Ghostbusters Fact List: Janine Melnitz

Janine Melnitz was born on Oct. 28, 1958, in the Canarsie area of Brooklyn, to Fritz and Denise Melnitz. She is a Scorpio. (The Brooklyn Triangle, The Crawler)

C/N Thanks for the date information Fritz!

Family lives in Canarsie, Brooklyn, NY. She grew up there. Has a Father (Fritz Melnitz), a Mother (Denise Melnitz), a Sister (Deanne Melnitz Irwin), a Nephew (Deanne's bratty son, Victor Irwin. Victor is a brat; he squirted Egon in the face with a water pistol twice, and he likes to terrorize the family cat.), a Grandmother, an Aunt (Bella, who apparently works in city records or a newspaper.) a Brother-In-Law (Deanne's husband, Joshua Irwin.) and a Cousin named Michelle Jacobs (Who by 1990 has a son, Alec Aaron Jacobs, named for his ancestor: Aaron Jacobs, the first disabled Congressman from New York.). (Janine's Day Off, RGB #28)

F/N The names of Janine's parents, sister, and brother-in-law are established from Fritz' work.

Family is reportedly to be at least part Jewish.

F/N Janine's surname, as researched by Dr. Riddle and mentioned by show producer J. Michael Straczynski is of Jewish origin.

C/N Thanks for the info Matthew!

Lives in an apartment in Brooklyn Heights. Has had a succession of apartments that have been reduced to rubble over the years thanks to the guys. Used to have ghosts living in her apartment, but she busted them. Likes plants; has knowledge of flowers and their care; has at least 15 on a table at her apartment. (A Ghost Grows In Brooklyn, Something's Going Around, Janine Melnitz: Ghostbuster)

Owns a VW convertible--possibly more than one over the course of the series. It's red in Beneath These Streets but pink in It's a Jungle Out There. Drove a yellow sedan exactly once--possibly borrowed or a shop loaner while her VW was in the shop(for repairs/repainting) Given it had red doors and we see it once, I'd say it was never a car she owned, though she was reluctant to let Peter drive it anyway(he hit a trash can about a second after he headed down the road, no wonder). (Baby Spookums)

C/N: Thanks to Justin Anderson for some of this information. It's also worth noting- despite being non-show related but it may be why she drive that particular car- that Kenner did release a licensed VW Beetle convertible in the RGB toyline- the Highway Haunter- albeit yellow. Worth noting too is that Hasbro could never get the Beetle license due to the "no guns" toy policy VW and other German car companies seem to have, but Kenner didn't have problems despite the fact the car turned into a monster(so guns are an automatic NO, but turning into a hideous monster doesn't bother them?) Fritz adds that because of this toy is why he's always described her VW as yellow in his fan fics

Despite owning a car, often takes the subway to work. (A Ghost Grows in Brooklyn)

Is shown as left-handed. (Knock, Knock)

Attended the 1964 World's Fair in Flushing Meadow, she has two coins from the fair. She gave Egon one for good luck right and hugged him right before he and the Ghostbusters went off to battle Gozer. (Deleted from Ghostbusters)

Attended P.S. 47 Grade School; used to hang out at Old Man Spinelli's malt shop in school. The shop is gone now. Graduated from high school in 1977. (Rollerghoster, The Brooklyn Triangle)

Has a friend named Marie who is dating an Orthodontist. (Unsubstantiated)

Has a piercing whistle, she managed to shatter several ornate glass animals on the filing cabinet, the glass cover of the wall clock and the lenses of Egon's glasses. (Janine's Genie)

Can make coffee. (The Thing In Mrs Faversham's Attic)

Had a piano (Could play?). (A Ghost Grows In Brooklyn)

Likes Christmas, or has given Egon that impression. (X-Mas Marks The Spot)

Reads a lot. Some people think she's too intellectual. But she thinks reading is a fabulous way to spend your spare time. Has been known to work on crossword puzzles. Plays Racquetball. (Ghostbusters)

Once won a black and white Television on a game show. (Station Identification)

Is good at guessing sizes. (RGB #9)

Long dreamed of being in a parade. (RGB #15)

Has knowledge of wax seals. Accidentally released the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse from the Codex of St. Theopolis on her lunch hour. (Apocalypse -- What, Now?)

Work hours are 8:00am-5:00pm. Has on occasion needed extra help at work. Can read anything, including Slimer's handwriting. "I'm a secretary, I can read anything..." Performs routine checks on the Ecto Containment Unit. Has threatened to fire Peter (Which is ironic, considering that he's her boss.). "She threatened to fire me?". (Ghostbusters, Janine's Day Off, Slimer, Come Home, Cry Uncle, Mrs. Rogers' Neighborhood, Beneath These Streets)

Either wore a facemask, or uses a strange remedy for the common cold, which resembles pea soup. (Victor, The Happy Ghost)

Has at least one flapper costume in her closet. Used it to pose as Cody Jarrett's gun mol (Certainly doesn't mind "posing" as Egon's partner.). Usually dresses like a clown on Halloween (Hmm... and Egon sounded like a clown expert in RGB #24...). (RGB 3-D Annual, RGB #7, #8)

Is scrupulous enough to pay for a purchase even though the shop owners have fled to worship demons. (RGB #10)

Thinks Ray "Is the bravest idiot I (She) ever met". (Rollerghoster)

Once choose a lamp as compensation for a customer not having any money. The lamp turned out to have a "genie", but was in truth a portable doorway to another dimension. (Janine's Genie)

Understands some of the annoyances that Egon had to suffer when visiting her family, especially her bratty nephew Victor Irwin. (Janine's Day Off)

Along with Peter's help, they managed to land a 747. The landing was subject to the Infamous Rule of Landing: Any landing you can walk away from is a good landing. (Janine's Genie)

Fell in love with Egon almost the moment she met him, but his stunted emotions have led her to no small heartache over the years. She has twice relied on magic to try and move the relationship along. Once dated Paul Smart of Grossjuck Enterprises, unintentionally allowing him to steal confidential Ghostbusters information. Briefly dated Ghostbuster accountant Louis Tully. Egon admitted he loved her, but that didn't stop them from not seeing each other after Ghostbusters disbanded for a second time in 1991/1992, though their relationship seems to be moving ahead.(Ghostbusters, Janine's Genie, Robo-Buster, Ghostbusters II, Janine You've Changed, Darkness at Noon, Back In The Saddle)

Once sent Slimer to slime Egon after he managed to make it sound like he didn't appreciate her help. "Nobody messes with Melnitz!" (The Grundel)

Has been impersonated by the Copycat. (The Copycat)

Has donned a Proton Pack on many occasions. (Janine Melnitz: Ghostbuster, Janine's Genie, Janine's Day Off)

Can fly ECTO-2. (Victor The Happy Ghost)

Pretended to be a housewife in a commercial for GBI. (Ghostbusters II)

Thinks Venkmanís apartment is a great place, but it needs a womanís touch. (Ghostbusters II) Janine is estimated to be around 5'4" and around 120 lbs.

Annie Potts is estimated to be around 5'4".

F/N Above info gathered from the Real Ghostbusters Fan Fiction Recommendations and from GBN Member Van Damme.

MS. JANINE MELNITZ