ABC
An adaptation of Oscar Wilde’s 1887 short story, Sydney Macartney’s “The Canterville Ghost” aired on ABC on January 27, 1996, and, perhaps surprisingly, featured notable central roles for both the late legend Sir Patrick Stewart and Neve Campbell. Indeed, 1996 was a banner year for both actors, with Stewart appearing in the film “Star Trek: First Contact” and Campbell headlining two of the best teen movies of the 1990s over the same 12-month period (namely, “The Craft” and “Scream”). Stewart, of course, was already riding high professionally by that point. But for Campbell, this was the final vault before proper stardom following her breakout role on the hit series “Party of Five.”
It should be noted that Wilde’s original story is a light tale about a haunted mansion, and Macartney’s TV movie — which is currently streaming for free on platforms like Tubi and Prime Video — affects a similarly lighthearted tone.
