Most of us fondly remember The Addams Family.
This kooky clan was originally created as a cartoon by Charles Addams, and it has continued to delight people for decades.
The entire family is so blissfully and wonderfully unaware of how bizarre they are, at least according to norms and societal standards. They are all their own people, and they don't really care what others think!
Their affinity for the macabre made their strangeness feel a bit forbidden, at least by the standards of the time (1964). In contrast, Gunsmoke was comparatively much more tame as an American Western.
The TV show based on the cartoon strip ran from 1964 to 1966, which is a relatively short span. But the family has had multiple incarnations since then, and I have a sneaking suspicion that there are probably more on their way.
These 11 fun facts about the classic TV show The Addams Family will make you love it even more — I never knew any of these things myself!
Do you remember gathering around the TV and watching this strange, off-beat family?
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[H/T: IMDb]
Thumbnail Source: Wikimedia Commons / Kuteyiay
1. Lurch Was Supposed To Be Mute
Originally, Lurch wasn't supposed to have any dialogue. However, when Ted Cassidy ad-libbed the famous "You rang?" line and the audience erupted with laughter, the writers gave him more lines. Thank goodness!
2. John Astin's Pockets Were Lined With Asbestos
Gomez was known to place his lit cigars into his jacket pocket. The prop department's solution to that problem was to line the pockets with asbestos, which functioned as a fire retardant.
3. Teenage Girls Thought Lurch Was Cuter Than The Beatles
Ted used to get fan letters from teenage girls who were infatuated with him and his character. This was at the height of Beatlemania, so saying that he was even cuter than those four rock-star Brits was quite the lofty claim!
4. Jackie Coogan Almost Wasn't Uncle Fester
After his first audition, Jackie was rejected for the part of Uncle Fester. However, he wanted it so badly that he went home, shaved his head, did his own Uncle Fester makeup and costuming, and went back. He nailed it and got the part, as we all know!
5. The Set Was Mostly Recycled
The set for The Addams Family was mostly recycled from one 1064 movie: The Unsinkable Molly Brown.
6. Pugsley's Character Originally Had Another Name
Pugsley was originally supposed to be called "Pubert," but it was changed because the latter was considered too sexual for network television at the time. Also, it's just a bit too silly, don't you think?
7. Carolyn Jones and John Astin Wanted To Break Boundaries
In the 1960s, TV couples weren't really very sexual at all, but Carolyn and John wanted to change that. While you never actually see their characters kiss on the lips, Gomez kisses Morticia up and down her arm, and their relationship was something of a grand romance. At least it was seen that way at the time.
8. The Only Character Name To Transfer From Cartoon To TV Was Cousin Itt
Charles Addams had to give fresh names to all of the characters from the TV show, but the one name available to transfer over was that of Cousin Itt. The original name of the cartoon version was simply "It," with only the spelling changing slightly.
9. Morticia's Hair And Makeup Was A Production In And Of Itself
It took Carolyn two long hours to get her makeup and hair all set to play the very pale Morticia. After all of the pale makeup was applied, she donned a wig made of long, black human hair.
10. Ken Weatherwax's Mother Had To Buy His Costumes For Him
Ken, who played Pugsley, was allergic to wool. Unfortunately, all of the costumes provided for him were made of 100 percent wool, so his mother had to buy all of the costumes he wore.
11. The Addams Family Was Ahead Of The Tech Curve
The clan was the first TV family to own a home computer — quite impressive for the 1960s!
Did you know any of these things about The Addams Family? Please SHARE with family and friends on Facebook!
