Slimer

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 animated television series The Real Ghostbusters. Slimer later starred in his own Slimer! cartoons when The Real Ghostbusters was extended to a one-hour format. Slimer also appeared as a representative of The Real Ghostbusters in the animated anti-drug television special, Cartoon All-Stars to the Rescue.

John Belushi homage

According to the terminology of the movie, 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 a homage to John Belushi, based on his character "Bluto" from Animal House.^{[citation needed]} 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.

Voice actors

In the first and second movie, Slimer was voiced by the film's director Ivan Reitman, while Frank Welker voiced the green ghost in The Real Ghostbusters. In the short-lived late 1990s cartoon Extreme Ghostbusters, Slimer's voice was provided by Billy West.

The Real 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. 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.

Slimer loves to eat almost anything, though his particular favorites are ice cream and pizza. However, it was revealed in the XGB episode Fear Itself that he is terrified of steamed Broccoli.

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 and was extended to a one-hour format. The show now featured Slimer! cartoon segments, focusing on the exploits of Slimer with some new characters, including neighborhood pets to the owner of the Sedgwick Hotel of the original movie. These Slimer segments were then followed by a normal Real Ghostbusters cartoon.

Naming

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. While not used to name the ghost, the term "slimer" is first used by Ray Stantz as he's describing the ghost storage facility to Winston Zeddemore. When the cartoon series was produced, in response to the name much given to the character by audiences, the writers renamed the green ghost "Slimer", and the name stuck on all subsequent Ghostbusters properties, although he was referred to as "Mean Green Ghost" early in the related toy line. He is officially titled "Slimer" in the end credits of Ghostbusters II although never referred to by that name in the actual film. Within the cartoon series, Ray actually names him "Slimer" to annoy Peter.

Ecto Cooler

Slimer was also notably the mascot for the Hi-C flavor "Ecto Cooler", which came out shortly after The Real Ghostbusters, and was colored green. Slimer remained on the box well after the Real Ghostbusters was canceled, but left the box in 1997, when the drink was renamed "Shoutin' Orange Tangergreen". Slimer also had a toothpaste called "Slimer" Toothpaste.

Comic book

SLIMER! was briefly published by NOW Comics, a now-defunct Chicago firm. Artists included Mitch O'Connell and Mark Braun. Writers included Larry Parr who also wrote for the animated series.