The Forgotten ‘Addams Family’ Halloween Special That Reunited the Original Cast
When The Addams Family originally aired from 1964 to 1966, it quickly became a beloved TV sitcom, especially for those who love Halloween and all things spooky. It was revived multiple times afterwards, most notably as two separate successful film series — but many people don’t know that one revival, which occurred 11 years after the original series wrapped, included almost every actor from the original run, and marked the final time many of them would ever work together.
When Did the Original Addams Family Cast Reunite for a Halloween Special?
Premiering on NBC on October 30, 1977, the one-night special Halloween with the New Addams Family brought Gomez, Morticia, Uncle Fester, Lurch, Cousin Itt, Wednesday and Pugsley back together for a rare color production that delighted longtime viewers. Despite the “new” in its title, there was nothing new about it, cast or character-wise; rather, the title was created to deal with a legal rights issue around the show.
What Was the Forgotten Addams Family Halloween Special About?
The special’s plot features Gomez’s brother, Pancho, arriving for a visit, just as a group of crooks set their sights on the Addams fortune. The criminals use doppelgängers of Gomez and Morticia to infiltrate the mansion. In true Addams Family style, the villains are no match for the wacky household, and the evening ends with the family celebrating Halloween with a song dedicated to Cousin Shy, their pumpkin-carving relative.
Everett Collection
Who Returned for the Addams Family Reunion?
What makes the special so interesting is the behind-the-scenes story. Producer Charles Fries had secured the rights from Charles Addams’ ex-wife Barbara Colyton, but it turned out that certain elements of the original sitcom still belonged to Filmways. Since the special’s producers were not able to get every company involved in the original series’ production on board, the project was billed as “new,” even though it featured most of the same actors. The workaround resulted in a slightly altered setup, yet it still managed to reunite nearly all the key players. Carolyn Jones returned as Morticia, billed as a “special guest star,” while John Astin played Gomez and his imposter. Jackie Coogan, Ted Cassidy, Lisa Loring, Ken Weatherwax and Felix Silla all came back, too. Sadly, Blossom Rock, who had played Grandmama, was too ill to participate and passed away just months later.
Everett Collection
Shot over 12 days on videotape, the special had a rushed production schedule that had to be arranged around Astin’s work on Operation Petticoat. It also featured character actors Parley Baer and Vito Scotti in new roles, despite both having previously appeared in the original series. Although it aired only once and faded quickly from memory, it marked the last time many of the original actors appeared together.
Though it never reached the cult status of the original series or the 1990s films, Halloween with the New Addams Family gave longtime viewers a chance to revisit the ghoulish clan in color. It was later released on VHS in 1989, keeping its legacy alive for those who wanted to rediscover it.
Where to Watch Halloween with the New Addams Family
If you don’t have the VHS, you can watch it for free on Tubi or Pluto TV.
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