The 1984 film Ghostbusters was an instant hit with audiences (and we still love it to this day!) so it was only natural that a cartoon version of the ghost-fighting team appeared on the small screen soon thereafter.

The lovable guys from the movie--Peter Venkman, Ray Stantz, Egon Spengler and Winston Zeddemore--returned as animated characters to kick some supernatural booty. Also present was the team's ditzy receptionist Janine Melnitz and Slimer, the gooey phantom who had become the Ghostbusters' unofficial mascot. Everything was recreated in the cartoon version, including the team's headquarters and Ecto-1, their groovy emergency vehicle.

Peter, Egon, Ray and Winston hefted their proton packs every day, gathered up their ghost traps and went out into the haunted streets of New York to clean house. As in the movie, the outfit was plagued by perpetual financial problems and familiar villains like the Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man. Other baddies included Samhain, goblins, vengeful ghosts and, in one memorable episode, both vampires and werewolves.

The series was hugely popular and critically acclaimed, airing for five years on ABC and then in syndicated reruns. The Real Ghostbusters spawned a couple of spin-off series as well, Slimer! and Extreme Ghostbusters.