Betelgeuse changes his outfit into a leisure suit.
* ScrewThisImOuttaHere: Otho is all too happy to ditch the Deetzes when his séance gets out of control. He doesn't get far, though...
* ShamefulStrip: This happens to Otho when Betelgeuse goes on his climactic rampage. When Otho tries to make a run for it, Betelgeuse uses his powers to shoot Otho's black and red clothes off -- but rather than leave Otho naked or in his underwear, Betelgeuse leaves the poor bastard dressed in a light blue leisure suit, which causes Otho to scream in horror before running away.
* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: Otho's fate is left in the air, as he runs away after Beetlejuice enacts a ShamefulStrip on him.

[[folder:Maxie and Sarah Dean]]
!!Maxie and Sarah Dean
!!!'''Played By:''' Robert Goulet (Maxie) and Maree Cheatham (Sarah)

A wealthy real estate couple and the heads of Botco Industries, who the Deetzes turn to.

* UncertainDoom: Otho's fate is left in the air, as he runs away after Beetlejuice enacts a ShamefulStrip on him.

->'''Played by:''' Creator/MichaelKeaton

->'''Played by:''' Creator/AlecBaldwin

->'''Played by:''' Creator/GeenaDavis

->'''Played by:''' Creator/WinonaRyder

->'''Played by:''' Creator/CatherineOHara

->'''Played by:''' Creator/JeffreyJones

->'''Played by:''' Creator/GlennShadix

->'''Played by:''' Creator/SylviaSidney

->'''Played by:''' Patrice Martinez

->'''Played by:''' Robert Goulet (Maxie) and Maree Cheatham (Sarah)

Characters found in the live-action film ''Film/{{Beetlejuice}}'', the cartoon ''WesternAnimation/{{Beetlejuice}}'', and the Broadway musical ''Theatre/{{Beetlejuice}}.''