History Main / BedsheetGhost

Like many images common to modern culture, the Bedsheet Ghost began as a theatrical convention that has long [[ForgottenTrope lost its context]]. In Shakespeare's day, it was common to portray ghosts in armor on stage (this is why Theatre/{{Hamlet}}'s father is often depicted in a full suit of armor in historical depictions.) In Elizabethan England, armor was no longer worn in combat, and the costuming convention at the time was to dress characters in contemporary (Renaissance) clothing. So, by dressing a character in armor, the character was given an out of date look, and recognized as a ghost. However, as special effects became more elaborate, it became common to lower the actor playing the ghost onto stage with a pulley. Of course, the heavy armor clanked loudly, and by the 19th century, the sight of an armored ghost on stage [[{{Narm}} was more likely to bring laughter than fear]].

* Featured in some ''Anime/{{Pokemon}}'' episodes:

* A French animated show called ''WesternAnimation/{{Les Malheurs de Sophie}}'' (''The Trouble with Sophie'') has a episode where a boy disguised as a ghost tries to steal vegetables from a garden. Later Sophie and her friends wear bedsheets over their heads while chasing each other around.

* In ''Anime/DiGiCharatNyo!'', one of Dejiko's friends, Yu-rei, is allergic to the sun and has to wear a protective suit to go outside. Said protective suit looks like a ghost costume.

* In ''[[Anime/DiGiCharat Di Gi Charat Nyo!]]'', one of Dejiko's friends is allergic to the sun and has to wear a protective suit to go outside. Said protective suit looks like a ghost costume.

* Bloo from ''WesternAnimation/FostersHomeForImaginaryFriends'' is not a ghost, he's an imaginary friend, but his body shape definitely makes him look like this trope. This was pointed out on two occasions: in the pilot he ended up having the place of the ghost in a ''Pac-Man'' homage while the first season finale has him go pale white from a cold and be mistaken for a ghost.

* The Creator/VincentPrice episode of ''Series/TheMuppetShow'' has a group of ghosts resembling translucent sheets floating in mid-air, with black holes for the eyes and mouths, who tell ghost jokes and sing "[[Music/TheBeatles I'm Looking Through You]]."

* One episode of ''WesternAnimation/HiHiPuffyAmiYumi'' has the girls trying to visit their managers in a hospital but the nurse won't let them through due to being past visiting hours. The girls proceed to sneak in anyways and are chased by the nurse. They lure her into a laundry room and proceed to scare her away doing this trope.

* A sort of one-time deal so far: VideoGame/{{Kirby}} can get a "Ghost" ability in ''VideoGame/KirbySqueakSquad'' (it has to be unlocked though). He basically takes on this kind of appearance and can possess enemies. It looks silly on him but also cute.
* Most depictions of the [[OurGhostsAreDifferent Poe]] enemy in the ''Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda'' consist of a Bedsheet Ghost with glowing eyes and spindly arms carrying a lantern.
* In ''VideoGame/MatchingtonMansion'', Rex dresses up as one in an ill-conceived attempt to scare Tiffany into selling him the mansion.

* The Creator/VincentPrice episode of ''Series/TheMuppetShow'' has a group of ghosts resembling translucent sheets floating in mid-air, with black holes for the eyes and mouth, who tell ghost jokes and sing "[[Music/TheBeatles I'm Looking Through You]]".

* In the first issue of ''Comicbook/ExcaliburMarvelComics'', Shadowcat dons a sheet to scare some thieves holding people hostage. They believe that she is a real ghost because their bullets go through her due to her {{Intangibility}}.

** Broozers are enemies introduced in ''Videogame/NewSuperMarioBros'', and since then, they become semi-recurrent enemies in the series. They resemble humanoids wearing a bedsheet over their body, brown shoes and boxing gloves, and when they see the player, they attack punching anything in their way, which can be useful for destroying unbreakable bricks, allowing the player to reach items and Star Coins that could not otherwise be reached. While they aren't actual ghosts, since you can defeat them with [[GoombaStomp Goomba Stomps]], they mainly appear in Ghost House levels.

** The series also has Lantern Ghosts, that are Shy Guys under a bedsheet. They appear in ''VideoGame/YoshisIsland'', and a larger variant appears as a mid-boss in ''Videogame/PaperMario64''.

** ''Anime/DigimonDataSquad'' introduces Soulmon, a version of Bakemon that wears [[NiceHat a witch's hat]]. It feeds on the emotions of Marcus's younger sister and since she's furious at him, it spends the day [[EverythingTryingToKillYou trying to get Marcus into deadly accidents]].

* In ''Film/AChristmasCarolTheMusical'', the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Be has this appearance, rather than being a GrimReaper {{expy}} like in other versions.

* One turns up in ''Series/TheTwoRonnies'' serial "Stop! You're killing me!", haunting the graveyard at dead of night. Charley's response is to build a device to blow the bedsheet off it from below. The first person to trigger it is a young woman in a short skirt, the second [[GoofyPrintUnderwear is the local vicar]], and the third [[NakedPeopleAreFunny is their landlord in a nightshirt]].

** The episode "Heat Signature" features three stereotypical cartoon Bedsheet Ghosts who, in contrast to the usual portrayal, are genuinely dangerous due to their [[DeadlyPrank sadistic mischevous streak]].

* ''WesternAnimation/BigCityGreens'': The episode "''Feud Fight''" has Cricket and Tilly get into a rivalry with Chip Whistler over who sell more vegetables. One of their ideas to drive away Chip's customers is Tilly disguising herself as a ghost which fools everyone despite Chip telling them she just a kid covered in a sheet.
** In "''Gloria's Cafe''", Gloria opens up a cafe but she has to stop Officer Keys from closing it down as she doesn't have the proper paperwork for it. One of her attempts is trying to convice Keys the shop is haunted by having all the customers wear ghost costumes. Keys is fooled at first but soon realize its a trick as none of the ghosts are saying boo.

* One turns up in ''Series/TheTwoRonnies'' serial "Stop! You're killing me!", haunting the graveyard at dead of night. Charley's response is to build a device to blow the bedsheet off it from below. The first person to trigger it [[PantyShot is a young woman in a short skirt]], the second [[GoofyPrintUnderwear is the local vicar]], and the third [[NakedPeopleAreFunny is their landlord in a nightshirt]].

* The ghosts from ''VideoGame/PacMan'' are even further abstracted. They look like jellyfish with eyeballs. The second and third cutscenes in the original game demonstrate this: in the second, Blinky chases Pac only to catch his ghost suit on a nail, and in the third, he chases Pac again, [[BrickJoke but his crappy repair job didn't stay]]. In both instances, we see part of the creature under the costume.

** As mentioned in the Head Injury Theater quote on the quotes page, the Sheet Phantom is an actual Bedsheet Ghost. As with some of the other actual Bedsheet Ghosts, the explanation given is that the being's spirit is imbued into his bedclothes as he dies.

* In the first issue of ''Comicbook/{{Excalibur}}'', Shadowcat dons a sheet to scare some thieves holding people hostage. They believe she is a real ghost beacause their bullets go through her due to her intangible powers.