The Addams Family

The Addams Family are a
group of fictional characters created by American cartoonist Charles
Addams
in collaboration with his friend Ray Bradbury. The Addamses are a satirical
inversion of the ideal American family; an eccentric, wealthy family who delight
in the macabre and are unaware that people find them bizarre or
frightening. They originally appeared as a series of single panel cartoons in The New Yorker magazine, which gained
popularity in the 1930s.

Premise

Addams' original cartoons were one-panel gags and he never developed any of the characters or even gave them names until the sitcom was being developed. All information below is derived from the various media versions.
The family that the cartoons, movies, and television shows are based on is apparently only one surviving branch of the Addams clan. Many other "Addams families" exist all over the world. According to the film version, the family credo is, Sic gorgiamus allos subjectatos nunc (pseudo-Latin: "We gladly feast on those who would subdue us").
They reside next to a cemetery and a swamp at 0001 Cemetery Lane, in a gloomy mansion (In The New Addams Family, the address was changed to 1313 Cemetery Lane, in a reference to rival show The Munsters). (Charles Addams was first inspired by his home town of Westfield, New Jersey, an area full of ornate Victorian mansions and archaic graveyards.)
Although they all share macabre interests, the Addamses cannot be considered evil people. They are a close-knit extended family. Morticia is an exemplary mother, and she and Gomez remain passionate towards one another. She calls him "Bubbele", to which he responds by kissing her arms—behaviour Morticia can also provoke by speaking a few words in French. The parents are very supportive of their children, cheering even their smallest accomplishments. The family is unfailingly friendly and hospitable to visitors, in some cases willing to donate large sums of money to causes, despite the visitors' horror at the Addams' particular lifestyle.

Addams Family characters

1.Gomez

Gomez Alonzo Addams is the Addams patriarch. He is the husband of Morticia and the father of Wednesday and Pugsley. Originally Grandmama's son, this was retconned later on to make him Grandmama's son-in-law. His brother (originally uncle-in-law) is Uncle Fester. In the original cartoons, he appears as tubby, snub-nosed and with a receding chin.
In the TV series, Gomez is portrayed as a charming, handsome, and successful man, although he has a child-like, eccentric enthusiasm for everything he does. For instance, his personal portrait depicts him as standing gleefully on his head. Though a peaceful man, he is known to be well-versed in many types of combat. He and Morticia fence with foils sometimes.
Gomez has an endless love for Morticia. He studied to be a lawyer, but rarely practices, while taking great pride in losing his cases. Gomez is also quite pleased with the fact that his law class voted him "Least Likely to Pass the Bar".
Gomez is extremely wealthy from inheritance and extensive investments, but he seems to have little regard for money. Although he invests in the stock market, to the point where there is a ticker tape machine in their living area, he seems to play the market primarily to lose.
Gomez is of Castilian origin and loves to smoke cigars and play destructively with his model trains. Despite his macabre sense of humor, he is extremely generous and known for going out of his way to help those he considers friends.

2.Morticia

Morticia Addams is the matriarch of the Addams Family. She is a woman with pale skin and a Gothic appearance, clad in a Vampira-esque, skin-tight black gown with octopus-like tendrils at the bottom.
Morticia's original mother was Hester Frump (played in two episodes by Margaret Hamilton), but her origins were later retconned and she became Grandmama's daughter. (Grandmama subsequently became known as Esmerelda Frump.) Morticia has an older sister named Ophelia. In the sitcom, her marriage brought her uncle Fester into the family.
Morticia is portrayed as elegant, artistic, and musically inclined (opera singing, tango dancing, and playing numerous instruments). She also knits strange items of clothing for various members of the family.
The original drawing of Morticia in The New Yorker was said to be the inspiration for Maila Nurmi's "Vampira" character, the forerunner of Elvira.

3.Pugsley and Wednesday

Gomez and Morticia have two children, Pugsley and Wednesday. Wednesday, whose middle name is Friday, was originally—as her name suggests—a quiet, somewhat pathetic child, full of woe. In the TV show she is a sweet-natured, innocent, happy child, largely concerned with her pet spiders. A favorite toy is her Marie Antoinette doll, which she had guillotined. The movies gave Wednesday a much more serious and mature personality with a deadpan wit and a morbid fascination with trying to physically harm or possibly murder her brother (she was seen strapping him into an electric chair, for example, and preparing to pull the switch); she is apparently often successful, but Pugsley never dies. Like most members of the family he seems to be stronger than most humans, requiring a lot more punishment to be killed.
For his part, Pugsley is largely either oblivious of the harm his sister tries to inflict on him, or an enthusiastic supporter of it. In his first incarnation, Pugsley (originally to be called Pubert, a name that would be given to the Addams baby in the live action movies) was depicted as a diabolical, malevolent child next door. In the TV series, he is a devoted older brother and an inventive and mechanical genius. In the films, he loses his intelligence and independence, and becomes Wednesday's sidekick, cheerfully helping her in her evil deeds.
The relationship between the Addams siblings seems to have (at least in part) inspired the one between Billy and Mandy in The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy, with Mandy and Billy's relationship mirroring Wednesday's relationship with Pugsley).
In the most recent animated series, Pugsley's and Wednesday's personalities seem to be a mix of their previous ones, with Wednesday a happy and somewhat optimistic child, while retaining her sophisticated manner from the movies and Pugsley having regained some of his genius when it comes to chemistry and machines, but his intelligence still seems to be rather underdeveloped at times.
The children appear to be home-schooled, receiving all the education they require from Grandmama and Uncle Fester. An attempt was made to enroll them in the local elementary school, but it did not work out.
In the first movie, the children do attend an elementary school. And in the second movie they are on summer vacation from school.

4.Pubert

In the 1993 film Addams Family Values, Gomez and Morticia have a third child, a son named Pubert (voiced by Cheryl Chase), a mustachioed and seemingly indestructible baby with the ability to shoot flaming arrows. Originally conceived by Charles Addams for the character eventually named Pugsley in the '60s TV series, the name was rejected due to fears that network censors would disallow it.
Pubert is referred to in the unrelated 1998 straight-to-video film Addams Family Reunion and the short-lived follow-up series that aired on Fox Family Channel, in which Wednesday states that there used to be a third sibling, but that they ate it.

5.Uncle Fester and Grandmama

Other members of the family who live with Gomez and Morticia include Uncle Fester and Grandmama.
Fester is a bald, barrel-shaped man with dark, sunken eyes and a devilish grin. He seems to carry an electrical charge and can illuminate a light bulb by sticking it in his mouth. In the original television series, Fester was Morticia's uncle, and therefore technically not an Addams, although at times he claims the family name as his own. In all other animated and filmed content, Fester became Gomez's older brother.
Grandmama is Gomez's mother in the 1960s live-action TV series and also The New Addams Family, where she is given the name "Eudora Addams". In both the movies and the animated TV series, the relation between Grandmama and Gomez seems to have changed from mother-son to mother-in-law. However, according to The Lurch Files website, this is not the case. She's only referenced as Morticia's mother in the movie series, having the name Esmeralda Frump (Most Addams Family fans consider the third movie, which actually gives the name, non-canon, so it's conceivable that Grandmama may have had another name. In the first movie, Morticia and Gomez note that "Mother and Father Addams" were killed by an angry mob, removing any possibility that Grandmama could be Gomez' mother in the movie-verse). Grandmama is a witch who deals in potions, spells and hexes of all kinds. She even dabbles in fortune-telling. Her trademarks are her shawl and frizzy hair. In the original TV series, Mother Frump exists as a separate character from Grandmama. In the animated series, Grandmama is only referred to as "Granny". In the remake of the series (in which Pancho Addams does not appear), she is both Gomez and Fester's mother.

6.Thing, Lurch, and Cousin Itt

Another member of the family is seen in the form of a disembodied hand named "Thing". Thing has been Gomez's friend since childhood. He (it is implied that he is male) often performs common, everyday tasks such as retrieving the mail, writing a letter or just giving a friendly pat on shoulder, appearing out of ubiquitous boxes or other convenient containers throughout the house. He communicates with Addamses with a Morse-like alphabet, sign language, writing, and knocking on wood. In the movies and in The New Addams Family and the previous series, Thing is an entirely mobile lower arm and hand, severed just below the elbow (In the TV series, the lower arm was often seen). He lives in an upstairs closet made up as a house-within-a-house, though he is also shown to reside in a cigar box.
In addition to Thing, the Addams family also have a tall, ghoulish manservant named Lurch. Lurch serves as a shambling, gravelly-voiced, Frankenstein's Monster-esque butler though he is a considerable 'Jack of all trades'. He tries to help around the house, although occasionally he botches tasks due to his great size and strength, but is otherwise considered quite a catch by the Addamses for his skill at more personal tasks (e.g. waxing Fester's head, amusing the children, etc). Surprisingly, he is often seen playing the harpsichord and organ with a great degree of skill and somewhat uncharacteristic enthusiasm. In Addams Family Reunion, Gomez states that Lurch is not really an Addams, and Morticia replies that Lurch has parts of many families, and that he has the heart of an Addams. Lurch also seems to have a certain level of imperviousness; in Addams Family Values, a 20-pound cannonball is dropped from the top of the Addams' mansion, landing directly on his head, seemingly with no ill effect. In the sitcom, he was capable of speech; beckoned by the pull of a noose-shaped rope which rang a loud thunderous gong he would answer with a signature monotone, brusque and bass-voiced, "You rang?". In the theatrical movies Lurch never spoke, using only grunts, sighs or simple gesticulations. The New Addams Family returned to the original style, right down to the noose bellrope that rang a gong. Lurch also seemed a little bit more polite than his earlier counterparts.
Gomez also has a cousin, known as Cousin Itt (spelled as "Cousin It" in the movies and the pinball game), who often visits the family. He is short-statured and has long hair which covers his entire body from scalp to floor. Cousin Itt drives a 3-wheeled car: a Messerschmitt KR175.[3] Although in the series he is shown wearing opera gloves, it is unclear what, if anything, is beneath the hair. He is known to speak in a high-pitched nonsensical gibberish that only the family seems to understand. In the second animated series, Itt is a super-spy for the U.S. Government. In the movies he falls in love with a human woman, Margaret, and marries her after her first husband, Tully the lawyer, is disposed of by the Addams children. He and Margaret go on to have a child in Addams Family Values named "What" (from the obstetrician's reaction). In Addams Family Values, Cousin Itt performs the wedding of Fester, demonstrating he has some sort of title and legal power that is not explained in the movie.
In Latin America, Cousin It is called "Tio Cosa" (Uncle Thing) and he is Morticia's brother. Thing is called "Dedos" (Fingers) or "maozinha" (little hand) in Brazil.
Margaret
Cousin Itt`s wife who he had an affair with in the first live action film after her first husband was killed by the Addams children.She and Itt also got married and had a son named "What" she is the first cousin in-law of Fester Gomez and Mortica and the first cousin once removed in-law of Pugsley, Wednesday, and Pubert.
"What"
He is the son of Cousin Itt and Margaret.His name "What" is (from the obstetrician's reaction)he looks exactly like Itt and always has a pass afire in his mouth.He is the first cousin once removed of Gomez and Fester the first cousin once removed in-law of Mortica and is the second cousin of Pugsley, Wednesday, and Pubert.

7.Pets

In the sitcom, references are made to an innumerable collection of bizarre and unconventional creatures such as hawks, bats and alligators although there were a handful with some consistency throughout the various media the family appeared in.
Kitty Kat is the family lion, and can be seen in several episodes roaming around the house. The entire family regards Kitty Cat as they would an average housecat, and seem flummoxed at the notion that Kitty Cat is in any way, dangerous. Pugsley has an octopus called Aristotle, and Wednesday a large collection of spiders with only one she mentions in particular by name, Homer. Coincidentally, in Latin America Gomez is called "Homero" (Homer).
Cleopatra is an African Strangler, a man-eating plant (similar to Audrey 2), belonging to Morticia. The plant eats meatballs made of Yak and other tasty meats specially prepared and more often than not, spoon-fed to her. Morticia had Cleopatra before she and Gomez married, having grown her from a seedling.

The Mansion

The Addams family's (in)famous mansion has had many different incarnations over the years. It made its first appearance (at least, the interior did) at the same time as Morticia and Lurch, in one of Charles Addams's cartoons. The house was depicted as being a dilapidated mansion that had been condemned (and was seemingly haunted, due to the strange creatures at the top of the staircase). Since then, it had become almost a character itself, and served as the main setting for the rest of the cartoons featuring the Addams family. Stories surrounding the mansion (in video games, primarily) are common, and the house's origins and specific nature are explored more deeply in The New Addams Family than any other incarnation.
In the 1960's TV series, the house was given an address: 0001 Cemetery Lane. Its design was also changed somewhat. Instead of being a dilapidated house, it was now practically a museum filled with odd statues, trophies, and other interesting things. The house also sported a playroom with medieval racks, nailbeds, iron maidens, and stockades for "relaxing."
The house once again became a condemned mansion in the New Scooby-Doo Movies TV show, in which the Addamses made a guest appearance. In the following Addams Family 1970's cartoon, the mansion was mounted on a trailer and dragged all over the world with the globetrotting Addams clan.
The two Addams Family movies in 1991 and 1993, along with the second animated series in 1992, resurrected the mansion's original exterior design from the Charles Addams cartoons. The movie Addams Family Values had the mansion appearing exactly as it did in Chas Addams' drawing of the family about to dump boiling oil on a group of carolers from the roof (a gag that was acted out in the opening sequence of the previous film).
The New Addams Family provided a cross between the original TV show's mansion and the movie/comic strip's mansion. The mansion remained a condemned building (According to Morticia, it had actually been condemned five times), and the interior had various dangerous objects and odd statues just like the original TV show. The entrance gate (nicknamed, appropriately, "Gate" in the original TV show and the 1991 film) was now overgrown with foliage. A cemetery was moved next to the house (a change that also occurred in the two feature films and the 1977 reunion special), and there were now various secret rooms and passages. The mailbox and door knockers seem to be alive. When Gomez and Morticia first moved in as the home's owners (though Gomez and Grandmama had been residents even before then), they thought it was haunted. They regret that it wasn't, "but you can't have everything." But the existence of the ghost of Aunt Minerva proves otherwise. It's also mentioned that the home is made of titanium instead of wood (and is consequently bomb-proof), has 26 (or maybe 27) rooms -- if Fester has made a new addition with his cannon -- and the house has apparently been in the family for centuries. The area surrounding the house can be described briefly as a wasteland, with swamps, a moat, and the like. The address was also changed to 1313 Cemetery Lane in a reference to 1313 Mockingbird Lane, the home of The Munsters

Houseguests

Guests include Morticia's older sister Ophelia (also played by Carolyn Jones in the sitcom), Morticia's cousin Melancholia and Morticia's mother (and Fester's sister), Hester Frump (played in the sitcom by Margaret Hamilton, wearing her Miss Almira Gulch dress from The Wizard of Oz). The Addamses have many other eccentric relatives who, in the sitcom, are described but never shown—unless they appear in one of the bizarre family portraits seen hanging on the walls.

Neighbors

Most of the Addamses' neighbors are less than understanding of the family's eccentricities. Within the larger community, the Addamses are viewed as eccentric, dangerous, or worse. Both the TV shows and movies deal with outsiders attempting to understand and "correct" the behavior of the family, and remain frustrated and horrified by the things that the Addamses find amusing. The Addamses, for their part, are just the opposite, and are often shocked and horrified at the actions of conventional society.
The second animated series introduced three new regular characters: the Normanmeyers (Norman, Normina, and N.J.), a family of "normal" people living across the street from the Addamses. While Norman and Normina are constantly appalled and shocked at the Addams' macabre behavior, their son N.J. counts Wednesday and Pugsley as his best friends. Norman owns and works at an underwear factory and is utterly obsessed with underwear, decorating the entire Normanmeyer house with an underwear motif, which arguably makes him less "normal" than the Addamses themselves. Norman was played by Rob Paulsen, Normina was voiced by Edie McClurg, and N.J. was performed by Dick Beals.

The paranormal nature of the Addamses

Unlike The Munsters, which explicitly stated its characters' supernatural identities, the exact nature of the Addamses is never established. They all seem to share a bond with the occult and supernatural. Uncle Fester is often portrayed as something of a mad scientist, and Grandmama as a fortune-teller, but these activities don't really explain the Addamses' seemingly immortal state. The food they live on is inedible or outright deadly for normal humans to eat, and they take an interest in painful activities like walking across minefields or having a sharp pendulum cut them in half.
In the 1960s television series, virtually every member of the family demonstrates some uniquely "non-human" trait:
~Morticia is able to light candles with the touch of a fingertip, and relaxes by literally "smoking" (emitting curls of smoke from her body).
~Gomez is remarkably athletic, his cigar lights the instant he draws it out of his breast pocket and extinguishes when replaced, and he can perform complicated calculations in his head (making a mechanical sound as he does so). He often tells time by reading the time from his wristwatch (which runs slow), then his pocket watch (which runs fast) and then calculating the difference between the two.
~Fester can generate both electricity and magnetism and powers a lightbulb in his mouth as a party piece. In The New Addams Family he can also explode at will without harm. Additionally, he suffers from a severe migraine that can be cured with a press, and apparently causes no harm upon him. He also likes to recharge in his electric chair.
*Grandmama, in addition to being able to whip up potions of varying effects, can fly on a broom.
*Pugsley is able to hang from tree branches by his teeth, although this trait is only referred to and not seen. He's also depicted as being able to survive any mortal injuries and survive his sister's attempts to kill him. He's also a bit more normal (personality speaking) than the rest of the Addams clan.
*Six-year-old Wednesday is strong enough to bring her father down with a judo hold.
*Lurch - a Frankenstein's Monster-like being - is superhumanly strong.
*Thing, whose paranormal nature speaks for itself, can apparently teleport from box to box almost instantaneously.
None of these traits are considered unusual by any others in the family, but treated simply as individual talents that anyone might possess. All take pleasure in enduring such experiences as lying on a bed of nails, being stretched on a rack, and so on.
Occasionally, the 1960s series features guest characters who share the Addamses' tastes, which—along with the fact that the family obviously purchases its yak meat, explosives, etc. from somewhere—implies an entire subculture of people who share the family's tastes (as seen in several Charles Addams cartoons). In contrast, the Addamses themselves consider such things as daisies, chocolate fudge, the Boy Scouts, and other such traditionally "wholesome" things—as well as any distaste for such things as swamps, octopoda, and hanging upside-down from the ceiling—to be odd, if not outright disturbing. Fester once cited a neighbor family's meticulous petunia patches as evidence that they were "nothing but riff-raff". Although the Addamses usually greet "normal" visitors with enthusiasm, these attitudes establish the family as more of an eccentric, old money family that looks down upon the nouveaux riche or bourgeois habits of the outside world.

----------------THE END---------------