In Tim Burton’s 1988 film Beetlejuice, the ghostly con artist summoned by saying his name three times is Beetlejuice.
The character is an unruly freelance “bio-exorcist” who promises to remove the living occupants from the Maitlands’ former home. Instead of behaving like a helpful supernatural expert, he pursues his own chaotic agenda and tries to force a marriage with Lydia Deetz.
Michael Keaton played Beetlejuice, although the character has comparatively limited screen time. His grotesque makeup, striped suit, fast-talking delivery, and improvised comic energy made him the film’s most recognizable figure. The title’s spelling also creates a frequent confusion with Betelgeuse, the star whose name is pronounced similarly.
Beetlejuice was released in 1988 and won the Academy Award for Best Makeup. Its success led to an animated television series and later inspired the stage musical Beetlejuice.