# Munsters or Addams Family?



## Itullian (Aug 27, 2011)

Two old classic b and white comedies.
Which was/is your favorite?


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## david johnson (Jun 25, 2007)

The Adams Family


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## Taggart (Feb 14, 2013)

Definitely the Addams Family. I remember running across books of Charles Addams cartoons as a teenager and thoroughly enjoying his blend of black humour.


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## Ingélou (Feb 10, 2013)

The Munsters, because there was a series on British television that my younger siblings used to watch. I don't actually know the Addams Family.


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

It is a tough decision but I had to vote for the Addams Family.


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## Manxfeeder (Oct 19, 2010)

The Addams Family was a more interesting show. But the Munsters had cooler cars.


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## Krummhorn (Feb 18, 2007)

The Munsters. Fred Gwynne was a terrific actor. It's a shame the series only lasted two years.

I watched Addams Family a few times ... enjoyed the character "Lurch" the most.


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## Couac Addict (Oct 16, 2013)

I'll go with Addams. After all, they warmly embraced the cousin in their family.









...unlike those prejudiced Munsters who saw their cousin as an embarrassment and all-round pity case.


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## Taggart (Feb 14, 2013)

Weird Star Trek bits:

Ted Cassidy who played Lurch in the TV series was on the original series of Star Trek as Ruk in _What Are Little Girls Made Of_.

Carel Struycken who played Lwaxana Troi's valet Mr Homn went on to play Lurch in the Addams Family films.


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## Badinerie (May 3, 2008)

Love that episode...Kirk had a special present for Ruk...infamous still Lol..








Addams family had a smarter script that spoke to adults as the children.


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## hpowders (Dec 23, 2013)

Sorry. Never heard of them. I must have been watching the David Susskind discussion show instead, back in the day.


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## Ukko (Jun 4, 2010)

The Munsters and the Addams Family targeted different social classes. Fortunately I belonged to both of them.


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## ptr (Jan 22, 2013)

Addamses! I had a whirlwind crush on Morticia, and that Carolyn Jones glare still makes some of my private parts act up as if they has a will of their own when I watch reruns! 

Always viewed Munsters like more of a pre-teen thing, not really for an serious adult...  

/ptr


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## brotagonist (Jul 11, 2013)

Yes, I think Ukko is right. I'm not quite sure which social class it was that the Addams Family targetted, but I will venture to suggest it was aimed at a more cerebral audience than the Munsters, which appeared to have been hugely more popular at the time.

I was a child when both series ran and I watched pretty much only the Addams Family, but saw enough of the Musters to know I didn't like it. Nowadays, I think I'd probably find both quaint and silly and enjoyable 

Yes, what boy didn't have a crush on Morticia? :kiss:


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## ptr (Jan 22, 2013)

brotagonist said:


> Yes, what boy didn't have a crush on Morticia? :kiss:


I've been looking for someone like her all my life and have failed miserably...








/ptr


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

Well thinking way back, both shows were corny in a way, but for sure the Munsters was far more corny and it seemed that the Addams Family actually had some level of an intellectual component--albeit also corny--in Gomez. Obviously the Addams family represented the upper class with Gomez in his smoking jacket and apparently not having to go to work every day; whereas the Munsters were the average factory worker family. 

One hilarious thing in the Munsters is that Herman was a big sissy in contrast to the real Frankenstein's monster which could be quite aggressive and violent. 

Seems there were more characters in the Addams family also with Cousin It, Uncle Fester, and Lurch--oh, and Thing! But they did have Grandpa and Grandma in the Munsters.

Loved it when Lurch would eject an unwanted guest. 

In both shows a fun aspect was how each family felt that they were normal and the world was weird.


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

ptr said:


> I've been looking for someone like her all my life and have failed miserably...
> View attachment 52006
> 
> 
> /ptr


I bet you love women who speak french.  As I recall, Morticia was like a cat, sometimes seeming rather aloof.


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## Andreas (Apr 27, 2012)

I don't recall their shows. But I do remember this. Unfortunately.


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## Manxfeeder (Oct 19, 2010)

Andreas said:


> I don't recall their shows. But I do remember this. Unfortunately.


Both shows had cool themes. But the Addams Family's finger-snapping original theme is iconic.

My sax quartet used to do a mashup with All I Want For Christmas is my Two Front Teeth with the Addams Family theme. I remember the year movie came out, we started the Addams intro, and the crowd gathered around us spontaneously started into the MC Hammer rap. That was fun.


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

Manxfeeder said:


> Both shows had cool themes. But the Addams Family's finger-snapping original theme is iconic.


My wife works with pre-schoolers a lot. She has a song to teach the days of the week that goes to the Addams Family theme song. Quite fun with that theme song.


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## mirepoix (Feb 1, 2014)

Addams Family. Although I like Yvonne De Carlo.


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## StlukesguildOhio (Dec 25, 2006)

I like Yvonne De Carlo.










Who wouldn't?


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## Itullian (Aug 27, 2011)

Both Fred Gwynne and John Astin were brilliant.


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## ArtMusic (Jan 5, 2013)

The Addams. Eccentric families are very funny.


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

I believe Morticia was modeled on Vampira...


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## Taggart (Feb 14, 2013)

KenOC said:


> I believe Morticia was modeled on Vampira...


Addams was publishing in the New Yorker way before TV was around never mind the Addams Family program. Wiki says:



> The idea for the Vampira character was born in 1953 when Nurmi attended choreographer Lester Horton's annual Bal Caribe Masquerade *in a costume inspired by Morticia Addams in The New Yorker cartoons of Charles Addams*.


(my emphasis)


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## Antiquarian (Apr 29, 2014)

I am a big fan of Charles Addams. The television show was a pale reflection of his cartoons, but it was still much better than The Munsters. Probably the best one volume retrospective of his work is 'The World of Charles Addams' (Knopf 1991)- a large coffee table style book compiled by Tee Addams. Some of the cartoons and art are in colour, something Addams was not noted for.


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

Taggart said:


> Addams was publishing in the New Yorker way before TV was around never mind the Addams Family program. Wiki says:
> 
> (my emphasis)


Hah! I had it backward. Thought Addams was later...


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## geekfreak (Mar 18, 2015)

thank god there is a post for two fabulous shows, i`m a freak for both...


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## aajj (Dec 28, 2014)

I chose the Munsters for their theme music, car, house, Eddie Munster's ears, Herman Munster's doofus laugh and "ugly" Marilyn's face.


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## Vasks (Dec 9, 2013)

It is a tough call. Indeed the Addams Family was a bit more sophisticated (and that's why I voted for it) but even though The Munsters was a bit more sophomoric, it's silliness sometimes did cause a few more and greater belly laughs


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## Pyotr (Feb 26, 2013)

The Munsters because of Fred Gwynne's role as Muldoon in Car 54 Where are You. If you are a Gilbert &Sullivan lover , check out " I am the captain of the 64th"


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