The Animated Toaster is a standard household toaster appliance used by Egon Spengler and Ray Stantz when they began studying the Psychomagnotheric Slime in Ghostbusters II.
History
Primary Canon History
Ghostbusters II
During the Vigo incident, Egon and Ray began to analyze the Psychomagnotheric Slime they gathered from various locations. They discovered it gave an equally strong positive reaction to Jackie Wilson's "(Your Love Has Lifted Me) Higher and Higher" song. A kinetic test of the reaction was conducted with a toaster. After coating the interior with the slime and playing Jackie Wilson, the toaster became animated and jumped, danced, and spat out toast. When shown this for the first time, Peter Venkman hugged the toaster and remarked it would be "my number one Christmas boutique gift item" then joked it ate his fingers. Ultimately, this kinetic test was carried out in a grander scale with the Statue of Liberty on New Year's Eve.
Ghostbusters: Back in Town
In June 2022, the toaster was in a glass case in the Firehouse garage bay.
Secondary Canon History
IDW Comics
During the Proteus incident, the alternate Ray Stantz held the Animated Toaster while his counterpart got ready to go through the Interspatial Teleportation Unit. During inventory, one fall, the animated toaster was chained down on a shelf.
Behind the Scenes
For the Animated Toaster, Chuck Gaspar and his crew mounted tiny air cylinders inside the toaster at various spots. The power cord was used as the air supply line. Microswitches were hooked in ad on cue they fired off the cylinders and the toaster bounced around the billiard table.[1]
Trivia
Ghostbusters II Trivia
- The toaster used was a two-slice chrome Toastmaster B700 model that first came out in 1978.
- In the November 27, 1988 draft, on pages 80 to 81, the kinetic test with the Animated Toaster]takes place after the Ghostbusters investigate the museum.
- On page 97, Winston suggests they tell Mayor Lenny about the Animated Toaster.
Ghostbusters: Afterlife Trivia
- The exact toaster and its product box was going to make a cameo in the kitchen of the Farmhouse in Ghostbusters: Afterlife but the scene was cut out.[2][3][4]
Ghostbusters: The Video Game Trivia
- The Toaster of Sights Unseen in Ghostbusters: The Video Game (Realistic Versions) is often mistaken for the Animated Toaster as it appears on the second floor billiards table after Rookie collects it.
IDW Comics Trivia
- On page 10 of Ghostbusters Issue #16, Ecto-1a's screen board advertises "Dancing Toaster, only $9.99!"
- On page 20 of Ghostbusters Issue #16, the poster on the right advertises the Dancing Toaster and quotes Peter's line, "You're my number one Christmas boutique gift item!"
- On page 17 of Ghostbusters: Get Real Issue #2, in panel 3, the box left of Ray Stantz, is for the Toastmaster Toaster Model B700 from McGraw-Edison.
- On page 18 of Get Real Issue #2, in panel 5, written on the chalkboard is 'Christmas Boutique Item' -- a nod to Peter's idea for the animated toaster.
- On the Subscription Cover of Ghostbusters 101 #5, near the vehicles is the toaster.
- On page 7 of Ghostbusters: Answer The Call Issue #1, in panel 2, the toaster atop the shelf appears to be a nod to the Dancing Toaster.
- On page 2 of Ghostbusters: Answer The Call Issue #2, like last issue, in panel 2, the toaster atop the shelf appears to be a nod.
Ghostbusters: Spirits Unleashed Trivia
- In Ghostbusters: Spirits Unleashed, the toaster can be found dancing on the pool table on the second floor of the Firehouse.
- After Patch 1.3.0, the toaster was removed temporarily due to a bug.
- Patch 1.3.1 brought the toaster back.[5]
Ghostbuters: Rise of the Ghost Lord Trivia
- In Frozen Empire Mission 1, at the top of the stairs on the second floor, take the first right into the room and shoot the ice with the Heat Beam. The Animated Toaster will hop once the billiard table thaws out.
Appearances
Primary Canon Appearances
- Ghostbusters II
- Chapter 13: Mood Slime
- Chapter 20: Kidnapping Oscar
- Mentioned by Winston Zeddemore.
- Chapter 23: The Statue of Liberty
- Mentioned by Winston Zeddemore.
- Dark Horse Comics
- Ghostbusters: Back in Town
Expanded Universe
- Ghostbusters: Afterlife
- Deleted Scene
Secondary Canon Appearances
- IDW Comics
- Ghostbusters Get Real
- Ghostbusters Annual 2017
- Ghostbusters 101 Prelude
- Ghostbusters 101
Tertiary Canon Appearances
- Ghostbusters: Spirits Unleashed
- Ghostbusters: Rise of the Ghost Lord
- Frozen Empire Mission 1 Call For Help
References
- ↑ Eisenberg, Adam (November 1989). Ghostbusters Revisited, Cinefex magazine #40, page 22. Cinefex, USA. Chuck Gaspar says: "We mounted tiny air cylinders inside the toaster at various spots and used the toaster's power cord as switches to fire off the cylinders and the little toaster went bouncing all over the table."
- ↑ Tested YouTube "Adam Savage Tours Ghostbusters: Afterlife’s Farmhouse Set!" 04:16-04:21 9/15/2021 Alex Smith says: "Up above, we have the box from the second movie that they poured the pink ooze into."
- ↑ Tested YouTube "Adam Savage Tours Ghostbusters: Afterlife’s Farmhouse Set!" 04:29-04:34 9/15/2021 Alex Smith says: "Yes, that's the same brand we found that--and sourced that out and then we'd gone back and we'd even get the actual toaster on the counter."
- ↑ Uproxx "In Which We Talk To Jason Reitman About Almost Everything Except ‘Ghostbusters: Afterlife’" 11/19/2021 Jason Reitman says: "The toaster from Ghostbusters II is in the kitchen in the farmhouse."
- ↑ GhostbustersSU Tweet 1/12/2023
- ↑ Ghostbusters 101 Class Notes (2017). IDW Comics- "Ghostbusters 101 #3" (2017) (Comic p.24). Ghostbusters 101 Class Notes reads: "Can animate the inanimate (statues, toasters, etc.)."
Gallery
Primary Canon Images
Primary Canon (Expanded Universe) Images
Secondary Canon Images
Tertiary Canon Images
Behind The Scenes Images
