This show came out in 1964, when I was in eighth grade, and it was a huge hit. I remember when our U.S. History teacher, rhapsodizing over John Adams and his descendants, sighed, “Ah, yes, the distinguished Adams family!” And the whole class laughed uproariously, prompting Mr. U____ to remark, “Your minds are in the gutter!”
But it wasn’t such a bad gutter. In addition to having a terribly funny format, hilarious scripts, a terrific cast, and great guest stars like Richard Deacon and Don Rickles, The Addams Family had something good going for it. All the weirdness aside, the members of this family really loved each other! I think they were the happiest and most harmonious family on TV. And that’s worth watching. Oh, very much so!
Uncle Fester, played by Jackie Coogan–watch him steal this scene from co-stars John Astin and Carolyn Jones: still crazy, and still funny, after all these years.
It reminds me of my own family, back when I was five or six years old. Only without the eccentricities.
Basically, it was vaudeville, videotaped and broadcast. I can think of far worse gutters than that. The costumes and the names were weird, but the show itself was pretty tame.
Thanks for the laugh. I do remember this show, and I agree that there was something (dare I use the word?) sweet about it. I was a grownup when I saw it, but there was a certain childlike charm about it for me. Come to think of it, there still is.
And it sure beats the junk they offer as entertainment these days!
Lee, do you remember ‘Car 54 Where Are You?; Another goofy, funny show 🙂
You bet! Why do you think I say “Ooh-ooh” now and then?
Guenther Tooty 🙂
Ohh-ohh! We have a winner! 🙂
My mother and I loved “Car 54, Where Are You” — and I can still sing the theme song all the way through! I think my mother liked Tooty’s wife the best — especially the time she (Tooty’s wife, not my mother) leaned out the window after an argument with her husband and yelled, “Listen world, I’m a Hunter College graduate” and poured out all her grievances to the neighborhood. Any time my mother felt put upon, she’d quote that line with great comic-dramatic effect.
I would’ve liked to see that!