"The Addams Family" 1964-1966
Directed by Sidney Lanfield (48 episodes, 1964-1966), Jerry Hopper (4 episodes, 1964), Sidney Salkow (4 episodes, 1965-1966), Jean Yarbrough (3 episodes, 1964), Arthur Hiller (1 episode, 1964), Arthur Lubin (1 episode, 1965), Sidney Miller (1 episode, 1965), Nat Perrin (1 episode, 1965), and Stanley Z. Cherry (1 episode, 1966).
Produced by Herbert W. Browar (64 episodes, 1964-1966), David Levy (64 episodes, 1964-1966), and Nat Perrin (64 episodes, 1964-1966).
Production Companies include Filmways Television.
Writers include Charles Addams (64 episodes, 1964-1966), David Levy (developer) (64 episodes, 1964-1966), Hannibal Coons (25 episodes, 1964-1966), Harry Winkler (25 episodes, 1964-1966), Phil Leslie (10 episodes, 1964-1966), Keith Fowler (5 episodes, 1964-1965), Sloan Nibley (5 episodes, 1965-1966), Henry Sharp (5 episodes, 1965), Jameson Brewer (4 episodes, 1964-1965), Bill Lutz (4 episodes, 1965-1966), Charles R. Marion (3 episodes, 1964-1965), Preston Wood (3 episodes, 1965-1966), Lou Huston (2 episodes, 1964-1965), Elroy Schwartz (2 episodes, 1965-1966), Jerry Gottler (2 episodes, 1965), Carol Henning (2 episodes, 1965), Mitch Persons (2 episodes, 1965), Leo Rifkin (2 episodes, 1965), Ed Ring (2 episodes, 1965), Gene Thompson (2 episodes, 1966), Arthur Weingarten (2 episodes, 1966), Jay Dratler (1 episode, 1964), Maurice Geraghty (1 episode, 1964), Seaman Jacobs (1 episode, 1964), Ed James (1 episode, 1964), Jerry Seelen (1 episode, 1964), Cecil Beard (1 episode, 1965), John Bradford (1 episode, 1965), Lorraine Edwards (1 episode, 1965), Bill Freedman (1 episode, 1965), Ben Gershman (1 episode, 1965), Clark Haas (1 episode, 1965), George Haight (1 episode, 1965), Marvin Kaplan (1 episode, 1965), Don Quinn (1 episode, 1965), Jack Raymond, (1 episode, 1965), Rick Richards (1 episode, 1965), Leo Salkin (1 episode, 1965), Joseph Vogel (1 episode, 1965), Anthony Wilson (1 episode, 1965), Lila Garrett (1 episode, 1966), Bernie Kahn (1 episode, 1966), and Paul Tuckahoe (1 episode, 1966).
The incarnation that brought Chas’s macabre family to worldwide attention was ABC’s original television series, developed by David Levy, which ran for 64 episodes over two seasons from 8 September 1964. The project was delayed for awhile, as the rights belonged to Addams’s ex-wife Estelle, who held out for more money before an agreement was reached.
The show starred John Astin as scheming patriarch Gomez (a suaver version than his inked namesake), Carolyn Jones as his aloof wife Morticia, Jackie Coogan as his wife’s oddball brother Uncle Fester, Ted Cassidy as their towering manservant Lurch, Blossom Rock as Grandmama the witch, Lisa Loring as morose daughter Wednesday, and Ken Weatherwax as naughty son Pugsley.
Filmed in black-and-white, this classic version of The Addams Family is perhaps best remembered for Vic Mizzy’s catchy theme tune and associated finger clicks (which Chas loved, although he lamented that the sitcom wasn’t as macabre as his two-dimensional cartoons). Incredibly, it wasn’t until this TV series was being developed that Addams even gave his creations names and more rounded personalities. The success of the TV show proved to be a double-edged sword, however, as The New Yorkerstopped printing the Addams Family cartoons because of a perceived conflict of interest.
Source
Owen, Dan. “AN ADDAMS FAMILY HISTORY.” Medium, Dans Media Digest, 9 Sept. 2017, dansmediadigest.co.uk/an-addams-family-history-eb270f90a19b.