The Addams Family (1973 animated series)

The Addams Family is an animated adaptation of the Charles Addams cartoons produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions in 1973. Jackie Coogan and Ted Cassidy who played Uncle Fester and Lurch respectively from the 1960s television series returned in voice-over roles.

Scooby-Doo! appearance
The Addams Family's first animated appearance was on the third episode of Hanna-Barbera's The New Scooby-Doo Movies, "Scooby-Doo Meets the Addams Family" (a.k.a. "Wednesday is Missing"), which first aired on CBS Saturday morning on September 23, 1972. John Astin, Carolyn Jones, Jackie Coogan, and Ted Cassidy provided the voices for their respective Addams Family characters while voice actors were used to voice Grandmama, Wednesday, Pugsley, and Cousin Itt. The episode details the Addams Family in a mystery with the Scooby-Doo gang. The Addams Family characters were drawn to the specifications of the original Charles Addams comics.

The Addams Family get their own show
The first animated series ran on Saturday mornings from 1973–1975 on NBC. In a departure from the original series, this series took the Addamses on the road in a Victorian-style RV. This series followed the relationships of the original Addams cartoons in that Fester is Gomez' brother, and Grandmama is Morticia's mother. Many cast members from the original series and the Scooby-Doo episode reprise their roles in the series, with the exceptions of Astin and Jones whose characters were voiced by Lennie Weinrib and Janet Waldo. The show also introduces the Addams Family's animal companions Ali the Alligator and Ocho the Octopus.

The theme music was mostly different, except for the four-noted tune from the live-action series.

Cast

 * Lennie Weinrib - Gomez Addams
 * Janet Waldo - Morticia Addams, Grandmama
 * Jackie Coogan - Uncle Fester
 * Cindy Henderson - Wednesday Addams
 * Jodie Foster - Pugsley Addams
 * Ted Cassidy - Lurch
 * John Stephenson - August, Cousin Itt
 * Pat Harrington, Jr. -
 * Bob Holt -
 * Herb Vigran -

Gold Key Comics series
Gold Key Comics published a 3-issue The Addams Family comic book series between October 1974 and April 1975, boasting stories adapted from episodes of the animated series.

DVD release
On October 19, 2010, Warner Archive released The Addams Family: The Complete Series on DVD in region 1 as part of their Hanna–Barbera Classics Collection. This is a Manufacture-on-Demand (MOD) release, available exclusively through Warner's online store and Amazon.com.

Broadcast history

 * Telecast: NBC Saturday Morning September 8, 1973 - August 30, 1975


 * Sept. - Dec. 1973, NBC Saturday 9:00-9:30 AM (EDT)
 * Jan. - Aug. 1974, NBC Saturday 8:30-9:00 AM (EDT)
 * Sept. 1974 - Aug. 1975, NBC Saturday 8:00-8:30 AM (EDT)