Freaks and Geeks: The 60th Anniversary of "The Munsters" & "The Addams Family"

 

by Michael Lyons

Two families arrived on the scene into the reserved television line-ups of the early sixties, where Leave it to Beaver and The Donna Reed Show reigned supreme. They both brought ghoulish delight, dark comedy, and year-round Halloween vibes and emerged as iconic television sitcoms.

Hard as it is to believe, but in a creepy, competing move, The Munsters and The Addams Family both debuted sixty years ago this fall.

The Addams Family was inspired by a popular cartoon by artist Charles Addams, while The Munsters was developed by the team that had given us Rocky & Bullwinkle. Both were seen as an antidote for the more sweet-natured, family-friendly fare that was such a part of television at the time.

The Munsters aired on CBS, and The Addams Family on ABC. While it may seem more of a coincidence that both similar series debuted the same year, there's no clear evidence as to which was developed first, and both seem to have been initiated at their respective networks around the same time.

The Munsters told the tale of the titular family who lived at 1313 Mockingbird Lane - father and husband, Herman (Fred Gwynn), wife and mom, Lily (Yvonne DeCarlo), Grandpa (Al Lewis), their son, Eddie (Butch Patrick) and "normal" niece Marilyn (Beverly Owen, in the first season, and then Pat Priest, in the later seasons).

The Addams Family was Gomez (John Adams), Morticia (Carolyn Jones), Uncle Fester (Jackie Coogan), Lurch, the groaning butler (Ted Cassidy), Grandmama (Blossom Rock), daughter Wednesday (Lisa Loring), son Pugsley (Ken Weatherwax) and Thing, their "handy" helper.

The two shows were part of a "fantasy sitcoms" trend that aired throughout the 60s. These included Bewitched, Gilligan's Island, and My Favorite Martian. Like The Munsters and The Addams Family, these series provided a respite from turbulent times happening in the world.

Both shows also contained ghoulishly funny and iconic moments, such as Addams Family's Cousin It, who was nothing but hair, and The Munsters' pet spot, the fire-breathing dragon who lived under their stairs.

Of course, there were those iconic, earworm theme songs - The Munsters groovy, Beach Boys-Like take on classic horror movie music and The Addams Family "da-da-da-dum, snap! snap!"

In their own comedic ways, both shows also made statements about acceptance of others who may be different. This was summed up by a heartfelt speech Herman provided to Eddie in one episode:

"The lesson I want you to learn is it doesn't matter what you look like. If you're tall or short; or fat or thin; or ugly or handsome - like your father - or you can be black, or yellow, or white. It doesn't matter. What does matter is the size of your heart and the strength of your character."

After each series went off the air, they returned and continued in different ways. The Munsters had a 1966 full-length feature, Munster, Go Home, and would later return, with a new cast, in The Munsters Today, a 1988 series revival. There was also Mockingbird Lane, a 2012 short-lived revival of the series, and director Rob Zombie's 2022 big-screen version of the film.

The Addams Family, on the other hand, has seemingly had an endless run of re-boots and remakes: there was Hanna-Barbera's 1973 Saturday morning animated series, a 1977 Halloween reunion movie, 1991 and 1993's popular films, animated features in 2019 and 2022, and, most recently, 2022's popular Netflix series, Wednesday.

However, it's both original competing series that hold a "creepy and kooky" place in the hearts of many. And, with The Munsters and The Addams Family both celebrating 60 years, why choose? Binge them both this spooky season.

Top: the author and his wife, Michelle, with Butch Patrick

who played Eddie on The Munsters. Bottom: The author and

his wife, Michelle, with Christina Ricci, who played

Wednesday in The Addams Family movies.

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Saturdays, Cereal and Sleestaks: The 50th Anniversary of "Land of the Lost"

by Michael Lyons

In his book Pufnstuf & Other Stuff, author David Martindale wrote:

“Long before American pop culture transformed the mighty dinosaurs from majestic, mysterious beasts of another age into kings of kitch - before Dinos became trendy and fashionable, cute and cuddly - Sid Krofft was a die-hard dinosaur buff.”

An entire generation is thankful that he was because he brought us Land of the Lost. In a time when the computer-generated images of the Jurassic Park films were nary a glint in anyone's eyes, Sid & Marty Krofft, the ingenious, original minds behind such shows as H.R. Pufnstuf and Sigmund and the Sea Monsters brought a one-of-a-kind prehistoric world to Saturday morning television.

Debuting on NBC on September 7, 1974, Land of the Lost, celebrating its 50th anniversary this month, is well-remembered by many who, as kids, sat cross-legged on their parents' shag carpeting eating an overly-sugared bowl of some sort of crunchy cereal, in amazement at this unique series sandwiched between the familiar cartoon fare.

In a story detailed in the show's catchy theme song, father Rick Marshall (Spencer Milligan) and his children, Will (Wesley Eure) and Holly (Kathy Coleman), are on a "routine expedition," rafting, and are plunged over a waterfall.

They arrive in what looks like a prehistoric world, filled with dinosaurs and primate-like people called Pakuni. They learn that there is more to this "Land" than just Dinos, and there are some mysterious things at work, such as power crystals and lizard-people-like creatures called Sleestaks.

Land of the Lost employed tremendous creativity in its stories, thanks to several Star Trek veterans who penned many of the show's scripts (including actor Walter Koenig, who played Chekov).

Sid and Marty Krofft, known for their creative use of costumes and puppetry, employed those techniques here, which was combined with stop-motion animation on Land of the Lost to bring the dinosaurs to life (including a T-Rex nicknamed "Grumpy" and a baby Dino nicknamed "Dopey").

For kids who grew up watching the show, this was a marvel. When watching the episodes now, the effects seem quaint, maybe even threadbare, when one senses that the rock caves have a styrofoam look to them, and the green screen is evident. However, this "handmade" feel only adds to the show's charm now and was part of what made it magic in its day.

Land of the Lost was also immensely successful, running for two years on NBC, including a change to the plot when Milligan departed the show. Krofft re-booted the series in 1991 and there was the big-budget 2009 feature film starring Will Ferrell.

The original series was squarely in the pop-culture sights when it aired, appearing on numerous pieces of merchandise, including lunchboxes, coloring books, and action figures.

Now, fifty years later, Land of the Lost, the show, is like a portal in time itself. The series serves a trip back to another era, not to one of dinosaurs and Sleestak that the Marshalls discovered, but to when Saturday morning TV was a time of imagination and escapism for kids.

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The Rainbow Connection: Looking Back at Initial, Critical Reaction to "The Wizard of Oz," in Celebration of the Film's 85th Anniversary

 

by Michael Lyons

 

It's difficult to believe that The Wizard of Oz, such an iconic part of our film history, pop culture, and zeitgeist for eight and a half decades, was once simply a new movie opening at a theater near you.

On August 25, 1939, MGM's big-screen adaptation of author L. Frank Baum's novel made its debut, telling the tale of Kansas girl Dorothy (Judy Garland), making her way down the yellow brick road with the Scarecrow (Ray Bolger), the Tin Man (Jack Haley), and the Cowardly Lion (Bert Lahr) to meet the Wizard (Frank Morgan), all while trying to stay away from the Wicked Witch (Margaret Hamilton).

The film blew into everyone's lives like a twister, leaving us with indelible images ("Surrender Dorothy"), lines of dialogue ("There's no Place Like Home," and songs by Harold Arlen and Edgar "Yip" Harburg, that have been memorized by generations and ranks as one of the best musical scores in movie history.

The legacy of The Wizard of Oz is unparalleled. It is one of those rare, beloved parts of growing up passed on through generations. But what did movie critics initially think of the film?

In celebration of the 85th (wow!) anniversary of The Wizard of Oz, here are some snippets of reviews from when the film first debuted:  

John C. Flint, Sr., Variety 

"Nothing comparable has come out of Hollywood in the past few years to approximate the lavish scale of this film musical extravaganza, in the making of which the ingenuity and inventiveness of technical forces were employed without stint of effort or cost. Except for opening and closing stretches of prolog and epilog, which are visioned in a rich sepia, the greater portion of the film is in Technicolor. Some of the scenic passages are so beautiful in design and composition as to stir audiences by their sheer unfoldment."

Russell Maloney, The New Yorker

"Fantasy is still Walt Disney’s undisputed domain. Nobody else can tell a fairy tale with his clarity of imagination, his simple good taste, or his technical ingenuity. This was forcibly borne in on me as I sat cringing before M-G-M’s Technicolor production of “The Wizard of Oz,” which displays no trace of imagination, good taste, or ingenuity."

The Hollywood Reporter

The Wizard of Oz will beyond question, be accorded recognition as a milestone in motion picture history. It scintillates with artistry, yet it possesses such an abundance of qualities which predict broad audience success that there can be no question of its being headed for spectacular playing time and grosses."

Newsweek

"Produced by Mervyn LeRoy and directed by Victor Fleming, The Wizard of Oz was two busy years in the making. Magnificent sets and costumes, vivid Technicolor, and every resource of trick photography – including a realistically contrived cyclone – bolster the competent cast that strikes a happy medium between humor and make-believe. The more fanatic Ozophiles may dispute M-G-M's remodeling of the story, but the average movie-goer – adult or adolescent – will find it novel and richly satisfying to the eye."

Otis Ferguson, The New Republic 

“It has dwarfs, music, technicolor, freak characters and Judy Garland. It can’t be expected to have a sense of humor as well — and as for the light touch of fantasy, it weighs like a pound of fruitcake soaking wet.”

Frank S. Nugent, The New York Times

"Not since Disney's "Snow White" has anything quite so fantastic succeeded half so well. A fairy book tale has been told in the fairy book style, with witches, goblins, pixies, and other wondrous things drawn in the brightest colors and set cavorting to a merry little score. It is all so well-intentioned, so genial, and so gay that any reviewer who would look down his nose at the fun-making should be spanked and sent off, supperless, to bed."

 

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Funny Thing About This Humidity : Comedies Set During a Heat Wave

 by Michael Lyons

The Hottest day on Earth. That's what scientists at NASA declared on July 22, 2024.

Of course, that title seems to be granted to a different date every summer recently. It's been a sweltering summer, and even though kids are starting to head back to school, and pumpkin spice flavored everything is on the horizon, this summer doesn't seem to be turning down the heat.

So, as your air conditioner chugs along and your electric bill continues to rise with the temperature, here are some movie comedies, each set during a heat wave and the perfect antidote to the exasperating weather.

 

The Seven Year Itch (1955)

Director Billy Wilder's classic film, with Marilyn Monroe's iconic scene where her dress billows up, thanks to a subway grate, all takes place during the crippling heat of a Manhattan summer.

Tom Ewell plays Richard Sherman, a publisher whose wife and son leave the city for Maine to escape the heat. As he enjoys his newfound "bachelor life," Sherman finds himself attracted to one of his neighbors (Monroe). Although a fantasy, Sherman is comically tortured about what this may mean to his marriage.

Not just a classic comedy, The Seven Year Itch captures New York City at a time when the only escape from summer was to head into an air-conditioned theater to see Creature From The Black Lagoon.

 

The Odd Couple (1968)

The film adaptation of Neil Simon's brilliant play about mismatched roommates, slovenly Oscar (Walter Matthau) and neat-freak Felix (Jack Lemmon), also takes place in New York City during the heat of the summer.

From the opening scene of a poker game, played in Oscar's stifling apartment where the air conditioner is broken, to a hilarious scene at a New York Mets game, and the couple's argument on the roof of their apartment, as the haze of the hot city stands behind them, this is a brilliant comedy against the backdrop of a hot summer.

 

The Prisoner of Second Avenue (1975)

Another Neil Simon comedy, this one starring Jack Lemmon and Anne Bancroft, as empty nesters who find their lives at a crossroad while trying to live in their tiny New York apartment (where Lemmon's character suffers a nervous breakdown).

From wall unit air conditioners that are too cold to a garbage workers strike that's made the stifling streets even worse, the hysterical comedy boils over here like the summer heat itself.

 

Biloxi Blues  (1988)

Guess what? It is another Neil Simon comedy (he had a gift for laughter during a heat wave).

In this semi-autobiographical story (based on Simon's play), Matthew Broderick plays Eugene, a young New Yorker drafted during World War II who tangles with his Sergeant (Christopher Walken, brilliant as always) during basic training.

And that basic training is in Biloxi, Mississippi, in the middle of summer. As Eugene observes, "Man, it's hot. It's like Africa hot. Tarzan couldn't take this kind of hot."

 

Wet Hot American Summer (2001)

During a heat wave during in summer of 1981, a group of counselors at Camp Firewood try to tie up loose ends on the last day of camp while preparing for their big talent show, in a send-up of the teen sex comedies of the 80s.

With an amazing ensemble cast including Janeane Garofalo, David Hyde Pierce, Paul Rudd, Christopher Meloni, Molly Shannon, Bradley Cooper, and Elizabeth Banks, among others, director David Wain's comedy has rightly developed quite the following since its initial release twenty-three years ago, spawning a series of Netflix shows, as well as a sequel. 

 

So, there you have it, just a brief list of heat wave comedies. And don't stress about the summer weather. Before you know it, you'll be complaining about how cold it is.

Stay inside and enjoy the air conditioning with one, or both, of my books, which are available at Words From Lyons where they can be signed and personalized! 

 

Packed with Laughs: Classic Sitcoms on Vacation

by Michael Lyons

 

Summer vacations are a funny thing. We can plan and plan for a year, and still, it may never be perfect. A lot can go wrong.

 

Some of television's most famous sitcoms know that very well, and when the characters in those sitcoms have gone on vacation, funny things happen:

 

I Love Lucy, The California Episodes, 1955

 

For half the fourth season and part of the fifth season of I Love Lucy, Lucy (Lucille Ball), Ricky (Desi Arnaz), Ethel (Vivian Vance), and Fred (William Frawley) travel cross country from New York to Hollywood, California, as Ricky has been offered a part in a big studio movie.

 

There episodes focusing on the trials and tribulations of getting to California, including a stop in Tennessee where they meet cousin Ernie (played hysterically by singer Tennessee Ernie Ford).

 

Then, when they finally arrive in California, there is episode after episode featuring some of Hollywood's biggest stars, including William Holden, John Wayne, and Richard Widmark, playing themselves in some of the classic sitcom's most famous and funniest episodes.

 

The Odd Couple, Felix, The Calypso Singer, 1971

 

Oscar (Jack Klugman) books a Caribbean vacation to the island of "Hockaloma" with Nancy (Joan Hotchkis), but when she has to cancel at the last minute, he takes Felix (Tony Randall).

 

When Nancy is able to come, Oscar pushes Felix aside, and the guilt trip Felix provides Oscar is all of the fun, as is the disastrous location Oscar has booked for his vacation. "Who else would buy a package tour of Devil's Island?!" asks Felix of Oscar.

 

All ends well, including Felix singing a calypso song in the dilapidated resort that is a true earworm you'll be humming for days after. 

 

The Brady Bunch, The Hawaii Episodes, 1972

 

Talk about a classic sitcom's most famous episodes - this three-parter where Mike Brady (Robert Reed) is sent to Hawaii on business and takes the whole bunch with him is one of the best.

 

While in Hawaii, the Bradys find a tiki idol that brings them bad luck, such as Greg (Barry Williams) wiping out in a surfing contest, a tarantula crawling into the hotel room and onto Peter's (Christopher Knight) bed, and Alice (Ann B. Davis) throwing her hip out while doing the hula.

 

The boys feel they have to return the idol to a cave to break the spell and encounter a mysterious stranger, played by none other than guest star Vincent Price.

 

This is oh-so-Hawaiian, oh-so-70s, oh-so-Bradys and oh-so-rewatchable, again and again.

 

Full House, The House Meets the Mouse, 1993

 

Never has there been a more innocent, unrealistic, and, yet completely entertaining visit to Walt Disney World.

 

Danny Tanner (Bob Saget) takes the whole "House" to Disney, and things don't go right, but they're still magical in this multi-part episode. Michelle (Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen) is dubbed Princess of the Day at Magic Kingdom Park, DJ (Candace Cameron Bure) thinks she sees her boyfriend Steve as Aladdin in the parade at the then Disney-MGM Studios (incidentally, Scott Weinger, who played Steve, was also the voice of Aladdin in Disney's 1992 animated feature) and Jessie (John Stamos) gets to sing "A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes" in front of Cinderella Castle, after which Danny proposes to Gail (Vicky Larson) as the fireworks fill the sky.

 

"The House Meets the Mouse" is remembered fondly...make that beloved...by the generation who grew up with the series. And why not? It's full of such feel-good '90s Disney nostalgia. After watching it, you will immediately want to book your next Walt Disney World Vacation.

 

 

Hopefully, these episodes, and others out there, will help you prepare to enjoy your summer vacation this year. And, if all doesn't go as planned, well, as these sitcoms promise, you can always look back and laugh.

Looking for something to read or listen to on your vacation? Check out my articles, podcasts and books at Words From Lyons !

 

 

 

 

 

Star Spangled Sayings: Perfect July 4th Movie Quotes

 by Michael Lyons

From the gastronomical heights of a grilled hot dog to the "oohs" and "ahhs" of watching fireworks, Independence Day brings with it, through good times and challenging times, moments of reflection, relaxation, and appreciation.

In addition to all the more traditional...well...traditions, movie lovers have certain "go-to" movies for July 4th. Each of them brings memorable, patriotic quotes that are perfect for the day.

Here are some of the familiar and not so familiar that can help with your Fourth festivities:

"Liberty's too precious a thing to be buried in books...Men should hold it up in front of them every single day of their lives and say: I'm free to think and to speak. My ancestors couldn't, I can, and my children will."

 - Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939)

"Be careful, Mr. Dickinson. Those who would give up some of their liberty in order to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty or safety."

 - 1776 (1972)

"You yell barracuda, everyone says, 'Huh? What? You yell shark, and we've got a panic on our hands on the Fourth of July."

- Jaws (1975)

"Patriotism swells in the heart of the American bear."

 - The Muppet Movie (1979)

"I want, what they want, and every other guy who came over here and spilled his guts and gave everything he had, wants! For our country to love us, as much as we love it!"

Rambo: First Blood Part II (1985)

"He makes me melt like a popsicle on the Fourth of July."

The Little Rascals (1994)

"Perhaps it's fate that today is the 4th of July, and you will once again be fighting for our freedom... not from tyranny, oppression, or persecution... but from annihilation. We are fighting for our right to live. To exist. And should we win the day, the 4th of July will no longer be known as an American holiday, but as the day the world declared in one voice: "We will not go quietly into the night!" We will not vanish without a fight! We're going to live on! We're going to survive! Today we celebrate our Independence Day!"

 - Independence Day (1996)

"Oh my god! You look like the Fourth of July. Makes me want a hot dog real bad."

 - Legally Blond 2: Red, White & Blonde (2003)

and, of course...

"I'm a Yankee Doodle Dandy

A Yankee Doodle do or die

A real live nephew of my Uncle Sam

Born on the Fourth of July!"

 - Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942)

So many more movies out there - all of them watchable, quotable and perfect for Independence Day.

Wishing everyone a Safe and Happy Fourth of July!

Enjoy more articles, podcasts and my new book, Magic Moments at Words From Lyons !

Prime Time Patriarchy: Classic Sitcom Episodes About Dad

by Michael Lyons 

 

Put down that spatula, Dad. It's Father's Day, your day, and our turn to grill for you.

Fathers do so much for us, and in addition to wisdom and love, there's also a lot of laughs.

Sitcoms know that, especially classic sitcoms. And there have been a lot of them that have celebrated dads, each in their own unique, humorous way.

Left to right: Robert Young and Billy Gray in

Father Knows Best. 

 

"Bud Takes Up the Dance," Father Knows Best,  October 3, 1954

One of the best sitcom dads (just look at the title!).

In this, the debut episode of the series, father Jim Anderson (Robert Young) discovers that his son, Bud (Billy Gray) is nervous about going to a school dance because he can't dance. Jim also finds that Marcia (Susan Whitney), the girl Bud asked to the dance, also can't dance.

What's a father to do? Well, Jim teaches both of them to dance.

Pure innocence, and definitely of another time. However, the show's lack of cynicism and genuine spirit is refreshing and comforting to watch. It's no wonder Robert Young's Jim Anderson is still one of TV's most beloved dads.

Left to right: Florence Henderson, Robert Reed

and Maureen McCormick in The Brady Bunch.

"Father of the Year," The Brady Bunch, Jan 2, 1970

It's a very "Brady Bunch" episode of The Brady Bunch. Marcia (Maureen McCormick) wants to nominate Mr. Brady (Robert Reed) for a local Father of the Year award but wants to keep it a secret and a surprise.

However, to do this, Marcia has to break some household rules, which gets her punished. But, all is forgiven when...

SPOILER ALERT!

Thanks to Marcia's essay, Mr. Brady is named Father of the Year, which makes a nice statement about blended families. When Dad and daughter reconcile at the end, only a hardened cynic would scoff at this Brady Bunch's earnest sentimentality. 

Left to right: Pamelyn Ferdin, Tony Randall,

James Van Patten and Jack Krugman in

The Odd Couple. 

 

"Good Boy, Bad Boy, The Odd Couple, Feb 11, 1972

Felix (Tony Randall) becomes a big brother to a young man at a reform school and believes that these troubled youth should be given a second chance...until one of them asks out his daughter, Edna (Pamelyn Ferdin). Felix has to cloak his hypocrisy.

This leads to some hysterical, overprotective Dad moments and dialogue:

Oscar (Jack Klugman): "Would you feel better if she knew the facts of life?"

Felix: Well, I...I...

Oscar: All right, get Gloria [Felix's ex-wife] to tell her.

Felix: No!

Oscar: Why not?!? Gloria told you! 

Robert Prosky and Kirstie Alley in Cheers.

 

"Daddy's Little Middle-Aged Girl, Cheers, Dec 10, 1992

Rebecca's (Kirstie Alley) tough-as-nails father, Naval Captain Robert Howe (Robert Prosky), comes to visit. While in Boston, he tells Rebecca that he feels that she has screwed up her life and should move back home. If Rebecca doesn't, he will cut off the allowance he still gives her.

However, there's a very humorous twist...

SPOILER ALERT

...Rebecca and her mother are in cahoots to ensure that Rebecca keeps her adult allowance, which Dad relents at the end of an episode that shows we never stop being a parent.

Left to right: Ray Romano, Peter Boyle and

Brad Garrett in Everybody Loves Raymond.

 

"Frank's Tribute, Everybody Loves Raymond, Feb 8, 1999

Ray (Ray Romano) and his brother Robert (Brad Garrett) are trying to put together a tribute for their father, Frank (Peter Boyle), at his lodge. They attempt to get testimonials from Frank's lodge buddies. The only problem? None of Frank's fellow lodge members like him!

The lengths the brothers have to go to splice together snippets of what the lodge members say to create something positive is hysterical. There's also a touching sequence at the end between Frank and Marie (Doris Roberts).

With this, and every episode, Everybody Loves Raymond reveals what we already know - nobody loves and "gets" our father and family better than we do.

 

So, like these sitcom episodes teach us, take some time to laugh with and love your dad!

Happy Father's Day!

This summer, check out my website.Words From Lyons for more articles, podcasts and to learn more about my new book, Magic Moments!