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The Munsters

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The Munsters
File:Themunsters.jpgThe Munsters - Herman, Lily, Grandpa, Marilyn and Eddie
StarringFred Gwynne
Yvonne De Carlo
Al Lewis
Pat Priest
Butch Patrick
Country of origin United States
Original languageEnglish
No. of episodes70 (list of episodes)
Production
Running time30 minutes
Original release
NetworkCBS
ReleaseSeptember 24, 1964 –
May 12, 1966

The Munsters was a 1960s American television sitcom, depicting the home life of a family of horror movie monsters. Much of the humor derived from the fact that they did not have the slightest idea that they were in any way different from their neighbors. Comedy also came from their daily interaction with modern-day society, and the usual horrified or frightened reactions of those around them at their ghoulish appearance.

It first aired Thursday nights in black-and-white on the CBS network from September 24, 1964 to September 1, 1966 for 70 episodes, and continued in syndication thereafter. The Munsters was filmed in black-and-white, though the never-aired pilot episode was filmed at least partially in color. The fictional family lived at 1313 Mockingbird Lane, Mockingbird Heights. It was popular enough to warrant a spin-off series and several movies. Often it is considered a rival to the television show, The Addams Family, which was also about a family of monsters.

While its humor was usually broad, the series was visually sophisticated, particularly for an early-sixties sitcom. The Munster's home was a burnt, crumbling Gothic mansion, riddled with smoke, filthy with dust and cobwebs. Rich, shadowy photography echoed James Whale's expressionistic Frankenstein films, both emphasizing and ironizing the family's ghoulishness. The moving camera (a rarity in television comedies even today) often paused on busy compositions, focusing on multiple characters amid detailed settings. Then, of course, there's the charmingly grotesque appearances of the Munsters themselves, recalling classic Universal horror.

The Family of Characters

The Munsters

Lily Munster

Portrayed by Yvonne De Carlo, a homemaker. A white streak in her hair recalls the monster's mate from The Bride of Frankenstein, as portrayed by Elsa Lanchester in the James Whale film. Lily's housekeeping duties often involve spreading garbage around the mansion and "dusting" via a vacuum cleaner operating in reverse so that it blows dirt about. Her maiden name is Dracula. During the course of the series Lily has had jobs as a welder in a shipyard, a fashion model and a palm reader in a tea room. Lily wears a necklace featuring a rather large bat shaped medallion.

Herman Munster

Portrayed by Fred Gwynne, and bears a distinct resemblance to Universal Studios' version of Frankenstein's monster, as originally portrayed by Boris Karloff. In one episode, Lily outright states to Eddie that "Dr. Frankenstein" made Herman. Herman was built in Germany, adopted by the Munster family of England, then relocated to Transylvania, where he married Lily. Herman served in the U.S. Army during World War II, indicating the family immigrated to the U.S. some time prior to that. For a man of 150, he behaves rather childishly, often throwing temper tantrums. He is employed by the Gateman, Goodbury and Graves Funeral Parlor, having started out as a humble "nail boy." We never know exactly what he does, though one can infer he is a grave digger, from the jokes Herman makes. He also gets a promotion to hearse driver, in one episode where he has to get his driver's license renewed, only to find out he is starting out driving the "economy model" hearse which uses a horse; Herman's co-workers sometimes remark on his height and strength but otherwise do not appear to find his appearance out of the ordinary. As of the second season, he and Lily had been married for one hundred years. Herman also has a twin "brother" that speaks with sort of an English accent and is a scam artist.

Grandpa

Main article: Sam Dracula

Portrayed by Al Lewis, and usually called "Grandpa". His given name is Sam Dracula; he is commonly (and incorrectly) referred to by viewers as "Grandpa Munster", even though he is Lily's father rather than Herman's. He is a mad scientist and keeps a laboratory in the cellar of the house. Various potions and magic spells that he devises there are central to many of the show's stories. He appears to be able to naturally transform into a wolf as well as a bat. He is at least 400 years old and has been married several times; his wives are all dead, but he still keeps in touch with them. His identity as Count Dracula was established in one episode, where Grandpa makes a collect call to Transylvania, and states his name as such to the operator on duty, who recognizes the Count immediately. He used to play poker with Jack the Ripper, from whom he won the cursed Fregosi Emerald.

Eddie Munster

Portrayed by Butch Patrick; a typical all-American boy werewolf of elementary school age, aside from his green skin and pointed ears. His full name is Edward Wolfgang Munster.

Marilyn Munster

Originally portrayed by Beverley Owen (and later by Pat Priest), she is the daughter of one of Lily's sisters living with the Munsters through the entire series. Marilyn is a fetching young blonde and the only member of the family that is not ghoulish. The reason why Marilyn lives with her aunt and uncle is not explained by the series. The family is vaguely ashamed of their relationship to such an "ugly" person, and even Marilyn is aware of her "plain-ness". She bemoans that she keeps scaring off potential boyfriends, having no idea that the youths are in fact frightened away by her family. She attends Westbury College. Although, as the daughter of Lily's sister, Marilyn would presumably have a different surname than the rest of the family, she is always referred to as "Marilyn Munster," perhaps indicating she was legally adopted by Herman and Lily following her immigration from Transylvania (while the character was being formulated, her name was Marilyn Mundane, which could fit with Lily's sister's kinship). In one of the movies, Marilyn was the daughter of Herman's sister instead.

Their pets

  • Spot - A fire-breathing Dragon living under the staircase. Though never fully appearing on camera, his eyes could be seen glowing in the darkness beneath as a hinged section of the stair steps swung open by tilting backward one of the bannister newels.
  • Igor - A bat (or perhaps a transformed vampire) who lives in Grandpa's lab and assists with his work.
  • Kittycat - An average-sized black cat who roars like a lion.
  • Charlie - A Talking raven who lives in the cuckoo clock in the living room (usually voiced by Mel Blanc).
  • Goldfish - They devour food like ravenous piranhas.
  • Elmer - A snake that lived beneath the garbage bin in the backyard.

Other relatives

  • Charlie Munster - Herman's twin brother
  • Ronald Dracula - Grandpa's younger cousin, a vampire
  • Lester Dracula - Lily's brother, a werewolf
  • Uncle Gilbert - Otherwise known as the Creature from the Black Lagoon
  • Uncle Boris and Aunt Mina - Never depicted, said to live in Death Valley
  • Cousin Phantom - Otherwise known as the Phantom of the Opera. Has a bad habit of shattering fragile objects with his voice when hitting high notes.
  • Humphrey - A cousin of Grandpa's, who Grandpa hasn't spoken to since he stole his aspirin during the Black Plague.

Episodes

See The Munsters Episode List.

The series was split over two seasons.

Spinoff Series

  • The Munsters Today ran from 1988 to 1991. It involved the family being re-awoken in the 1980s, and having to adapt to (the then) modern life. It proved highly unpopular among fans of the original series.

Films

Several Munster films were released, two with the original cast.

  • Munster Go Home! ~ (1966) The Munsters go to England to claim the Munster Hall after the death of an old relative. The film starred the series' cast with the exception of Pat Priest who was replaced by Universal Pictures by their contract player, Debbie Watson in a controversial move that was not well received by fans of the series, although most enjoyed the film and the chance to see the Munsters in color for the first time.
  • The Munsters Revenge ~ (1981) A TV movie. The owner of a museum with a Munsters exhibit makes robots of Herman and Grandpa and uses them to rob a bank. Gwynne, De Carlo, and Lewis recreated their roles but Eddie and Marilyn were played by new young performers.
  • Here Come the Munsters ~ (1995) A TV movie. The family search for Herman's brother-in-law Norman Hyde, only to find out that he has turned himself into Brent Jekyll, who is running for congress, and Grandpa must make a formula to change him back. The film featured a cameo scene of DeCarlo, Lewis, Priest, and Patrick as a bickering family in restaurant.
  • The Munsters' Scary Little Christmas ~ (1996)
  • The Munsters ~ In production, probably due for a 2007 release date.

Trivia

  • George Barris built two automobiles for the show: "The Munster Koach", a hot rod built on a lengthened 1923 Ford Model T chassis with a custom hearse body, and Dragula (which inspired a Rob Zombie song by the same name), which was a drag car built to look like a coffin which Grandpa used to win back "The Munster Koach" after Herman lost it in a race. In real life Yvonne de Carlo drove a Jaguar sedan fitted with custom-made "spooky" ornaments, for example spider webs on the rims. She had to give up on it, as the car was repeatedly vandalized by "fans" hunting for souvenirs.
  • The original series began with Beverley Owen in the role of Marilyn. According to Al Lewis in a 2001 interview with Pittsburgh radio's Doug Hoerth, Owen was having relationship problems that diverted her attention away from the series. After Lewis and Fred Gwynne petitioned the studio, the actress was "let go". The role was taken over in episode 14 by near-lookalike Pat Priest.
  • Despite popular belief, Herman and Lily Munster were not the first television couple to share the same bed. That honor belongs to Mary Kay and Johnny, which aired in 1947. Mary Kay and Johnny Stearns were husband and wife in "real life." Samantha and Darrin Stephens of Bewitched were the first live-action TV couple, with the actors not married to each other in "real life," to sleep in a double bed. The episode in question, "Little Pitchers Have Big Fears," aired on October 22, 1964. The Munsters showed Herman and Lily first sharing a bed in the episode "Autumn Croakus" on November 26, 1964. The Brady Bunch, another oft-mentioned candidate, did not air until 1969.
  • Immediately after the show ended, the cast began filming a feature film, Munster, Go Home!. Producers replaced Pat Priest with teenaged actress Debbie Watson. Priest commented on the DVD interview that she was devastated at the producer's decision to not include the then-30-year-old actress.
  • Gold Key produced a Munsters comic book. When it first appeared, the Comics Code Authority still forbade the appearance of vampires in comic books. Lily and Grandpa were permitted without apparent objection.
  • Many spin-off products were produced, including toys and several record albums.
  • The show is often compared and sometimes confused with The Addams Family, which premiered and ended during the same two television seasons.
  • Bert Lahr was in the running for the role of Grandpa.
  • Butch Patrick (Eddie) starred in a 1970s Saturday morning live-action series called "Lidsville". He recorded a pop song in the early 1980s called 'Whatever happened to Eddie?'. In the 1990s, he sold custom made Wolf-Wolf dolls.
  • The Munster's Victorian Manor is also the home of Gabrielle and Carlos Solis in ABC's Desperate Housewives

See also

External links

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