I do not want to repeat my Blake vs. Potter debate, but comparing The Addams Family to The Munsters is like comparing Laverne & Shirley to Cagney & Lacey. Other than the fact that these were macabre sitcoms mocking the nuclear families that were on the air at the time, these two shows and families were very different. For example if Eddie Munster (Butch Patrick) wanted to join the Boy Scouts his parents Herman & Lily (Fred Gwynne and Yvonne De Carlo) would be thrilled where as if Pugsley Addams (Ken Weatherwax) wanted to join the Boy Scouts his parents Gomez & Morticia (John Astin & Carolyn Jones) would be mortified and hope that this was just a phase. If there was an explosion in Grandpa’s (Al Lewis) laboratory, it would be an accident with humorous consequences where as if there was an explosion in Uncle Fester's (Jackie Coogan) room, it would be expected and encouraged behavior. If Herman got sick he would go to his family doctor (Paul Lynde) who had just sent his eyeglasses out to be repaired. The doctor would then perform Herman's entire examination without being able to see him and receive the repaired glasses in time to say goodbye. Then mayhem ensues. If Gomez got sick he would contact his family witch-doctor, and because of his massive wealth, he did not have to worry about whether or not the witch-doctor was covered under his HMO.
The Addams Family debuted on ABC on September 18 1964, and ran through September 2, 1966. The show was based on the Charles Addams dark, warped and funny comic strip created for the New Yorker magazine. Charles Addams named the characters for the TV show. The episodes were written by Nat Perrin who had written several Marx Brothers movies. (Come to think of it Gomez had some Groucho Marx qualities).
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Article comments
1 - The Proprietor
Somewhat odd that the Addams Family series is unavailable on home video when The Munsters has been deemed worthy of a boxed set, however, I shall never understand the vagaries of licensing entertainment content. A Munsters-related show, the classic "Car 54 Where Are You" has been in licensing limbo for years (and I'd buy a boxed set of "Car 54", at full retail price yet, in a heartbeat just to hear "Listen America, my husband is a NUT!" and "Ooh, ooh" again).
Any number of individual bits in both shows stand out for laughs - the Fregosi Emerald, Herman's sappy poetry at the beatnik party, Lurch's grunts, Cousin Itt, Grandpa's Borscht Belt-isms, Sam Picasso - there are many worthy bits in both shows that have me laughing hard just thinking of them.
2 - Nick Jones
Although as a child I was hardly discriminating in my television viewing (I watched both shows), I think I've always preferred The Addams Family to The Munsters. As an adult, I think it was a matter of wit versus goofiness that appeals to me; The cast of TAF (except for Grandmama, who was always kind of a nonentity) had lines as sharp as their epees, while the cast of TM were more slapstick and schticky. As Tony says above, I'm one of those people who saw Herman as a big baby. And Marilyn: now come on, how could she keep thinking of herself as 'homely' when she must have seen thousands of girls she resembled more than the members of her family?
I loved Spot, though, the dragon under the stairs.
Trivia: I was initially intrigued with The Addams Family by a photo in LIFE magazine(!) of Gomez blowing up his trainset.
3 - Steve
I loved Spot on the Original show too - especially his "roar" sound. There was something hilarious about it. I've been searching the web looking for a Audio clip but can't find one. Anyone know where one might be?