The Haunted Mask (book)/TV episode

"The Haunted Mask" is the first and second episode of season one of the Goosebumps TV series. Part one and part two premiered on October 28, 1995 on Fox Kids Network.

It was an major hit when it originally aired, gaining over 14 million views in its first airing. Kathryn Long, who played Carly Beth, even received a Gemini Award nomination for "Best Performance in a Children’s or Youth Program or Series".

Cast

 * Kathryn Long as Carly Beth Caldwell
 * Colin Fox as Tall Thin Man (The Shopkeeper)
 * Kathryn Short as Sabrina Mason
 * Brenda Bazinet as Kate Caldwell
 * Cody Jones as Noah Caldwell
 * George Kinamis (a.k.a. George Davis) as Steve Boswell
 * Amos Crawley as Chuck Greene
 * Fielding Horan as Trick-or-Treater #1
 * Rider Johnson as Trick-or-Treater #2
 * Jesse Cairns as Little Boy
 * Jennifer Pisana as Little Girl
 * Anne Marie DeLuise as Mrs. Caldwell
 * Quyen Hua as Oldest Girl
 * Alexander Broughton as 1st Costumed Boy
 * Ryder Britton as 2nd Costumed Boy

Differences from the book

 * In the book, The Shopkeeper only warns Carly Beth about the mask. When Carly Beth asks for it, The Shopkeeper sells it to her and even offers her a bag. In the episode, The Shopkeeper refuses to sell her the mask, so Carly Beth steals it. Once she takes the mask, The Shopkeeper begins shouting at her.
 * In the book, putting on the Haunted Mask makes Carly Beth's voice deeper and completely different. In the television adaptation, Carly Beth's voice sounds like a raspier version of her regular voice.

Home releases
"The Haunted Mask" was released on VHS on September 15, 1998. Despite being a popular episode, it as yet to receive a DVD release.

Trivia

 * Towards the end of the episode, when Carly Beth returns home, she throws the mask on the ground. But a few scenes later, it is back in her hand.
 * Early in the episode, Carly Beth's mother tells her to be careful with the plaster head, since it can break easily. Later, however, Carly Beth throws the stick (with the plaster head on it) on the ground when she "attacks" her friend by grabbing her neck and shirt collar. Then, Carly Beth lifts up the head and it is completely unharmed when it should have been broken.
 * The original premiere of the episode and its VHS release include R.L. Stine, as the television episode's host.
 * R.L. Stine makes a brief cameo in the background, when the children are trick-or-treating.
 * According to R.L. Stine's autobiography, they were going to use a rubber worm in the scene where Carly Beth Caldwell bites into the sandwich and finds a half-bitten worm, but Kathryn Long insisted on eating a real worm to make it realistic.
 * In the mask shop, while Carly Beth looks for a mask, you can see a mask of R.L. Stine.
 * Kathryn Short (Sabrina) played Sue in "A Night in Terror Tower", which also aired in season one.
 * Cody Jones (Noah) played Danny Anderson in season four's "The Ghost Next Door".
 * The episode was first premiered on Fox instead of Fox Kids, since the show hadn't premiered at the time.