Behind-The-Scenes Facts About The Munsters

#1 Meet The Munsters

"The Munsters" became an immediate hit for CBS thanks to its quirky lineup of characters that were led by Herman and Lily Munster. Audiences were quick to latch onto the absurdity of the family sitcom, growing tired of Leave It To Beaver and Father Knows Best. The show was a ratings hit instantly, though it got bumped from the line-up and replaced by Batman just two seasons into the run of the show. The show ran at the same time as "The Addams Family" and was competing for a similar audience.

#2 Fred Gwynne as Herman Munster

Lunky and lurking, he looks creepy, but Herman was actually a loveable buffoon. Centuries old, he acted like a silly child, always throwing tantrums when things didn't go his way. He was always a loving and adoring husband but seemed to fall for very flimsy schemes more than usual. Fred Gwynne passed away in 1993 at the age of 66. He continued to act right up to his death, appearing in dozens of TV shows, movies, and mini-series. He is most recognized as Judge Chamberlain Haller in the immensely funny movie My Cousin Vinny, or as Jud Crandall in the creepy horror film Pet Semetary after his stint as Herman Munster.

#3 Yvonne De Carlo as Lily Munster

Lily runs the Munster household and is always the voice of reason. She is always there to remind Herman that the schemes he is getting into are going to wind up disastrous. She is always arguing with her husband because of his childishness, though she still loves him deeply and stands between the squabbles of her father, Grandpa, and Herman. She passed away in 2007 though her last acting role was the 1995 TV movie Here Comes The Munsters, in which she made a cameo appearance.

#4 Al Lewis as Grandpa

Grandpa, AKA Count Sam Dracula, runs a laboratory in the family's basement. His spells and potions are often central to the show's plotlines and typically create trouble for Herman. He is always urging Herman to try his many ridiculous spells, inventions, and schemes. Al Lewis passed away in 2006. He started his acting career in 1953 on the TV series "The Big Story." He also starred in "Car 54, Where Are You?," and "Route 66." He retired from acting after The Munsters was canceled.

#5 Butch Patrick as Eddie Munster

Eddie was the All-American boy with one exception. He is a werewolf. He loves his mother and father and brags about his father's abilities to his friends, though he often questions why he is so different. Butch Patrick had perhaps the biggest career of all his fellow "Munsters" cast members. After the show ended he made dozens of appearances on shows such as "I Dream of Jeannie," "The Monkees," and "Walt Disney's Wonderful World Of Color." In 2015 he co=starred in two films, Zombie Dream and Bite School, where he reprised his role of Eddie Munster.

#6 Beverley Owen as Marilyn Munster (Episodes 1-13)

Marilyn is Lily's niece and lives with the Munsters through the entire series, though it is never explained why. Her parents are still in Transylvania and she has come to live with the Munsters, apparently because her her parents believe she is a freak because she looks human, with blonde hair and no monstrous abilities. The Munsters believe her "normal" appearance is some kind of disgusting affliction. After a bout with depression, she left acting completely and was let out of her contract after episode 13.

#7 Pat Priest as Marilyn Munster (Episodes 14-70)

Pat Priest took over for Owen as Marilyn Munster for the remainder of the shows run. Her last role was a cameo in the 1995 TV movie Here Comes The Munsters, but after the show, she did small parts on shows like I Dream Of Jeannie, Perry Mason, and The Mary Tyler Moore Show.

#8 Mel Blanc as The Raven

The cuckoo bird that lived in the family clock was always there with a smart of humorous remark at just the right time. That bird was voice expert Mel Blanc, famous for doing the voices of Tweety Bird, Bugs Bunny, Elmer Fudd, and Barney Rubble in cartoons. He had created over 400 distinct voices in his career but he passed away in 1989. His voice work could be heard all the way through "The Bugs Bunny and Tweety Show" in 1992.

#9 The Munsters Lived Down The Street From Leave It To Beaver

The show was actually produced by the same guys who brought us "Leave It To Beaver." The house that the Munsters lived in was located just down the street from the original home of America's most wholesome family. "The Munsters" house can be seen in episodes of "Desperate Housewives", "Coach", and numerous other series. The lot is still used for filming today and Samantha and Darrin lived around the corner.

#10 Herman And Grandpa Worked Together Before The Munsters

Fred Gwynne and Al Lewis both starred in the loopy and silly police comedy "Car 54, Where Arre You," which aired from 1961 to 1963. It probably prepared them well for working together as Herman Munster and Grandpa Dracula. Their chemistry was apparent on "The Munsters."

#11 The Raven Actually Had Two Voices

Bob Hastings often filled in for Mel Blanc when he was too busy doing his Warner Brothers cartoons. Hastings could do the exact voice as Blanc and nobody knew the difference, but Blanc loved doing the Raven though he got paid more for doing Bugs Bunny and opted for that from time to time.

#12 Sharing A Bed? This Was A Big Deal

The Cleavers would never be caught in bed together! In fact, Lily and Herman being seen doing the Monster Mash in bed together was one of the very first times a couple was filmed for a TV series sharing a bed. Those dirty little monsters.

#13 The Munster Koach Was A Ford Model T

"The Munster Koach" was actually a Ford Model T chassis with a custom hearse body that was designed by Tom Daniel and constructed by George Barris. They added extra length to the automobile to make it over 18 feet long. You need a big car when Herman Munster will be driving around in it!

#14 The Drag-U-La Required A Custom-Built Coffin

Tom Daniel and George Barris also designed and built Grandpa's car, lovingly referred to as the "Drag-U-La," using a real coffin. The vehicle was only used in a single episode of the show. However, it was shown in the end credits for every other episode during the second season. It is on display in Hollywood at the Car Museum.

#15 The Only Vampires In Comics?

In 1954 the Comics Code Authority (didn't know there was such a thing) banned all vampires and zombies from comic books. Gold Key Comics wasn't a member of that Authority so they produced 16 issues of a Munsters comic from 1965 to 1968. Those comics are truly the envy of collectors as very few are said to be in good condition.

#16 Fred Gwynne Played Three Family Members

In the 70 episodes of the series, Herman, Fred Gwynn, was credited with three different roles. Along with his main role, he also played Herman's twin brother Charlie and a rejected creation of Doctor Frankenstein's who went by the name Johann. Many shows at the time were using the same technique of casting star performers to portray family members because of the obvious resemblence.

#17 Grandpa Was Actually Younger Than His Daughter In Real Life

Al Lewis played the father of Lily Munster and was known as 'Grandpa' on the show. In real life, he was a year younger than De Carlo, and Fred Gwynne was younger than both Lewis and De Carlo. Just like Sophia on The Golden Girls, it shows what good makeup and great acting can accomplish.

#18 There Are Conflicting Theories As To Why It Was Shot In Black And White

Color was new and also expensive. Converting to color filming would have been very costly to the studio, so they kept using black and white. The pilot episode was actually filmed in color but insiders claimed that a color version would be too scary to children, their main audience. Oddly enough, the show was canceled and replaced by Batman because CBS wanted something in bright colors.

#19 The Herman Munster Costume Was Scorching Hot

The costume that Gwynne had to wear to become Herman was so hot that it would often melt his makeup and cause him to pass out on set. In between takes a stagehand would use an air compressor to shoot cool air up his sleeves in an effort to stop some of the heat from escalating further. Reporting later in life that it was something almost unbearable, Gwynne said that he would not have traded his role for anything and he really suffered for his art.

#20 The Guy Who Built The 1931 Frankenstein Set Also Built Grandpa’s Laboratory

Kenneth Strickfaden was the special effects technician on "The Munsters." He built Grandpa Munster's laboratory and he also built the set for the 1931 film Frankenstein. The laboratory uses some of the very same props from the original Dr. Frankenstein's lab. Now that's what we call authenticity.

#21 They Didn’t Copy The Addams Family Or Vice Versa

The Munsters debuted on CBs and The Addams Family on ABC at the same time. many people including network officials speculated on who copied whom, though it was the Addams Family that won the race with the rating as it remained a ratings bonanza after the Munsters began dropping off. It also switched to color filming in season two. Though The Addams family only lasted 68 episodes, 2 less than The Munsters, it went on to be filmed and duplicated over the years in cartoons, major motion pictures, and sequels.

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