"The Addams Family" (1964) TV series 1964-1966

Seasons:

1 | 2

Release Date:

18 September 1964 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Family | Horror

Plot:

The misadventures of a blissfully macabre family.

Plot Keywords:

Addams Family | Disembodied Hand | Macabre | Butler | Sitcom

Awards:

3 nominations

Cast

Carolyn Jones	...	Morticia Frump Addams / ... (64 episodes, 1964-1966)
John Astin	...	Gomez Addams (64 episodes, 1964-1966)
Ted Cassidy	...	Lurch / ... (64 episodes, 1964-1966)
Jackie Coogan	...	Uncle Fester Frump (62 episodes, 1964-1966)
Ken Weatherwax	...	Pugsley Addams (41 episodes, 1964-1966)
Lisa Loring	...	Wednesday Addams (37 episodes, 1964-1966)
Marie Blake	...	Grandmama Addams (34 episodes, 1964-1966)

Series Directed by
Sidney Lanfield		(48 episodes, 1964-1966)
Jerry Hopper		(4 episodes, 1964)
Sidney Salkow		(4 episodes, 1965-1966)
Jean Yarbrough		(3 episodes, 1964)

Series Writing credits
Charles Addams		(42 episodes, 1964-1966)
Hannibal Coons		(25 episodes, 1964-1966)
Harry Winkler		(25 episodes, 1964-1966)
David Levy		(21 episodes, 1964-1965)
Phil Leslie		(10 episodes, 1964-1966)
Keith Fowler		(5 episodes, 1964-1965)
Sloan Nibley		(5 episodes, 1965-1966)
Henry Sharp		(5 episodes, 1965)
Jameson Brewer		(4 episodes, 1964-1965)
Bill Lutz		(4 episodes, 1965-1966)
Charles R. Marion		(3 episodes, 1964-1965)
Preston Wood		(3 episodes, 1965-1966)
Lou Huston		(2 episodes, 1964-1965)
Elroy Schwartz		(2 episodes, 1965-1966)
Jerry Gottler		(2 episodes, 1965)
Carol Henning		(2 episodes, 1965)
Mitch Persons		(2 episodes, 1965)
Leo Rifkin		(2 episodes, 1965)
Ed Ring		(2 episodes, 1965)
Gene Thompson		(2 episodes, 1966)
Arthur Weingarten		(2 episodes, 1966)

Series Produced by
Herbert W. Browar	....	associate producer (64 episodes, 1964-1966)
David Levy	....	executive producer (64 episodes, 1964-1966)
Nat Perrin	....	producer (64 episodes, 1964-1966)

Series Original Music by
Vic Mizzy		(64 episodes, 1964-1966)

Series Cinematography by
Archie R. Dalzell		(63 episodes, 1964-1966)

Series Film Editing by
Joseph Harrison		(19 episodes, 1964-1966)
Gerald Shepard		(17 episodes, 1964-1966)
Douglas Hines		(16 episodes, 1964-1966)
Jim Faris		(2 episodes, 1966)

Series Casting by
Kerwin Coughlin		(24 episodes, 1964-1966)

Series Art Direction by
Edward L. Ilou		(64 episodes, 1964-1966)

Series Set Decoration by
Ruby R. Levitt		(60 episodes, 1964-1966)
Claude E. Carpenter		(3 episodes, 1964)

Series Makeup Department
Norman Pringle	....	makeup artist (64 episodes, 1964-1966)
Myrl Stoltz	....	hair stylist (64 episodes, 1964-1966)

Series Production Management
Robert Freedman	....	post-production supervisor (23 episodes, 1965-1966)

Series Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Jack Voglin	....	assistant director (64 episodes, 1964-1966)

Series Art Department
Joe Thompson	....	property master (64 episodes, 1964-1966)

Series Sound Department
George J. Eppich	....	sound editor / sound effects editor / ... (64 episodes, 1964-1966)
Earl E. Spicer	....	sound mixer (64 episodes, 1964-1966)
Don J. Bassman	....	sound recordist / recordist (34 episodes, 1964-1965)
Al Boyle	....	boom man (30 episodes, 1965-1966)
Ray Regula	....	sound recordist / recordist (17 episodes, 1965-1966)

Series Special Effects by
Larry Chapman	....	special effects (34 episodes, 1964-1965)
Joe Zomar	....	special effects (34 episodes, 1965-1966)
Robert Cole	....	special effects (30 episodes, 1965-1966)
Bob Overbeck	....	special effects (26 episodes, 1964-1965)

Series Camera and Electrical Department
Harry Hopkins	....	chief electrician (64 episodes, 1964-1966)
Roy Kight	....	key grip (64 episodes, 1964-1966)

Series Casting Department
Kerwin Coughlin	....	casting (40 episodes, 1964-1966)

Series Costume and Wardrobe Department
Myrtle Logan	....	costume supervisor (64 episodes, 1964-1966)

Series Editorial Department
Robert Freedman	....	editorial coordinator / post production supervisor (40 episodes, 1964-1965)
Douglas Hines	....	(5 episodes, 1965)
Gerald Shepard	....	film editor (4 episodes, 1965)
Joseph Harrison	....	film editor (3 episodes, 1965)

Series Music Department
Vic Mizzy	....	conductor / musician: harpsichord (64 episodes, 1964-1966)
Dave Kahn	....	music coordinator / music supervisor (63 episodes, 1964-1966)

Series Other crew
David Levy	....	developed for television by (64 episodes, 1964-1966)
Richard Greer	....	production coordinator (63 episodes, 1964-1966)
Stanley Olsen	....	script supervisor (49 episodes, 1964-1965)
Stanley Scheuer	....	script supervisor (15 episodes, 1965-1966)
Frank Inn	....	animal trainer (5 episodes, 1964)

Production Companies

• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1964-1966)
• Filmways Pictures

Distributors

• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1964-1966) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• MGM Television (2000-) (worldwide) (TV)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2006-) (worldwide) (video)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2006-) (USA) (DVD) (North America)
• FS Film Oy (2007) (Finland) (DVD)
• Horror TV (2007) (Japan) (TV)
• Lumivision (1992) (USA) (laserdisc)
• Orion Pictures Corporation
• Republic Pictures Home Video (1991) (USA) (VHS)
• The Program Exchange (2004-) (USA) (TV) (sales)
• Verenigde Arbeiders Radio Amateurs (VARA) (1976-1978) (Netherlands) (TV)
• Worldvision Enterprises (1991) (USA) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Ford Motor Company  automobiles furnished by
• General Service Studios  filming location
• Todd-AO Studios  sound recording

Runtime:

30 min (64 episodes)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Finland:K-7 (DVD) (2007) | Singapore:G | Argentina:Atp | Australia:G | USA:TV-G

Filming Locations:

General Service Studios - 1040 N. Las Palmas, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

American Broadcasting Company (ABC)

Trivia:

Gomez was a lawyer.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: While Kitty is consistently referred to with female pronouns throughout the series, the lion that plays Kitty is a male lion.

Quotes:

Gomez: I'm quite proud of Mrs. Addams' hothouse. She's raised these plants from tiny weeds.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Saturday Night Live: The Best of Phil Hartman (1998) (TV)

Classic macabre fun. Forget the movies, the original and the best.

'The Addams Family' was one of my favourite TV shows growing up because of it's overall weirdness, which appealed to my sick sensibilities having been raised on a diet of Mad magazine and Hammer horror movies, and because it was genuinely funny. And all these years later it still is. As an adult I appreciate it on even more levels. With hindsight it manages to look like one of the most subversive shows ever shown on TV, while simultaneously showing one of the most loving, and well adjusted families in TV history! How ironic is that?

John Astin as Gomez Addams shows outstanding comic flair, and is still a delight to watch. (Try and track down the ahead of its time comic western 'Evil Roy Slade' for another wonderful Astin performance.) The chemistry between Astin and on-screen wife Morticia (the lovely Carolyn Jones) is smoldering AND hilarious, and the two are backed up by a fine supporting cast, especially former child star Jackie Coogan as the bizarre but lovable Uncle Fester.

Forget the hit and miss movies, these are the original and still the best Addams family. Wonderful fun!