Customer Reviews

Addams Chronicles: An Altogether Ooky Look at the Addams Family

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You'll be blown away at how author Cox has assembled so much information, trivia, interviews, and more on "The Addams Family" legacy. The color section in the center of the book is like eye-candy. You'll see this material no where else, I'm sure. I've collected Chas. Addams and "Addams Family" for years and this is the best book. The added bonus about "The Munsters" was interesting, as was the wonderful Foreword by John Astin--my favorite Gomez. Inside are more than 200 pictures which explore the entire Addams lineage plus behind-the-scenes photos which will blow you away. THE book to have on a TV show, without a doubt.

Stephen cox does a great job bringing information about the cast and crew of the original Addams Family show which aired in 1964. Being a second edition howver, not much new information was added. The Movies and new show are mentioned but not gone into in detail. In addition, some glaring misspellings and poor editing show a lack of followup by the publisher. This is unfortunate due to the fact that this book should be owned by ALL Addams Family fan-atics. Lets make sure the 3rd edition gives us more on current history however

Steve Cox's 1991 tome "The Addams Chronicles" is easily the most comprehensive book ever issued concerning the show, having already gone through two printings. Some seven years after the original's debut, Cox has re-visited the manuscript and updated it, with incredible results.

In an age where reference books are published in such huge numbers, it is wonderful to see a publication that genuinely earns its place on a fan's bookshelf. This is not a feeble attempt to justify a reprint, nor is it a half-hearted revision. Instead, it manages to remain true to the original, whilst also appearing fresh and new. The photographs alone will be enough to stun most fans ("The Addams Family" filmed on a closed set, and photographs have always been limited, with colour shots nearly non-existent). From the previously unpublished colour shots adorning the cover, to the jaw-dropping colour insert, the clarity and beauty of these photographs represents an unprecedented collection, and exceeded all of my expectations. The black and white shots disappoint no less, offering an incredible array of previously unpublished shots, including an ultra-rare picture of creator Charles Addams visiting the set, along with numerous other treasures.

Aided by Cox's easy-going, informative prose (a couple of niggling typos aside), this book is a joy from cover-to-cover, and triumphantly re-asserts "The Addams Chronicles" reputation as the primary text concerning the show.

There's not as much difference between the two Addams Chronicles editions as there is with the two Munsters books. But the added info and color photos make this Addams Chronicles the definate one to own.

Will we ever again see a TV show as full of nonconformity, deep dark humor, and head-scratching eccentricity as the Addams Family? I doubt it. This book is a treasure trove of trivia and collector's info for Addams geeks worldwide. Stephen Cox is as knowledgeable an enthusiast as you could hope for, though his writing could use some work. That's usually not a problem in a fun trivia book like this, though when it comes to cultural analysis he does get in over his head sometimes. Examples are his weak attempts to compare the show to the French playwright Moliere, or to explain the deep cultural significance of Gomez's love for cigars. But otherwise, you'll learn some great Addams TV tidbits here, like who played Thing (Ted Cassidy, better known for playing Lurch), and who did Cousin Itt's voice (soundman Tony Magro). You also may not have known that the pig who played Pugsley's frighteningly alive piggy bank also played Arnold on Green Acres. The only real problem with this book is the very quick and rather uninformative biographies of the stars. With the exception of Jackie Coogan (Uncle Fester), most of the actors get bios that are only two or three pages long. But in the end, I'm especially happy to learn that I'm not the only one who thinks that Carolyn Jones as Morticia was quite sexy, rather than creepy. [~doomsdayer520~]

I really loved the Addams family and this book brought it all back. Great info on what happened to each member after the family ended. If you're a fan it's a must read.

Overall, a very good book! My only small complaint is that, although I love both The Addams Family and The Munsters, I would have liked to have read more about the Addamses than the Munsters in one section of the book. (I also have read "The Munsters: A Trip Down Mockingbird Lane" by Stephen Cox, and it only mentions The Addams Family a few times, without devoting entire pages to them.)

In the mid sixties (1964-1966), there was a tv show about an unusual family that was a far different bunch than "The Brady Bunch", than the soap-clean "Leave It To Beaver" and "Donna Reed" shows. Although genuinely witty and humorous, it was the Addams Family that first marked the foundation for comic disfunctional families that would come later. The Addams Family were the original Osbournes. Their eccentric personalities, their abnormal tastes and behavior, which they were very comfortable with, seemed strange to "outsiders" with the more conventional and normal 60's home life. Although I did not grow up watching "The Addams Family" or "The Munsters", it is refreshing to look back at the success of this show. Cox and John Astin (who played Gomez) provide us with colorful photos and illustrations, as well as commentary by the cast, and chronicles the Addams, and the behind the scenes magic.

John Astin portrayed Gomez Addams, the father and head of the household. John Astin had already appeared in films in the fifties, including Westside Story, and in the show, provided much of the wit and humor. Gomez was a wealthy lawyer, although dressed in a gangster suite, smoked cigars frequently and indulged in all kinds of oddball activities: he wrecked his electric toy trains, he practiced Zen Yoga standing on his head, he swung on a chandelier, he fenced with Morticia and also danced the tango. He would always become aroused when Morticia spoke a single word of French (and ocassionally a Yiddish word).

Morticia Addams was played by 50's film actress Carolyn Jones, who was ending her marriage to Aaron Spelling during the syndication of the show. Morticia was mysterious, beautiful, vibrant and intellectual. She painted abstract art, dressed in that tight-fitting long, ... black dress, and was quite proud (her nuances included crossing her arms in an Indian-style fashion and speaking with firm authority). She raised two children, Pugsley and Wednesday (Ken Weatherwax and Lisa Loring), who were taught to be secure in their strangeness- Pugsley playe with various dangerous wildlife and Wednesday had the comic lines "It's so nice and gloomy" and was attached to a headless Marie Antoinette doll.

Lurch, the zombie-like, seven feet something butler, was portrayed by Ted Cassidy. He was striking, Frankenstein-like and had a deep, "throat" voice (You rang ?) and would always intimidate house guests. Although seemingly devoid of personality, Lurch had his moments- i.e. the episode in which he becomes the head of the household to impress his visiting mother, and the episode in which he becomes a recording artist and sings like a Beatles rock star. Uncle Fester was played by Jackie Coogan. Fester was a lonely, lovestruck balding man with a taste for pain (he would sleep in a bed of needles) and could light up a light bulb in his mouth. Others in the family were Thing, a severed hand that was alwayst "at hand" for small favors- answering the phone, getting the mail, opening up a bottle of champagne, etc. And then there was Cousin Itt, a hairy, shapeless creature with an incomprehensible language and funny high voice.

The Addams was a fun show to watch, keeping a generation of audiences full of laughter, perhaps making people forget the troubles that the 60's brought. It would still be fun to watch today- recently, a "New Addams" family show was given for a small run on cable tv and of course, the old series inspired the movies starring Raul Julia, Angelica Houston and Christina Ricci.

I loved the first edition of this book so much that I HAD to buy the revised edition! This is a must-have for all Addams Family fans! Stephen Cox makes you feel like you're part of the family!