The Munsters

“The Munsters” is an American sitcom that humorously depicts the home life of a family of benign monsters. The series, which aired from 1964 to 1966, stars Fred Gwynne as Herman Munster, a kind-hearted character reminiscent of Frankenstein’s monster. Yvonne De Carlo stars as his elegant vampire wife, Lily, and Al Lewis portrays the role of Grandpa, the aged vampire Count Dracula. Their household also includes their werewolf-like son Eddie, portrayed by Butch Patrick, and their niece Marilyn, initially played by Beverley Owen and later replaced by Pat Priest. Marilyn is the only ‘normal’ member of the family, which is a running joke throughout the series as she is viewed by the family as the odd one out due to her non-monstrous appearance. The family resides at 1313 Mockingbird Lane in the fictional city of Mockingbird Heights. A unique aspect of the series is the family’s pet, “Spot”, a fire-breathing dragon. The Munsters are a Transylvanian-American family who consider themselves to be an average American family, despite their odd appearances and strange tastes. This forms the series’ running gag. Herman is the family’s sole wage-earner, although Lily and Grandpa make short-lived attempts to earn money from time to time. The series was a satire of both traditional monster movies and the wholesome family fare of the era, achieving higher Nielsen ratings than the similarly themed “The Addams Family”. Despite its cancellation after only two seasons, “The Munsters” found a large audience in syndication, leading to a spinoff series, several films, and attempts to reboot the series. It remains a beloved classic in the realm of comedic television.