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Characters / Ghostbusters

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Character page for the film continuity comprising Ghostbusters, Ghostbusters II and Ghostbusters 3.

For the other entries of the Ghostbusters franchise, see the following pages:

Film Series

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The Ghostbusters

    The Team 
https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/ghostbusters_7.png

  • Hunter of Monsters: Well, hunters of ghosts, which often happen to be monstrous.
  • Paranormal Investigation: Although they're more like a decontamination crew than detectives or investigators.
  • Rag Tag Bunch Of Misfits: Apart from being scientists (save for Winston), they all have very different backgrounds and personality quirks and are often regarded as loonies by the authorities.
  • Who You Gonna Call?: They're the Trope Namers, as it's their Catchphrase when advertising their business, that is investigating paranormal activities and capturing/neutralizing ectoplasmic entities.

    Peter Venkman 

Peter Venkman, PhD

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/petervenkman.jpg

Played by: Bill Murray

Dubbed by: Bernard Murat (European French)

Appears in: Ghostbusters | Ghostbusters II

"Back off, man; I'm a scientist."

The Face of the Ghostbusters, Venkman is psychology professor (though sleazy Con Man would be a more accurate description) who founded the Ghostbusters with Egon and Ray less in pursuit of studying the paranormal and more to turn a profit. He acts as the Ghostbusters' spokesman and is the one who usually talks with clients.

  • Anti-Hero: Snarky, arrogant, conceited, womanizing and sometimes a real jerk, but still a good man. He softens up quite a bit in Ghostbusters II.
  • Becoming the Mask: Particularly in the first movie, there's something to this. He puts on an ironic persona of being a know-it-all big shot, but by the end, he's forced to back up his braggart ways and become a real hero.
  • Brilliant, but Lazy: He is a fairly smart guy. If only he cared enough to do anything with his smarts. He has PhD's in both psychology and parapsychology, but uses mostly the psychology one to help him get together with girls.
  • Bunny-Ears Lawyer:
    Dana: You know, you don't act like a scientist.
    Peter: They're usually pretty stiff.
    Dana: You're more like a game show host.
  • Con Man: Venkman is the least sincere of the four, exploiting the field of "parapsychology" to swindle universities, push nonsense papers all day, flirt with his research subjects, and basically get paid for doing nothing.
  • The Casanova: If all those phone messages he gets in the game means anything. He seems to have become quite popular with the ladies. Despite this, though...
  • Chivalrous Pervert: He's interested in dating his female students, however, he refuses to take advantage of Dana possessed by Zuul.
  • Cloud Cuckoolanders Minder: Egon apparently tried self-trephination, but Peter stopped him.
  • Deadpan Snarker: Perhaps the biggest snarker in the film series.
    "You're right; no human being would stack books like this."
  • The Face: Peter is the group's ambassador and generally does the talking.
  • Flat-Earth Atheist: At the start of the second film, even after dealing with real ghosts and an extradimensional deity, he still thinks the only reason a person would write a book about the end of the world would be to make a quick buck from gullible readers. Possibly justified by his line to Dana in the first film saying most people who say they see ghosts are nutjobs. In the second movie he's actually really bitter about this, believing his work with the Ghostbusters was the high point of his life, and now that they're(apparently) not needed anymore, his life is essentially over.
    Producer: This is the best we could do on such short notice. Look, no respected psychic will come on the show! They think you're a fraud.
    Venkman: I am a fraud!
  • Freudian Trio: Ego
  • The Gadfly: Especially in the sequel.
  • Good Is Not Nice: He's a sarcastic wise-ass, despite being one of the series' lead heroes.
  • Guile Hero: Can trick and bluff his way out of any pinch.
  • The Hero: It's a subtle thing, but if anyone in this group fill this role, it's Peter. The other members will generally do more of the heavy lifting, but Peter is higher profile and speaks for the group.
  • Jerkass Has a Point: In several ways.
    • First of all. Peter greeted Walter Peck in a purely professional manner while Peck was in the Ghostbusters office, as Peck could well be a paying client, and this only stopped when Peck, without showing any credentials, threatened the Ghostbusters' operation, without any form of just cause.
    • Second. Peter rightly responded that any interruption of their business, without evidence, just cause, or even a proper warrant, which Ghostbusters would then have the right to appeal, would open Peck up for a proper retaliatory lawsuit.
    • Third. Peter had no obligation to show Peck the delicate, and highly classified, containment unit, especially as Peck was not in Ghosbusters HQ in any official capacity, but merely claimed to be an agent of the EPA, and "asked" to see the unit purely for the sake of his own curiosity, not because of any violation of code on the part of the Ghostbusters, nor any active complaint, civil or criminal.
    • Lastly, when Peck angrily started ranting about shutting down the business, without cause, as opposed to listing proper violations of code, informing Peter of due notice regarding a hearing, or simply mentioning that Ghostbusters would be contacted by his office regarding non-compliance, Peter was right to toss Peck out on his ear, considering that Peter has long experience with con-men (especially being one himself), he knows a shakedown when he sees it, and usually, when a con-man who claims to be a government official, but isn't is met with a mark that won't be intimidated, goes to look for a sucker somewhere else.
  • Jerk with a Heart of Gold: Though you have to look really hard to find the heart of gold in the first film. It's much more evident in Ghostbusters II, and he is generally much kinder in the cartoon series as well. In the video game, he seems to have lost some of that heart and the Jerk seems to have resurfaced. A funny jerk, but a Jerk none the less.
  • The Kirk: An acerbic version. He nets all of the chicks and saves the day by breaking established rules (like EPA codes) and rebelling against authority.
  • Knight In Sour Armor: Despite his actions to the contrary, Peter is in fact more likely to do the right thing than not. He has his moments, when he can get away with it. He is a Jerkass for sure, but never would he step down from helping someone who really needs it. Notably, in the first film, he's willing to go back to jail (and quietly) if it turns out they're wrong about Gozer.
  • Last-Name Basis: Venkman's first name is rarely used even by his friends, which stands out as the other three go primairly by their first names.
  • The Leader: Not so much a leader as designated spokesperson or front man. Peter is the ladies' man of the group, and while he's less normal than Winston, he's more capable of relating to other people than either Ray or Egon. In the cartoon series, he is also the one who generally decides whether or not the Ghostbusters will take a given job.
  • Let's Mock the Monsters: While the guys consider flipping the bird to supernatural bad guys standard operating procedure, no one does it better (or faster) than Peter. See the Moment of Awesome page for how he used his taunts on Vigo to distract him, even while injured and crawling towards a supernatual being that could stomp him flat.
  • Lovable Coward: For all his bravado, he's not exactly a brave guy; he'll step up to the plate if necessary, but very reluctantly, and will happily allow someone else to go first.
  • The Millstone: Every problem the 'Busters have to deal with in the original film is caused by him. It's his freewheeling attitude that gets them kicked out of Columbia, his overt come-ons with Dana nearly cost them their first customer, and his standoffishness with Peck is what gets the containment grid shut down. Every one of these incidents is subverted because Venkman's cleverness and quick tongue always end up fixing the problems he causes.
  • Nice Job Breaking It, Hero!: Perhaps if he hadn't antagonized Peck so much and just showed him around, Peck wouldn't have gone and shut down the power grid.
  • Obfuscating Stupidity: He is a very intelligent man, but he comes off more like a Casanova Wannabe. He obviously doesn't have any real interest in parapsychology or psychology. Despite all this, the very fact that he was able to become a scientist in those fields speaks volumes of what he is capable of when he works at it.
  • Papa Wolf: Even though Oscar is not his child, he did his part to protect him from Vigo.
  • Pet the Dog: At the start of the film, he's got very few good qualities but Dana sort of becomes a Morality Pet of his. He does become more heroic at the end of the film, and for all his sleaze, he is so not going to sleep with a woman under the influence of a major specter.
  • Phony Phony Psychic: A charlatan in the field of telepathy (later 'promoted' to a cable TV host on a paranormal talk show) finds himself getting dragged along on a hunt for real ghosts.
  • Pre Ass Kicking One Liner
    "All right—this chick is toast!"
    "Let's show this prehistoric bitch how we do things downtown!"
    "Viggy, Viggy, Viggy. You have been a bad monkey!"
  • Punch-Clock Hero: He's Only in It for the Money and treats what he does as a the paying job it is, not some selfless mission or higher calling for the good of mankind.
  • The Slacker: He certainly tries to be this. In the first movie, he only goes to help Dana because he wanted to get into a relationship with her. Also in the game, he was busy getting coffee while the Rookie and Ray are being attacked by Stay Puft and his minions. He's basically reluctant to do anything unless some kind of personal gain is involved.
  • The Trickster & Token Evil Teammate: He is purposely contrary to people, inciting them to become aggravated with him. Peter seems to not care much for their feelings though and goads them on. He is willing to mock or patronize even people in places of authority, whereas Ray and Egon would be more-easily cowed and cautious. Though he usually shows more discretion with these people than to the average Joe. May be unrelated, but perhaps his attitude to higher authority improved after what happened with Peck.
  • Trust Me, I'm an X: "Back off, man. I'm a scientist."

    Ray Stantz 

Raymond "Ray" Stantz, PhD

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/dan_aykroyd_ghostbusters.jpg

Played by: Dan Aykroyd

Dubbed by: Richard Darbois (European French)

Appears in: Ghostbusters | Ghostbusters II

"Well, this is great. If the ionization-rate is constant for all ectoplasmic entities, we can really bust some heads... in a spiritual sense, of course."

The Heart of the Ghostbusters. Ray is the one who is the most interested in ghosts, and will often be the most excited when encountering something supernatural. He provides knowledge of folklore to compliment Egon's scientific knowledge when figuring out how to deal with a ghost. After the first movie Ray opened up and occult bookstore: "Ray's Occult Books".

  • Adorkable: He's sweet-natured, nerdy, and a bit of a goof-ball.
  • Admiring the Abomination: He gets boyishly excited by a lot of the weird, gross and terrifying stuff they encounter.
  • Beware the Nice Ones: Ray is honestly the nicest guy you will ever meet, but if you mess with any of his friends, whether you be human or ghost, he will not take it lightly.
    • He also hates it when kids are being threatened.
    Ray: (to Vigo) You want a baby? Go knock up some willing hellhound. Otherwise I am giving you to the count of three to march back in that painting!
  • Butt-Monkey: If he's not being manipulated or slapped around by Peter, he's getting attacked/possessed by one demonic entity or another.
  • The Cameo: In Casper. Generally considered a non-canon appearance by fans due to how cowardly it makes Ray look.
  • Cloud Cuckoolander: Has this in spades. He believes that an undersea mass sponge migration he once witnessed was paranormal despite the fact that the sponges barely moved a foot.
  • Demonic Possession: This has happened to him far more than any other character in the series. It's to the point where the other characters lampshade it every time he becomes possessed or slimed.
  • Ditzy Genius: For the guy who was behind the creation of the proton packs and the Ecto-1, he sure doesn't have a lot in the common sense department.
  • Drives Like Crazy: During the They're Back montage in the second film, Peter has a look of panic as Ray is driving the Ecto-1A to a new case.
  • The Engineer: While Egon is typically the group's strategist during missions, Ray is the mechanic and practical inventor. He built the proton packs and the stuff on the Ectomobile, and also designs something called a "Ghost Bomb" in the cartoon series.
  • For Science!: Far more mild than Egon, though.
  • Freudian Trio: Id
  • Good Smoking, Evil Smoking: Good on Ray's part. He's seen with a cigarette in almost every scene in the movies.
  • The Heart: He's considered this by the rest of the Ghostbusting team.
  • Hollywood Atheist: An interesting case. In a short scene toward the end of the first movie, Ray and Winston are alone in Ecto-1, and Winston asks if Ray believes in God. His response is a brief "Never met him." It's rather strange to hear this coming from someone who sees strange spiritual events every day. Ray goes on to quote the Book of Revelations regarding the End of Days, showing that he has some Biblical knowledge. So he may not be an atheist per se—he might be an agnostic.
  • Hot-Blooded: Out of everyone, he is the most passionate when it comes to ghosts and the supernatural, and is the first one to rush headfirst into the unknown.
  • Leeroy Jenkins: "GET HER!" Leading to a hilarious brick joke. "Go GET HER...Ray!"
  • The Lancer: He's this to Peter, making it an interesting aversion of the traditional roles; Ray is the idealistic, innocent one whereas Peter is the snarkier, self-centered one.
  • Last-Name Basis: Unique among the main characters in that he generally refers to everyone except Winston by their last name. This seems more personal preference than reflective of his feelings towards them, however. In the second movie, he starts nicknaming everyone instead.
  • Mad Scientist: A heroic example.
  • Manchild: His sheer delight at sliding down the fire pole (and at the rest of the fire station) in the first movie would put him here even if nothing else would. In general, however, where Peter is dry and cynical and Egon is clinically rational, Ray tends to have a lot of childlike enthusiasm for what they do. In the second movie, when he fails to possess Oscar, Vigo decides Ray's just as good. The fact that Vigo specifically requested a child to live through speaks volumes of Ray's man-child tendencies.
  • The McCoy: Though more agreeable than his partners, he does jeopardize their safety with his headstrong personality.
  • Nice Guy: He's a decent person who genuinely wants to help others by using the technology the Ghostbusters create to study the supernatural and defend the city.
  • Nice Job Breaking It, Hero!: He unwittingly chose the form of the Destructor.
  • Nightmare Fetishist: The dream sequence he had may suggest how deep his nightmare fetish goes.
  • Spell My Name with an "S": Stantz in the movies and video game, Stanz in The Real Ghostbusters. It's generally accepted that the cartoon misspelled Ray's surname, as opposed to how fans argue over whether Winston's is Zeddemore or Zeddmore.
  • Vitriolic Best Buds: With Peter, who relentlessly teases and takes advantage of him, even going so far as manipulating him into mortgaging his parents' house. In spite of that, it's obvious that they care about one another, as evident in their final goodbye to each other when confronting Gozer at the end of the first movie.
    • Not to say Ray can't occasionally dish some out, such as choosing to call the Team Pet "Slimer" just to annoy Peter.

    Egon Spengler 

Egon Spengler, PhD

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/egonspengler.png

Played by: Harold Ramis

Dubbed by: Jean-Pierre Leroux (European French)

Appears in: Ghostbusters | Ghostbusters II

"I collect spores, molds, and fungus."

The brains of the Ghostbusters who designed all the Ghostbusters equipment and normally comes up with the plan to trap the ghosts. Overly analytical, Egon comes off as more cold and distant than he actually is.

  • Adorkable: How could Janine resist such a handsome, shy, soft-spoken genius with No Social Skills?
  • Admiring the Abomination: Admires some of Ivo Shandor's work in the 2009 game, but is also quick to admit that he was also very evil.
    Winston: Stay in the light, Egon.
    Egon: I'm trying.
  • Always Identical Twins: Harold Ramis played Egon's twin brother Elon in an Earth Day special. Dr. Elon Spengler is the leader of the Wastebusters, an environmental association. He looks exactly like Egon, down to the hairstyle. The only visible difference is the lack of a proton pack and the fact that Elon wears white tennis shoes as opposed to the Ghostbusters' standard black boots.
  • Badass Bookworm: Not necessarily a Trope Codifier, but definitely one of the originals.
  • Beware the Nice Ones: Egon completely flips his shit when Peck accuses the Ghostbusters of causing the containment breach, something that Peck caused.
    • The IDW comics' Crossing Over event saw him dealing with Jillian Holtzmann and Ron Alexander's memories of how transdimensional technology worked by having them (unknowingly) read a subliminal messaging code that would interrupt their ability to think about it. With the Chicken Dance.
    Ray: Any side effects?
    Egon: Not...as far as I know.
  • Bus Crash: It's been confirmed by Ernie Hudson that due to the passing of Harold Ramis, Egon will not appear in Ghostbusters 3.
  • Cloud Cuckoolander: Not to the extent as Ray, but still.
  • Collector of the Strange: Molds, fungus and spores, mostly. He may even possibly find the scent of them attractive.
  • The Comically Serious: In his own words: "I'm always serious."
  • Creepy Child: This is implied in the second movie. While Ray and Egon are in baby Oscar's room, Egon reveals he never had any toys when he was a child. Ray is curious and asks if he really never had any toys, and Egon responds by saying he had half a Slinky once (he straightened it).
    • The novelization went further, listing a number of strange experiments young Egon enacted which got him ostracized by his peers. "I think you've been spending too much time with Egon" was a common sentiment among his friends' parents.
  • Deadpan Snarker: Egon has his dry comedy moments such as the musical ectoplasm.
    Venkman: Dooooooo
    Stantz: Reeeeeeeee
    Egon: Egonnnnnn!
  • Defrosting Ice King: Hard to tell, but he smiles a lot more in the second film.
  • For Science!: Let's just say he can get rather disturbing with how far he'll go for the sake of science. Tricking people into thinking they're going to counseling when, in fact, he just wanted to test if slowly increasing the heat would alter their moods. Wanting to conduct a gynecological examination on Dana while investigating the baby carriage incident. Then there was that drill thing...
    That would've worked if you hadn't stopped me!
  • Freudian Trio: Superego
  • Gadgeteer Genius: He makes all of the equipment the Ghostbusters use. In fact, he works on so many gadgets, the other characters asked him how he can produce so much. He tells them he's been doing an experiment where he sleeps for an average of fourteen minutes a day.
  • Heroic Comedic Sociopath: He seems rather detached from other peoples' feelings, and occasionally misleads or disturbs people for his own amusement, but his ultimate goal, apparently, is for the common good.
  • Hot Scientist / Hot Teacher: At least, Janine, Kylie, and his college students think so. He's not entirely happy about it.
    "I think [my students are] more interested in my epididymis."
  • The Leader: In the cartoon, he trades off with Peter in this role. While Peter generally decides if they will take a job, once there the group usually defers to Egon's expertise.
  • Mad Scientist: Close to a Trope Codifier, but a heroic version (though he still can get a bit disturbing). Egon is primarily a theoretician and field strategist who mainly wants to study the things which the Ghostbusters encounter, rather than destroy them.
  • Morally Ambiguous Doctorate: He seems to be mildly sociopathic, as he routinely puts people in unpleasant situations for scientific purposes and shamelessly lies and jerks people around just to see what kind of reaction he gets. The best example of this is in the beginning of the sequel when he tests the effect of human emotion on the environment by ruining a couple's marriage and giving a little girl a puppy only to take it away again.
  • Nightmare Fuel Station Attendant: He is already shown to be a bit odd, but nothing too serious. Just a bit of a nerd. The whole "mold, fungus and spore" thing were certainly strange but nothing horrifying. Then we get a glimpse into his life before the Ghostbusters—he used to be a coroner. This isn't too bad, though. Then he says that he does it as a hobby now. Oooookay...
  • Nice Guy: Although he's a mad scientist, whose methods are questionable, Spengler has a soft side only seen by his friends and Janine.
  • Noodle Incident: Egon tried to drill a hole in his head at some point. All we know is Peter stopped him before he could do it.
  • Not So Stoic:
    • The scene where he flips out when Peck accuses the Ghostbusters of causing a massive explosion that Peck himself caused.
    "YOUR MOTHER!"
    • In the video game, as he and the Rookie are going up the elevator, suddenly they are treated to a phantom image of the Spider Witch and one of her victims. Egon is quite shaken at seeing this. In fact, he seems quite nervous throughout the Spider Witch's level. He also angrily tears up a sign prohibiting the Ghostbusters from entering the hotel at the beginning of the level.
      • His uncharacteristic edginess may be explained by to his own in-game notes: Egon admits he has arachnophobia.
    • His reaction once to getting snarked at by a serious Jerkass in the IDW comic is a scream and an attempt to throttle him! Another comic had a fight between him and a ghost woman end with him standing over her and growling. He has to be calmed down by the others, and doesn't even recognise them at first.
    • Egon seems to have something of a hot temper in general, and when he's agitated, his first response seems to be to go directly for the throat. Beware the Nice Ones indeed!
  • Oblivious to Love: How the animated series and IDW comics interpret his relationship with Janine.
  • Shout-Out/Named After Somebody Famous: Named for Egon Kisch (a famous Czechoslovakian journalist who, among other things, helped popularize the Golem of Prague and claimed to be descended from its creator, Rabbi Loew) and German philosopher Oswald Spengler.
    • Sources conflict a bit, but Egon might be only half-named after somebody famous. "Egon" might not come from Egon Kisch, but from a classmate of Harold Ramis's in high school named Egon Donsbach, who was a refugee from Hungary.
  • The Smart Guy: While Ray is also intelligent, Egon is The Strategist of the group.
  • Specs of Awesome: He's the biggest nerd in an 80s sci-fi film — what did you expect?
  • The Spock: Pure intellect — they didn't dub him "The Head" for nothing.
  • Sweet Tooth/Genius Sweet Tooth: Describes New York City's telekinetic energy in terms of Twinkies, using his own as a visual aid. Accepts a Nestle Crunch bar as a reward.
  • That Makes Me Feel Angry: In the first film's climax, Egon drops the following gem while his tone of voice is only slightly more emotional than normal:
    "I'm terrified beyond the capacity for rational thought!"
  • Theme Music Power-Up: In the cartoon series, most of these occur either while Egon is formulating strategy or when he does something that helps the rest of the group succeed.
  • When He Smiles: Sometimes when he does smile it comes across as ominous or threatening. However when he does it for genuine reasons it's nice to see, such as when he's assuring Dana that he won't use anything to hurt Oscar during a routine Check-up.
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    Winston Zeddemore 

Winston Zeddemore

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/winstonzeddemore.jpg

Played by: Ernie Hudson

Dubbed by: Med Hondo (European French)

Appears in: Ghostbusters | Ghostbusters II

"If there's a steady paycheck in it, I'll believe anything you say."

The normal one of the Ghostbusters, Winston joined when he saw an advertisement in the newspaper looking for a fourth member. The most down-to-earth member of the team, originally joined for the money, but is still a loyal and heroic member of the team.

  • All There in the Manual: The entirety of Winston's backstory is relegated to secondary works, and he receives little characterization in the films.
  • Badass Mustache: Although he's clean-shaven in the cartoon and the second movie.
  • The Big Guy: A former marine who provides the muscle and firepower in a team otherwise composed of scientists.
  • Cultured Badass: He is shown to be a fan of opera and seems to be the most civil-minded of the Ghostbusters.
    • When he does earn his doctorate (in the video game), it appears to be in either History or Egyptology.
  • Deadpan Snarker: Must be a job requirement.
  • Genius Bruiser: He is a very competent member of the Ghostbusters team. In the video game, while the others were chasing after the Grey Lady, he was looking through the newspaper archives for info on her, though he pretended he was looking up a baseball game. In the novelization of Ghostbusters, it is shown he was once in the Marines and has experience with different kinds of technology, which helped him get into the busting more easily than one would think a new hire would.
  • Improbable Aiming Skills: Well, that might be pushing it, but Winston is far and away the best shot with a Particle Thrower.
  • Naïve Newcomer: Averted; he gets the hang of his job very quickly.
  • Only in It for the Money: His original reason for joining in the first place.
    As long as there's a steady paycheck in it, I'll believe anything you say.
  • Only Sane Man: Compared with his colleagues, the quirky paranormal scientists, he has more common sense.
  • Punch-Clock Hero: Took up ghostbusting purely to get a steady paycheck.
  • Real Men Love Jesus: Or, in his case, Jesus' style.
  • Sixth Ranger: Doesn't appear until the second half of the first movie, which explains why he tends to be left off some promotional materials for the movie, especially during its theatrical release.
  • Skepticism Failure: The cartoon reveals that he didn't believe in the supernatural when he joined the Ghostbusters. That doesn't last long, of course.
    "Look, I've only been with the company for a couple of weeks. But I gotta tell you, these things are real. Since I joined these men, I've seen shit that'll turn you white!"
  • Spell My Name with an "S": Is it "Zeddmore" or "Zeddemore"? Both of the movies and the game spell it Zeddemore, leading people to believe The Real Ghostbusters, which used "Zeddmore," misspelled Winston's surname.
  • Token Minority: The team black guy.
  • Unfazed Everyman: He takes the whole Ghostbusting business very well and he seems to be the most normal out of all of its members. No major idiosyncrasies to make him quirky or anything; he is just a normal guy with a job as a spectral exterminator.
    • Perhaps ironically the lack of any major defining quirks among a group as odd as the Ghostbusters is his quirk.

    Janine Melnitz 

Janine Melnitz

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/janinegb.png

Played by: Annie Potts

Dubbed by: Maïk Darah (European French)

Appears in: Ghostbusters | Ghostbusters II

"I've quit better jobs than this!" *answers phone* "Ghostbusters, whaddya want!?"

The Ghostbusters' secretary/receptionist, Janine is incredibly sarcastic but very loyal to the Ghostbusters, and often entrust her with keeping everything running that they are too busy to handle. In most continuities she acts as Sixth Ranger for the Ghostbusters whenever they need extra muscle or a replacement.

  • All Love Is Unrequited: Has a crush on Egon, who is just not interested in a relationship. She hooks up with Louis in the second film, or at least makes out with him.
  • Ambiguously Jewish: Like Egon.
  • Bad "Bad Acting": As seen when she and Louis are roped into acting in a commercial for the company.
    "Who are you going to call?"
  • Beleaguered Assistant: Poor Janine, she is in charge of every single secretarial thing that goes on in the Firehouse. Despite being so swamped, she's able to keep everything going smoothly. Despite all she does, her boss Peter continues to refuse to hire more help around the Firehouse to ease her workload. He also expects her to come in even if there is a mass exodus of the city. Her sassy demeanor makes a lot of sense once you consider all of the work and abuse she has to deal with.
    • Not to mention the babysitting she had to do for three nutcase Mad Scientists before Winston added a bit more sanity.
  • City Girl Squawk: She provides a great example of this accent.
  • Deadpan Snarker: For example, in response to a policeman arriving at the door;
    "Dropping off or picking up?"
  • The Face: Janine is the receptionist for the four man organization; a notably interpersonal role. One scene in the first movie has her trying to convince a customer of their professionalism.
  • Fiery Redhead: In the second movie. She got a makeover to look more like her cartoon counterpart.
  • Meganekko: Wears big, thick glasses — which give her a "bug-eyed" look, as Venkman comments.
  • Only Sane Woman: Until Winston shows up. After that, they trade off on the "babysitting the mad scientists" duty.
  • Sarcastic Devotee: Despite her very sarcastic interaction with her bosses, she remains their loyal secretary.
  • Sassy Secretary: She's very vocal about any grievances with the job.
  • Team Mom: Especially in the comics continuity when she keeps on eye on how everyone is doing emotionally, and when the Ghostbusters go missing, runs the entire organization.
  • Unfazed Everyman: She is surrounded by men who hunt ghosts, half of whom are mad scientists. She even has a ghost in a cage close to where she works that the busters keep as a "pet." Not once has she ever batted an eye at any of this.
  • Unusually Uninteresting Sight: She seems to take the ghostbusting business pretty well, never showing any signs of it being out of the ordinary.

    Louis Tully 

Louis Tully

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/louistully.jpg

Played by: Rick Moranis

Dubbed by: Marc François (European French)

Appears in: Ghostbusters | Ghostbusters II

"Who does your taxes?"

An accountant and Dana Barrett's neighbor who gets possessed by Vinz Clortho in the first film. In Ghostbusters II, he is forced to be the defense for Ghostbusters at their trial, then gets to be a temporary Ghostbuster.

  • Adorkable: Definitely has his moments.
  • Butt-Monkey: Especially in the first movie. Although, since he does get to nail both Dana (while possessed) and Janine, he's either the unluckiest or luckiest character.
  • Demonic Possession: He was once turned into a dog and the Busters helped him.
  • Determinator: Louis may not be as tough as many of the characters, but he managed to outrun a terror dog before it cornered him. To add bonus points, he survived jumping over a wall near the Tavern on the Green, with out any injury. James Rolfe pointed out during a tour of the Ghostbusters locations, that said wall would risk breaking your legs due to its long drop.
  • Dogged Nice Guy: To Dana and later Janine. The first film's novelization notes that with Dana, at least some of his attraction stems from the fact he is/was destined to be the Keymaster to her Gatekeeper.
  • Fat and Skinny: The Skinny to Slimer's Fat.
  • Friend to All Children: Louis despite his awkwardness is good with kids, managing to get Oscar to sleep. The second Oscar gets kidnapped, he goes to get the Ghostbusters out of the Asylum and then suits up himself. Though the latter of which might have been due to a confidence boost after having sex with Janine.
  • Nerd Glasses: To rival Egon's.
  • Non-Action Guy: At first. He picks up a proton pack in the second movie.
  • Non-Powered Costumed Hero: While not being an expert fighter, he put on the Ghostbuster uniform and did his part to help save the day in the second movie.
  • Odd Friendship: Once he gets over being scared of Slimer, the pair seem to get along pretty well.
  • Omnidisciplinary Lawyer: Averted and lampshaded in the second film. He specifically warns the main quartet that he doesn't know criminal law. Sure enough, he botches the defense and the judge rules against them. It's only the timely appearance of ghosts (thereby proving to the disbelieving judge that ghosts are real) that get the Ghostbusters off the hook. To his credit, Tully does help play legal hardball at that moment to force the judge to rescind the restraining order.
  • Sixth Ranger: He becomes something like this in the second movie.
  • Stalker with a Crush: He comes off this way in the first film, apparently sitting just inside his apartment door all day long so he won't miss Dana walking down the hall. (Though, again, it may not be entirely his fault, see above under Dogged Nice Guy.
  • Took a Level in Badass: Double subverted. He does strap on ghostbusting equipment to help the team out in the second movie, but he's still far from badass... at first.
    I'm right here with you, guys!

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Others

    Dana Barrett 

Dana Barrett

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/danabarrett.jpg

Played by: Sigourney Weaver

Dubbed by: Frédérique Tirmont (European French)

Appears in: Ghostbusters | Ghostbusters II

"Well, that's just great. Either I have a monster in my kitchen or I'm completely crazy."

A musician who alerts the Ghostbusters to Gozer's presence before getting possessed by Zuul in the first film. Between the two movies she got married, had a son, and got divorced, and started working at the Manhattan Museum of Art as a restorer before getting caught up in the Ghostbusters' problems again. Has an on-again-off-again relationship with Peter Venkman, who loves her, but has commitment issues.

    Walter Peck 

Walter Peck

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/walterpeck.png

Played by: William Atherton

Dubbed by: Hervé Bellon (European French)

Appears in: Ghostbusters | Ghostbusters II

"Forget it, Venkman! You had your chance to cooperate, but you thought it would be more fun to insult me. Well, now it is my turn, wiseass."

A representative of the Environmental Protection Agency, or so he claimed. He's highly skeptical and cynical, especially toward Peter. In the 2009 video game he is appointed as liaison between the Ghostbusters and the city of New York under the newly formed Paranormal Contracts Oversight Commission, to his great annoyance. In the IDW comic he is still head of P.C.O.C., but has grown into the role.

  • Amoral Attorney: He only aims to sue the Ghostbusters out of spite for their cause, but in reality is just a money grubbing agent.
  • Arbitrary Skepticism: Surrounded by news articles and tv interviews about the ghosts the Ghostbusters have caught, yet insists it's all an elaborate scam.
  • Artistic License – Law: Without a search warrant, or any sort of legal document, never mind actually showing Peter any credentials to back up his claims, Peck walks into the Ghostbusters' building, "asking" to be shown very sensitive and rightfully classified technology (and specifically chemical tanks that they don't actually have) for no good reason. When a suspicious Peter refuses, he retaliates by forcing his way back into the building without notice, accompanied by a police officer and some guy in a hard-hat, waving around a piece of paper that neither the Ghostbusters or their lawyers have had a chance to review. This is a major breach of proper protocol for any kind of government facility. How Peck didn't wind up in jail himself is a major case of Karma Houdini. Though there are stories of actual government officials and bureaucrats doing that and worse in New York and getting away with it.
  • Bad Boss: As head of P.C.O.C. he at first deliberately interferes with the Ghostbusters' investigation out of spite. Even after Peck's Heel–Face Turn he still enjoys forcing the Ghostbusters to do unpleasant things, especially Peter.
  • Character Development: Probably goes through the most out of any of the cast over the course of the movies, games, and comics, going from an inept bureaucrat who hates the Ghostbusters, to a manipulative bureaucrat who hates the Ghostbusters (but not as much).
  • Covered in Gunge: But hey, at least it was marshmallow.
  • Cruel and Unusual Death: Averted; he survives it.
  • Dumbass Has a Point: Despite the "too dumb to live" below, he does have a good point that the Ghostbusters are using some extremely suspicious and dangerous technologies in an equally unprofessional manner. Of course, his response is every bit as stupid.
    • Ends up banking on this to keep the Ghostbusters running and their gear from being seized in the IDW comics: Yes, they've got suspicious and dangerous technology, and yes, it does get used in unprofessional manners. But the Ghostbusters are also frequently the only ones who know how to maintain and (more importantly) stabilize said tech. It helps that, by his own admission, nobody wants "to press the point with the idiot who foricibly turned off the containment grid."
  • Harmless Villain: Kinda sorta; the containment unit gets blown up because of him in the first film but Peck generally doesn't do anything truly lethal to the Ghostbusters directly. He acts as an independent Disc-One Final Boss who manages to either restrain or delay the Ghostbusters, which gives the real villains more time or freedom to act.
  • Hate Sink: Peck with his imperious self-righteousness and his Jerkass Never My Fault belligerency is clearly designed to inspire a burning hatred in the audience. When he has the Ghostbusters arrested for the explosion when it is clearly his own fault, the whole audience wants to punch his lights out.
    • In the DVD commentary, William Atherton complained that the movie ruined his life; Peck's character was so despised that people would speak to Atherton as though they were giving him a piece of their mind, and people started bar fights with him on several occasions.
  • Heel–Face Turn: In the comics, following the events of the game. He's still a dick, but a dick who recognizes the need for the Ghostbusters and will defend their behavior to the mayor and the press.
  • Jerkass: Where to begin? He harasses the Ghostbusters based solely on rumors. He orders the containment grid to be turned off despite the warnings of the Ghostbusters and a Con Ed technician's reticence against doing so, resulting in the release of all the ghosts therein. Then he has the nerve to have the Busters arrested for the disaster he himself caused!
  • Jerkass Has a Point:
    • His initial request to see the containment grid was reasonable. It is his job to make sure people like the Ghostbusters are operating with safe equipment, and in fact the Ghostbusters' containment grid could cause a massive explosion in a densely-populated area. After getting crudely brushed off by Peter, however, he overreacts and orders the grid's immediate deactivation. If Peter had cooperated instead of treating Peck and the EPA as an enemy from the start, they could have avoided the ensuing meltdown.
    • This trope is also inverted; Peter has a point against his point. Nothing he was accusing them of was actually in EPA jurisdiction (The Nuclear Regulatory Commission would probably have wanted to have a word with them, though). His actions were completely illegal, and Peter rightfully counters that he is willing to sue for wrongful prosecution. Tellingly, notice that when Peck returns for his fateful "shutting off the containment system" visit, he brings with him one police officer and one guy in a workman's outfit and hard hat - i.e. no one trained to deal with the things he accused the Ghostbusters of. If there is any evidence for Peck pulling things out of his ass in service of his witch hunt, it's this.
    • A second valid inverson is that Peck never showed any credentials confirming his claim to be from the EPA, had no search warrant, nor listed any plausible violations of code that allowed him even in the building, and lastly had voiced not one complaint brought against the Ghostbusters business, by anyone. Peter was right to be concerned that Peck was himself a fraud who just wanted to look at the containment unit for nefarious purposes, and Peter was ultimately proven right.
  • Malicious Slander: After he causes the explosion with his careless shutdown of the containment unit, he tells the mayor, and anyone who will listen, that The Ghostbusters were causing hallucinations of ghosts by deliberately exposing their clients to massive amounts of noxious chemicals without any evidence whatsoever. Barring the sheer implausibility of the Ghostbusters actually being able to pull this off, such a reckless accusation does open Peck to any number of lawsuits, which any competent lawyer could easily use to bring massive consequences upon the accuser if he doesn't have iron-clad evidence, which Peck did not.
  • Never My Fault: Peck loudly and blatantly blames the Ghostbusters for causing an explosion when it is clearly obvious in front of multiple witnesses that he himself is personally responsible for the disaster when he ordered the containment grid turned off.
  • Obstructive Bureaucrat: A government bureaucrat who, in his quest to obstruct one business, obstructs the business of the entire world.
  • The Peter Principle: He has absolutely zero understanding of the Ghostbusters' technology, yet legally has the right to screw with both it and them (to a point; Peter actually threatens to sue him for the degree he's abusing his authority even before he shuts down the equipment illegally). Hilarity does not ensue. He's just a petty tyrant who thinks being a federal regulator means he can do anything.
  • Red Herring Mole: In the video game, the Ghostbusters think he's the Big Bad, but it turns out he's an Unwitting Pawn.
  • Shared Mass Hallucination: He thinks that the Ghostbusters were using hallucinations to make ghosts.
  • Sitcom Arch-Nemesis: To Peter in the IDW continuity, who he never misses an opportunity to needle.
  • Stealth Insult: The astute viewer will notice that Peck continues to refer to Venkman as "Mister" even after pointedly looking over Venkman's two doctorates hanging on the walls of his office.
  • Straw Character: Peck is the quintessential Reagan-era caricature of a government inspector.
  • Strawman Has a Point: In-universe. He's up against the quintessential trifecta of what government inspectors are supposed to inspect; unprofessional, irresponsible and downright dangerous actions by private individuals. However, he falls flat on his face in that he is all those things himself, and makes no attempt to find responsible professionals to make the Ghostbusters' operation safer; he just shows up and throws his weight around because he found a loophole to justify his presence, (and even that is unlikely to stand up in court) and just makes everything worse as government inspectors tend to do.
  • Too Dumb to Live: Let's see; he believes that mass numbers of average people can be induced to see Shared Mass Hallucinations. He knows absolutely nothing about chemicals, radiation, or any of the other things he claims to be harassing the Ghostbusters about, and worst of all, grabs what appears to be a random city worker to shut down equipment he doesn't even begin to understand. He's lucky something really unpleasant didn't grab him and make him into a snack. He's even luckier he was wrong; if it had been storage for dangerous chemicals and failed as spectacularly he would have killed thousands of people.
  • Unusual Euphemism: "This man has no dick."
    "Well, that's what I heard!"

    The Mayor 

Mayor Lenny Clotch

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/gb1mayorbioupdate_9.png

Played by: David Margulies

Dubbed by: Marc de Georgi (European French)

Appears in: Ghostbusters | Ghostbusters II

"Somebody get me the Ghostbusters."

The Mayor of New York City in the first two movies who assists the Ghostbusters to save the city.

  • Ascended Extra: He was a One-Scene Wonder in the first film, but got a larger role in the second.
  • Deadpan Snarker: Has his moments
  • First-Name Basis: The Ghostbusters eventually get to know him on this by the second film.
  • Jerk with a Heart of Gold: Seems rather acerbic at first, but is a respected man who'll do whatever it takes to keep New York safe.
  • Joisey: Sports an accent like this.
  • Raised Catholic: Seems probable; he's on very good terms with the Archbishop of New York, even calling him by name and inviting him to his office as a consultant when ghosts start flooding the streets.
  • Reasonable Authority Figure: In contrast to Peck and Hardemeyer, he is much more willing to accept the Ghostbuster's help.

    Janosz Poha 

Janosz Poha

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/dr_janosz_poha.jpg

Played by: Peter MacNicol

Dubbed by: Vincent Violette (European French)

Appears in: Ghostbusters II

A curator at the Manhattan Museum of Art that was forced by mind control to do Vigo's bidding and act as his agent on the mortal realm.

    Stephen Wexler 

Judge Stephen "The Hammer" Wexler

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/judgestephenwexler.jpg

Played by: Harris Yulin

Dubbed by: Yves Barsacq (European French)

Appears in: Ghostbusters II

A notorious New York Hanging Judge who nearly put the Ghostbusters permanently out of commission. It was he who also tried and convicted the Scoleri Brothers for murder, sentencing them to electrocution.

  • Ain't Too Proud to Beg: Despite his tough exterior, he has no qualms about begging the Ghostbusters to save his sorry ass when he is proved wrong that ghosts definitely exist.
  • Adaptation Name Change: The Novelization identifies him as Judge Roy Beane, presumably as a Shout-Out to the famous judge from The Wild West.
  • Dirty Coward: Wexler may be a harsh and imposing judge, but he gets a big fright when he sees the ghosts of the Scholeri Brothers, men he sentenced to death, appear in his courtroom. He hides under a table and tries to leave the court as quickly as possible, not bothering to help the prosecutor who is being terrorised by the ghosts of the Scholeri Brothers. Wexler also has the cheek to beg the Ghostbusters, whom he had just sentenced to prison, fined heavily and are still under a judicial order, for help. Plus, he grudgingly rescinds send order and then orders the Ghostbusters to put things right.
  • Hair-Trigger Temper: Angry seems to be his default mood.
  • Hanging Judge: Has a rep for giving defendants harsh sentences. Tellingly the ghosts awoken from his ranting are two crooks he sentenced to death.
  • Jerkass: In addition to acting like an asshole toward everyone in his courtroom he uses the sentencing statement as a chance to bellow about how much he hates the Ghostbusters and how much he wishes he could give them harsher, more draconian punishments. His anger and hatred are so extreme it spawns ghosts from the Hate Slime, something not seen in anyone else in the movie up to that point.
  • Large Ham: Especially during his "BURNED AT THE STAKE!!!!" rant.
  • Oh, Crap!: "Oh my God, THE SCOLERI BROTHERS!"
  • Reasonable Authority Figure: Sort of becomes one out of desperation when he decides to rescind his sentence and let the ghostbusters take care of the Scoleri Brothers' ghosts who were terrorizing the courthouse.

    Jack Hardemeyer 

Jack Hardemeyer

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/gbiijackhardemeyer.png

Played by: Kurt Fuller

Dubbed by: Michel Derain (European French)

Appears in: Ghostbusters II

Mayor Lenny's assistant who views the Ghostbusters with disdain.

  • Jerkass: Hardemeyer is an arrogant Amoral Attorney who abuses his position of working with the mayor and gets the Ghostbusters committed out of spite.
  • Obstructive Bureaucrat: Like Peck before him, he goes out of his way to make things miserable for the Ghostbusters.
  • Suspiciously Similar Substitute: He takes Walter Peck's role as the jackass close to the mayor who antagonizes the Ghostbusters, though arguably he's even worse.

Villains

    Gozer 

Gozer

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Ghostbusters_-_Gozer_631.jpg
https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/ghostbusters_wallpaper_tow2m.jpg
The Destructor's "chosen form".

Played by: Slavitza Jovan (humanoid form), Paddi Edwards (voice)

Appears in: Ghostbusters

"Subcreatures, Gozer the Gozerian, Gozer the Destructor, Volguus Zildrohar, the Traveler has come; choose and perish."

An ancient Sumerian deity fond of entering dimensions and destroying them. Its impending arrival somehow causes an increase in the spectral activity of the targeted dimension, starting the events of the first movie.

  • '80s Hair: A mean flat-top.
  • Agony Beam: Uses this on the Ghostbusters after they told it they were not gods.
  • Attack of the 50-Foot Whatever: Went from a "large and moving torb" to a "giant sloar" and then a giant marshmallow man. It typically arrives in a pre-chosen form from a previous world it destroyed.
  • Big Bad: Of the first movie.
  • Combat Stilettos: In its humanoid form.
  • Eldritch Abomination: A non-cephalopod variety.
  • Evil Sounds Deep: Speaks with a raspy, deep voice.
  • For the Evulz: Seems to travel universes and destroy civilizations entirely for its own amusement.
  • A Form You Are Comfortable With: Apparently Gozer's trademark. When it arrives to cause an apocalypse, it forces the denizens of the world its about to destroy to choose the form it will end them with. Ray accidentally chooses the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man, which he believes to be incapable of causing the kind of destruction Gozer wants (and probably would have been had it not been the size of a skyscraper).
  • The Glorious War of Sisterly Rivalry: The video game and comics say it had a major rivalry with its sister Tiamat.
  • Hoist by His Own Petard: The door Gozer used to enter our world is also the thing that pushed it back out.
    • Further, Gozer's habit of making the inhabitants of a realm choose the form used to destroy it works against Gozer this time. Gozer ends up stuck in a chubby, awkward body made of marshmallows and lacking any special destructive abilities, bringing Gozer down to a level where four random humans on foot manage to thwart the destruction entirely (multiple times if you count the Expanded Universe).
  • Humanoid Abomination: At least Gozer took the form of one. Its true form has never been revealed.
  • I Have Many Names: Also known as "Gozer the Gozerian", "Gozer the Traveler," "Gozer the Destructor", "Lord of the Sebouillia" and "Volguus Zildrohar."
  • Jerkass God: Gozer seems to look down on any being who isn't a deity of some kind to the point where it will torture or kill them on the spot.
    Gozer: Are you a god?
    Ray:...No.
    Gozer: Then....DIIIIEEEEEEE!!!!
  • The Not-So-Harmless Punishment: Ray tries to think of a form for Gozer that couldn't possibly hurt anyone. There were certainly worse forms Gozer could have had, but Gozer still ends up as a hostile kaiju.
    "Nice thinking, Ray."
  • No Biological Sex: Gozer only takes on forms with characteristics of other genders. In truth, it has none of its own.
  • Not Quite Dead: Returns as the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man in the 2009 game, but in this game is fried to a crisp.
  • Omnicidal Maniac: Seems to be Gozer's main goal. It kills everyone, its summoners, even its worshipers and all else in its way.
  • Otherworldly and Sexually Ambiguous: In the final confrontation, the boys are surprised that s/he's a "girl", but clearly s/he is both, though it leans more towards the feminine. note 
    Ray: It's a girl.
    Egon: It's Gozer.
    Winston: I thought Gozer was a man.
    Egon: It's whatever it wants to be.
  • Person of Mass Destruction: Gozer has come to be known for its tendency to destroy all that is in its path.
  • Physical God: And anyone who isn't can PERISH!
  • Red Eyes, Take Warning
  • Sadistic Choice: Upon arriving at a targeted planet, Gozer demands the inhabitants choose the form it will takes before it destroys the world. As the inhabitants of Earth find out, even seemingly-harmless choices will appear as dangerous monsters.
  • Shapeshifter Mode Lock: The Expanded Universe has implied that she was permanently stuck in the marshmallow man form.
    • In the 2009 video game, Ray mentions the possibility that Gozer is only able to create one Destructor form per dimension and therefore will only be able to manifest as the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man in this one.
    • The IDW comics had an alternate timeline where the Ghostbusters never defeated her and she's stranded on Earth in the Stay Puft form. After asking the Ghostbusters for help, they travel back in time to the Temple of Gozer and cover it in pictures of an even sillier cartoon character called Loofa Joe so their past versions would subconsciously turn Gozer into this if she tried to attack Earth again.
  • Vile Villain, Saccharine Show: A disturbing Humanoid Abomination with plans to destroy the world in a relatively light-hearted horror-comedy.
  • Voluntary Shapeshifting: From an androgynous woman covered in bubbles to a giant marshmallow man. Truly, Gozer doesn't seem to care what form it takes.

    Zuul and Vinz Clortho 

Zuul and Vinz Clortho

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/terror_dogs2.jpg

Played by: Ivan Reitman (voice of Zuul)

Appear in: Ghostbusters

Hellhound demigods and Gozer's loyal minions and scouts. Zuul is "The Gatekeeper" presumably responsible for guarding the Traveler's portal while Vinz Clortho is "The Keymaster" with the power to open it. They enter Earth first to prepare it for Gozer's arrival with Zuul possessing Dana Barrett and Vinz possessing Louis Tully.

  • Adorkable: Vinz Clortho when possessing Louis Tully. Unlike Zuul, who is a sinister and forceful presence, Vinz is just as dorky as the person it possessed. He describes Gozer the Traveler and his history of destruction more like an excited child than a terrifying demon.
  • Affably Evil: Vinz enthusiastically gushes to Egon about how Gozer has destroyed previous worlds and seems to expect humans to be genuinely excited about being destroyed. Vinz even politely assists Egon in mundane tasks and seems more like an excited puppy than a demonic invader.
  • Beware the Silly Ones: Vinz, who is adorkable when possessing Louis.
  • Cloud Cuckoolander: Vinz clearly isn't all there, though part of it may have been due to possessing Louis Tully.
  • Co-Dragons: To Gozer.
  • Creator Cameo: Director Ivan Reitman provided the voice for Zuul.
    "There is no Dana, ONLY ZUUL."
  • Demonic Possession: The possessed forms of Louis and Dana.
  • Dumb Muscle: Vinz even before possessing Louis shows that, while strong and tough, he's not exactly the brightest bulb of all. He attacks Louis in a crowded place, thus letting other people notice him, while Zuul attacks Dana inside her apartment without anyone finding out until Peter arrives for his date with her. Vinz also constantly smashes against tables and walls while chasing Louis.
  • Elite Mooks: Intimidating and frightening by themselves, but ultimately not the Big Bad.
  • Evil Costume Switch: After becoming possessed by Zuul, Dana Barrett greets Peter Venkman wearing only a diaphanous, flowing crimson dress which reveals a lot of skin.
  • Evil Sounds Deep: Zuul's voice becomes deep and monstrous when angered by Peter Venkman.
  • Hellhounds: They're known as "Terror Dogs".
  • Lady in Red: When possessed by Zuul, Dana wears a revealing, red dress and her behavior becomes overtly sexual: first attempting to seduce Peter and later meeting and hooking up with Louis (possessed by Vinz Clortho).
  • The Mirror Shows Your True Self: When Egon has the possessed Louis hooked up to a brain-wave scanner, the image on the display is of Vinz Clortho's head.
  • Ms. Fanservice: Zuul, at least while it's in Dana's body.
  • Pet the Dog: When Vinz — in Louis's body — asks a horse drawing a carriage if it's the Gatekeeper, the driver rudely accosts him. Vinz growls at the man with glowing red eyes, gently assures the horse that when Gozer comes all prisoners will be released, then runs off shouting to the driver that he and all his kind will perish in flames.
  • Quirky Miniboss Squad: For Gozer.
  • Red Eyes, Take Warning: They both have glowing red eyes, which do shine through the eyes of their human forms.
  • Unusual Euphemism: "The Keymaster" and "The Gatekeeper". It's strongly implied they have to have sex to open the portal to Gozer's realm.
  • The Vamp: Zuul, while possessing Dana.

    Vigo 

Prince Vigo the Carpathian

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/vigogb.png

Played by: Wilhelm von Homburg (humanoid form), Max von Sydow (voice)

Dubbed by: Jean Violette (European French)

Appears in: Ghostbusters II

A 16th century tyrant and sorcerer, Prince Vigo von Homburg Deutschendorf conquered a good section of Eastern Europe before being put down by a rebellion at the age of 105. Vigo reappeared in modern day Manhattan possessing his own portrait, and generated a "mood slime" that heightened and reacted to people's negative emotions, which hastened his return.

  • Ambiguously Human: Seeing as how Vigo lived to be 105 and was tremendously difficult to kill, coupled with the plainly demonic appearance (complete with black eyes of evil and horns) he assumes in the film's climax, it's highly possible that Vigo was always some kind of demon that had possessed/merged with the human Vigo in the past and desired to possess another host. That, and his talk about "a mountain of skulls", "on the castle of pain" and sitting "on a throne of blood" are things that would exist in Hell, but not anywhere on Earth, even at the worst points in human history.
    • While not quite mountain-sized, huge piles of skulls have featured over the centuries with human tyrants: The Mongols in particular were fond of creating them.
  • Authority Equals Asskicking: A tyrant and sorcerer who curb-stomps the Ghostbusters.
  • Bad Ass Boast: "On a mountain of skulls in a castle of pain, I sat on a throne of blood."
  • Big Bad: Of the second movie.
  • Black Eyes of Crazy: When possessing Ray.
  • Blob Monster: He controls the living River of Slime beneath New York.
  • Body Surf: One of his more frightening powers.
  • Card-Carrying Villain: He refers to himself as "The Scourge of Carpathia" and "The Sorrow of Moldovia".
  • Catchphrase: "I, Vigo the Carpathian, (the names above), commands you!"
  • Demoted to Extra: While still present in the video game, his only role is to be present as a nod to the movie by his appearance via his talking painting in the Firehouse.
  • The Dreaded: Universally feared and hated by his own subjects while alive.
  • Emotion Eater: He feeds on human negative energy.
  • Evil Overlord: After rising to power, Vigo ruled his homeland and later the conquered Romanian region of Moldovia with an iron fist. History would remember him as a powerful magician and an intelligent genius, but also an oppressive tyrant, an egotistical autocrat, a psychopathic lunatic, and a genocidal madman
  • The Evil Prince: A notoriously despotic autocrat.
  • Evil Sorcerer: In his backstory.
  • Expy: Of Vlad the Impaler aka Count Dracula.
    • The novelization implies that he's Vlad Tepes's cousin.
    • The account of his drawn out chore of an assassination and accusations of mysticism also seem like a nod to Gregori Rasputin.
  • A God Am I: With the power to back it up.
  • Harmless Villain/Villain Decay: In the game, he's reduced to nothing more than his painting, unable to do much of anything aside from talk and make the player feel uncomfortable. To add insult to injury, said painting is owned by the very people who beat him: the Ghostbusters.
  • Hoist by His Own Petard: A version of Vigo's empathic slime empowered with positive emotions is what ultimately does him in.
  • Horned Humanoid: Grows two stumpy blood-colored horns after being sucked back into the painting during the final confrontation.
  • I Have Many Names to Run Away from Really Fast: Also known as Vigo the Cruel, Vigo the Torturer, Vigo the Despised and Vigo the Unholy.
    Peter: Wasn't he also Vigo the Butch?
  • Kubrick Stare
  • My Death Is Just the Beginning: Upon dying, he declared he would return to the living world one day. And he did.
  • Obviously Evil
  • Rasputinian Death: Practically almost parodied.
    Ray: He didn't die of old age, either. He was poisoned, stabbed, shot, hung, stretched, disemboweled, drawn and quartered.
    Peter : Ouch!
    Ray: ...There was a prophecy, just before his head died. His last words were, "Death is but a door, time is but a window: I'll be back."
  • Reincarnation: Invoked, then Subverted as Dana's baby Oscar was chosen to be Vigo's "new vessel" before the Ghostbusters foil the attempt.
  • Sealed Evil In A Painting: When first encountered. And he's this yet again in the video game, where the only thing he can do is talk to the player when interacted with.
  • Sorcerous Overlord: He was this in past life.
  • Spooky Painting: Dana comments that the painting gives her chills, even before the paranormal shenanigans begin.
  • Undead Abomination: He was so powerful that in Ghostbusters: The Video Game, he is classified as a Class 7 entity, the same level as Zuul, Vince Clortho and Gozer the Gozerian.
  • Vile Villain, Saccharine Show: In the much more family-conscious second movie, Vigo's back story of dictatorship and genocide seems especially imposing.
  • Would Hurt a Child: Vigo is more than willing to posses baby Oscar for his new body.

Ghosts

    Slimer 

Slimer

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/slimer_gbii89.jpg

Appears in: Ghostbusters | Ghostbusters II

A pudgy, gluttonous, free-floating apparition of unknown origin comprised of a viscous green ectoplasm, "Slimer" is the first ghost the Ghostbusters ever caught when the Sedgewick Hotel hires them to get rid of him. Depending on the continuity he's treated as an ally, an antagonist, a test subject, or a pet/mascot.

  • All There in the Manual: It's never really explained where he came from in the movies proper, but according to Dan Aykroyd he's the ghost of John Belushi.
  • Anthropomorphic Personification: In the IDW comics, Ray theorises that Slimer is a force of gluttony given form.
  • Big Eater: When first encountered, he's scoffing his way through a room-service trolley.
  • Blob Monster: Spherical, and made of slime.
  • Canon Immigrant: Although he originated in the first movie, the name Slimer and him living with the Ghostbusters originated in the animated series before it happened in the second film.
  • Creator Cameo: His voice is provided by series director Ivan Reitman.
  • Fat and Skinny: The Fat to Louis' Skinny.
  • Harmless Villain: The Ghostbusters caused MUCH more havoc than he did, and he never actually hurt anybody.
  • Heel–Face Turn: He helps Louis (and the other Ghostbusters to an extent) out near the end of the second movie.
  • Mascot
  • Meaningful Name: Deliberately. In the animated series, Ray gave him the name "just to annoy Peter."
  • Merger of Souls: Dan Aykroyd says he's an accumulation of spirits that haunt the hotel.
  • Multiple-Choice Past: The Expanded Universe offers multiple origins;
    • Dan Aykroyd said he was a "vapor - a kind of confluence of stored up psychic energy, an accumulation of spirits that haunt the hotel who doesn't want to leave". He also offered the alternative suggestion that he was the ghost of John Belushi.
    • The Marvel UK comics based on The Real Ghostbusters said he's the ghost of a human king called "Remils".
    • The tabletop game said he's on Earth as a result of cult rituals.
    • The 1992 annual said he was the ghost of an obese man who remembers nothing about his life except the desire to eat.
    • The 2017 IDW annual had the Ghostbusters suggest multiple theories, some of which were references to the above: a chef at the hotel who suffered a fatal heart attack on the job, a vagrant, an Anthropomorphic Personification of gluttony summoned by the Gozerian cult, and Venkman's gag suggestion he was a king.
  • Named by the Adaptation: Is never called Slimer in the movies and gets his name from The Real Ghostbusters cartoon series.
  • Non-Human Sidekick: Most likely — see below.
  • Our Ghosts Are Different: The first ghost seen not known to be the spirit of a deceased human being.
  • Sdrawkcab Name: Some of the comics say his name was King Remils when he was alive.
  • Team Pet: In the game and other media.

    Eleanor Twitty 

Eleanor Twitty a.k.a. "The Gray Lady" / "The Library Ghost"

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Ilyssa_6624.jpg

Played by: Ruth Oliver

Appears in: Ghostbusters

The very first ghost the Ghostbusters ever encountered (but not the first they captured). Gets an expanded role in the 2009 game where it's revealed she was murdered.

    The Scoleri Brothers 

Tony and Nunzio Scoleri

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/scoleribrothers.jpg

Played by: Jim Fye (voice of Tony), Tim Lawrence (voice of Nunzio)

Appear in: Ghostbusters II

The ghosts of convicted sibling murderers that appear at the Ghostbusters' trial. Their arrival and subsequent mayhem quickly convince everyone to reinstate the Ghostbusters.

Alternative Title(s): Ghostbusters 1984, Ghostbusters II

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