“The Munsters” first premiered on CBS while “The Addams Family” first aired on ABC, both on the same day. A lot of viewers debated on whether or not either one of the shows tried to rip off the other. In reality, though, both shows were produced without any knowledge of what the other was working on. In the long run, “The Addams Family” ultimately became the victor on the TV screen. Nevertheless, “The Munsters” proved to be a revolutionary show in numerous regards.
Although the show only ran for a couple of seasons, it managed to live on with a fresh batch of audiences who discovered the show via syndication. In case you find yourself searching for a new late-night show to binge-watch, you might want to consider “The Munsters” as your next living room craze.
The Munster Family in a Cheerios Commercial
Where you want to believe it or not, "The Munsters" became such a hit and beloved show by its audiences that the family sitcom was requested to appear in a Cheerios commercial. The whole commercial was grounded on iconic themes throughout different episodes of the show, each one linking back to the brand Cheerios.
As a matter of fact, it was recounted by Butch Patrick himself with his character Eddie Munster who stated that “Daddy said they’re the best thing since bat wings!” It’s truly a creative marketing ploy by Cheerios as the show was extremely popular with the younger population, who are more likely to indulge in cereal products compared to adults.
The Drag-U-La
Grandpa Munster’s ride, given the fitting name of Drag-U-La, was actually developed with the use of an authentic coffin. The coffin was smuggled to North Hollywood in secrecy as it was prohibited to purchase coffins without a corresponding death certificate. The casket was bought using cash and then placed free-standing on the funeral service at the cover of darkness so Barris and his team can safely grab it and start building the Drag-U-La.
Grandpa’s car was featured on the TV series for just one episode but was shown in the end credits of every episode of its second season. The Drag-U-La was likewise created by Tom Daniel, who was also the creator of the Munster Koach.
Dad Humor
Over the years, there have been loads of family-centered comedy shows, all of which brought some great father figured to our screen. But Herman Munster is definitely one of the best TV dads out there. He was even officially ranked for it in 2004.
Yes, you are reading correctly. In 2004, TV Guide listed the top 50 TV dads of all time, and the lovely Herman came in at #19!
The Munsters Had Quite a Family Tree
Grandpa's character is commonly known as "Grandpa Munster," but when you think about it, it doesn't make much sense. If Lily Munster had taken her husband's name after they got married, then this means she wasn't a Munster by birth, and therefore, her father would have a different surname too!
As it turns out, Lily's maiden name (and her father's surname, obviously) is Dracula. Herman Munster got his last name from his adoptive father, whom we've never seen on the show. It's possible that Lily's niece, Marylin, took on the last name as well after the Munsters adopted her.