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Part 1 - A Little Family History: Do you recognize these characters? The Addams Family? I thought this post would be about two commercials, but whenever I start researching something, I find cool facts and images.  This story started with Charles Addams. He created the original cartoon back in 1938 for the New Yorker Magazine. Charles drew another 58 cartoons in this series, and almost all of them were published in the 1940’s and 50’s, long before I was born. The Addams family has come back in a few different incarnations since 1938. These photos are from two different TV shows from 1964. I was 5 back then. The 1st one is The Addams Family. I didn’t watch them, but this is their cast photo. Clockwise from the back left – Gomez (John Astin), Lurch (Ted Cassidy) Pugsley (Ken Weatherwax), Morticia (Carolyn Jones), and Wednesday (Lisa Loring).
The 2nd photo reminds me of the Addams Family, but they’re the Munsters. I watched them every day after school. The cast standing from left to right – Yvonne De Carlo, Al Lewis. Sitting – Butch Patrick, Fred Gwynne, and Beverly Owen.  Fun fact – Fred became a children’s author and illustrator. My favorite book of his – The King Who Rained. It’s very punny!  Photo Source: - Cartoon By Charles Addams, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=15992920 - Cast: By ABC Television - eBay itemphoto frontphoto back, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=19464844 Part 2 – Think Theme Song:  I never watched the TV series from 1964 or the movies that followed, but I know the intro to the theme song. I used it all the time when I was teaching math. I’d sing, Show me your sign.” Then the kids would click their fingers and show their sign. Arms crossed for +, and fingers touching for minus. That’s all I needed for 2nd grade. But cross your arms for x, and hold an arm out for division. Then dot above and below that arm. The kids loved it, well maybe almost as much as I did! The real theme came from the 1964 TV series. It was written and arranged by Vic Mizzy, a famous TV and movie composer. I knew Vic used finger snaps for the percussion section, but I didn’t realize he used harpsichord for the rest. Amazing!  If you’d like to hear it again, search out Addams Family Theme song, and you should see these two images. Click one, and listen. Don’t forget to check out the harpsichord!  BTW - This is a harpsichord! I think it looks a lot like a piano. What do you think? Information Sources: The Addams Family - Wikipedia The Munsters - Wikipedia The Addams Family Theme - Wikipedia Part 3 – A Theme Song Goes Commercial . . . x 2  If you watch TV, you probably saw both commercials. I did, repeatedly! They got a lot of air time during October, when the movie, The Addams Family 2, came out. I found the Progressive Addams Family commercial first. It used the original music, but changed the lyrics to add in the Progressive characters. They’re as funny and quirky as the Addams Family, and the contrast between them is clever! My favorite moment – when Morticia asks Flo how long they’re staying. Morticia looks positively horrified when Flo says forever. If you love clever, search out this commercial and watch it one more time! Enjoy!  If you watch TV, you probably saw both commercials. I did, repeatedly! They got a lot of air time during October, when the movie, The Addams Family 2, came out. I found the Progressive Addams Family commercial first. It used the original music, but changed the lyrics to add in the Progressive characters. They’re as funny and quirky as the Addams Family, and the contrast between them is clever! My favorite moment – when Morticia asks Flo how long they’re staying. Morticia looks positively horrified when Flo says forever. If you love clever, search out this commercial and watch it one more time! Enjoy! 
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AuthorWhen I write, I can only have one voice in my head, mine. A little noise is fine. But too much, or worse yet, WORDS, and I must change rooms or pull out headphones. Then I can write on! Categories
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