'Ghosts' executive producer says growing up in Altoona fueled inspiration for show
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - If you haven't seen the show "Ghosts" on CBS or Parmount+, you may be missing out on all the fun that the spirits haunting Woodstone Mansion have with their two living housemates.
"Ghosts," now in its second season, is currently one of highest rated shows on TV. And one of the ringleaders of the hit show is executive producer and Altoona native Joe Port.
"I loved growing up in Pennsylvania and in Altoona," Port said. "I don't know any other version of growing up, but I enjoyed it."
Though he resides in LA now, Port still has strong Pennsylvania roots. His mother and brother both still live in Altoona, and he says he has tons of family throughout both central and western Pennsylvania.
Port also loves the Steelers and his one dog even has a team namesake.
"I was scoping out your Instagram and you had a comparison of your dog, where he looked like Art Rooney," KDKA-TV's Chris DeRose said.
"My dog is named Rooney and there was a photo where he was chomping on something that looked like a cigar so yeah, big fan of Art Rooney and the Rooney family," Port said.
Port has worked on many big projects over the years, but he and his writing partner Joe Wiseman were grateful and excited to help CBS take the successful British show "Ghosts" and bring it to America.
Of course, while the British version of "Ghosts" populates its show with people from across British history, the American version occupies its haunted manor house with people from across American history. Port also said that his hometown has been a source of inspiration for his version of "Ghosts."
"I grew up a couple blocks away from this place called Baker Mansion, which was like this Gilded Age mansion that was built by Elias and Hetty Baker, which was kind of an inspiration for the character of Hetty and her robber baron husband, Elias. I don't have any actual information that the actual Elias Baker had any evil qualities, but it was cool to grow up in the shadow of that building and then use it for inspiration later on," Port said.
"Ghosts" has been renewed by CBS for a third season and Port and his cast and crew are excited to keep working on this fun project.
"The success of the show is just good in that we get to keep doing it, you work on a ton of things and it's always hard work no matter what show you're writing on, you put a lot into it. So it's obviously rewarding for people to actually watch it," said Port.
"Ghosts" returns Thursday night on CBS with an all new episode at 8:30 or you can watch all the episodes anytime on Paramount+.
