TV Trivia : Addams Family

Did you know that Blossom Rock, who played Grandmama Addams on TV, was the sister of glamorous 1930s movie star Jeanette MacDonald? S'trewth!

I assume everyone here knows that "Uncle Fester" was one of the most popular child actors of the 1920s and was once married to Betty Grable . . .

Of course we do, Flora...Jackie Coogan had the title role in Chaplin's THE KID (his father worked for Buster Keaton and Jackie spent a lot of time hanging around the sets; Buster always kicked himself that Chaplin discovered Jackie right out from under him), and also played Oliver Twist and Tom Sawyer. Not to mention Wildcat McPherson in SEX KITTENS GO TO COLLEGE (1960), one of my personal landmarks of the cinema.

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Uke

Ike, you are My Kinda Guy.

I DIDN'T know he was married to Grable. Will wonders never cease? She must have been taken by his electrical personality.That's as far as Im going with that.

I am not a fan of the show or the movies, but I was wondering if anybody knew if it is ever explained why the Addams family is so odd?

I don't think it's ever explained; they just like it they way. The joke is that they think everyone else is strange.

The premise of the show was adopted from Charles Addams' cartoons. He has as much admitted that some of the characters are exagerations of members of his own family. His family, BTW, is arguably the most influencial family in American history, and includes 2 presidents, several ambassadors and cabinet secretaries, writers, historians, philosophers, etc. He added the extra "d" out of respect for them.

[Olentzero]

"ooh, Jackie, why doncha bring home the Fester costume from work tonught?..."

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Cave Diem! Carpe Canem!

[Doug Bowe]

For what it's worth, long ago I recall reading that the Lurch character was supposed to be mute in the TV series.
But when the actor (drat! what'sisname?) said something in his double-basso one of the writers thought the voice matched the character.
Of course, "You Rang" and deep mumblings don't really get you nominated for a Hamlet reading.

[mr john]

Lurch was played by Ted Cassidy on the original TV show he was also Thing.Usually his right hand but sometimes his left just to see if any one was watching. The characters had no names in the cartoon and they almost named Gomez Attrocius. ugh We would have missed that juxtaposition of GOMEZ ADDAMS. What would those Boston bluebloods have said?

[gene]

This brought up some fond memories-I really found that show hilarious!
I seem to recall that on full-moon nights the family would be out on the lawn (Gomez wearing those 1890's striped bathing suits) moon bathing-they did this to make their skin pale!
Anyway, who was the actor who played Uncle Fester?

[Rodd Hill]

And of course, the scrummy Yvonne DeCarlo is from the decidedly prosaic city of Winnipeg, Canada.

Jackie Coogan was an officer in the US Army Air Force in WWII, and flew troops ("Chindits") in behind Japanese lines in Burma.

[Rodd Hill]

D'ohh!

Of course, Yvonne DeCarlo was Lilly Munster!

[mr john]

Gomez John Astin (he's muuuuch better now)
Morticia Carolyn Jones (HUBBA HUBBA)(from Amarillo,Texasmy home town, an alumna (ix?) of my high school) (you can have your Yvonne dCarlo rodd)
Fester Jackie (The KID) Coogan (any other laws named for actors?)
Grandmamaw Blossom Rock ( One of Zappas kids from an earlier life?)
Wednesday Lisa Loring ( good name for a Superman character)
Pugsley Ken Weatherwax( now THAT"S a great name)
Lurch and Thing Ted Cassidy (played Harvey Logan in Butch CASSIDY and the Sundance Kid)

[mr john]

uh oh... Jackie COOGAN was in the Addams Family with Ted Cassidy. Ted CASSIDY was in BUTCH CASSIDY and the Sundance KID. In 1950, former child actor,Tommy Bond sued a studio for money due him under conditions of the COOGAN Act(named for Jackie,child star of The KID. )
Bond played BUTCH in the Our GANG comedies.The Sundance KID was a member of the Hole in the Wall GANG.The KID sometimes rode with BUTCH CASSIDY. That explains why the Addams Family was so strange.

[Olentzero]

So ia Ken Weatherwax related to Rudd Weatherwax of "Lassie" training fame?

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Cave Diem! Carpe Canem!

[voguevixen]

mr john -- I thought your post was heading towards six degrees of Kevin Bacon there!