Ten Things You Might Not Know About the 1964 TV Series: The Addams Family
Photo of the main cast of the 1964 television show The Addams Family. Standing back from left—John Astin (Gomez), Ted Cassidy (Lurch). Standing, front—Lisa Loring (Wednesday) and Ken Weatherwax (Pugsley). Seated—Carolyn Jones (Morticia). Photo courtesy of ABC Television via Wikimedia Commons
“They're creepy and they're kooky. Mysterious and spooky.” One of the most iconic adaptations of a 1960s comic strip comes in the form of The Addams Family, a darkly comedic series inspired by the one-panel cartoons by Charles Addams that were featured in the New Yorker. Making its debut on small screens in 1964, The Addams Family has maintained its enduring popularity. The 1970s saw the emergence of animated adaptations, and a Halloween reunion graced audiences later in that decade. The 1990s breathed new life into these characters with a trilogy of films aimed at captivating a new generation of fans. In 2022, Netflix released the spin-off show Wednesday, starring actress Jenna Ortega in the lead role of Wednesday Addams. The show had audiences spellbound worldwide, with many social media content creators reenacting Ortega’s choreography to the song “Goo Goo Muck” (by the Cramps). Beyond the screen, The Addams Family has expanded its reach into other forms of entertainment, including Broadway shows and video games.
Let's delve into the classic series and discover ten intriguing and eerie facts you may not have been aware of about The Addams Family television show.
Did you know... Prior to the television series, cartoonist Charles Addams had not bestowed names upon the characters featured in his one-panel cartoons. It was only when the 1964 show received the green light that Addams, in collaboration with producers, devised monikers for the peculiar clan. Here's a fascinating tidbit: Wednesday's middle name is actually Friday! Gasp!
Did you know... “Da-da-da-dum, snap snap!” Just imagine, where would The Addams Family be without that unforgettable theme song? This catchy tune was crafted by composer Vic Mizzy. Rumor has it that the studio was hesitant to allocate funds for a trio of singers, so Mizzy employed multi-tracking to perform all three vocal parts heard in the opening credits.
Did you know... During auditions, actor John Astin originally tried out for the role of Lurch the butler. However, he found it difficult to envision himself in that role. Fortunately, the producers recognized his potential as the father, Gomez Addams, and made the decision to cast him in that role.
Did you know... The Addams Family made its debut during the same week as The Munsters, another black-and-white family sitcom with a macabre theme. To set themselves apart from each other, both shows made a deliberate effort to avoid featuring guest stars who had appeared on the competing series. In interviews, Astin emphasized that the two shows were fundamentally distinct—arguing that while The Munsters were physically monstrous but otherwise entirely ordinary, The Addams Family, in contrast, appeared normal but were exceptionally eccentric. Despite these efforts to differentiate themselves, the general public often regarded the two shows as virtually interchangeable. Addams Family series creator David Levy explained the premise of the show to syndicated columnist Erskine Johnson: "We have made [the family] full-bodied people, not monsters ... They are not grotesque and hideous manifestations. At the same time we are protecting the images of [Charles] Addams' ‘children,’ as he refers to them. We are living up to the spirit of his cartoons."
Did you know...Ted Cassidy took on a dual role in the series. While he is most recognized for his portrayal of Lurch, Cassidy also lent a hand, literally, to the show by taking on the role of Thing—a disembodied forearm that would occasionally emerge from a collection of boxes in each room within the Addams' mansion, as well as the mailbox outside.
Did you know... The actual set of The Addams Family house had pink walls, but despite airing during the transition from black and white to full color television, the show was filmed in a gothic grayscale. Much like the stark, dark aesthetics of the original cartoons, the show found its true essence in the shadowy world of black and white.
Did you know... Some of the home interior on set was recycled from the movie The Unsinkable Molly Brown, which was released just a few months before The Addams Family premiere. Both productions were under the banner of MGM (Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer).
Did you know... The Addams clan holds the distinction of being the first television family to have a home computer. Several years later, Bruce Wayne would employ his Batcomputer in the Batcave, but the initial glimpse of a family computer on television came courtesy of the UNIVAC (Universal Automatic Computer) featured on the show.
Did you know... Gomez Addams frequently puffed on cigars; a quirk supported by show sponsor Dutch Masters Cigars. In keeping with his character's eccentric habits, Astin had a habit of extinguishing his lit cigars in the breast pocket of his coat. To ensure safety during filming, the prop-makers lined his suit pocket with toxic, but flame-killing asbestos.
Did you know... In 1972, the third episode of the Saturday morning animated series The New Scooby-Doo Movies—“Wednesday is Missing"— welcomed several Addams Family cast members as guest stars: Astin, Carolyn Jones (Morticia), Jackie Coogan (Uncle Fester), and Cassidy. The voice of Pugsley was provided by 11-year-old future Oscar winner Jodie Foster. This episode served as the pilot for the subsequent 1973 animated series.
