135 Fun Facts About Hocus Pocus

In what year was the original 'Hocus Pocus' movie released?

Hocus Pocus was released in 1993 — on July 16, in high summer despite its Halloween theme — and only became a perennial through cable and home video.

Who directed the 1993 film 'Hocus Pocus'?

Kenny Ortega directed Hocus Pocus and returned to Disney to direct the three Descendants television movies from 2015.

Max Dennison has just been dragged to Salem by his parents from which city?

Max moved from Los Angeles, which is why the bullies nickname him 'Hollywood' and he says people back home are 'very health conscious'.

The role of Winifred Sanderson was originally written with which actress in mind?

Rosie O'Donnell was also offered Mary but turned it down because she did not want to play a mean witch.

What was Thackery Binx's original form before being transformed by the witches?

Thackery Binx was a human boy in Salem before Winifred cursed him to live forever as a black cat, unable to die and unable to be believed.

Although set in Salem, most of Hocus Pocus was shot on sound stages in which city?

Interiors were shot on sound stages at Walt Disney Studios in Burbank, California; only about two weeks of daytime exteriors were filmed in Salem and Marblehead.

Under Winifred's curse, who must light the candle in the cottage for the sisters to return?

The curse requires a virgin to light the candle on All Hallows' Eve under a full moon — which is exactly what Max does, to Binx's disgust.

Winifred's musical number at the town Halloween party enchants the adults to do what?

Winifred's 'I Put a Spell on You' makes the adults dance until they die; the spell breaks with the witches at sunrise and the parents stagger home exhausted.

What is Billy Butcherson's relationship to Winifred Sanderson?

Billy Butcherson is a zombie who was Winifred's unfaithful lover in the 17th century.

What fate befell Thackery Binx's younger sister, Emily, at the hands of the Sanderson Sisters?

Emily Binx's life force was drained by the Sanderson Sisters to restore their youth in the opening scene.

What was the original working title for the film 'Hocus Pocus'?

The film was initially conceived as a darker story with the working title 'Disney's Halloween House'.

Who auditioned for Max Dennison, impressed the director, but was too busy for the part?

Leonardo DiCaprio impressed Ortega but passed on Max to make What's Eating Gilbert Grape, the role that earned him his first Oscar nomination.

What unique ability does Mary Sanderson possess?

Mary Sanderson is characterized by her ability to 'smell' children, often sniffing them out for her sisters.

What power does Sarah Sanderson primarily use to draw children to her?

Her siren-like singing draws every child in Salem out of bed and toward the cottage in the final act.

What unconventional item does Mary Sanderson use for flight, instead of a traditional broomstick?

When the witches lose their brooms, Mary improvises by using a vacuum cleaner to fly.

What do the bullies Ice and Jay take from Max when they first corner him?

Ice is still wearing them later, which is how Mary's nose leads the sisters to the wrong boys.

What is the last name of Allison, Max's classmate and crush?

Allison's full name is Allison Watts, whose family has a historical connection to the Sanderson Sisters.

What does Max initially claim Halloween was invented by, trying to dismiss its significance?

Max, being a Halloween skeptic, sarcastically states that the holiday was invented by candy companies.

To get Dani to visit the Sanderson house, Max agrees to trick-or-treat next year as which pair?

Dani's condition is 'with tights, or it's no deal'.

What does Allison sprinkle around Billy's open grave to keep Dani safe from the witches?

It is set up earlier when Max grabs a canister of salt from the Sanderson cottage; witches cannot cross a ring of it.

In what year were the Sanderson Sisters originally hanged in Salem?

The film's prologue is dated October 31, 1693, a year after the real Salem witch trials.

What type of insects fly out of Billy Butcherson's mouth when he speaks?

When the stitches on Billy Butcherson's mouth are broken, moths fly out, which were reportedly real during filming.

Approximately how old was Omri Katz (Max) when he was filming 'Hocus Pocus'?

Born in May 1976, Omri Katz was 16 when he shot the film between October 1992 and February 1993; he later left acting altogether.

In Hocus Pocus, which real Salem building served as the exterior for the Halloween party where the witches perform?

Old Town Hall in Salem provided the exterior for the party where Winifred performs 'I Put a Spell on You'.

Hocus Pocus's 1693 opening, with Thackery Binx still human, was filmed at which historic Salem site?

Pioneer Village, a living history museum, stood in for 1693 Salem in the opening scene.

In the Sanderson cottage, what does Max convince the witches is a 'burning rain of death'?

Max flicks a lighter to set off the sprinklers and tells the sisters it is a 'burning rain of death', sending them fleeing from the cottage.

What does Thackery Binx vow to do for 300 years after his sister's death and his transformation?

Binx decides to spend his immortal cat life guarding the Sanderson cottage to prevent anyone from resurrecting the witches.

Which real cemetery, in neighbouring Marblehead, is where Ice and Jay first corner Max?

Old Burial Hill in Marblehead stood in for the daytime graveyard where Ice and Jay corner Max, one of the few scenes shot on the Massachusetts North Shore.

Allison's house, the Ropes Mansion, is a real Salem home dating from which decade?

The Ropes Mansion was built around 1727 — the 1720s — for merchant Samuel Barnard, and is owned by Salem's Peabody Essex Museum, which opens it for tours.

Max and Allison sit through Miss Olin's class at which high school?

It is where Max announces that Halloween was invented by candy companies, and where the witches are later lured into the kiln.

In Hocus Pocus, Sarah Sanderson's siren song, sung by Sarah Jessica Parker, is commonly known by what title?

'Come Little Children' was written by James Horner, who came back for Sarah's theme after dropping out as composer; John Debney scored the rest of the film in two weeks.

How did Winifred kill Billy Butcherson back in 1693?

Winifred poisoned Billy after catching him 'sporting' with her sister Sarah, then sewed his mouth shut so he could not tell her secrets even in death.

What item does Winifred refer to as her 'booooook'?

Winifred's prized possession is her sentient spellbook, which she needs to perform her magic.

In Hocus Pocus, where do the children flee because the Sanderson witches cannot step onto hallowed ground?

A cemetery is off-limits to the witches, so Winifred raises Billy Butcherson from his grave and sends him in after the children.

Sean Murray, who played the human Thackery Binx, later spent two decades as Agent McGee on which series?

Hocus Pocus was his first feature film; his lines as Binx were dubbed by Jason Marsden.

Which item does Sarah Sanderson fly on when she can't find a broom?

After the witches lose their original flying devices, Sarah flies on a mop.

What is the name of Max and Dani's mother?

Stephanie Faracy plays Jenny Dennison, Max and Dani's mother.

What is the name of Max and Dani's father?

Charles Rocket played Dave Dennison, Max and Dani's father.

The sisters mistake a costumed homeowner for their 'Master'. Who is he dressed as?

The witches mistake a man dressed in a devil costume at a party for their 'Master', Satan.

The witches are lured into a kiln at which real Salem school building?

The building had closed the year before filming, which made it available for the sequence.

What color is the flame of the candle that can resurrect the Sanderson Sisters?

The candle is known as the Black Flame Candle, indicating its dark magic.

How did producer David Kirschner first come up with the story that became Hocus Pocus?

A neighbour's black cat wandered past while the two sat outside one night, and he improvised the Sanderson Sisters on the spot.

What do the Sanderson Sisters mistake a modern-day paved road for?

The sisters take the asphalt for a black river; Winifred tests it with a toe, declares it 'firm as stone', and only then works out that it is a road.

What is the name of Thackery Binx's best friend in 1693?

In 1693, Thackery's best friend is Elijah, who helps rally the townspeople after Emily's disappearance.

In Hocus Pocus, what happens to the Sanderson Sisters at sunrise unless they have sucked the life out of a child?

They turn to dust when the sun rises unless they have sucked the life out of at least one child before dawn.

Which director makes an uncredited cameo as the homeowner the sisters mistake for their 'Master'?

Garry Marshall, director of Pretty Woman, plays the devil-costumed homeowner; his sister Penny Marshall plays the wife who throws the witches out of the house.

What is the real first name of the bully who insists on being called Ice?

Ice's real name is Ernie, which he hates so much that he has ICE shaved into the back of his head so nobody forgets.

Hocus Pocus opened in US cinemas on the same day as which other 1993 family film?

Hocus Pocus and Free Willy both opened on Friday, July 16, 1993; Hocus Pocus placed fourth that weekend with $8.1 million.

What is playing on the boombox the kids use to lure the witches into the kiln?

Allison got the idea from an old oven behind a seafood restaurant, then remembered the pottery kiln at school.

Which actress played the youngest of the three Sanderson sisters in Hocus Pocus?

Sarah Jessica Parker played the youngest sister, the one described as the most beautiful but the least sharp of the three.

The sequel Hocus Pocus 2 skipped cinemas and premiered on which service?

Hocus Pocus 2 premiered on Disney Plus on September 30, 2022, as a streaming exclusive nearly three decades after the original.

Kenny Ortega, who directed Hocus Pocus, later directed which Disney Channel musical trilogy?

Kenny Ortega directed all three High School Musical films (2006–2008), which turned a Disney Channel TV movie into a global phenomenon.

Kathy Najimy, Mary Sanderson in Hocus Pocus, had just appeared in which 1992 comedy?

Sister Act and its 1993 sequel bracketed her turn as the middle Sanderson sister; she played a nun in both.

The film's Salem setting trades on witch trials held in which year?

The Salem witch trials of 1692 are the history the film trades on; its own prologue is set a year later, on October 31, 1693.

Bette Midler, who played Winifred, has performed for decades under which nickname?

'The Divine Miss M' was Midler's stage persona from her early-1970s New York cabaret years, and the title of her 1972 debut album.

Doug Jones (zombie Billy Butcherson) later played the Amphibian Man in which Best Picture winner?

Jones played the Amphibian Man in The Shape of Water, Guillermo del Toro's 2017 Best Picture winner — a rare romantic lead under full prosthetics.

Which character does Kathy Najimy voice on the animated series King of the Hill?

Kathy Najimy has voiced Peggy Hill, Hank's wife, from the show's 1997 debut through its 2025 revival.

Thora Birch, who played Dani, earned a BAFTA nomination for her role in which 1999 film?

In American Beauty Birch played Jane Burnham, the daughter, earning a BAFTA supporting-actress nomination and sharing the cast's Screen Actors Guild ensemble award.

Co-writer Mick Garris is best known for adapting the work of which author?

Mick Garris directed Stephen King's Sleepwalkers (1992) and the miniseries of The Stand (1994) and The Shining (1997), becoming King's go-to screen adaptor.

Jason Marsden voiced Thackery Binx. Which Disney character has he voiced since 1995?

The role began with a 1995 animated feature and he has returned to it repeatedly ever since.

Which song became Bette Midler's biggest hit and won her the Grammy for Record of the Year?

'Wind Beneath My Wings', from Beaches, topped the Billboard Hot 100 in 1989 and won the 1990 Grammy for Record of the Year.

What are Max and Dani's parents dressed as at the Salem Halloween party?

Max's dad goes as Dracula and his mom as cone-bra Madonna, which is how Max and Dani find them at the town hall party.

Hocus Pocus was made on a budget of roughly how much?

Hocus Pocus cost about $28 million, and its disappointing 1993 theatrical run is thought to have lost Disney money before video and television turned it into a perennial.

Who directed the 2022 sequel?

Anne Fletcher, director of Step Up and The Proposal, directed Hocus Pocus 2; original director Kenny Ortega did not return.

Winifred's showstopper "I Put a Spell on You" was first recorded by which artist?

Screamin' Jay Hawkins cut the theatrical, growling original for Okeh Records; it has since been covered by everyone from Nina Simone to Creedence Clearwater Revival.

Doug Jones played both the Faun and the Pale Man in which 2006 fantasy film?

In Guillermo del Toro's Pan's Labyrinth, Jones played both the Faun and the eyes-in-his-palms Pale Man under heavy prosthetics.

Before directing, Kenny Ortega choreographed which 1987 dance film?

Ortega choreographed Dirty Dancing (1987); his other 1980s credits include Pretty in Pink and the parade number in Ferris Bueller's Day Off.

Omri Katz, who played Max, spent eight years as John Ross Ewing III on which prime-time soap?

Katz played John Ross Ewing III on Dallas from 1983 to 1991, before taking the lead in Hocus Pocus.

In which year was "I Put a Spell on You" originally recorded?

Screamin' Jay Hawkins recorded 'I Put a Spell on You' in September 1956, and Okeh released the single the following month.

Thora Birch received a Golden Globe nomination for which 2001 film?

Ghost World earned Birch a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress in a Musical or Comedy; two years later she was Emmy-nominated for Homeless to Harvard.

Jason Marsden voiced Haku in the English dub of which animated film?

Marsden voiced Haku in Disney's 2002 English dub of Spirited Away, opposite Daveigh Chase as Chihiro.

Including re-releases, Box Office Mojo puts the film's domestic gross at roughly what figure?

About $46 million lifetime in North America, only about $39.5 million of it from the original 1993 run — modest for a studio release and short of what it cost to make and market.

What does Winifred's spellbook have set into its cover?

The Book's cover is bound in what looks like skin with a living human eye set into it, which blinks and looks around during the film.

In which US state was Hocus Pocus 2 primarily filmed?

Rhode Island hosted the shoot: sets went up at Chase Farm in Lincoln, and Newport's Washington Square stood in for modern Salem.

Who wrote the screenplay for Hocus Pocus 2?

D'Angelo's script was announced in October 2019 for what became a Disney+ exclusive.

Which director was originally attached to Hocus Pocus 2 before Anne Fletcher took over?

Shankman left to direct Disenchanted but stayed on as an executive producer.

Under what working title did Hocus Pocus 2 begin filming in October 2021?

Under the working title Black Flame, filming began on October 18, 2021, in Providence.

How many Emmy nominations did Hocus Pocus 2 receive at the 75th Emmy Awards?

They included a nod for Outstanding Television Movie.

Which Disney film's Nielsen streaming opening record did Hocus Pocus 2 surpass?

The sequel logged 2.7 billion minutes viewed in its opening weekend against Encanto's 2.2 billion.

Who plays Becca, the aspiring witch who revives the sisters in Hocus Pocus 2?

Whitney Peak (Gossip Girl) plays Becca, who lights the candle on her 16th birthday and turns out to be a natural witch.

Which Veep and Detroiters actor plays magic-shop owner Gilbert in Hocus Pocus 2?

Sam Richardson — Veep's Richard Splett and co-creator of Detroiters — plays Gilbert, who tricks the girls into reviving the witches he saw as a boy on Halloween 1993.

Which Ted Lasso star plays the Mother Witch in Hocus Pocus 2?

Hannah Waddingham, Ted Lasso's Rebecca Welton, plays the Mother Witch, who gives young Winifred the spellbook and shapeshifts into a crow.

Which Arrested Development actor plays Salem's Mayor Traske in Hocus Pocus 2?

Hale also plays Reverend Traske, the mayor's 17th-century ancestor.

What is the name of the forbidden all-powerful spell in Hocus Pocus 2?

Magicae Maxima, the Power Spell, demands that the caster give up what they cherish most — for Winifred, her sisters.

In what year is Hocus Pocus 2's prologue, in which young Winifred is banished, set?

The prologue is set in Salem in 1653, when Reverend Traske banishes 16-year-old Winifred for refusing to marry John Pritchett.

In which pharmacy chain do Becca and Izzy outwit the sisters in Hocus Pocus 2?

In Walgreens the sisters are dazzled by the lighting and the anti-ageing creams while Becca and Izzy slip away — one of the sequel's running jokes about modern retail.

Stars of which reality show impersonate the sisters in Hocus Pocus 2's costume contest?

RuPaul's Drag Race alumnae Ginger Minj, Kornbread Jeté and Kahmora Hall play the Winifred, Mary and Sarah lookalikes in the costume contest.

Roughly how much money did the original Hocus Pocus possibly lose Disney in theaters?

Disney is estimated to have lost about $16.5 million on the theatrical run; annual October airings later turned the flop into a cult classic.

Which blockbuster topped the box office on the July 1993 weekend Hocus Pocus opened in fourth place?

Jurassic Park led, with In the Line of Fire and The Firm also ahead of Hocus Pocus, which took $8.1 million.

Which film beat Hocus Pocus to first place during its October 2020 theatrical re-release?

Tenet held first place; Hocus Pocus, back in 2,570 pandemic-era theaters, took second with $1.9 million that weekend.

Which comedian declined the role of Mary Sanderson, not wanting to play a mean witch?

Rosie O'Donnell turned down Mary because she did not want to play a mean witch; Kathy Najimy took the part instead.

In what year did Disney buy Mick Garris's original Hocus Pocus script?

The early draft was darker and had 12-year-old protagonists; production stalled until Bette Midler signed on in 1992.

Who composed the Hocus Pocus score in just two weeks after a last-minute switch?

John Debney wrote the score in about two weeks after a last-minute change of composer, and returned to score Hocus Pocus 2 in 2022.

Which composer, unavailable to score the film, still wrote the music for Sarah's Theme?

Horner's melody, sung by Sarah Jessica Parker, is better known as 'Come Little Children'.

Which Aram Khachaturian piece appears in the Hocus Pocus soundtrack?

It was arranged for the film by George Wilson.

Who produced and arranged Bette Midler's version of 'I Put a Spell on You' for the film?

Shaiman, Midler's longtime collaborator, later co-wrote the musical Hairspray.

In what year was Hocus Pocus first released on VHS in the United States?

Walt Disney Home Video released it on VHS and LaserDisc on January 5, 1994.

Where was the 2018 'Hocus Pocus 25th Anniversary Halloween Bash' filmed?

The Freeform special was staged at Hollywood Forever Cemetery, with Sharon and Kelly Osbourne hosting its costume contest.

What is the name of the Sanderson Sisters show that debuted at Magic Kingdom in 2015?

The Hocus Pocus Villain Spelltacular debuted in 2015 as a castle stage show during Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party, with new actresses as the sisters.

Aaron Wallace's 2016 book, the first full-length study of the film, is titled what?

Hocus Pocus in Focus: The Thinking Fan's Guide to Disney's Halloween Classic carries a foreword by Thora Birch and an afterword by Mick Garris.

The 2020 virtual reunion 'In Search of the Sanderson Sisters' benefited which charity?

It raised money for the New York Restoration Project, the parks charity Bette Midler founded in 1995; guests included Meryl Streep, Mariah Carey and Glenn Close.

In what year did Disney first confirm that Hocus Pocus 3 was in development?

Disney film chief Sean Bailey confirmed in June 2023 that Hocus Pocus 3 was in development; Midler, Parker and Najimy all said they would return.

In the 2018 novel sequel, what is the name of Max and Allison's daughter?

Poppy visits the Sanderson house 25 years to the day after the film to prove the story false.

Bette Midler was born in which city?

Midler was born in Honolulu in 1945 and raised in Hawaii before moving to New York, where Fiddler on the Roof gave her a Broadway start in the late 1960s.

Bette Midler's starring film debut, a 1979 musical drama, was what?

The Rose, loosely based on Janis Joplin, won Midler a Golden Globe and earned her first Oscar nomination for Best Actress.

Bette Midler built her early following in 1970 singing at what kind of New York venue?

Her 1970–72 shows at the Continental Baths, a gay bathhouse on Manhattan's Upper West Side, made her a star before her first album.

Sarah Jessica Parker was born in which state?

Parker was born in Nelsonville, Ohio, in 1965 and made her Broadway debut at 11 in The Innocents.

Sarah Jessica Parker played the title role of which Broadway musical starting in 1979?

Parker took over the title role in Annie in 1979, succeeding Andrea McArdle and Shelley Bruce as the Depression-era orphan.

Sarah Jessica Parker's 1982 CBS sitcom, which lasted one season, was called what?

Square Pegs ran for a single 1982–83 season on CBS; Parker later found global fame as Carrie Bradshaw in Sex and the City.

Kathy Najimy was born in which California city?

She is the daughter of Lebanese-American parents and graduated from San Diego State.

Kathy Najimy played Olive Massery on which late-1990s NBC sitcom?

On Veronica's Closet (NBC, 1997–2000) Najimy played Olive Massery, a surname borrowed from her own mother, Samia Massery.

Vinessa Shaw (Allison) was cast in which Stanley Kubrick film while at Barnard College?

Kubrick cast Shaw as Domino in Eyes Wide Shut while she was studying at Barnard; the role convinced her to keep acting, and she later appeared in 3:10 to Yuma.

In which 1995 film did Thora Birch play young Teeny alongside Christina Ricci?

Now and Then cast Birch as young Teeny, the girl Melanie Griffith plays as an adult, two years after Hocus Pocus.

A year before Hocus Pocus, Thora Birch played Jack Ryan's daughter in which thriller?

Patriot Games (1992) cast Birch as Sally Ryan, Harrison Ford's daughter; it grossed $178 million worldwide.

Besides Dallas, Omri Katz starred in which cult 1991 TV series before Hocus Pocus?

Katz played Marshall Teller in Eerie, Indiana (1991–92); born to Israeli immigrants, he later left acting and worked as a hairdresser.

Kenny Ortega wrote and directed which posthumous Michael Jackson documentary?

Ortega had produced Jackson's cancelled This Is It concert residency.

Kenny Ortega was born in which California city?

Ortega was born in Palo Alto in 1950; in 2019 he was named a Disney Legend and received a Hollywood Walk of Fame star.

Doug Jones's longest-running TV role was which Star Trek: Discovery character?

Jones played the Kelpien Saru across all five seasons of Star Trek: Discovery; the mime and contortionist was also Abe Sapien in Hellboy.

Doug Jones began his screen career as which 1980s advertising character?

Jones used his mime training to play Mac Tonight, McDonald's crescent-moon-headed, piano-playing pitchman of the late 1980s.

The Hocus Pocus composer received his only Oscar nomination for which 2004 score?

Debney's lone Oscar nomination came for The Passion of the Christ (2004); his father Louis was a Disney producer on Zorro and The Mickey Mouse Club.

Sean Murray, the human Thackery Binx, was born at a Navy hospital in which state?

Murray was born at the Navy hospital in Bethesda, Maryland, to a Navy captain, and grew up on bases in Australia, Singapore, London and the US.

Charles Rocket, who played Max's dad, was a cast member of which sketch show?

Rocket was a Saturday Night Live cast member in the 1980–81 season, fired after saying the F-word on air; he later played the villain in Dumb and Dumber.

Stephanie Faracy, Max's mom, played John Candy's wife in which 1988 comedy?

In The Great Outdoors Faracy played Connie Ripley, John Candy's wife; she later appeared in Sideways and Flightplan.

Larry Bagby, the bully Ice, later played Marshall Grant in which 2005 biopic?

Bagby played Johnny Cash's bassist Marshall Grant in Walk the Line; he also played Larry Blaisdell on Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

Hocus Pocus 2's Gilbert actor won a 2023 Emmy for playing which Ted Lasso character?

Richardson won the 2023 Emmy for guest actor in a comedy as Ghanaian billionaire Edwin Akufo; born in Detroit, he co-created Detroiters.

Which Game of Thrones role did the Mother Witch actress play before Hocus Pocus 2?

Waddingham played Septa Unella, the 'Shame!' nun who marched Cersei through King's Landing, before her Emmy-winning turn as Rebecca Welton.

Which Toy Story character is voiced by the actor who plays Mayor Traske?

Hale voices Forky, the spork who insists he is trash, in Toy Story 4; he also replaced Bill Hader as Fear in Inside Out 2.

How many people were executed by hanging in the real Salem witch trials?

Nineteen people — fourteen women and five men — were hanged in 1692, most of them at Proctor's Ledge below Gallows Hill.

Which accused man died under torture for refusing to enter a plea at Salem?

Giles Corey, about 81, was pressed to death under stones in September 1692 after refusing to plead, reportedly asking only for 'more weight'.

In what year was the Salem Witch Museum founded?

The Salem Witch Museum opened in 1972 inside the Gothic Revival former East Church building on Washington Square.

By what nickname does Salem, Massachusetts promote itself?

The Witch City even has a street named Witch Way, and it hosts the annual Haunted Happenings festival.

In what year did the Freeform Halloween block that airs Hocus Pocus every October begin?

The block launched in 1998 as 13 Days of Halloween on Fox Family, became 13 Nights on ABC Family, and grew into a full 31 Nights of Halloween in 2018.

Producer David Kirschner designed which famous horror-movie animatronic doll?

Kirschner designed the Chucky doll for Child's Play (1988) and has produced the franchise ever since, from Bride of Chucky to the Chucky TV series.

Which 1986 animated film did David Kirschner create and executive produce with Spielberg?

An American Tail, which Kirschner created, was at release the highest-grossing non-Disney animated feature ever, with Spielberg as executive producer.

Screamin' Jay Hawkins originally intended 'I Put a Spell on You' to be what kind of song?

Hawkins wrote it as a refined blues ballad, but a drunken session overseen by producer Arnold Maxin turned it into the screaming version we know.