Slimer

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Slimer as he appeared on The Real Ghosbusters

Slimer is a fictional green ghost featured in the 1984 supernatural comedy movie Ghostbusters (as well as its 1989 sequel, Ghostbusters II), whose popularity soared from the subsequent spinoff television series The Real Ghostbusters and the short lived Slimer! and the Real Ghostbusters.

Slimer is technically a focused, non-terminal repeating phantasm, or a class-five full-roaming vapor. For years it has gone around Hollywood that Slimer was an homage to John Belushi, based on his character "Bluto" from "Animal House. His death precluded him from playing the starring role in "Ghostbusters", the role later assumed by long-time friend Bill Murray. In an endearing, yet strangely dark, moment of comedy, Murray's character, Peter Venkman, gets run down by Slimer. Venkman's use of "He slimed me..." instantly created a new verb to slime, which endures as popular slang.

In the first movie, Slimer was voiced by the film's director Ivan Reitman, while Frank Welker voiced the green ghost in Real Ghostbusters, and in the short-lived late 1990s cartoon Extreme Ghostbusters, Slimer's voice was provided by Billy West. Dan Aykroyd (Dr. Ray Stantz in the films) described Slimer as the ghost of John Belushi. Commentary from the 'Collector's Series' DVD of Ghostbusters

In the cartoon series "The Real Ghostbusters", it is explained how Slimer became an official member and mascot of the Ghostbusters. Venkman tells a reporter that Slimer helped him and the rest of the gang defeat ghostly versions of themselves, and that they decided to keep him. In the series it is stated that Slimer stayed with them "for strictly scientific reasons", as Egon Spengler says.

Slimer's role on The Real Ghostbusters was expanded to make the show more "kid friendly" and hence the show was renamed Slimer! and the Real Ghostbusters. The show featured segments focusing on Slimer which some new characters ranging from neigborhood pets to the owner of the Sedgwick Hotel of the original movie. In addition, Slimer is a good friend (if the only friend) of Stay Puft Marshmallow Man, who seems to act like an older brother to him.

Trivia

• In the script for Ghostbusters, Slimer is never actually referred to by any name, so he was never given one. The creature's original moniker was simply The Onionhead Ghost, which the film crew semi-officially dubbed him because of his horrible odor which he used to scare a couple in a scene cut from the original movie; when the cartoon series was produced, the writers renamed the green ghost "Slimer", and the name stuck on all subsequent Ghostbusters properties. He is officially titled "Slimer" in the end credits of "Ghostbusters II" although never referred to by that name in the actual film.

• Slimer was also notably the unofficial "spokesman" for the Hi-C flavor "Ecto Cooler", which came out shortly after the film, and was ostensibly colored green, in homage to Slimer. Slimer also had a toothpaste called "Slimer" Toothpaste.

• Slimer was one of many famous cartoon stars featured in the "Cartoon All-Stars to the Rescue".

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