MovieChat Forums > Extreme Ghostbusters (1997) Discussion > So at 40, Egon is too old to go Ghostbus...

So at 40, Egon is too old to go Ghostbusting with the team?

posted 10 years ago by HellboundHero
9 replies | jump to latest

Now I haven't watched much of this series(I was a Ghostbusters fanatic as a kid and watched the movies and the Real Ghostbusters), but I read that Egon is 39 going on 40 and that the original Ghostbusters are retired due to age, with Egon acting as sort of the Zordon or Master Splinter who is the obvious leader and mentor but stays at their headquarters and doesn't usually get physically involved. In the movies, Egon was most likely 40 when he and the others started the Ghostbusters, as Harold Ramis was 40 when the movie was released.

I guess it just seems a bit silly and ageist to me that everyone in action-oriented kids shows has to be either in their teens or twenties to do heroic stuff and retire by their 30s. It's especially silly when you consider the Ghostbusters were all past their 20s in the movies and yet they were all de-aged for the cartoons.

[–] CountVladDracula 10 years ago

He was thirty nine (the actor) in the first movie. If we go by that age and pretend he didn't age in the cartoon (the Real Ghostbusters didn't go off the air until 1992) that means within five years... roughly forty four he was too old?!

And that episode where you see the reunion of the "old ghostbusters" they make them kind of frail and pathetic... It was kind of insulting considering the previous cartoon wasn't that long before it.

[–] cyberdynesystems101 10 years ago

He was thirty nine (the actor) in the first movie. If we go by that age and pretend he didn't age in the cartoon (the Real Ghostbusters didn't go off the air until 1992) that means within five years... roughly forty four he was too old?!

Egon in the extreme ghotbusters cartoon was 39, (he mentions this to Garret in the Spihnx episode). That would mean he was about 32 when RGB ended.

I an't afraid of no ghosts!

[–] CountVladDracula 10 years ago

That's even worse, that's younger than he was in the original movie and he's too old for ghost busting?!

[–] HankFinley 10 years ago

I can see it on the fact that they took a lot of physical abuse during the real ghostbusters way more so then the movies, so maybe he had bad knees or bad back then really frail.

[–] Mithrandir-Olorin33 10 years ago

Yeah, people forget you can age pretty fast under the right conditions. King Solomon died of natural causes yet never reached 60. For various reasons I believe Solomon was 16 when his reign began, two years younger then Ussher assumed him to be.

"When the chips are down... these Civilized people... will Eat each Other"

[–] Fluke_Skywalker 8 years ago

According to an archived version of the original EGB website, Egon was supposed to be 41 here.

http://web.archive.org/web/19980526084427/http://www.spe.sony.com/tv/kids/xgb/profiles/index.html

That just so happens to be my current age (for the next month or so anyway), so I've got a certain perspective on the subject. I'm in better than average shape for my age. I eat well, work out. That said, I know I've lost half a step in the last few years. But to think that's somehow too old for busting ghosts. Really? Can I hang with a 22 year old on the b-ball court for 3 hrs? Maybe not. Can I hold a PKE meter and aim a proton pack? Um, yeah.

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A journey into the realm of the obscure: http://saturdayshowcase.blogspot.com/

[–] racy1285 8 years ago

In defense of the show. Egon isn't an athlete or a guy that would stay in shape. He's a teacher and scientist. Yeah that goes to the cliche of being a nerd but thats his character.

And the show does make it known that the Proton Pack is heavy. Even the young people had a hard time with it.

[–] Fluke_Skywalker 8 years ago

That's a good point about Egon being more of a sedentary archetype, racy. But the more I chew on this the more I'm convinced that, if given the choice, who would you rather see show up at your house if you had a serious (in this case paranormal) problem? A group of experienced, middle-aged professionals or a gang of high school misfits?

I get that was the point of it, and it's not like this was trying to appeal to the over forty crowd. Just sayin'.

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A journey into the realm of the obscure: http://saturdayshowcase.blogspot.com/

[–] jorgito2001 8 years ago

reading this thread I feel old (just turned 42 last month).

I'm part of a "young professionals" Meetup group that comprises of mostly 20-somethings, but has its share of 30-somethings...I've been called late 20s to mid 30s (no one EVER guesses I'm actually 42). hearing one guy at 27 achy after an event and saying "I feel 40 years old right now!" hit a small nerve a few weeks back...despite this I stole a girl he was talking to...experience > youth baby! lol

I WILL say when it comes to social drinking and the morning after, I'm total CR.AP! I usually need the WHOLE next day to recover...whereas in my 20s I can do a full on sports day or theme park visit the following day.

As for Ghostbusting....as a guy who works sitting in an office (like I am now), I can say it would HAVE to be a bit tougher to just go out in that field at this age.

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Im gonna punch you in the cooter, I swear to God!