Updated: February 04, 2024

The Story of the Munsters:

Mockingbird Lane is a lovely, elm-shaded street where average families lead normal lives. But a paintbrush hasn't touched 1313 Mockingbird Lane since the last nail was driven into place. Shutters hang askew, weeds grow with wild abandon, and vultures build nests in the barren trees. This Victorian horror, towering three stories and with a dungeon in the basement, houses the funniest collection of people ever to set up housekeeping. They are The Munsters!

The head of this horrifyingly funny household is Herman Munster. Tall, gaunt, cadaverous and in his 150s. He has a flat square shaped head, a jagged saber scar on his forehead, ill-fitting clothes, darkly ringed eyes, and bolts in his neck. Since The Munsters show was licensed by Universal, the make-up artist could easily, and legally, use the Jack Pierce/ Boris Karloff "Frankenstein look."

A gentle giant, Herman looks at the world with the trust of a child. He says he was born "in Germany, in a laboratory built by a Dr. Frankenstein, whose hobby was putting together do-it-yourself people kits." He left Germany at an early age and was adopted in England by a family named Munster, which conveniently set up the later theatrical movie, Munster Go Home ( 1966 ), where Herman inherits an English castle and a royal title.

Herman tries his best to be a good husband, father and provider. He drives his car ( half hot rod, half Hearse ) to work each day at the Gateman, Goodbury & Graves Funeral Parlor, where Mr. Gateman ( John Carradine ) considers him an exemplary employee, "He's one of the few people at the parlor who doesn't lie down on the job."

His wife, Lily Munster, a Transylvanian transplant, is as hauntingly and gothically beautiful as the day she died. Personality-wise, Lily is a typical suburban housewife, "in the vein" of June Cleaver, Harriet Nelson and Donna Reed, concerned primarily with keeping the house in order, and her family happy and well fed. However, to Lily, dusting the house means throwing dust around.

The family has their hands full with Lily's father, Grandpa Munster, who is actually the Count Dracula. Grandpa is around, um, well; let's just say he's old. He is a great practical joker, but time has dimmed his memory and his magical skills. Like a bat, he enjoys hanging around the house upside down. He is quite unpredictable... bumbler would be a better word.

Herman and Lily have a young son named Eddie. He has pointed ears, fangs and wears a Little Lord Fauntleroy outfit. He loves to carry around his "Woof-Woof ", a miniature werewolf doll. To Eddie, his Grandpa's tricks are "neat", and usually says, "It's too early for bed, if it's too dark out."

The whole clan lavishes their attention on Lily's niece, Marilyn Munster, a Barbie doll type. They feel she is unfortunate in having a creamy complexion, rosy cheeks, blonde hair, and blue eyes. She agrees that she is the weird one. They're very protective of Marilyn, no matter how ugly she is?