Creepy vs. Kooky: A Munsters/Addams Family Trivia Quiz

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[The answers are way down at the bottom.]

In the mid-1960s, TV viewers could be “haunted” by two sitcoms that portrayed morbid monsters as the satiric versions of wholesome families seen on such shows as “Father Knows Best,” “Leave it to Beaver,” and several others.


While the shows ran on rival networks, they had many things remarkably in common. Test your knowledge of these two classic comedies.


  1. Which of the two shows debuted first?
    a. The Munsters

b. The Addams Family

  1. Which of these combinations is correct?
    a. The Addams Family, on ABC, Friday nights
    b. The Munsters, on NBC, Tuesday nights
    c. The Munsters, on ABC, Sunday nights
    d. The Addams Family, on CBS, Monday nights

  2. Which of the two shows began as a cartoon in The New Yorker magazine?

a. The Munsters

b. The Addams Family

4. Which of the two series experienced a change in its cast midway through the first season?

a. The Munsters

b. The Addams Family

5. Which series produced more episodes during its run?

a. The Munsters
 b. The Addams Family

6. Which of the two series featured comedian Paul Lynde in a semi-regular role as Dr. Dudley?

a. The Munsters

b. The Addams Family

7. Death is a humorous theme in both shows, but which of the following cast members died first?

a. Fred Gwynne (Herman Munster)
 b. Al Lewis (Grandpa Munster)
 c. Carolyn Jones (Morticia Addams)
 d. Jackie Coogan (Uncle Fester)

8. Which show included a cast member who appeared in Charlie Chaplin’s silent films?

a. The Munsters

b. The Addams Family

9. Which show included a cast member who ran as a Green Party candidate for Governor of New York?

a. The Munsters

b. The Addams Family

10. Both of the shows featured interesting family pets, including a spider, a pirhana, an octopus, a dragon, a raven, a disembodied hand, and a lion. Only one family was considerate enough to put a “Beware of…” sign out front. Which family did this?

a. The Munsters

b. The Addams Family

Bonus Question:

Both Fred Gwynne and Ted Cassidy played tall, intimidating monsters on their sitcoms, but which actor went on to play the cinematic role of a tall, intimidating judge? ~

Answers:

 

  1. Which of the two shows debuted first?
    a. The Munsters

b. The Addams Family
Note: The two shows debuted less than a week apart, but The Addams Family came first, on September 18, 1964, while The Munsters premiered on September 24, 1964.

  1. Which of these combinations is correct?
    a. The Addams Family, on ABC, Friday nights
    b. The Munsters, on NBC, Tuesday nights
    c. The Munsters, on ABC, Sunday nights
    d. The Addams Family, on CBS, Monday nights

Note: The Addams Family’s first and last episodes were Friday nights, so their schedule may have remained the same throughout its run. The Munsters started on a Saturday night, but their last episode was on a Thursday. 

3. Which of the two shows began as a cartoon in The New Yorker magazine?
a. The Munsters

b. The Addams Family
(answer: The Addams Family, whose creator was Charles Addams. His cartoons continued to run in the magazine during the time that the TV series aired, but did not feature this particular set of characters. The New Yorker’s publisher did not want his upscale magazine being associated with a TV comedy).

4. Which of the two series experienced a change in its cast midway through the first season?
a. The Munsters

b. The Addams Family

(answer: The Munsters. Beverley Owen left the show and was replaced by Pat Priest, for the role of Marilyn).

5. Which series produced more episodes during its run?
a. The Munsters
b. The Addams Family

(answer: The Munsters, with 70 episodes, vs 64 for The Addams Family. Perhaps Addams Family Episodes took longer to produce, due to the elaborate special effects).

6. Which of the two series featured comedian Paul Lynde in a semi-regular role as Dr. Dudley?

a. The Munsters

b. The Addams Family

(answer: The Munsters. A common theme was the nearsighted Dr. Dudley not having his glasses available and mistaking Herman’s hairy hand for a “little doggy.”

7. Death is a humorous theme in both shows, but which of the following cast members died first?
a. Fred Gwynne (Herman Munster)
b. Al Lewis (Grandpa Munster)
c. Carolyn Jones (Morticia Addams)
d. Jackie Coogan (Uncle Fester)
(Answer: Carolyn Jones passed away in August of 1983, at age 53. Jackie Coogan died in 1984. Fred Gwynne died in 1993, and Al Lewis died in 2006.)

8. Which show included a cast member who appeared in Charlie Chaplin’s silent films?

a. The Munsters

b. The Addams Family

(Answer: The Addams Family. “Uncle Fester” was played by Jackie Coogan, whose legal difficulties led to establishment of California law to protect child actors.)

9. Which show included a cast member who ran as a Green Party candidate for Governor of New York?

a. The Munsters

b. The Addams Family

Answer: The Munsters. Al Lewis (“Grandpa”) ran for governor and got enough votes to get his party on the ballot. However, he compared the likelihood of winning the election to the odds of climbing Mount Everest barefoot.

10. Both of the shows featured interesting family pets, including a spider, a piranha, an octopus, a dragon, a raven, a disembodied hand, and a lion. Only one family was considerate enough to put a “Beware of…” sign out front. Which family did this?

  1. The Munsters

  2. The Addams Family

(Answer: The Addams Family. The sign read “Beware of the Thing.”

Bonus Question:

Both Fred Gwynne and Ted Cassidy played tall, intimidating monsters on their sitcoms, but which actor went on to play the role of a tall, intimidating judge?

A: Fred Gwynne, who played the no-nonsense judge in the movie "My Cousin Vinny" and asked Joe Pesci "What is a 'yoot?'"





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