The Ghost: Ghost Of Christmas Past (David Johansen)

Helpful How? The Bill Murray comedy updates a lot about the story - the miser in need of spiritual redemption is snarky TV executive Frank Cross, not a grumbly old man, for example.

But while the ghost is an uproarious, cigar-chomping dead New York Taxi driver (with a time-traveling vehicle), he still manages to get a tear or two our of Cross as he witnesses his joyless, telly-obsessed childhood.

He's also a lot more fun than most ghouls.

Frightening Fact: Johansen got his start as a musician, and rose to cult fame as the singer for the New York Dolls. Considering that Scrooged was one of his earliest acting jobs, he does excellent work.